Preparation H for Loose Tummy Skin

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Replies

  • RobinvdM
    RobinvdM Posts: 634 Member
    I love how these articles use words like "seem tighter" "appear more tight." It either is, or it is not. "Appear" and "seem" to just give it a tone that says it's a self induced illusion. That Yahoo article indicated that severe loose skin "might have to be corrected with surgery if it is severe, but if not there are many other options available to help tighten the skin." -If it is NOT severe- there are options. I don't think there are any real "gimmicks" that tighten skin other than exercise, eating well, and time/patience - and in severe cases (like myself) surgery is the only way it's going to succeed. Good luck on your quest for less flabby!
  • hdutoit17
    hdutoit17 Posts: 83
    oh and it made my acne scars lighter. The yeast cell extract in it helps for scars.
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
    Has anyone heard of using Preparation H to shrink loose belly skin? I've had four children (a set of twins) and two c-sections. I have lost 60 pounds since June and have gone from a size 16-18 to a size 6-8. The skin almost looks like Adam Sandler's flap in "Click". I can even flop it back and forth. It also leaves a weird looking bulge in my jeans. I've been exfoliating and using skin firming creams plus drinking lots of water. My fear is that it will always be like this. I can deal with a little bit of saggy skin, but this thing is ridiculous. At this time surgery is not an option.

    Thanks :happy:

    If the issue with surgery is cost don't be so quick to say it's not an option. Excess skin can be a health risk (because of clots) and if your doctor recommends it, insurance will pay.
  • OfficiallySexyVal
    OfficiallySexyVal Posts: 492 Member
    I can relate, I am a single mommy to a beautiful little boy and total I have 120lbs to lose, So far I have lost close to 70lbs and have noticed that even with weight training my arms and belly are starting to get flabby. I have a good bit of loose skin so far and I am scared to see what it is going to look like with the last 60lbs.
  • tam_a_ram_a
    tam_a_ram_a Posts: 52 Member
    I'm definitely done having babies. I have shape wear, but it's all too big, so maybe I'll just invest in some more spanx. I read it can take up to two years for your final results, so maybe I'll just wait the two years and then decide what to do. Gag, in two years I'll be a less than two months shy of 40. That would be a great 40th bday present from my husband :)
  • tam_a_ram_a
    tam_a_ram_a Posts: 52 Member
    And congratulations to everyone on their weight loss achievements. It feels great, doesn't it? I guess we can say our flappy belly tongues are our trophies (like that makes it any better, lol).
  • MizTerry
    MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
    You try wearing a compression band around your tummy?

    Or wait till the kids are out of college for that tuck?

    You may just have to find a way to accept it though.

    You have four kids you carried in that tummy flap.

    own the flap, love the flap.

    It is just skin. on one part of your body.

    Buy a tummy support bathing suit in a flattering cut so you can show off all your assets you have worked hard on, like your toned legs, arms, and cleavage.

    Dont let the tummy flap bring you down, focus on everything else that looks great!

    I am sure with all your hard work you look great, could it be you are being your worst critic?
    In your pic you look great and I dont see an odd bulge?!

    ^^Best comment EVER.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    You try wearing a compression band around your tummy?

    Or wait till the kids are out of college for that tuck?

    You may just have to find a way to accept it though.

    You have four kids you carried in that tummy flap.

    own the flap, love the flap.

    It is just skin. on one part of your body.

    Buy a tummy support bathing suit in a flattering cut so you can show off all your assets you have worked hard on, like your toned legs, arms, and cleavage.

    Dont let the tummy flap bring you down, focus on everything else that looks great!

    I am sure with all your hard work you look great, could it be you are being your worst critic?
    In your pic you look great and I dont see an odd bulge?!

    ^^Best comment EVER.

    Yes---Gloria Vanderbuilt jeans often have "tummy panels" that keep everything tucked in and lookin' good (well, at least until you take your clothes off--but husbands are very forgiving of bodily imperfections. At least those worth having). :smile:
  • irenematilda
    irenematilda Posts: 45 Member
    oh and it made my acne scars lighter. The yeast cell extract in it helps for scars.

    I wonder if it would have any effect on the appearance of stretch marks? Apparently Vicks Vapor Rub is supposed to have a positive effect on the appearance of stretch marks if applied consistently over time - something to do with the menthol or whatever it is boosting the circulation in the area of the skin that it's applied to. I've never tried it though.

    I've never tried the Preparation H thing either, but it's been common knowledge for a good two or three decades that a lot of models use it to tighten under-eye bags. I first read about it when I was a teenager and have seen it mentioned in various places since. I'd never heard of anyone trying it on stomach skin before today, but always got the impression that any effect it was supposed to have would only last until it was washed off again.

