Excess Skin

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mmiiaa
mmiiaa Posts: 171 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I wasn't quite sure where to post this, so I figured the general message board would be alright.

Right now, I weigh around 250lbs, and I hope to weigh 145 eventually. I'm working on it, and I'm decently motivated, but sometimes I get really depressed when I think about how much weight I have to lose, and if it'll really be worth it in the end. I'm terrified of having excess skin.

As much as I would like to claim that I'm doing this for me health, I most certainly am not. That's just an added bonus that I don't care about. I'm doing it so that I'm confident, so I can look good, so I can wear cute clingy clothes in single digit sizes. I want to end up with a tight and toned body, not a flabby one.

I've read that how your skin "snaps back" depends on a few various things such as the rate at which you lose weight, how much weight you want to lose, age and how long you've been overweight. I'm doing my best to keep my weight loss at a maximum of 3 pounds a week because (that's healthy?) it'll give my skin a chance to catch up. I can't really do too much about how much weight I want to lose. I want to be healthy so I want to AT LEAST get down to 160. That's still 95 pounds away from now. I'm 19, so I'm not too concerned about the age aspect of it all. What depresses me the most though, is how long I've been overweight. I've almost always been bigger, but never hugely so. I look back to all those times where I thought I was a whale, and realize that even those clothes wouldn't fit me right now. It's one of those "how the hell did I let it get this far" moments.

I don't want to give up, but is there anything more that I can do to not have excess skin? Have you / anyone you know lost a considerable (80lbs+) amount of weight, and ended up with little to no excess skin? Any feedback would be appreciated.
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Replies

  • Naomi113
    Naomi113 Posts: 270 Member
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    Hi i wonder the same thing as you hun i have few more to lose then you and I'm 27. I too have been told the same things as you about your skin.. And yet i still wonder are them things true. I would love to know the same things.. So get where you are coming from i have the same emotions on days. Good luck too you and feel free to add me.. if on them downer days need kick up the butt to get ya moving ^_^ ...
  • TheMrsBee
    TheMrsBee Posts: 226 Member
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    You need to exercise too. Cardio to burn the fat and then weights to tone. but don't over do it, have you tried Gillian Micheals 30 day shred dvd? thats quite good, it offers cardio and weight aspect training and you can do it in the comfort of your own home! (instead of using dumbells like she says in the dvd, as i don't have any. I use Jars of sauces and they can get quite heavy after a while!)

    One of the guys on my friend list (mikerouse) has lost 108 lbs, and maybe he can tell you about his weight loss too.

    Good Luck! :-)
  • BartInPC
    BartInPC Posts: 2
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    Tyler of the blog 344pounds has talked extensively on this topic.

    http://www.344pounds.com/2010/03/loose-skin-faq/

    His quote near the end though is the best: "Being obese will kill you, having loose skin will not."
  • inn0c3ntbbygrlx3
    inn0c3ntbbygrlx3 Posts: 199
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    i worry about the same thing, i went out with my cousin the other day and she mentioned it, i didnt realize it til she said something, im hoping to not have that problem, because i dont want to look disgusting and i also dont have the money nor do i want to go under the knife to get it removed. but if you need a new buddy im always lookin for friends :)
  • davidrt
    davidrt Posts: 162
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    use some hemorrhoid cream on the lose skin, its what body builders use when they cut, it will help some, age and how fast you lose makes a difference
  • kibrt75
    kibrt75 Posts: 6 Member
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    Hey there,
    I have lost 160 lbs and keept and had a tummy tuck last year..
    Best decision ever.............
    I also work out alot, and swear by it....
  • CommittohealthCHANGED
    CommittohealthCHANGED Posts: 436 Member
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    Bump
  • mmiiaa
    mmiiaa Posts: 171 Member
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    Thanks everyone for all your support and feedback! I honestly thought I wouldn't get many replies, so I'm very thankful. :]

    @Naomi113: Thanks! I'm adding you, okay? We can kick each other into gear... and hopefully avoid as much loose skin as possible along the way.

    @TheMrsBee: I do Jillian's Shred DVD at least once a week (I really suck at doing the same thing everyday, but I fill the other days in with walking, Zumba, other dancing and such). I think I'll start exercising more often. I figure if I tone up a bit too, that will help a lot. Thanks!

