What's the deal with saggy skin?

nharder1

OK, so here's my story:

I was always really obese as a child/teenager. I lost a good bit of weight my junior year in high school and felt fairly comfortable with myself. Well of course, when I met my husband I gained a substantial amount of weight eh, about 185lb. I was married at this weight and was pregnant with my first baby at this weight. I had a decent pregnancy. I didn't gain too much weight, went up to about 217lb. I hadn't expected to get too many stretch marks because I figured I was already bigger and had some extra room! Boy was I wrong. I had stretch marks all across the top of my stomach above my belly button; I mean purple ones. I had my baby and remained about 200lb. Well 12 later, I was pregnant again! I really didn't think that I could possibly get any more stretch marks than I already had. Again, I was wrong. This time I got them on the bottom of my stomach, under my belly button. Same big, purple stretch marks. Well I was rather sick during this pregnancy and ballooned up to about 237lb. Well I had some family matters that preoccupied me and I lost some poundage rather quickly; down to about 204lb.
This is when I really started loosing weight. I joined MFP in January and started at 204lb. So from then until now, I have lost 37lb. And my skin is disturbing to say the least. Especially where the stretch marks are. Now they have faded in color. They are no longer a dark purple color, but a pale skin color. They are still clearly visible, however. But since I have been losing weight, I've noticed other skin color stretch marks coming out of the wood works. They are everywhere! Inside my knees, my elbows, under arms, breasts, hips, back and my inner thighs.
The skin on my belly is rather saggy and it looks terrible, especially with all these stretch marks! Now the skin in other areas has tightened up a good bit due to exercise and toning. But this belly skin!!!! I just don't know what to do about it. I had a C-Section with my second baby and it already sticks out because of this. I cannot get this skin to tone up!!


So my point for this topic: Does anyone have any suggestions? I am open for any comments/suggestions and hope that a tummy tuck is not my only option.

grapeeyes1

I have the same concerns. I have done some research. Use vitamin e oils on your skin. Also, weights are supposed to help build muscle. i have also heard that sometimes later, as much as a year, saggy skin will decrease. you appear young in your pic, so you may not have that much.

holly3585

You are doing AMAZING!!!!!! I posted a 'saggy skin' question my 1st couple weeks on MFP, because I had lost my weight, and continued working out A LOT for over 6 months after the loss, and STILL had saggy skin.....well here I am about a year later- still work out like crazy, and zig-zag calories (weekly average net is 1800/day) and my skin has greatly improved- enough that I am committed to the next year on MFP and see what my pic will look like then *personal goal is to hold a plank w/o ANY skin hanging down*

_shortstack

I have the same issue. Over time it has decreased and appears less wrinkly, but is still there. I'm pretty sure as time goes by and the more healthy I become it will get better, but it will never be what it once was.

nharder1

Thank you for the input. Well your definition and my definition of "much" may be different. lol.
I have heard that the skin will shrink, but that the stretch marks will never go away. If that's the case, then I may as well just be one giant stretch mark! lol, but yes, I am 23 so I am hoping that this can used to an advantage and that I may still have some time to get that skin tightened up some!

Thanks again.

brittryan1017

I worry about the same things! I have stretch marks on my tummy only because I'm chubby (no children here lol) and the light colored ones on the backside of my arms. I have heard that vitamin E and coco butter both are awesome for skin. Maybe do more abdominal workouts other than that I really don't know! You have definately done a phenomenal job already! Good luck with the rest of your journey!

summer8it

Dry skin brushing helped me tighten up the skin on my belly after pregnancy. The skin used to fold over into a shape like a smile, but with exercise, dry skin brushing, and patience, it tightened back up.

9 years later, my stomach still proves I've given birth, but my stomach is flat, the skin's tight (although not AS tight as pre-pregnancies) and the stretch marks have become almost the same color as the rest of my skin.

So google dry skin brushing, it can't hurt! It's done with a natural fiber brush. Yerba Buena makes excellent ones with nice, firm bristles, but even the back-scrubber brushes they sell at Target can be used in a pinch. You can dry-brush your whole body... it feels nice, and helps gently exfoliate dry skin.

(Edited to clarify that it didn't take 9 years of skin brushing to realize these results. I saw results within a few months.)

nharder1

I worry about the same things! I have stretch marks on my tummy only because I'm chubby (no children here lol) and the light colored ones on the backside of my arms. I have heard that vitamin E and coco butter both are awesome for skin. Maybe do more abdominal workouts other than that I really don't know! You have definately done a phenomenal job already! Good luck with the rest of your journey!

I can speak from experience on the cocoa butter! I tried that with both pregnancies... lets just say I ended up being a slimey, oily pregnant chick with lots of stretch marks! It didn't work!

nharder1

Dry skin brushing helped me tighten up the skin on my belly after pregnancy. The skin used to fold over into a shape like a smile, but with exercise, dry skin brushing, and patience, it tightened back up.

9 years later, my stomach still proves I've given birth, but my stomach is flat, the skin's tight (although not AS tight as pre-pregnancies) and the stretch marks have become almost the same color as the rest of my skin.

So google dry skin brushing, it can't hurt! It's done with a natural fiber brush. Yerba Buena makes excellent ones with nice, firm bristles, but even the back-scrubber brushes they sell at Target can be used in a pinch. You can dry-brush your whole body... it feels nice, and helps gently exfoliate dry skin.

(Edited to clarify that it didn't take 9 years of skin brushing to realize these results. I saw results within a few months.)

I have never heard of this! Thanks, I will certainly look into this.
Do you literally "brush" your skin?

grapeeyes1

Also maderma makes a stretch mark product, i know the one I got for scars worked.

Cazzy34

I am sorry I can't offer any advice.

