Loose Skin

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  • BarbieAS
    BarbieAS Posts: 1,414 Member
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    This is going to echo most of what others have said, but this is a summary of what I've read, what I've been told by others who have gone through this, and my personal experience.

    Loose skin is just going to happen. There's a few factors you can control and a couple of things you can do to at least up your odds of having a better look after the fat is gone, but most you can't. Of the things you can't control (at this point), they are:

    -How long you've been overweight and how overweight you were. Skin that's been stretched 20lbs for a year is going to bounce back better than skin that's been stretched 200lbs for 10 years.
    -How old you are. Young skin is going to react better than older skin.
    -Genetics. Some people just naturally have skin that will look better after weight loss.
    -Time. It can take up to 2 years after losing all the weight for skin to get back to where it's going to stay.

    But, what you CAN control and a few things that may or may not help but they aren't going to hurt to try are:

    -Lose the weight slowly. The slower you lose, the easier it is for your skin to recover as you go.
    -Lotions and potions and creams. Probably won't help much, but hydration can't be bad for your skin's health.
    -Drinking lots of water. See above.
    -Healthy fats. There's anecdotal evidence that fish oil, olive oil, etc. can help maintain your skin's health. Plus, it's good for your cardiovascular system, so can't hurt ya to make sure to get plenty of those.
    -Weight training. Whether you start it during or after your fat-loss phase, maintaining/building muscle under the skin is going to help support and fill out the loose skin, and while it won't make the skin go away it can make it look a little better.
    -Time (again). See above. Be patient.

    And, just remember - the right wardrobe can do WONDERS for you once the fat is gone! :flowerforyou:
  • SmoothRiko
    SmoothRiko Posts: 193
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    There are oodles of threads about this exact topic. I am a believer in the "it is what it is" theory. I dumped 100lb and I have a surgery consult in September to deal with the loose skin. You are a lot younger, so there is hope you will not have the problem to the same extent. This problem has a lot to do with the degree of obesity, and age. All you can do is come up with a good nutrition plan that helps to minimize the muscle loss as you work toward your goal and work to add some muscle during the process. The loose skin is something that is really only visible without clothes. Everyone with this problem learns to hide the flaps using a variety of ways in plain clothes.

    Lose if fast or lose it slow. With a good nutrition and workout plan that really boils down to semantics. Sure, the lose it fast option might show more visible loose skin for a period of time while you work to add the muscle mass, but the slow loss route likely concludes with you at your goal weight at the same time.

    Goop stuff on too if it makes you feel better. Personally, I have not seen enough technical studies to support it does anything but make the cosmetic companies richer.

    The hydration comments always surprise me. Anyone that is working towards a weight loss goal should learn very quickly that is a requirement.

    I can tell you it is an awesome feeling to go to the doctor and be told you are ridiculously healthy.

    Good luck on the lifestyle change.

    Thanks brosef!
  • SmoothRiko
    SmoothRiko Posts: 193
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    This is going to echo most of what others have said, but this is a summary of what I've read, what I've been told by others who have gone through this, and my personal experience.

    Loose skin is just going to happen. There's a few factors you can control and a couple of things you can do to at least up your odds of having a better look after the fat is gone, but most you can't. Of the things you can't control (at this point), they are:

    -How long you've been overweight and how overweight you were. Skin that's been stretched 20lbs for a year is going to bounce back better than skin that's been stretched 200lbs for 10 years.
    -How old you are. Young skin is going to react better than older skin.
    -Genetics. Some people just naturally have skin that will look better after weight loss.
    -Time. It can take up to 2 years after losing all the weight for skin to get back to where it's going to stay.

    But, what you CAN control and a few things that may or may not help but they aren't going to hurt to try are:

    -Lose the weight slowly. The slower you lose, the easier it is for your skin to recover as you go.
    -Lotions and potions and creams. Probably won't help much, but hydration can't be bad for your skin's health.
    -Drinking lots of water. See above.
    -Healthy fats. There's anecdotal evidence that fish oil, olive oil, etc. can help maintain your skin's health. Plus, it's good for your cardiovascular system, so can't hurt ya to make sure to get plenty of those.
    -Weight training. Whether you start it during or after your fat-loss phase, maintaining/building muscle under the skin is going to help support and fill out the loose skin, and while it won't make the skin go away it can make it look a little better.
    -Time (again). See above. Be patient.

    And, just remember - the right wardrobe can do WONDERS for you once the fat is gone! :flowerforyou:

    These are great advice points! Thank you!
  • SmoothRiko
    SmoothRiko Posts: 193
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    I have lost 85 lbs. I did it very slowly over the course of about 18 months. I have loose skin but just on my stomach. I researched getting a tummy tuck but I am not a candidate because I had a hysterectomy when I was 28 (bikini cut) and then a year later had to have emergency surgery to remove both ovaries (zipper cut, they had to get in quick to save my life.) I now have what is called an anchor scar. I cannot have a tummy tuck because of this I am high risk of infection and not healing properly from the surgery.

    Some days it is easier than others and I wish I had the body on the outside that I know I have on the inside. Somedays I wish I could wear a bathing suit and be comfortable. It's taken me a while but I had to make peace with the loose skin. Because I am healthy and that is all that matters.

    I admire your courage. Thank you for sharing this!
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
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    I honestly think it's mostly luck (genetics) and age and there's little you can do about it. I do think it's smart to lose at a reasonable rate and do some sort of resistance training so you don't lose all of your muscle mass along with the fat. I lost 85 lbs over an 18 month period and 10 lbs in the past several months and my loose skin is so minimal that it doesn't bother me at all. Hopefully it's the same for you. Good luck!
  • thecakelocker
    thecakelocker Posts: 407 Member
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    Skin tightening lags behind fat loss, by anywhere from a few months to a few years. So if you do end with lose skin after you lose the weight, it will likely look better and better as time passes. :smile:
  • Laura8603
    Laura8603 Posts: 590 Member
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    Loose skin....simply put, "it is what it is"
    Yep. You will either have it or you won't. Nothing you do will make much of a difference. Save up for plastics and make sure your credit is good, just in case you want it in the future. You can take out a loan, if your credit is good. It's like a car payment and was worth it to me.

    Mentally I had to get rid of the loose skin to feel "whole" again.

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