Terrified of loose skin! :(

NadineSabbagh
NadineSabbagh Posts: 142 Member
in Motivation and Support
I really am terrified at the prospect of working hard to achieve my goals, but ending up still hating my body because I've been left with loose skin. A few friends of mine have decided to not lose weight because their worry over loose skin is too great, however that isn't an option for me. When it comes down to it, I'd much rather be healthy with loose skin than live a life of perpetual obesity, but I can't help but feel de-motivated when I think about the future and how I might still look at my body and feel unattractive, should I have loose skin.

I read a lot that the younger you are, the more elasticity your skin is bound to have, therefore you might escape the loose skin scenario. But how young is 'young'? I'm 24, I don't know how that will impact on my skin's elasticity..?

Is there a way to combat loose skin? I'm assuming toning, strength training etc will possibly help, but will this help tighten it up fully? Or is there only so much it can do?

Is there anyone out there who has lost a lot of weight and has managed to avoid or get rid of loose skin? And if so, how did you do it?

I incorporate strength training into my workouts and I'm losing roughly 1.5 - 2lbs per week. I've lost 33lbs so far and I have around 80 lbs still to lose. If I continue to lose at this rate will my skin gradually shrink with me, or does it not matter? Will my skin just do whatever it fancies? :P

Does anyone else worry a lot about this?

Replies

  • lbaileyjohannsen
    lbaileyjohannsen Posts: 133 Member
    I'm also 24, have lost 88 lbs so far, and loose skin is a worry for me, but in reality it's not that bad. A few things I do to keep it at bay are:

    1.) Keep your skin hydrated by drinking lots of water and by using lotions and body oils. I use Burts Bees Lemon Body Oil with vitamin E.
    2.) Get a dry skin brush and brush your skin every evening to exfoliate and encourage cell growth.
    3.) Frequently massage trouble areas.

    But really, I don't think you need to worry about it. skin is incredibly resilient and even if you are "jiggly" for the first couple of years, it WILL firm up eventually, especially if you keep it healthy.
  • ElphieTMoLM
    ElphieTMoLM Posts: 19 Member
    I think a lot of it depends on your starting size/weight. If you look at a few people on the biggest loser, they deal with loose skin particularly with their arms. I know that people like Jillian Michaels, Jennifer Hudson, and Stacey London have been overweight and look pretty fantastic now. I don't believe any of them have needed skin removal procedures. Don't let that fear stop you. Work on getting healthy doing cardio and strength training.
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
    I am 45, lost over 100 lb, and I only have a little loose skin around my tummy.

    It all comes down to genetics, age, how much you have to lose, and how quickly you lose it. Slow and steady is good, moisterising helps, as does strength training (weights/yoga/pilates etc).

    I wouldn't worry too much about loose skin if you have that little to lose and are that young. As for your friends who say they don't want to lose weight as they are worried about loose skin, well that is just laughable :laugh:
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    If you find out, let me know, honey. I'm 64 and my skin isn't elastic anymore, I'm already seeing more fine lines on my face. Younger women probably won't have as much of a problem. What I hear is, hydrate, hydrate, and moisture the heck out of your skin, it may help. I suspect there's going to be only so much I can do. Cosmetic surgery is NOT an option, unfortunately. My HMO will not cover it.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,833 Member
    I am going to lose 1/2 my weight to get to goal and I'm in my 60s. I have every intention of looking like a sharpei when I'm done and I will wave my excess skin as a banner proclaiming my accomplishment! :bigsmile:
  • ChanceTakr2131
    ChanceTakr2131 Posts: 96
    I have loose skin from gaining and losing a lot of weight and being pregnant twice. Pre-pregnancy I weighed in at 110 lbs, and then my highest weight was 191 lbs!! I am now at 122 lbs and have some loose skin on my stomach, breasts, and legs. It seems like the more weight I lose, the grosser it is. So I don't think I can ever get back down to 110 lbs without looking absolutely disgusting! The skin does NOT tighten back up much at all, so if you do have a lot of it, the only way to get rid of it is via plastic surgery. I actually have a consultation tomorrow for surgery bc I would like to have my breasts and tummy fixed (a mommy makeover). On the plus side, I feel better than ever because I am in such great shape and I eat healthy now. I would rather have some loose skin than be overweight and feel like crap all the time like I used to! Don't worry too much, just lose the weight you want, and then if you have too much skin, you can gain a few pounds back or look into cosmetic procedures. Good luck to you! :flowerforyou:
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    I am going to lose 1/2 my weight to get to goal and I'm in my 60s. I have every intention of looking like a sharpei when I'm done and I will wave my excess skin as a banner proclaiming my accomplishment! :bigsmile:


    Hats off to you, sister!!
  • Velum_cado
    Velum_cado Posts: 1,608 Member
    I've definitely got loose skin. I think there's a point where you can't avoid it. You hear a lot of tips for not getting loose skin, but I'm pretty convinced they're BS and it has almost everything to do with genetics. I think it will shrink up a bit over time... like, a *long* time... you won't see results right away. But like you said, I'd rather be healthy with some loose skin.
  • Inshape13
    Inshape13 Posts: 680 Member
    I agree with Flixie00 about how fast you lose the weight. I lost around 60lbs in the first 4.5 months and did not incorporate weight training so I got a lot of loose skin around my stomach, thighs and arms. It has improved with time and ALOT of weights and classes to target those areas, but it would have been much easier to just lose it slower and incorporate strength training along the way. Best of luck and you are young so you should fine.
  • ssdivot
    ssdivot Posts: 193
    I am going to lose 1/2 my weight to get to goal and I'm in my 60s. I have every intention of looking like a sharpei when I'm done and I will wave my excess skin as a banner proclaiming my accomplishment! :bigsmile:

    I like you :laugh:
  • kfitz85
    kfitz85 Posts: 19 Member
    I've lost nearly 80 pounds and loose skin didn't start to show up until I had lost about 65-70 pounds. If you continue to lose weight at the rate you are now, you will almost definitely have loose skin when you reach your goal.

    The good news is, as you approach your goal, losing weight will become increasingly difficult, so you won't be losing 2 pounds a week.

    I suggest drinking LOTS of water, exfoliating, using oils and avoiding the sun.

    Also, once your weight loss slows down, stop trying to lose weight and focus on building muscle and reaching fitness goals. The side benefit is that you'll have a healthier, better looking body without having to buy new clothes or concern yourself with loose skin.

    Eventually, you'll be able to drop the last bit of weight without loose skin, but it will take a few years. Building a bit of muscle will give you more shape, confidence and a better looking body.

    I think most men would prefer a fit woman or a woman with a few extra pounds over a rail thin woman with loose skin.
  • NadineSabbagh
    NadineSabbagh Posts: 142 Member
    I am going to lose 1/2 my weight to get to goal and I'm in my 60s. I have every intention of looking like a sharpei when I'm done and I will wave my excess skin as a banner proclaiming my accomplishment! :bigsmile:

    Hehe :) I really admire you for that. Unfortunately I can't see myself having the confidence to be proud of my loose skin, hence my current worry. It's predominantly a superficial concern; having been overweight all my life I want to be able to feel attractive, to prance about the beach in a bikini instead of sitting in the shade under a towel, to hopefully find someone who finds me attractive and settle down etc... I feel like I've missed out on so much in life because of my weight issues and I'd love to just feel beautiful one day. I don't want to still have a heap of body issues, due to loose skin, which will more than likely impact on my life/confidence in a similar way to my weight issues. But there's also the mental concern. I've never felt good about myself, and I assumed that losing weight would finally help me learn to love myself - but I worry that I'll still end up hating myself in the end, because my body doesn't look as good as I hoped it would.

    Thanks for all the advice/responses guys. I guess I'll have to wait and see what happens further down the line, but it really helps hearing what you've all got to say :)
  • nuttyfamily
    nuttyfamily Posts: 3,394 Member
    I think the biggest player is genetics.

    I've watched older people lose a lot of weight with little issues. I've watched younger people who have loose skin. Some lost quickly and some slowly. I think some folks are blessed with great skin and others not.

    And then there is age. As I get older, the more I see the looseness of my skin. I also have a coworker who has never been overweight and she has loose skin. She is very active and fit and health conscious eater.
  • whitecapwendy
    whitecapwendy Posts: 287 Member
    I'm also 24, have lost 88 lbs so far, and loose skin is a worry for me, but in reality it's not that bad. A few things I do to keep it at bay are:

    1.) Keep your skin hydrated by drinking lots of water and by using lotions and body oils. I use Burts Bees Lemon Body Oil with vitamin E.
    2.) Get a dry skin brush and brush your skin every evening to exfoliate and encourage cell growth.
    3.) Frequently massage trouble areas.

