Loose skin

taitmamly
taitmamly Posts: 19
in Motivation and Support
I lost a lot of weight last year, and I've continued it with another stone this year but I'm getting really disheartened because I have loose skin, especially around my stomach and upper arms.

I was wondering if anyone had some tips for me about tightening this skin up! I got the palmer's cocoa butter for skin tightening, but I've literally only just started using it.

Replies

  • LosingItForGood13
    LosingItForGood13 Posts: 182 Member
    weight training the target areas also helps along with the palmers cocoa butter
  • taitmamly
    taitmamly Posts: 19
    When you say weight training do you mean crunches and stuff? I should explain there is some fat still hanging around my stomach but it's just hanging a lot looser than it used to!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    First of all it can take 2 years, possibly more, for skin to tighten up again. Depending on age and genetics how well your skin will recover varies from person to person. Weight lifting, not just in the area, but for the whole body, is said to help. If you have a gym available to you with weights I would suggest doing something like Stronglifts 5x5 or New Rules for Lifting for Women.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    When you say weight training do you mean crunches and stuff? I should explain there is some fat still hanging around my stomach but it's just hanging a lot looser than it used to!

    Crunches are a waste of time and could hurt your back. See my previous post for my suggestions.
  • WhisperAnne
    WhisperAnne Posts: 453 Member
    I've been told only surgery helps with loose skin. Working out can only go so far. It's depressing that's for sure.
  • bacitracin
    bacitracin Posts: 921 Member
    Toning muscle in the area definitely does help tighten the skin. And it definitely can take some time, but it will get better if you treat it well. Your skin is a giant organ made up of layers and layers of different cells, and rapid weight loss can lead to loss of elasticity of the skin. The layers are connected with tiny fibrous tissue and blood vessels and stuff, and it takes time for the rest of your body to slough it off and get used to not having to regenerate all of the tissue there. It's gonna take longer to tighten up the longer you've had a bit of fluff there. a 9-month pregnancy is gonna tighten faster than carrying a hundred pounds extra for a decade, you know?

    Drink lots of water, don't smoke, reduce your exposure to the sun, eat lots of protein (especially after a workout), exfoliate daily, stay away from chlorinated water (water with salt/mineral filtration is okay), stay away from harsh detergents, and feel free to try using tightening cream/shea butter lotion or Vitamin E oil at night.
  • omsmom12
    omsmom12 Posts: 31 Member
    I had loose skin before I got pregnant with my twins. Now, I'm just wrecked, LOL. But I've learned to live with it. I'm never going to be a bikini model. But, in my clothes, I look a heck of a lot better being thin rather than fat. And, of course, I feel much better in my daily living. (In other words, loose skin and all, the weight loss is still worth it!)

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