    Maybe the potion that ultimately cures all tummy skin issues will be a mix of Vicks Vapor Rub and Preparation H, no doubt priced at ten times more than the usual cost of the two put together. I ought to get in there first and knock up my own blend - I could be on to a fortune :)
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    How about I try it and let everyone know how it works. I'm not expecting miracles, just something. I've been using collagen creams, and my husband seems to think they've made a difference. The article I read said the lanolin in the Preparation H helps pull skin back. Here's a link to the article. It's Yahoo! News, so it's probably not worth much anyway.

    http://voices.yahoo.com/seven-simple-ways-tighten-loose-skin-without-surgery-5934638.html?cat=5

    Try it if you want to however the ingredients will not be powerful enough to tighten a larger amount of skin in your belly area.

    Also, Yahoo news isn't one to take as fact. They tend to report a lot of crap that isn't actually true nor do they always report all the facts. Yahoo news can be a bit of a joke with their useless articles that are sometimes posted.

    Try spanx... it is a fix when you are wearing clothing. It will help you feel more confident.

    If the loose skin bothers you that much are there ways you can cut some money in your budget to save up to have it removed? I know you have four children which does make it a bit harder but if there are ways you can cut some money in your budget you can save for the the surgery at some point in the future. I'm not sure how much it costs but it's worth looking into. Depending on what insurance you have sometimes it can be covered under a health insurance (only if it causes issues.. constant rashes type of thing I believe).

    Skin will also shrink over time... so it may not look the best now but it may improve in a year or so. A lot of people have reported their skin has shrink quite a bit over a period of a year or two.

    If you work on building muscle it will help as well.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    I can relate, I am a single mommy to a beautiful little boy and total I have 120lbs to lose, So far I have lost close to 70lbs and have noticed that even with weight training my arms and belly are starting to get flabby. I have a good bit of loose skin so far and I am scared to see what it is going to look like with the last 60lbs.

    If you work on building muscle it will help with how loose the skin will end up. Lose slowly as well to minimize loose skin (the slower you lose the better chance your skin will shrink back).

    Keep the skin moisturized, drink you water, exfoliate, and getting enough healthy fats in your diet all help.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    Preparation H is hydrocortisone cream, the same stuff you put on itchy rashes.
    It is a topical steroid that temporarily reduces inflammation and swelling of the epidermal skin, not the subcutaneous tissue.
    Sorry, but your extra baby "bonus" is subq not epidermal...
  • Deedles2012
    Deedles2012 Posts: 122 Member
    Check with your health insurance carrier. Most companies, the one I work for included, will cover a pannectomy. Not truly a "tummy tuck" but it will surgically remove the excess skin if you have conditions like rashes, yeast infectionsbroken skin, in that area.
  • tam_a_ram_a
    tam_a_ram_a Posts: 52 Member
    I could care less about a true tummy tuck versus just getting this skin flap to go away. I will check at my next yearly. Thanks everyone :) I have great abs underneath all of this, I swear!!!
  • aakokopelli7
    aakokopelli7 Posts: 196 Member
    Invest in a good pair or two of spanx or support undies. They are generally ugly but they help with smoothing the flap and making clothes look better.
  • MsDover
    MsDover Posts: 395 Member
    I had my weight off for 2 years before I had my tummy tuck. I figured, let nature take care of it, if that was an option. I wore spanx , which do help in your appearance in clothes. Wearing the "belly band" for many weeks after the surgery is very important in contouring and healing. I wish my muscles had been good underneath the skin, but they were cleaved from 3 pregnancies and that doesn't heal by itself. Not only does it all look better, but having that all removed and tightened helped with back aches I was getting prior to the surgery.
  • ksal5
    ksal5 Posts: 3
    yes, use it every morning, leave it on for 10 min
  • walkerr1968
    walkerr1968 Posts: 39
    Try using the "slimmer belt". Below is the link on Walmart. That is what I've been using. Granted I've only lost 20 lbs, but my stomach was huge. I actually used two - one on my lower stomach and one on my upper - LOL. It seems to be working for me. My skin is definitely shrinking. It's only about $20 so even if it doesn't work, it's not a huge loss.

    http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bally-Total-Fitness-BY7525BE-Slimmer-Belt/21799666
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    I know of models using Prep H to reduce the appearance of cellulite for shows or shoots, It might constrict the skin, but the results would be temporary.
  • tam_a_ram_a
    tam_a_ram_a Posts: 52 Member
    @walker, I have one of those. Never thought of using two. Maybe I'll go buy another one. I just hate how hot it gets!!! And I always get the rough side of the velcro touching my skin somehow :)
  • pattycakes_bakersman
    pattycakes_bakersman Posts: 16 Member
    Hi there,

    One thing that you may want to try is endermologie. It is a lot cheaper than surgery and you can get some good results. There are also some home machines that you do the same thing (suction and rollers) that are designed to treat cellulite. It have had good results using the Bliss Lean Machine http://www.sephora.com/lean-machine-P377176 for both the loose skin and cellulite. I am going to start to use it for loose skin on my stomach too. Verseo sells a similar product.

