loose skin after weight loss

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  • Wiseandcurious
    Wiseandcurious Posts: 730 Member
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    Ryan70286 wrote: »
    Most everyone here is saying lotion, should I put lotion in my entire body or just certain areas?

    If you're going to be using it, I'd say put it everywhere. It's not magic but it does have some benefits for your skin so why leave some of your skin uncared for? I admit I may be biased, because for me all-over lotion after a shower has been a part of the way I grew up, like brushing your teeth. It's just part of a health/hygiene routhine.

    As a side note, I think the daily regimen of many primitive societies includes some form of nourishing the skin with whatver oil is available, for both men and women. But somehow in our western culture it's become a "beauty" thing reserved for women mostly rather than a health thing for all.
  • blc1971
    blc1971 Posts: 170 Member
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    For me, I think age, genetics, and being overweight most of my life played the biggest part in how my skin has responded. I lost 75lbs over the course of about 18 months, and have kept it off for over a year now. I have loose skin on my upper arms, upper/inner thighs, and tummy. It's not as significant as many others I've seen. I will say that losing it slowly and strength training have helped considerably. Also, time as helped a lot. As I continue to workout and improve my fitness, the skin seems to be drawing up. However, it will never be as tight and smooth as I would like. It doesn't show in clothes and doesn't restrict my life in any way (no sores or restricted movement), so I don't plan on any surgery. I can live with being the best version of me that I can achieve through healthy eating and exercise. No judgement to those who have the surgery though!! I totally respect that option and know that many people really need it!! Much luck as you move forward!
  • Ryan70286
    Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
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    Thanks for the comment everyone!
  • kyrannosaurus
    kyrannosaurus Posts: 350 Member
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    I lost 70lbs quite quickly but I'm lucky I have non loose skin. I'm in my late twenties and didn't do anything to prevent it, probably just have good genetics and got lucky.
  • cassandranken
    cassandranken Posts: 129 Member
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    I may be nuts, but I've been using a little of my ROC deep wrinkle cream on my stomach after I saw what great results I had using it on my face.
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
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    It's just going to happen, and it's okay. If it bothers you, you can have it taken care of later. Being healthy is so worth the loose skin :)
  • fidangul
    fidangul Posts: 673 Member
    edited December 2015
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    projectsix wrote: »
    Ryan70286 wrote: »
    projectsix wrote: »
    Genetics, length of time of being overweight, the degree or severity of how overweight you are, and your age are all factors that come into play. After losing 100 lbs and getting fit, I tried everything and nothing helped. Lotions, butters, laser treatments, waist wraps, ice baths, nothing helped. I ended up paying $6.4k for a "modified abdominoplasty" to remove the skin. Good luck!

    Wow. That sounds painful how long did your body healed?

    It was indeed one of the worst recoveries from any surgery ever, it was horrible. Essentially, they cut at the bottom of your stomach, open it up, sew your lower abdominals to the abdominal wall and re-shape them, then pull the skin tight, take off all the extra skin, sew up your old belly button hole and give you a new one (cause they pulled the skin down tight) and the skin is sewed really tight. I had to sleep seated for the first 7-10 days so that no stretching was put on the sutures. I had 2 drains in that had to be drained twice a day for fluid. You can imagine how brutal it is to try and do really ANYTHING. Even just reaching for something requires abdominals. I had to take a full 6 weeks from the gym and even now I can't feel the outside of my skin in my lower stomach because the nerves have been so damaged.

    It's no joke and you have to really be mentally (and financially) prepared for such a surgery but there is nothing (currently) that will remove loose skin but surgery.


    I genuinely thankyou for sharing that. You positively put me off any future surgery. Seriously- I was ignorantly thinking "lose the weight and pop in to get some loose skin surgery". What craziness!!!! I'm not at goal yet and even though I've lost a significant amount already I can tell that I'll be having some loose skin. But I don't think I would be able to handle the during or aftermath of the surgery.

    +plus it's very expensive.

    +plus I don't think my kids would appreciate me being out of service for that long a time.