    @BartlnPC: Thanks for the link! I'm checking out the website right now. It's a great quote, I just wish it meant a little more to me. I'm hoping to try start seeing this as something for not just "looking sexy" but as for being healthy. That's somehow harder than you would think.

    @inn0c3ntbbygrlx3: Thanks for your support! I don't want / can't afford surgery either! I know this sounds kinda ridiculous, but I want to look as close to perfect as I possibly can. (Sounds super ridiculous) But excess skin = no me gusta. I'd just hate to feel just as terrible about myself after all that hard work! Ughhh... I hope I can keep it to an absolute minimum.

    @davidrt: Hmm, I'll definitely try that. I'm going to start moisturizing a lot more and trying to keep my skin in as good of shape as possible. Thanks for your feedback.

    @kibrt75: How fast did you lose all the weight? Was the tummy tuck expensive? I'd love to see before - middle - and after photos!
  • chizzledfrmstone
    chizzledfrmstone Posts: 58
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    At the risk of sounding feminine I'll offer some personal experience.

    Use lotion, exfoliate your skin, and drink plenty of water so your skin doesn't get dry. Fish oils also help...

    I started working out when I was 14-15 and unfortunately my arms/chest grew really fast (42'' chest , 32'' waist 16'' arms all at age 16!). My arms grew too fast for my skin to keep up. I have slight stretch marks which are barely visible around my pecs and some near my biceps. I use cocoa butter lotion and it blends them into my skin. No one can tell.

    When I was 18 I would bulk up 15-25 lbs in 3 months and then quickly cut down the fat to get a lower bf%. Doing this over and over I would sometimes have slight loose skin that would take some time to go away. I would lotion up my skin so it would quickly adapt. For this I used Aveeno or Cetaphil. Don't let your skin get too dry!

    Don't worry about loose skin. It will slowly adapt to the weight loss if you take care of it.
  • mmiiaa
    mmiiaa Posts: 171 Member
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    @chizzledfrmstone: Ahh, thank you. So, fish oil + tons of water + Aveeno / Cetaphil + cocoa butter lotion. I'm definitely adding all of these things to my grocery list. :] Seriously, thank you so much for the advice.
  • chizzledfrmstone
    chizzledfrmstone Posts: 58
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    use some hemorrhoid cream on the lose skin, its what body builders use when they cut, it will help some, age and how fast you lose makes a difference

    Just a personal opinion.

    They use this to tighten up troublesome areas before a contest or modeling shoot. It removes excess water so it gives the appearance of skin being tighter.

    It's only temporary fix and I don't think it's a good idea to use this.
  • tashajayne2011
    tashajayne2011 Posts: 288
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    I have nightmares about this. I have about 100lbs to lose altogether and the thought of being left with armfuls of saggy skin makes me feel depressed.

    Of course I would love to be very strict with myself and get my results quickly but I honestly think that would guarantee me the sags so I am being strict right now (exercise 1-2 hours a day - I am self employed and work from my office at home - just walking at the moment) because I have a theme park trip in 5 weeks and I just cannot face doing the walk of shame if I am too big for the rides but after that I will be making sure that my weight loss is done healthily so as to give my body a fair chance at repairing itself and I have read somewhere on here that your skin is still doing its shrinking back for a year after your weight is gone.

    I am 29 and have had 2 kids and I cannot go under the knife due to my oh so convenient (not) allergy to both general and local anesthetic so I know I won't be perfect but I really and truly hope I am healthier and attractive and proud of my achievement anyway.
  • mmiiaa
    mmiiaa Posts: 171 Member
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    @tashajayne2011: OH MY GOODNESS. Theme Parks = The Enemy. My friends and I were planning on going to Cedar Point this summer, but then someone brought up being afraid they wouldn't fit and all of a sudden, I was terrified. I have a rather large chest, so if someone doesn't fit, it's going to be me. I went to the carnival with my friends shortly after that talk, and I just barely fit on the best ride there. I had to be sat in a specific seat and they had to PUSH it into me. I was SO embarrassed, I could have died. Luckily it wasn't that busy at the time. My friends kept wanting to go back on the ride, but my self-confidence couldn't take it so I told them I was feeling sick. But the subject at hand, I guess it's best to lose weight slowly. Shows like The Biggest Loser and I Used to Be Fat kind of showed me that too. The excess skin on The Biggest Losers is sometimes soooo intense. I couldn't handle that.
  • AshinAms
    AshinAms Posts: 283 Member
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    I lost a lot of weight and didn't get a lot of loose skin, except on my tummy, but that is from having three babies! My trainer told me that the best way to avoid loose skin is to maintain a reasonable intake of fat in your diet, and I believe him! If I go lowfat I get dry skin and generally look awful, but making sure I eat enough fat seems to help with elasticity etc. I moisturise religiously too.