    But really, I don't think you need to worry about it. skin is incredibly resilient and even if you are "jiggly" for the first couple of years, it WILL firm up eventually, especially if you keep it healthy.
    4. exercise and strength training
  • SerenaFisher
    SerenaFisher Posts: 2,170 Member
    ^ What they said, strength training.

    Two children, and yes I have stretch marks, but I have no visible loose skin (unless I bend over, and most have a little if they do that in the tum tum)

    Temporary fixes (though I do not suggest) believe it or not are creams with caffeine, they also hide cellulite by tightening the skin (Read this on Redbook as a trick to tone down the appearence) naturally it solves nothing, is temporary, and results may vary.

    Cocoa butter is great for the skin, but it will not solve your problems. The best thing is cardio and weight lifting to tighten the skin via muscle and fat loss.
  • donnalewis39
    donnalewis39 Posts: 4
    Where do you Burt bee's oil?
  • slimdownsteph
    slimdownsteph Posts: 71 Member
    I don't have too much to add, except I feel the EXACT same way you do on the matter.
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
    <
    Had a baby 16 months ago.

    Lose the weight slowly, don't rush it. Your skin will generally keep up with the weight loss, as long as it's not happening too fast.

    Good luck!
  • wnbrice
    wnbrice Posts: 244 Member
    I was terrified of loose skin, but when I started losing weight it was not a problem, drinking lots of water(I get at least a gallon a day) and lotion every once in awhile and I have had no problems, and I lost 20 pounds this month.
  • am_morris87
    am_morris87 Posts: 3
    I started my journey when I was 24, and I just turned 26. So over the past 2 years I have lost 120 lbs in a healthy way. Some months were faster, some slower, there were plateau's, etc. I eat clean, drinks tons of water (always have done that), and do weight training. But let me tell ya... I still have loose skin. The good thing is that with clothes on it's not too noticeable, but the downside is obviously it looks awful when I'm naked, AND I'll always need a larger pants size because of the loose skin on my lower stomach. However, like I said, it's not too noticeable with clothes on (except for that on my arms) but of course it looks a million times better than I did 120 lbs ago. :) It all boils down to genetics as well I think. I'm friends w/ someone on fb who had practically the same starting weight as me, and is only 10 lbs lower than what I weigh now, and she's in her 30's and has a 6 pack! However she still has a LOT of weight in her arms and legs. She's extremely fortunate that she didn't have the excess skin on her stomach. But I say don't worry about it. You'll look better once you lose weight, even if you do have a little extra skin. And you could be lucky and it won't be a problem for you!
  • SeanSilk
    SeanSilk Posts: 12
    I am 35 years young, and I have loose skin around my lower stomach area due to rapid weight loss. I have a 4-pack of
    Abs, and the development of the Abs is pushing the loose skin down, so at times it seems bigger, then it shrinks.
    Give it time. It will go back to normal. It just takes time.

    When men gain weight (mine was with Celexa, and Wellbutrin made me lose weight), they store most in the stomach, whereas
    women in the their thighs. I know it's a pain, trust me, but it will disappear in time. I've been working out at the gym for 18 months already and I've made really good progress with gaining muscles (I'm Mesomorphic).

    Surgery can be your last option, but no insurance covers it. And I agree with you that you'd rather be healthy and have loose skin then to be obese. I'm the same way. Just hang in there and keep the faith.
  • ThinLizzie0802
    ThinLizzie0802 Posts: 863 Member
    I've come to terms with the fact that my breasts (which were once perfect) and stomach (always pretty meh) are going to have loose skin and stretch marks from the mass amount of weight I gained rapidly once that weight comes back off. I will take that over feeling trapped in this pile of jelly I'm in now. I make sure to pay extra attention to those areas when I put oil on after a shower in hopes it will help minimize the effects.

    I destroyed areas of my body by being an overindulgent *kitten* for two years, and I will always have reminders of that.
  • LadyArchangel
    LadyArchangel Posts: 124 Member
    I worry about it too! i'm 23 years old and scared of it. I have started to incorporate strength training into my routines, so I'm hoping that will help. Plus I lost pretty fast in the beginning. I already know my arms will be the bigger problem. Already are causing issues.
  • Veil5577
    Veil5577 Posts: 868 Member
    I am going to lose 1/2 my weight to get to goal and I'm in my 60s. I have every intention of looking like a sharpei when I'm done and I will wave my excess skin as a banner proclaiming my accomplishment! :bigsmile:

    Oh yeah, this!

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