250lbs+ down to ideal weight. Saggy skin?

redheadkirsty
redheadkirsty Posts: 32
in Health and Weight Loss
I've got a long way to go and was wondering if there are any ladies about that have gone from over 250lbs to their ideal weight and if they have had any issue with their skin?

If your managed to get your skin back so it hasn't sagged how have you managed that?

And of course photos are always good.

I want to combat this issue as early on into losing weight as possible.

Replies

  • dinoskycm
    dinoskycm Posts: 267
    From what i understand, your skin should still have its elasticity if you lose the weight slowly and properly. It's when people drop weight like crazy that the body doesnt have time to respond and the skin becomes saggy. My parents had the gastric bypass surgery and they had to deal with the saggy skin because of the rapid weight loss. If you do some strength training in addition to cardio, then it shouldn't be that bad because your skin will bounce back. :) I have worried about the same thing, and thats what my doctor told me. :)
  • JessyLovesJCS
    JessyLovesJCS Posts: 169 Member
    Good to know! Slow, but steady and less sag. And I sure am losing slowly. :wink:
  • BarbWhite09
    BarbWhite09 Posts: 1,128 Member
    My friend has lost 150 lbs, she did it slowly & whatnot but still has a ton of excess skin...she's seeing a plastic surgeon in a month or so to start the skin removal process. It's really just a given that if you lose such a significant amount of weight there's probably going to be skin left over...It varies person to person but yea.
  • foxy59lady
    foxy59lady Posts: 25 Member
    I have lost over 107 lbs over the last three years and I exercise everyday and do strength training and I have major bat wings. My stomach doesn't bother me as much as the bat wings and I won't even mention the inner thigh area. I am 61 so I doubt it will get better. If you are young and haven't gone through menopause you might be able to tone up. I am just kicking myself for waiting so long to get healthy. So I just wear longer sleeves so the bats don't escape. Ha, ha. You have done a wonderful job if you have lost 250 lbs. good luck keeping it off. :happy:
  • redheadkirsty
    redheadkirsty Posts: 32
    I've just ordered some weights to start strength training so it's good to know that will help.

    I'm only losing 140-160lbs but I meant those with a starting weight of over 250lbs like me :)
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    Hard one to answer. Gradual losses certainly help, as does exercise (particularly lifting). A rich moisturiser also helps (bio oil I think is particularly good). Looking at the way my body is now, my guess is that when I hit goal, I will have some loose skin, but I don't anticipate it being awful. THere are a few problem spots where I think it will be worse than others. But I have friends who have lost a lot, done it all right, and still have significant skin issues. It seems to vary a lot - age, and genetics play a role in skin elasticity and skin recovery.

    It does take 2 years, post loss, to see how well your skin has recovered, so do be aware you might need to give it a little time once you get to goal.
  • itsrebec
    itsrebec Posts: 38
    I used to be way bigger and lost about 100 lbs over five years. I have major saggy skin on my stomach, arms, and under my chin. I hate it and would happily get it removed if I could.
  • wonderkitten711
    wonderkitten711 Posts: 109 Member
    I've lost over 70 pounds so far (starting weight 341) and have about 90 to go to get to my ultimate goal and so far I haven't run into major skin issues. I moisturizing daily with a skin firming moisturizer, drink a boat load of water and the majority of my exercise is strength training. That combined with a slow rate of lose I think is the best bet for minimizing loose skin, though there are no guarantees. Age and genetics play the biggest part, so my advice is just do what you can to help the situation with moisturizing, hydrating, and doing strength training. My mom has lost just as much weight as me, but she's done it with minimal strength training due to health issues that prevent her from exercising a whole lot and between that and being post-menopausal I know she's having a lot more issues with loose skin than I am.
  • almagurl218
    almagurl218 Posts: 1
    I have lost 125 pounds the right way - through sensible diet and exercise. I run, swim, and do strength training but still have a crazy amount of loose skin that drives me crazy. I am 29 so still fairly young. I don't know many people who have lost more than 100 pounds and NOT had loose skin - unfortunately it tends to come with the territory!
  • ExplorinLauren
    ExplorinLauren Posts: 991 Member
    I think its unavoidable unfortunately. You can do things to help, take good care of your skin, moisturize, drink a lot of water and keep your skin hydrated, lose weight slow and steady and tone as much as you can.... but all of that is only going to help. Not fix the problem. A lot of it is genetics also... but losing a significant amount of weight is going to leave you with loose skin. But hopefully you will be so happy with your weight loss, it won't bother you too much! :)
  • JenniBaby85
    JenniBaby85 Posts: 855 Member
    I have lost a total of 119lbs, but it has taken me almost 3 years. No sagging skin, except my "just had a baby" belly. :smile:
  • MichaelFunaro
    MichaelFunaro Posts: 66 Member
    It really depends. Everyone is different. Keeping plenty of liquids in you, using moisturizers, weight training, not losing too fast, will all help battle the loose skin. But in the end it really depends on the person. Hopefully you will do well with it.
  • NCTravellingGirl
    NCTravellingGirl Posts: 717 Member
    I started at 270 at one point and ended my journey (at the time) at around 170. It took me 1.5 years to do that. I exercised heavily, including strength training. I also used a lot of the recommended lotions, etc... to help my skin regain that elasticity. It all helped but in the end, my upper arms, inner thighs, and stomach area still had a lot of loose skin.