    Also, I beleive that a lot of what we call 'loose skin' is because there is still a pretty high body fat %, so even when you get to your goal weight it's worth trying to be at a reasonable fat % as well to make sure that the skin isn't actually flab.

    Good luck.
  • unsuspectingfish
    unsuspectingfish Posts: 1,176 Member
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    I honestly don't mind the stretch marks (I like to think I've earned all my scars, so I'm damn well keeping them), but I am a bit terrified by the thought of excess skin. Like everyone else said: take care of yourself and your skin, lose the weight slowly and healthily, build up some muscle, and let time do the rest.
  • bparr
    bparr Posts: 246 Member
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    :bigsmile: I know that age is on your side-- you're skin is more forgiving and still very elastic. Follow all the vitamin/lotion/water advice. However, for those of us over 40-- not so much :ohwell:
  • onmyweightohappiness
    onmyweightohappiness Posts: 151 Member
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    I can totally relate! I had gastric bypass almost a year ago and have dropped 100 lbs and 68 inches from my body. The extra skin is freaking me out because things aren't "disappearing" how I want it too but the way I look at it is a year ago vs today I am a totally different person in many many ways and I'd rather live with the extra skin than those extra 100 lbs on my body. I still have another 30 lbs to go and plan to try to tone for another year to see what other results I can get, if by then my body doesn't improve anymore I might seek the option of doing a tummy tuck. Right now I have extra skin on my upper arms, stomach and upper thighs. I have taken pictures monthly of my progress and can tell certain areas are getting smaller but I know a lot of it is me being patient. I didn't get fat over night and certainly will not get in fit over night. I have learned to have patience and just deal with this journey daily!
  • craft338
    craft338 Posts: 870 Member
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    i'm really scared of that too! i lost 50 so far, and have 80 to go. i bought a bunch of moisturizing, firming, and exfoliating lotions and soaps that i'm starting to use NOW so maybe that will help. i am kinda "young" still, i don't lose more than 3 lbs/week, i drink tons of water, i have a very healthy diet, and quit smoking over a month ago, so hopefully my skin is healthy enough to get to where it's supposed to be.

    or at least i keep telling myself that =(
  • censu67
    censu67 Posts: 53 Member
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    Glad I found this post. I'm 43, been over weight for many years and am finally serious and doing the right things. In the past 4-5 months I've lost 45lbs, that's in the range of 2.5-3lbs a week on average. I eat pretty clean and work out often, more cardio than anything. I've lost 10 inches in that time around my belly which is huge. But here's my concerns/questions.

    Back when I was heavier, my tummy/skin was always solid, now it's lose and flabby, I think that's because I'm no longer bloated. But it concerns me that maybe I'm losing too fast.

    Also, I'm getting more and more into running and that naturally causes the stomach to bounce all over the place. Is that good or bad for the skin?

    Finally, if I do have excess skin when I reach my goal, how much cost/down time are we looking at for a surgical reduction?

    Thanks

    M
  • cartern1
    cartern1 Posts: 270 Member
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    I worry about this problem, I keep seeing TV programmes with people who have it really bad

    In the last 6 months i've lost 29kgs (64lbs). I'm eating well and doing plenty of cardio exercise (cycling) but about a month ago I started doing some toning with weights, sit ups, planks etc

    Already I can really see a difference but the worry is still there in the back of my mind.

    One thought I had was to slow down the rate at which I'm losing weight but I'm not sure if I need to.

    I'm still realtively young (28) so my skin is pretty "springy" so I'm not too worried but it's something I'm keeping a close eye on.

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