Loose Skin

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babenes
babenes Posts: 34 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have question i have went 330+ to now at 230 lbs. I have noticed some loose skin my stomache and arms. I was wondering will it tighten up in time or is it something that surgery will only fix?

Replies

  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
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    I think given the circumstances of the current loss right now, and the potential loss you will have down the road, you will definitely need to consider some reconstructive/corrective surgery...

    Congrats on the current loss by the way!
  • kerrymh
    kerrymh Posts: 912 Member
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    pretty much its surgery.
    toning and weights only help the muscle underneath the skin.
  • GemmaRowlands
    GemmaRowlands Posts: 360 Member
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    You might find that if you slow the weight loss down and build some muscle the skin will improve, but it probably won't go away completely without surgery. It's just a question of what you're willing and able to live with. I have lost 96 pounds and I had a little bit of saggy skin around my stomach, but when I stopped losing and started building muscle it seemed to tighten everything up and it's absolutely fine now.
  • kris4chloe
    kris4chloe Posts: 245 Member
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    i have to agree with weight lifting and slower weight loss helping out. i have a few areas that still are a tiny bit saggy but weight lifting has helped a ton. my arms show no signs of all of ever being big.
  • babenes
    babenes Posts: 34 Member
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    Thanks everyone. I did this weight loss slow about two years to achieve 100 lbs lost. I have been weight training along with cardio. Some area have tightened up but just those two trouble shots i was hoping they would tighten up with time and not have to do plastic. I asked a friend of mine who works at plastic surgery place and they said usually run anywhere from $3000-$10000 for the procedure depending what needs to be done.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    Congratulations on that weight loss. I hope things get better with time.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    time and exercise.
  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
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    depends on a lot of things really

    Genetics
    How long you were overweight
    How old you are
    How quick you lost the weight
    How much water you drink
    How much time you spend in the sun
    How much you exercise
    How much you moisturise.


    It's anyones guess lol. Give it at least a year at goal before considering surgery though.
  • gailashton
    gailashton Posts: 292
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    Let me tell you from my experience but I don't think I'm 100% the norm. I'm over 50 now, have lost over 100 lbs 3 times in my life starting at the age of 30. I used to tan like crazy and I was a heavy smoker, never exercised a day in my life until just before my 30th birthday - lets just say skin was not my friend as I didn't take the best care of it. When I lost 117 pounds before my 30th birthday in 7 months battling with anorexa, bulemia and working out 4 or 5 hours a day body building & doing cardio I looked pretty damn tight even though I wasn't. All the muscle helped for sure. Kept it off for 8 years then gained it all back, did the same thing hitting my 40s and still not too bad. In the last year losing 90+ pounds at my age it's just not the same. I will say I think you've got a good shot at it as you look like a young which is in your favor, you are male, which is also in your favor. Body build & cardio is your best friend, stay out of the sun as it will only cause less elasticity in your skin and more laxity. Fight gravity forever. That's what I'm doing. All in all I'm pretty happy with my results, but there's only so much hard work can do! Keep it up. Good luck.... BTW amazing job on the weight loss.

    PS: I always know if I'm putting weight on as I start filling out my skin... ha ha LOL
  • supergirl6
    supergirl6 Posts: 224 Member
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    I have a friend who had luck with using a combo of weight training, drinking a lot of water, and moisturizing her skin every night while she lost weight. I'm following in her footsteps because I have so much to lose I'd like to minimize the amount of skin I'm left with in the end.

    I'm using St. Ives Renewing Collagen Elastin Lotion and while I have no idea if it will help or not on my journey, it makes my skin feel fantastic!!!
  • jkimmett
    jkimmett Posts: 46 Member
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    I have lost 136lbs and am now in maintenance. I have been on maintenance for about 4 months and haven't lost weight but have lost 2 more pant sizes. My body is still settling and skin is still adjusting. I am quite sure that I will need surgery to totally fix it, but it is changing. I have read that you should be at a stable weight for a year before considering surgery because your skin can bounce back and is still adjusting. Congrats on the weight loss!!
  • Onaughmae
    Onaughmae Posts: 873 Member
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    A lot of it depends on your age, genetics, how long you were overweight, history of gaining/losing, etc. Some people have skin that snaps back pretty well...others...not so much. I am in that "not-so-much" group. Strength training and toning will help some by filling out the muscle under the skin. It wont tone the actual skin though. I moisturize...a lot. I dont know if it actually helps..but hey, it makes me feel better! Your skin will adjust to whatever it is going to over a period of time. If you are at goal for awhile and you dont see anymore shrinking...then that is probably as good as it is going to get. My plan is to be at goal for at least a year and see what I am left with. If needed, and I am sure I will, I will start consulting for plastics.

    Kudos to you for all your hard work! I figure some flappy skin is always better than the pounds of fat that we were carrying under it!
  • malindaja
    malindaja Posts: 29
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    i lost 80lbs and have batwings from hell. There are some guns under the extra skin... .Only hiding! :/
  • sgarrard01
    sgarrard01 Posts: 213 Member
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    Go slow, keep up with significant weight training and give it 2 years before deciding on surgery. Many people find that things tend to come back to normal after this time (the body is surprisingly smart!), and the last thing you want to do is loose it all and have surgery including all the scars/pain and possible complications when it could have been avoided... thats what i'm gonna do when i reach goal weight!
  • AlichiaMJohnson73
    AlichiaMJohnson73 Posts: 186 Member
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    *bump
    I've watched some YOUTube videos inregards to corrective plastic surgery and rapid weightloss...the results of the rapid weightloss for some folks requires them to seek help with extra skin. This is my only worry with my upcoming surgery...will I have a lot of skin...since I was stretched out for so long. I'm still researching...because if I can avoid plastic (corrective)surgery...that's my goal...:flowerforyou: Thanks for sharing!
  • lroberts5
    lroberts5 Posts: 26
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    I've been losing very slowly, about 35lbs over the course of a year and a half now. I haven't noticed too much loose skin, but I also do body weight strength exercises, I drink water like a fish and I moisturize moisturize moisturize. It never helps to get a good skin firming cream, I just use Jergens after I get out of the shower and it makes a very small difference to me. Time is the other one, if you stay active your skin will pull in over time.
  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
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    Copied and pasted from a post I made on the exact same topic yesterday

    Drink tons of water

    Strength train

    Lose it slowly

    Moisturize

    About 90 of the 95 lbs ive lost has been from my belly, and my loose skin is very minor, I think even with more strength training it will go away completely.


    At my heaviest I was 320, i'm now 227.

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