    Tricia
  • pattycakes_bakersman
    pattycakes_bakersman Posts: 16 Member
    Hi there,

    One thing that you may want to try is endermologie. It is a lot cheaper than surgery and you can get some good results. There are also some home machines that you do the same thing (suction and rollers) that are designed to treat cellulite. It have had good results using the Bliss Lean Machine http://www.sephora.com/lean-machine-P377176 for both the loose skin and cellulite. I am going to start to use it for loose skin on my stomach too. Verseo sells a similar product.

    Tricia
  • mhotch
    mhotch Posts: 901 Member
    One of the ingredients in Prep H, is a vasoconstictor, which is what helps in decreasing swelling. If used in large amounts {ie, smearing over the whole abdominal area} it can raise your blood pressure to possibly dangerous levels. Don't mess around with medications on things they were not meant for. The directions are there for a good reason!
  • LadyFade
    LadyFade Posts: 1
    It has worked excellently for my older sister. She had her daught and in that first year she started working out all the time and lost weight pretty fast. She was normally on the thicker side throughout life. Has she lost the weight, she had excessive skin folds. She uses the preparation h and it tightened her skin up. As of today, she still uses it here and there but for the most part, she is in the best shape and size she has ever been in her life. She is now doing some modeling shoots. She was Ms. December in the 2013 Hard Rock Cafe calendar.
  • Kuualoha808
    Kuualoha808 Posts: 1
    As crazy as it sounds, I hear that vicks vaporub helps to tighten loose skin (as well as help get rid of stretch marks). I haven't tried it myself, but if you google it, theres lots of people saying it helped with their loose skin. If anyone tries it, let us know how it works.
  • KaiteAllewe45
    KaiteAllewe45 Posts: 4
    Well I bought Dermelastic serum from Dermelastic.com for my pregnant wife to help prevent stretch marks. Kinda hard to rate when your not aware what it would of looked like if you had not used the product. All i can say is she has very little showing at this point in her pregnancy (6 months).
  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
    Am I one of the only people that really understands that skin that has been stretched out to the point where there are heinous stretch marks is likely NOT going to just magically go back to looking like it did prior? If you have skin with good elasticity then you're going to find you can "bounce back" so to speak. So far as I am aware skin elasticity is also a genetic thing - if your mom has stretch marks, you're more likely to have them. There are creams that have collagen and elastin that will give you short term results for wrinkles and the like, but it's not a magic potion that fixes it forever.

    I'm in the "own my pregnancy flap" camp I guess. I know my stretch marks are mine for life. :ohwell:
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    Am I one of the only people that really understands that skin that has been stretched out to the point where there are heinous stretch marks is likely NOT going to just magically go back to looking like it did prior?

    I'm in the "own my pregnancy flap" camp I guess. I know my stretch marks are mine for life. :ohwell:

    Nope, you're not alone :drinker: I had a "mother's apron" covered in dimply, stretch marked skin. Lost a significant amount of weight (for me) so far, strength training the whole way. Now I have a "mini mother's apron". I earned it, and my children are worth every crepey, stretch marked inch of belly (oh, and hips, and thighs and butt...).

    Meh, I'll just continue to tuck it into my waistband and carry on!
  • La5Vega5Girl
    La5Vega5Girl Posts: 709 Member
    I USE IT UNDER MY EYES TO REDUCE PUFFINESS AND SWELLING, BUT NEVER HEARD OF IT BEING USED FOR FLABBY SKIN. I SEE WHERE THAT THOUGHT MIGHT BE GOING, BUT I DONT THINK THE ANTIINFLAMATORY AGENT WILL TIGHTEN SKIN :(

    what the ??? Does this work? I have tried so many things to de-puff my full set of luggage under my eyes and have been very disappointed.... I might have to try this!

    Yeah, I've heard of that before but never dared try it!! Are there no side affects???!!

    only side-effect is that people will think you're an a55hole
  • La5Vega5Girl
    La5Vega5Girl Posts: 709 Member
    As crazy as it sounds, I hear that vicks vaporub helps to tighten loose skin (as well as help get rid of stretch marks). I haven't tried it myself, but if you google it, theres lots of people saying it helped with their loose skin. If anyone tries it, let us know how it works.

    i am willing to be a guinea pig. i will do one side Vicks and the other side Prep.H.
    we'll see! :ohwell:

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