    The real issue I found is how LONG have you been overweight. For me, my skin has been stretched my whole life so it may never be able to recover. BUT, if you were not overweight as a child and gained it more recently, you have better odds of your skin recovering faster. Good Luck either way... it's healthier to take off all that excess weight and live the life you were meant to!
  • SLE0803
    SLE0803 Posts: 145 Member
    Honestly, I think it is genetics. Just like pregnancy, there are some moms who get NO stretch marks and their skin and belly is mostly normal after giving birth, there are other moms who get tons of stretch marks and will always have some saggy skin on their belly.

    Don't listen to anyone that says "oh, you didn't apply enough lotion, vitamin e, cocao butter, etc." because I applied stuff a million times a day and still have a belly full of stretch marks and loose skin. After going through pregnancy and birth, I am fully convinced it is genetics (the elasticity of the skin).
  • MemphisKitten
    MemphisKitten Posts: 878 Member
    I went from 190 lbs to 130lbs before I found MFP, and unfortunately sagging skin has been a problem for me. And it is genetics, but there is surgery that can be done to correct the problem. I have heard that the slower you lose the weight, the less sagging skin you will have.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    This is really an individual by individual basis, and then all the factor from there come into play... Your age, Your genetics, skin elasticity, How fast you put it on, How long you carried the extra weight, how much you have lost, How slow you took it off, Did you do just cardio or add in strength training, etc, etc....... I have spent the last 38 months losing 311 lbs. Slowly, I have weight trained from the time I was able to support my own weight (started at 560 lbs.) but no matter how slow I took the weight off, no matter what I have done I am still left with a boat load of loose skin around my torso and inner thighs... My neck and arms are ok , my chest I can live with but don't like it... But with all that said I am going in on Sept. 24th for a circumferential body lift surgery.. I spent the last 3 years paying off my truck and taking care of it so that I could afford a loan to pay for the surgery and drive my ole pickup for another 4 years.... but like I said this is really going to come down to a per person basis.... Best of Luck though on your journey....
  • NWCountryGal
    NWCountryGal Posts: 1,992 Member
    This, definitely and you have a great Doctor!!
    From what i understand, your skin should still have its elasticity if you lose the weight slowly and properly. It's when people drop weight like crazy that the body doesnt have time to respond and the skin becomes saggy. My parents had the gastric bypass surgery and they had to deal with the saggy skin because of the rapid weight loss. If you do some strength training in addition to cardio, then it shouldn't be that bad because your skin will bounce back. :) I have worried about the same thing, and thats what my doctor told me. :)
  • spaz4me2
    spaz4me2 Posts: 44 Member
    Yep...Started at 271, drink an enormous amount of water, eat right and exercise and I'm a bag 'ol sag, BUT...I do look really cute in clothes ;~D No idea of my future...would like to lose the last 15 and maintain for a few years. Maybe at some point I'll lift the girls a bit and trim the excess wings and stuff... (shrugs shoulders).
  • ladytinkerbell99
    ladytinkerbell99 Posts: 970 Member
    Honestly, I think it is genetics. Just like pregnancy, there are some moms who get NO stretch marks and their skin and belly is mostly normal after giving birth, there are other moms who get tons of stretch marks and will always have some saggy skin on their belly.

