73 lbs lost and I have lots of hanging skin already :(

ive only lost 21 pounds, but i swear ive lost it all in the belly... not complaining, but.. i was seeing the sag! I started taking fish oil about 2 weeks ago.. 3 pills a day, and WOW! i have really noticed a difference! It helps with belly fat and while i havent done any lifting or stregnth training, because im working on balance (ive had two strokes) i do little things, like laying on the bed & clenching my butt while raising it off the bed.. its the little things that help!! Good luck to you!!

I'm curious to know the answer as well. I lift heavy and do cardio at least three times a week. My belly is my problem area. I've noticed that as I lose fat the skin on my belly is beginning to sag. The rest of my body is firming up. I guess that part of my body will need more time. The irony of it all is that my obliques are starting to show.

Do PLANKS! Not only will they kick your ever loving butt, you will tighten your inner core muscles which will help with the belly skin issues. It's not a cure all to end all bellies, but they do work wonders!

From what I've read around the web, loose skin definitely looks better when supported by muscle, but it also tends to really show its true shrinking powers when you have lost ALL of the extra fat and get really lean. Skin has to adhere to something. In your case, right now, that something is fat. There's still plenty left in the folds and rolls that hang off of you, isn't there? I know the feeling, I'm familiar with the folds and rolls. If you get really lean and strong, your skin will shrink back a lot better. Also, as people have said, it can take up to a couple of years for it to shrink as much as it is going to shrink.

If the skin isn't a hygiene issue, and isn't chafing, I would try to give this a go before considering surgery. I'm still researching surgery, in case I feel it's necessary, but it would appear that the shaping to the body and less noticeable scars might be more attainable, the leaner you are when you have it done. Also, if it's minor enough, there are non-surgical procedures for tightening the skin a bit, such as Thermage (radiofrequency). Also, if surgery DOES become a necessity, and the loose skin isn't TOO bad, look into an axillary (short scar) brachioplasty, which is an arm lift that puts the scar just in the armpit, instead of as a seam going as far as your elbow. Also, for inner thighs, a medial thigh lift puts a scar only in the "V" section of your pelvic area, instead of going all the way around the outer hips. The underside of the arms and the inner thighs are where people tend to get "crepe-y" skin that sags more, as the skin is thinner there.

I definitely second the suggestion that you don't lose weight too fast, as I've seen the results from this, and they aren't pretty. I may get flamed by the pro-weight loss surgery folks on here, but take a peruse through the before and after photos of people who have lost a lot of weight really quickly (quite often from surgery, but not always), and those who lost weight at a steady pace and incorporated serious strength training. You will see the difference between the two, I assure you. Your skin can't snap back overnight, so if it empties of all your extra weight too fast, it'll be left hanging in the breeze.

Other things I know or have heard can help:

-Drink plenty of water, to stay hydrated. Being hydrated is vital for all of our parts to function at their best, including our organs, our skin being amongst those organs.

-Exfoliate and moisturize. I have those cheap exfoliating gloves in my shower, and I also have a rough towel that I use to slough off any dead skin after I get out of the shower. I also rub oil into my skin. These days I just keep a bit of the same sunflower oil I use for cooking in a little travel bottle (sunflower oil is very high in vitamin E). Both of these actions require vigorous rubbing of the skin, which does wonders for circulation, which is another thing necessary for optimal function of our body parts.

-Make sure that you're getting enough vitamins and minerals. I've heard that vitamins A, C, and E are big ones to remember for improving skin.

Good luck, and have patience! You are still young, about my age, so chances are good that you can get your skin to shrink to something you can live with.

Its very painful and expensive, not covered by most insurances.

Hmm.. so weight training and vitamins help? I am 37, 5'2, had 2 c-sections and am insulin resistant and so far have lost 31 lbs since May. In Nov I was 282 with a 11lbs 3oz baby boy and 2x as much amniotic fluid than the average pregnant woman. He stretched my belly something fierce!!! My belly sags HORRIBLY! I have 74 more pounds to lose and I can almost guarantee that I will need skin removal surgery. I have even had my doctor tell me before I had my son that I needed it. Because of this "flappy" belly, my c-section incision didn't heal properly and got infected and I ended up wearing a wound vac for over 3 months. If you don't know what that is, google it. It was a nightmare. I can not afford that surgery and I know my insurance won't cover it. I have heard from people that have lost a ton of weight that although they FELT better and were healthier, they didn't like the look of this skin and felt as self conscience as they did overweight. I am sorry that I didn't sugar coat this post.

This is one of my fears... looks like I'm about to start stocking up on vitamins and find a way and the time to get in a gym.