I use bio oil but it doesn't really make any difference to the marks, just makes my skin soft.

At my heaviest i was only 140lbs, i have had 3 babies and i also have crazy stretchmarks EVERYWHERE! I guess it just depends on your skin type. I have tried many different treatments but nothing works, and through all my research unfortunately the only answer i could find is surgery!

I now try to forget they are there and think of them as the reason my kids are healthy. There are lots of other mums with the exact same problems, but you would never know as we are always covered up!

TitaniaEcks

I have heard that the skin will shrink, but that the stretch marks will never go away. If that's the case, then I may as well just be one giant stretch mark! lol, but yes, I am 23 so I am hoping that this can used to an advantage and that I may still have some time to get that skin tightened up some!

Define "go away". I have a few stretch marks on my upper thighs and the sides of my breasts, but over the years they have faded so much you'd need to have them pointed out to you, and then put your face 6 inches away under fluorescent lighting, to see them. They're virtually invisible, and I never put any creams on them or anything. They started out bright pink and white. So yeah, for all useful purposes they can go away.

montanadanni

there is no magic way to get rid of skin sadly a lot of factor come into play: good hydration, good genetics, working out, time, and creams/lotions help very little. the only way to truely get rid of a lot of the skin is surgery.

i have a little bit of skin in my tummy but the rest of my body snapped back really nicely. the tummy i can hide really well because its just skin and shapewear does miracles. the only way to truely get rid of it (and my doctors agree) is a TT. so i will be planning tht after i have kids:)

shade0343

Lots of Vitamin E, try to find a tan or fitness store that has a red light booth. The red light strengthens the collagen in the skin. It takes up to six months after weight loss for the skin to tighten up. Once the six months has gone by THEN go see a dermatologist.

SpazzyMal

I have heard that it's hard to get rid of saggy skin if it's caused by C-sections. They have to separate the skin from the muscle soe during the procedure, and that never really quite heals back to the way it used to be. You can probably make it better, but I don't think you can get rid of it completely without surgery.

cindyhoney2

interesting suggestions, I am going thru the same thing...

oddly enough there was an ad at the bottom of my screen while I posted this for stretch mark remover...IDK if it works but here's the link
http://www.ecresearchcorp.com/p-19-trilastin-sr-intensive-stretch-mark-complex.aspx?Cat=33&Click=66260&ctt_id=2116178&ctt_adnw=Google&ctt_kw=cream stretch marks&ctt_ch=ps&ctt_entity=tc&ctt_adid=3581396306&ctt_nwtype=content&ctt_cli=2^9083^36081^566720&gclid=CIj_9t3t_LICFQs5nAodyXwABw

summerfool

Bump

sarbar71

A few months ago I got rid of all of my over the counter wrinkle creams and moisturizers and bought a jar of 100% pure coconut oil at the health food store. If you don't like the smell of coconuts, you can buy refined coconut oil that has been bleached and the smell removed. It is amazing!! It cost only $6.00 and does wonders over any of the $40+ eye creams or skin products I had previously used. It also also said to help with stretch marks, saggy skin, acne, dermatitis, exzema, and even skin and nail fungus due to it's anti-microbial properties.

leaffan12

Bump for later

Off10h8ed

I laid my bike down about a year ago. Ended up with stitches in my chin. My doctor recommended an oil to minimize scaring and boy did it. I can't even see where the scar was. It was only six stitches bout a half inch, but one part of it (bout a quarter inch) was really torn and jagged. I was sure at least that area would stay scared. Nope. The label says it is good for stretch marks too. IDK as mine have never been bad enough for me to really be concerned over. It is called Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula with Vitamin E Skin Therapy Oil. Can't tell you it will work but it may be wroth a try. I know it took my scar away. Mind you, I did start using it as soon as the open wound was healed. Just some info...

DCHound

Wow, you folks are really knowledgeable about tightening skin. Good job! I actually wrote a book about how to tighten loose skin without surgery, and some of the things mentioned in this thread are in the book, plus a whole lot more. Basically it depends on things like age, highest weight, yo-yo dieting and mostly genetics - but skin can be tightened up without surgery if you're willing to work at it. The good thing is, for a lot of folks, skin tightens up on its own eventually. There are things you can do to speed that up and help it along, though. If you're interested, the book is on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009MT4588/ref=nosim?tag=firlooski-20&linkCode=sb1&camp=212353&creative=380549 and the website is http://www.firmlooseskin.com/

Best of luck on your weight loss journey - skin aside, losing weight's the most important thing, skin is very secondary to that.

nharder1

Thanks everyone for the input!

I ultimately DO NOT want to opt for the surgery route when I am finished with my weight loss journey. Only if all else has failed and I have no other options left. I still have about 50-60 pounds ultimately that I want to lose. So obviously, I still have a very long way to go.

But thanks again! Best wishes to everyone!

happycauseIride

Dry skin brushing helped me tighten up the skin on my belly after pregnancy. The skin used to fold over into a shape like a smile, but with exercise, dry skin brushing, and patience, it tightened back up.

9 years later, my stomach still proves I've given birth, but my stomach is flat, the skin's tight (although not AS tight as pre-pregnancies) and the stretch marks have become almost the same color as the rest of my skin.

So google dry skin brushing, it can't hurt! It's done with a natural fiber brush. Yerba Buena makes excellent ones with nice, firm bristles, but even the back-scrubber brushes they sell at Target can be used in a pinch. You can dry-brush your whole body... it feels nice, and helps gently exfoliate dry skin.

(Edited to clarify that it didn't take 9 years of skin brushing to realize these results. I saw results within a few months.)

I have never heard of this but I just Googled Dry Skin Brushing and am completely sold. I'm going to order a brush. Thank you for the suggestion.