    Don't listen to anyone that says "oh, you didn't apply enough lotion, vitamin e, cocao butter, etc." because I applied stuff a million times a day and still have a belly full of stretch marks and loose skin. After going through pregnancy and birth, I am fully convinced it is genetics (the elasticity of the skin).

    ^ I agree with this 100%. I would also add drink water. Weight train or resistance training. Also, age and hormones is a BIG factor. Just my 2 cents worth.
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
    From what i understand, your skin should still have its elasticity if you lose the weight slowly and properly. It's when people drop weight like crazy that the body doesnt have time to respond and the skin becomes saggy. My parents had the gastric bypass surgery and they had to deal with the saggy skin because of the rapid weight loss. If you do some strength training in addition to cardio, then it shouldn't be that bad because your skin will bounce back. :) I have worried about the same thing, and thats what my doctor told me. :)

    Even if you lose super slowly, losing MASS amounts of weight will cause some sag. I'm told that it generally happens once you've lost around 100 lbs. Even for a young person who loses slowly and exercises, the body does have a limit to how much it can 'fix'

    Surgery is what's required once you've gained/ lost beyond your body's ability to adapt :(
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    From what i understand, your skin should still have its elasticity if you lose the weight slowly and properly. It's when people drop weight like crazy that the body doesnt have time to respond and the skin becomes saggy. My parents had the gastric bypass surgery and they had to deal with the saggy skin because of the rapid weight loss. If you do some strength training in addition to cardio, then it shouldn't be that bad because your skin will bounce back. :) I have worried about the same thing, and thats what my doctor told me. :)

    While I agree with you that Weight loss patient that lose weight rapidly do have to deal with far more loose skin due to the skin not having time to adjust but the other side of the coin are people losing naturally and slowly and they too have to deal with loose skin issues... We are not immune to suffering the same results no matter how slow we take it off...... Best of Luck...
  • pinkpolkadots25
    pinkpolkadots25 Posts: 101 Member
    Yup. I went from 260 to 144.8 (my weight today) in about 13.5 months. I do have saggy skin on my lower belly and thighs. It sucks, but being over 250 pounds sucked a heck of a lot more.
  • MrsBully4
    MrsBully4 Posts: 304 Member
    No sag issues for me so far, but I don't really care if I do wind up with some sag. I'd rather have some loose skin than 100 lbs of fat.

    I'll just wait a few years, keep on with the diet, exercise, and moisturizer, and save up for a future tummy tuck.
  • JennyLisT
    JennyLisT Posts: 402 Member
    I'm still working on my weight loss, so I'm worried about sagging skin, BUT...I think genetics might be on my side (for once).

    My mother lost more than 100 pounds, and the only sag she really has is the one she got from having me!
  • jennajocummings
    jennajocummings Posts: 104
    Of course it depends on the person and how they carry their weight. It also depend on age and previous weight loss... ie yo-yo dieters. I weighed 260, got down to 175 and have saggy arms, stomach, and inner thighs. I am trying to lose the remaining weight now but surgery will be in my future. PS- FTR, It took me 2 years to lose 85 lbs and I strength train 4-5 days a week. Good luck!
  • kazzsjourney
    kazzsjourney Posts: 674 Member
    I was 380 originally and now weigh 197 pounds...I lost the weight over 6 years and did weight work and cardio thruout...I do have excess skin but when you consider how much I initially weighed I dont think it is too bad :) I did do a post on my journal last year which really puts the skin on my stomach out in the open...its not pretty but feel free to look at http://kazzsjourney.blogspot.com.au/2011/11/excess-skin.html
  • redheadkirsty
    redheadkirsty Posts: 32
    It's good to hear everyones experience.
    I drink a lot of water and am starting strength training shortly.
    I also think I have good genetics, my mum has a taut stomach after 4 kids. my aunt went from 240 to 115 with hardly any saggy skin and she didn't do anything to not have it.
    I'm still fairly young at 24 but I have had the excess weight for 9 or so years (the last 42lbs only the last 6 months)

    Regardless I want the weight off so will have to see how it goes. I'm expecting it to be bad on my thighs and bum as that is where I carry all my weight. My stomach is fairly flat for someone my size. I'm an odd shape.

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