What to do with flabby skin?

Options
2»

Replies

  • kendalslimmer
    kendalslimmer Posts: 579 Member
    Options
    I'm not at this stage yet... but I hope to be.

    The idea of surgery is a little scary. It sounds like a very personal decision to make. Whatever you decide, good luck!
  • 99clmsntgr
    99clmsntgr Posts: 777 Member
    Options
    From what I know, surgery is the way.
    However, because I am new to this exercise/weight loss stuff... is there a way to avoid the loose skin that often develops?

    Two parts to my response, first to this specific question - stay hydrated, lose slowly. Your skin is elastic and will bounce back, but it needs help. Staying hydrated will help it with some of the bounce back. But as one other poster stated, think of it as an over-filled balloon that you let the air out of. It retracts, but there's some parts that are over-stretched and won't return to their original state. Keeping hydrated will help your skin retain some elasticity, but it won't fix all of it.

    On to part two. I *had* the surgery. I lost 170-ish pounds, maintained for over a year, which was my goal for allowing myself the surgery. I had an abdomnioplasty (tummy tuck) to fix the damage that I had done to my abs when I was seriously over-weight - when you completely separate the center septum of your abs from being so fat, no amount of situps will fix that - and had my mini-apron removed (like I said, hydrate and lose slowly, it will make a difference). At the same time, I had a "lateral chest tightening," which is what the surgeon called removing the skin from where my moobs had once been. Because I had the tummy tuck, I was out of work for 4 weeks (depending on your recovery) and not allowed to exercise for 8 weeks (again, depends on your recovery) and even then, it was easing back into things. The surgery wasn't cheap. Insurance doesn't pay for any of it (Even the severe cases where the skin rubs and you get sores and infections, it's considered cosmetic and elective. Sorry). I don't regret it for one second.

    If you go the route of surgery, there's preparatory vitamins and a good regiment of recovery supplements that your doctor should have information on. Everyone I know who's taken that kind of regiment, regardless of the surgery type, has had a much faster recovery. Just sayin'...
  • vegasgyrl79971
    vegasgyrl79971 Posts: 56
    Options
    Oh wow, I had no idea! I need to contact my insurance company and see if mine covers this. If so, my skin definitely covers my pubic bone and its funny you mention yeast infections (sorry I know TMI LOL) but I have complained to my gyno for over a year about reoccurring yeast infections. Thanks a bunch!

    ETA: I wanted to quote. Sorry
  • vegasgyrl79971
    vegasgyrl79971 Posts: 56
    Options
    Most insurance companies will cover that surgery IF the skin covers your pubic bone. It's called a panectomy. They cover it bc once it covers the pubic bone it can lead to certain types of yeast infections bc of the dark, moist area. But the skin must cover the pubic bone. I did some research and spoke to my PCP about it. I still have a lot of weight to lose but I have the excess skin. Mine doesn't cover my pubic bone yet. She told me if I pull my skin eventually it'll cover the bone and I can get it! Can you imagine?! I thought she was kidding but she was serious! I can't picture myself walking the treadmill and yanking my excess skin so it'll cover my girly parts so I can get my panectomy covered!

    Oh wow, I had no idea! I need to contact my insurance company and see if mine covers this. If so, my skin definitely covers my pubic bone and its funny you mention yeast infections (sorry I know TMI LOL) but I have complained to my gyno for over a year about reoccurring yeast infections. Thanks a bunch!
  • HartJames
    HartJames Posts: 789 Member
    Options
    Fill it with muscle!
  • kit_liu
    kit_liu Posts: 22 Member
    Options
    After much inspection, the flab is really fatty skin around the abdominal area. So it's more dieting and trying to fill it with muscles. Oh, the work we have to do to get a nice body. Trouble is, I don't want to loose any more weight. Maybe I can loose the weight and then fill it with water, which I have to have.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    Options
    Tuck it in my pants.

    And that is the right answer:laugh: Or surgery. But I'm in the broke boat, so tucking (or Spanx) it is.:grumble:
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    Options
    Ok, I lost the weight I want using MFP. Now I've been maintaining for 2 months (without counting calories, YAY!). Another problem now crops up - flabby skin.......what to do about that? Asking for help here.
    I've tried and still am trying, going to the local gym and doing workouts 2x a week and exercising at home when I can. It just doesn't go away. All I get is a decrease in cm of thigh, butt and waist where I want them, but its covered over with hideous fatty skin. How do I go about tightening that. I need help and advice here.

