how to prevent loose skin

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mamilinda81
mamilinda81 Posts: 12
in Health and Weight Loss
Is loose skin really unavoidable and inevitable after substantial weight loss?

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  • kerrilucko
    kerrilucko Posts: 3,852 Member
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    yes. Drinking lots of water and eating a healthy, balanced diet helps with skin's elasticity, but it won't prevent loose skin completely, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose. SOme people are just lucky and barely have any loose skin after weight loss though. Building muscle can help fill areas of loose skin, if that loose skin is not incredibly substantial.
  • jec710
    jec710 Posts: 5
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    I am not a doctor, so dont take anything I say as absolute truth, but I believe that the younger you are and slower you lose the weight have a big impact on the loose skin. When you are younger, your skin has more elasticity, and if you lose the weight slowly your skin will have time to adjust itself.
  • SugarHi
    SugarHi Posts: 452
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    Lots of things play into the scene here. It's extremely rare to have actual loose skin. Loose skin consists of tiny ripples not containing any fat. Then there is skin like flaps or pockets that are thin or thinner and kind of sag... These flaps or sagging areas still have fat in them, it's important to do some light toning with weights; this won't only build a little muscle but will also rebuild the skin cell walls and will strengthen the elasticity. The unfortunate part is they take time to go away and rebuild. But you can do it. People generally see this happen when they lose lots of weight in a short period of time. I lost over 100 pounds in 9 weeks. I too had this happen... but time will restore your body and these areas will become normal once again! Congratulations on your progress!!! That's incredible :)
  • Fieldsy
    Fieldsy Posts: 1,105 Member
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    yes. Drinking lots of water and eating a healthy, balanced diet helps with skin's elasticity, but it won't prevent loose skin completely, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose. SOme people are just lucky and barely have any loose skin after weight loss though. Building muscle can help fill areas of loose skin, if that loose skin is not incredibly substantial.

    perfect reply
  • kelbel
    kelbel Posts: 10 Member
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    I agree with other's comments. My 60 year old mother though has lost about 80lbs and is exercising daily. She is not having loose skin because she's constantly toning. It's a combination of gradual weight loss, lots of water and working out. Good luck!
  • artschoolgirl
    artschoolgirl Posts: 598 Member
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    Yes for me too. I just turned 24 and lost 115 lbs in the period of about 3-4 years. I had to undergo a tummy tuck just a month ago! The doctor removed 3lbs of skin & he told me it was just skin, no fat to be removed. So yes, it can happen. I did lose weight the right way...at a good pace, eating healthy, tons of water, and exercise. It depends on a lot of factors, but for me, I was overweight my entire life and the skin just didn't "bounce back" in the end. I've been documenting my journey at tightertummy.blogspot.com if you want to see my before pictures.

    Remember, the most important part is that you're at a healthy BMI and living a clean life! You may have excess skin in the end, but it's FAR better than the life you're probably living now. Best of luck!

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