What can I do to help loose skin?

Brynich
Brynich Posts: 65 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone. I have what I believe to probably be a bit of loose skin around my inner thighs and on my arms (near my arm pit). I was wondering, apart from just waiting approximately 1-2 years for it to tighten up, is there anything I can do to hasten the process or make the process more likely to happen? I've read that drinking a lot of fluids supposedly helps, but is there anything else I can do such as maybe eating certain types of foods or using certain types of creams to stimulate collagen production or something? Rubbing certain types of oils on the areas such as cocoa butter or vitamin e oil or anything of the sort? Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    No help here. I drink tons of water, so that's not the problem. Not for me.

    I'm getting more and more of it. I'm trying to slow down my weight loss in the hopes that it will have time to tighten up.

    The first 40-50 pounds, it didn't happen and I thought maybe I was in the clear. Ugh.

    It's very depressing.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I wish. But nope. I have the bat wings, the inner thighs, and the belly.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I wish. But nope. I have the bat wings, the inner thighs, and the belly.
    when did you start noticing it? And did it just get worse from that point on?
  • Missfit35
    Missfit35 Posts: 75
    Surgery
  • Brynich
    Brynich Posts: 65 Member
    Surely surgery can't be the only solution? There have been cases where people's skin has "bounced back" after 1-2 years, no? And also, don't you have to have a certain amount of loose skin for surgery? I think I read somewhere that they won't operate on you if it's just a small amount.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    is there anything else I can do such as maybe eating certain types of foods or using certain types of creams to stimulate collagen production or something? Rubbing certain types of oils on the areas such as cocoa butter or vitamin e oil or anything of the sort?

    If a product existed that noticeably shrunk skin, it would require a doctor's prescription, since misuse could cause disfiguring results. I don't know of any such product.

    Heavy strength training might fill in the space slightly. Other than that, just time or surgery.

    How much weight did you lose? And do you lift weights?
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    is there anything else I can do such as maybe eating certain types of foods or using certain types of creams to stimulate collagen production or something? Rubbing certain types of oils on the areas such as cocoa butter or vitamin e oil or anything of the sort?

    Nope, sorry. You can work out and give it time. Otherwise surgery is an option.

    The rest of it is snake oil and wishful thinking.
  • Brynich
    Brynich Posts: 65 Member
    If a product existed that noticeably shrunk skin, it would require a doctor's prescription, since misuse could cause disfiguring results. I don't know of any such product.

    Heavy strength training might fill in the space slightly. Other than that, just time or surgery.

    How much weight did you lose? And do you lift weights?

    I lost about 66 pounds. No, I don't lift weights, but I plan to start soon hopefully. The loose skin is barely noticeable. Like, if I stand up, you don't notice it at all. The loose skin on the inner thighs for example is only visible if I for example, lie flat on my back and raise my leg in the air. Same thing for the arms, it's only really visible if I lift my arm into a vertical position then bend my forearm back (almost as if I'm flexing).

    The thing with lifting is, wouldn't it cause my thighs to get even wider than they are? Because then it would be the combined width of the fat that is already there plus the width of the newly formed muscle, which could make things like finding pants a hard task.
  • darkqueen79
    darkqueen79 Posts: 3
    Have you heard of ItWorks? It is a company that makes wraps that help tighten and tone skin along with other products, my girlfriend sells it and gave me a wrap to try and I lost two inches from around my waist where I applied the wrap and it never came back. I believe they help tighten things up with natural botanicals, if it is just a little skin you are trying to lose I would say the wraps are worth a try.
  • shellypaints
    shellypaints Posts: 49 Member
    It depends on a multitude of things - how much elasticity your skin originally had, how much it was stretched, your age, etc. If you are younger your skin is more elastic and is more likely to tighten up sooner than later, but we lose elasticity as we age.

    So it may tighten up or it may not. Good nutrition and lot's of water will help but, it may not be enough. Creams, rubs, oils can help moisturize the skin but the won't replace collagen or the elasticity. Depending on how much loose skin you may have to opt for surgery.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    if it's loose skin, and you work the area with weights, you can build some muscle to fill part of the skin, and this will make it look less drastic - build biceps and tripcep muscles, work your quads to increase lean mass, and less skin will be loose. i had loose skin around my belly for years. it did shrink up some, but was still there and definitely noticeable.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I wish. But nope. I have the bat wings, the inner thighs, and the belly.
    when did you start noticing it? And did it just get worse from that point on?

    I'm not sure. It hasn't gotten worse per se as I've been losing some of the fat underneath, but there is still some attached fat to the skin and I think that's the main issue. I'm not sure exactly how to get rid of it either, short of going down to 15% body fat or something (which I'm not planning to do).

    I think it has a lot to do with genetics, how much you lost, and how long you were overweight for... I was obese for pretty much 12 years or something.
  • Brynich
    Brynich Posts: 65 Member
    I'm not sure. It hasn't gotten worse per se as I've been losing some of the fat underneath, but there is still some attached fat to the skin and I think that's the main issue. I'm not sure exactly how to get rid of it either, short of going down to 15% body fat or something (which I'm not planning to do).

    I think it has a lot to do with genetics, how much you lost, and how long you were overweight for... I was obese for pretty much 12 years or something.

    Getting down to below 15% body fat would require losing more fat. Wouldn't this make the loose skin problem even worse? Also, how do you get below 15% body fat without looking really "buff" like a bodybuilder?
  • gogophers
    gogophers Posts: 190 Member
    You probably couldn't get surgery until you waited for a year or so anyway. People say keeping the skin moist is important (using lotions).
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    I dry brush right before shower every day and lotion after shower every day. I have seen some less loose skin. I'm not looking for 100%, but if it's at least 50% better then what I have right now, I would be happy.
  • EFMcG
    EFMcG Posts: 23 Member
    Not sure if this helps any, but I lost a little fat in my breasts, and I started slapping on CoQ10 lotion in a sports bra at night. They certainly seem firmer now lol.
  • FitOldMomma
    FitOldMomma Posts: 790 Member
    I think it all depends on your skin and your age. I have a friend who is 20 yrs younger than me and she had very little loose skin after losing 90 pounds. She didn't exercise very much either. She has wonderful skin-must have a lot of collagen?

    Other than surgery I don't think there truly is any other option for my 'bat wings'. :( Oh well.

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