    I would recommend you read through Crusadersam (Age 33) and ridesforsanity (age 40) for some possible insight comps:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.de/topics/show/1320856-success-and-loose-skin-worried?page=1
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1164025-loose-skin-the-real-deal?page=1
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1444061-loose-skin-my-experience?hl=loose+skin&page=1
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    Options
    After much inspection, the flab is really fatty skin around the abdominal area. So it's more dieting and trying to fill it with muscles. Oh, the work we have to do to get a nice body. Trouble is, I don't want to loose any more weight. Maybe I can loose the weight and then fill it with water, which I have to have.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress < Eat, Train, Progress < Join the Group. *Highly recommended*
  • fabnine
    fabnine Posts: 379 Member
    Options
    Tuck it in my pants.

    And that is the right answer:laugh: Or surgery. But I'm in the broke boat, so tucking (or Spanx) it is.:grumble:

    ^Yes! Then tan it, dress it cute & rock what you got.
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    Options
    Ok, I lost the weight I want using MFP. Now I've been maintaining for 2 months (without counting calories, YAY!). Another problem now crops up - flabby skin.......what to do about that? Asking for help here.
    I've tried and still am trying, going to the local gym and doing workouts 2x a week and exercising at home when I can. It just doesn't go away. All I get is a decrease in cm of thigh, butt and waist where I want them, but its covered over with hideous fatty skin. How do I go about tightening that. I need help and advice here.

    My sister answered this thread with an interesting excerpted article you might also find helpful@52 years battling flabby skin: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1450855-should-of-done-the-weight-training
    888sisters_weight888:
    Adpalangi: I'm at 113 - 115 now, thought I needed 109, but I'm happy where I am. If I continue to loose I will probable look aged and frail. I have loose skin everywhere, lately I've been wondering if I looked better with the weight on instead of now. I started the weight training, but can't help to wonder how hard it will be to tone. I wonder if I can still get that lean strong body now while in maintenance. Am I too late?

    With your loose skin, kindly consider seeing a Dermatologist for options@loss of collagen issues.

    However, with your weight training, I recommend that you have a thorough read of the attached to determine with confidence that as long as you commit to the upgrade of your health, your beauty and your quality of life, you won't be left behind, for you still have more than a decade's time yet, to remedy the errs as best you can => http://www.acsm.org/docs/current-comments/resistancetrainingandtheoa.pdf

    28lgfgz.png

    23wdhv.png

    1zqc2za.png


    :flowerforyou: I wish you well!

    I would have to agree with previous posters@surgery >> A consultation with a dermatological surgeon might prove to be helpful, if your weight training and other options do not pan out for you.
  • Autumngolds
    Autumngolds Posts: 30 Member
    Options
    I don't think there's any need for surgery, unless it's loose skin (very thin) rather than fat, which can also be very loose. I have the same problem with loose fat and I'm losing the last few pounds, then going into maintenance too. I plan on starting progressive bodyweight strength training, but if you're already going to the gym then focusing on progressive lifting should be really helpful, and is probably the fastest way to see results. But it's only been two months, and people say body recomposition at maintenance can be very slow. If you're impatient you could try eating slightly above maintenance and continuing with weight training. People seem to lose a lot of fat recomping at maintenance or bulking and cutting.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    Options
    kit_liu wrote: »
    After much inspection, the flab is really fatty skin around the abdominal area. So it's more dieting and trying to fill it with muscles. Oh, the work we have to do to get a nice body. Trouble is, I don't want to loose any more weight. Maybe I can loose the weight and then fill it with water, which I have to have.

    You can't 'fill' loose skin with muscle. The muscle will be underneath..
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Options
    I'm over 55 and lost a tad more weight than you did (though I'm 5'10" and height matters a lot). I had some sagging in breasts and definitely a bit of extra skin where my 'apron fat' (hate that term) used to be. You saw it on my arms as well.

    Over the first year after I hit maintenance it slowly went away. Breasts firmed up. All other lose skin essentially gone. The skin is an organ. You haven't given it a lot of time to turn over all those old cells for new ones. I wouldn't even think about surgery until you've given yourself at least a year.

    I also remember what my midwife told me after I had my first child - where I had gained 50 pounds. Flexible, pliable skin is much more elastic and will move back into shape faster than dry skin. And massaging in oil feels good.

Categories