Need Some Advice About Extra Skin!

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shannonbun
shannonbun Posts: 168 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, so I'm 19 and I've just started losing weight. I'd lost about 20 pounds over the summer, but once college came around again, I gained it all back from late-night binging. ANYWAYS, I'm concerned that once I lose a significant amount of weight, I'll have loose skin.

I started at 273 and most of my weight is carried on my stomach, thighs, and underarms (chicken wings...). Has anyone else been in this situation? Most of the boards on this subject I've found are for older persons, and I don't know how my age will affect this!

Replies

  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    Being young will help you. Unfortunately mostly all the things that effect how much loose skin you'll have, and how long (if ever) it will take to get better are out of your control. I simply wouldn't worry about it. Just lose the weight as there are a million good reasons to do so. Your age will work for you, genetics are a major component as well. Doing some resistance training while you lose the weight will help a little as well as it allows you to preserve lean muscle tissue. I lost over 100 lbs at age 26 and my loose skin is barely noticeable at my current age (30). I have seen some people lose much less and have much more loose skin than I ever had. You really won't know until you get there.
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Eyes on the prize: lose the weight without clouding the ultimate vision with what might, or might never be.

    Stay on focus.

    Are you gonna stay 273 and not lose weight if someone tells you right now: "Yes, you'll have floppy extra skin" ?

    It's not important at all compared to the need to NOT be almost 300 pounds at 19 years young.
  • Camo_xxx
    Camo_xxx Posts: 1,082 Member
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    Best advise I can think of regarding loose skin is to not be fat to begin with. But since we are already past that all we can do is lose fat at a reasonable pace, stay hydrated and eating healthy and get enough exercise. Beyond that genetics come into play. Good news is that loose skin doesn't kill you, being obese does. good on you for making the changes sooner rather then later. Youth is on your side.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Your youth will help you. I started about at your weight (but I am older!) and I have lots of excess skin around my belly. It reminds me of what it looked like right after delivering a baby. But then in the following weeks it would shrink. So there's hope. I share this video every chance I get, for a reality check.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpKDteQ3FIQ

    What I notice is how buff and confident this young man is. Which is where you want to be.
  • Aesop101
    Aesop101 Posts: 758 Member
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    Losing weight is more about being healthy. However if you need a tummy tuck later go for it.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    It has a lot to do with genetics. Fortunately you're young and have that on your side.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    You're young, so your skin is more elastic than us old people. Eat healthy, lose at a normal pace and you will probably bounce right back. If you don't, you'll still be thinner than you were.

    Don't borrow ahead on trouble. Concentrate on losing. :)
  • Rhiannawright
    Rhiannawright Posts: 11 Member
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    if you loss slowly you skin will shrink with you, to a point.
  • echofm1
    echofm1 Posts: 471 Member
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    It's almost all genetics and luck. Being young definitely helps, but that's just because your skin is more elastic when you're younger.

    I'll give you my personal experience. I'm 25 and I've lost 100 pounds. I lost it in about a year, and then stalled for about 6 months. So far, I have no hanging loose skin. When I first hit 100 pounds I did have some loose skin, but you only noticed it if you pinched it. 6 months later though and even that has tightened up. That being said, I still have 70 pounds minimum to go, and I do expect some hanging skin.

    Suggestions to help your skin as much as you can: Drink water. Exercise—muscle in particular can help fill out loose skin while making you look good, so strength training is advised. I hear lotion is helpful, but I've never used it consistently. Go slow. Losing weight quickly is more likely to lead to loose skin. Though it will firm up more over time, it can leave you feeling unhappy with your weight loss. It's also generally healthier and more sustainable to lose slowly.
  • bhdon
    bhdon Posts: 117 Member
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    echofm1 wrote: »
    It's almost all genetics and luck. Being young definitely helps, but that's just because your skin is more elastic when you're younger.

    I'll give you my personal experience. I'm 25 and I've lost 100 pounds. I lost it in about a year, and then stalled for about 6 months. So far, I have no hanging loose skin. When I first hit 100 pounds I did have some loose skin, but you only noticed it if you pinched it. 6 months later though and even that has tightened up. That being said, I still have 70 pounds minimum to go, and I do expect some hanging skin.

    Suggestions to help your skin as much as you can: Drink water. Exercise—muscle in particular can help fill out loose skin while making you look good, so strength training is advised. I hear lotion is helpful, but I've never used it consistently. Go slow. Losing weight quickly is more likely to lead to loose skin. Though it will firm up more over time, it can leave you feeling unhappy with your weight loss. It's also generally healthier and more sustainable to lose slowly.

    Thanks for this inspiring post!
  • NikonPal
    NikonPal Posts: 1,346 Member
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    vismal wrote: »
    Being young will help you. Unfortunately mostly all the things that effect how much loose skin you'll have, and how long (if ever) it will take to get better are out of your control. I simply wouldn't worry about it. Just lose the weight as there are a million good reasons to do so. Your age will work for you, genetics are a major component as well. Doing some resistance training while you lose the weight will help a little as well as it allows you to preserve lean muscle tissue. I lost over 100 lbs at age 26 and my loose skin is barely noticeable at my current age (30). I have seen some people lose much less and have much more loose skin than I ever had. You really won't know until you get there.

    Well put...

    I'm much older and pretty much resigned to some loose skin. But I will never regret losing all that weight....

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  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    I've lost 24lbs and have a bit of papery dimply skin on my tummy, which I'm assuming is loose skin. I lost the same amount of weight and very very quickly when I was 24 (baby weight), and my skin bounced back perfectly. Zero loose dimply skin. Btw I'm 42 now.
  • CEGrant501
    CEGrant501 Posts: 15
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    I just promised myself that when I hit my body goal and maintained it for a year, I would splurge on a tummy tuck. :)

    As others have said, it's genetics. There's no way any of us can predict what you'll end up with as far as excess skin is concerned. But there's not a lot you can do about it, so worrying won't help you. It's a lot easier to hide a deflated balloon than a full one, so either way you're going to look and feel better after you lose the weight.
  • shannonbun
    shannonbun Posts: 168 Member
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    Thank you for all the input. It's just difficult, because to be honest, I have no problem with how I look. I'm completely healthy, and this is more losing weight to avoid judgement while I'm traveling throughout other countries. The looming threat of potentially having stomach skin flabby where the fat used to be is hard to handle. Again, thank you all for your input :)
  • Spreyton22K
    Spreyton22K Posts: 323 Member
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    As others have said you have the blessings of youth on your side to help your skin bounce back and tighten up as you lose weight. I realise that at this point in time you feel perfectly healthy, now but time has a way of catching up with you.

    From my experience by the I was 35 and weighing at 268lbs at 5'5" I did not feel healthy, my joints hurt, I became prematurely tired and puffed, I was sick of struggling to find clothes and places that I fit into.....the physical impact of carrying this weight impacted on everything. Obesity is never the way to health.
  • lemonsurprise
    lemonsurprise Posts: 255 Member
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    As everyone else has said, genetics and where the fat was to begin with. For example, if you had big bulges of fat at the top of your legs, not in proportion with the rest then it's more likely you'll get the excess skin there.
    I'm 24, was hoping my age would save me but no. Over half way from losing 100 and I have it in most places unfortunately.

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