    ETA- congrats on your results.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,670 Member
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    With every client I've ever had that lost 80lbs or more, loose skin was inevitable. There are no lotions, creams, wraps, etc. that deter it from happening because these are only TOPICAL solutions and deal only with the epidermis. The issue deals with all the layers of the skin and not just the epidermis. One could wait to see if the skin retracts, but if it doesn't happen in a year, it's probably not going to happen.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • mommarnurse
    mommarnurse Posts: 515 Member
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    Ryan70286 wrote: »
    Most everyone here is saying lotion, should I put lotion in my entire body or just certain areas?

    I'm not with the popular opinion on lotion. lotion/moisturize will help treat/prevent dry surface skin but it's not going to alter the factors of skin elasticity based on genes and rate of loss, amt of loss, age/sex.
  • ilovesweeties
    ilovesweeties Posts: 84 Member
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    I lost my first 50-60 lbs with no obvious loose skin, however, the last 10-20 lbs took a real toll on some areas. When I started to move to maintenance, I started working on push ups and planks, with some other strength and resistance work, in addition to running. I started using Bio Oil once or twice a day (if I remembered) and I gained about 5lbs back. I am in my early thirties.

    Six months on and I am a lot happier with my skin, which seems to have retracted/filled out somewhat. I can't recommend a programme which will prevent or fix your problems and I do not know which of the methods contributed to my improvements or to what extent, but you could try:
    • Strength training while you are losing and afterwards
    • Bio Oil (I have also had previous good experience with Bio Oil on damaged skin). It doesn't penetrate the lower layers of your skin, but it seemed to improve appearance. It is expensive, but I usually get it cheaper at a budget store, rather than a high street pharmacy.
    • Time
    • Learning to appreciate what you've got, because your achievements are literally amazing
  • andyluvv
    andyluvv Posts: 281 Member
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    ilovesweeties wrote: »
    I lost my first 50-60 lbs with no obvious loose skin, however, the last 10-20 lbs took a real toll on some areas. When I started to move to maintenance, I started working on push ups and planks, with some other strength and resistance work, in addition to running. I started using Bio Oil once or twice a day (if I remembered) and I gained about 5lbs back. I am in my early thirties.

    Six months on and I am a lot happier with my skin, which seems to have retracted/filled out somewhat. I can't recommend a programme which will prevent or fix your problems and I do not know which of the methods contributed to my improvements or to what extent, but you could try:
    • Strength training while you are losing and afterwards
    • Bio Oil (I have also had previous good experience with Bio Oil on damaged skin). It doesn't penetrate the lower layers of your skin, but it seemed to improve appearance. It is expensive, but I usually get it cheaper at a budget store, rather than a high street pharmacy.
    • Time
    • Learning to appreciate what you've got, because your achievements are literally amazing

    I was about to say I've started using bio oil on my tummy area when I remember it and I have noticed an improvement on the skin. If that's wishful thinking or if it's actually making a difference I don't know but I know that doing nothing won't work either. I'm back on my fitness regime (so it won't work magically I guess!) but it seems to have improved ever so slightly after about a month.
  • Ryan70286
    Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
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    Has anyone here lost weight slowly and still have loose skin.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    In my experience (I reached target over a year ago after losing 1/3 of my body weight = 60 lbs on my 5'3" bod), I didn't really do anything. The loose skin tightened up by itself with just reasonable (but not crazy) workouts. No lotions, potions or anything else needed.

    The body is an amazing thing.
  • earth_echo
    earth_echo Posts: 133 Member
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    Gelatin has been shown to increase skin elasticity as do silica-rich foods. So, eat oatmeal and add some gelatin powder to your hot drinks.
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,013 Member
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    Ryan70286 wrote: »
    Has anyone here lost weight slowly and still have loose skin.

    Yes, on my belly. But I've lost 50lbs 3 times and had 2 babies, the last was 10lbs. I think genetics play a big part but you can only stretch out your skin so much without it being permanently damaged. It's not a big deal for me.
  • Ryan70286
    Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
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    earth_echo wrote: »
    Gelatin has been shown to increase skin elasticity as do silica-rich foods. So, eat oatmeal and add some gelatin powder to your hot drinks.

    Not into eating gelatin :(

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