Flabby Extra Skin Help!!!

do you do weights when you are at the gym? that will helpshrink the extra flab...Do torso/obliques weights

Skin is very stretchy but when you get to a certain weight skin adds on cells. The bigger you are the longer you have been that way the more extra cells there will be. No amount of weight lifting will get rid of those extra cells. Very large people have to go in for two sometimes three skin reductions to get rid of all the excess. Talk to your doctor. If you have insurance make sure your doctor signs it as a necessary health proceedure. Excess skin can rub together and cause sores and skin infections. These are nasty reaccuring problems and must be fixed by removing the excess skin. Thus medically necessary. If it's medically necessary instead of just a vanity proceedure your insurance has to pay its usual chunk.

Depending on how big you were, and how long you were big, you will have extra skin.

No helping it. I know I'm going to have extra skin for the above reason. I've been very big, for very long. I have plenty of stretchmarks, and I know there's really no coming back from those. It's just something that I have come to expect, and at this point in my journey, am looking forward to. If you do find something that works, first, patent it, and then do share.

I've heard it can take up to a year to shrink back to where its going. In the mean time, lots of moisturiser (firming butter/cocoa butter) lots of water and lots of exercise. Some people are luckier than others!!

Good luck :flowerforyou:

Ok, I can see getting a tummy tuck if you lost 140 lbs........but....I lost 120 lbs. 8 years ago and I had alot of belly flab and I exercised the entire time I was losing weight and eventually it did tighten up. But if you can afford plastic surgery and don't want to go through all the work then go for it. Just saying, that unless you are overly obese, it will tighten up.

I had a professor who recommended donating the skin to burn victims. I never actually looked into it because I'm not there yet but you could probably get a huge discount on the surgery then.

oh man, I hope it goes away! I'm 28 and have been over 200 for 8 years so I am hoping like hades that after losing this it will tighten up. I can deal with a little crinkling in the skin, I just don't want a flap. If I end up with a flap that sticks around after two years then it's getting removed.

i have heard - from a doctor - to give it 2 years...if it still sags, it always will and will need to be surgically removed...

I heard the same thing from my doctor. He basically said lotions, creams etc were a waste of money. That losing at a moderate pace (like the standard 2lbs a week) , and that basically exercise and building muscle (because the muscle will help pull up and tighten the skin) is the only thing that will help. But after 2 years or so, if you still have loose skin you'll need to look into having it surgically removed. I have almost 140lbs to lose, so I'm terrified of this skin thing, but I've seen some before and after photos of ladies (here on MFP in the success topics) who have lost a good amount of weight and didn't have really bad skin, so that gives me hope.

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but I've seen some before and after photos of ladies (here on MFP in the success topics) who have lost a good amount of weight and didn't have really bad skin, so that gives me hope.
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Me too.

OK to each MD out there his own opinion BUT From FRIST HAnd and MD (Dr) recommendations I AM using skin firming lotion but note then entire point of ANY lotion is to moisturize, moisturized skin maintains better elasticity. Stretch marks never go away but do fade, and moisture helps with this as well. It does take 1-2 years for skin to retighten but surgery is NOT always necessary. I use my oils and lotions in cycles a) I dont end up buying them as frequently b) I FULLY believe change is a good thing even in my moisturizer.

1) Bio Oil- It HAS helped fade my stretch marks and my Uncle who is an OBGYN (one of the top in the nation) is impressed at how well it has helped fade them - Used on its own for 3 weeks.

2) Nivea's anti-cellulite treatment (yeah I used it everywhere) first the fast acting serum last 5 days, then the gel-cream for 2 weeks.

3) Jergens Skin Firming Lotion (highest rated and Im not allergic to it so yay!) on week #4 and loving it!

I am being the guinea pig for Many of my friends loosing weight because I have so many wonderful MDs in and around my family. I lost 43lbs in 90days and am on my way to loosing the last 35 within 90 days as well. My tummy pooch is having a harder time going away but I was stretched huge with my son and also had an emergency c-section so this was expected to me, but my thighs are tightening up and smoothing out, my arms, upper stomach, chest, tightening up and smoothing out. I couldnt be happier with my results.