Will I have Extra Skin?!?

I really don't have the answer to this but I am curious as to what people say. I have lost 30 lbs and I have the saggy skin and stretch marks. People tell me that the skin will get better but will never be the same as before kids. Don't give up because you will be doing it to get healthy as well as look good. I figure that I have 2 beautiful kids to show for that skin and it hides well under clothes (smaller size clothes as well). Don't give up!

Given your age, the amount of weight you have to lose, the fact that you've had children and that you had abdominal surgery I'd say that there is a good chance though it's not 100% certain. Slow weight loss and lots of muscle toning and sculpting will help. Also it may take a year after your weight loss before your skin recovers if it does at all.

Having said that, you're going to get it anyhow with age and you have the choice, extra skin or diabetes. extra skin or high blood pressure, extra skin or a shortened life span? Your call.

Everyone handles weight loss differently. It all depends on your skin's elasticity, the exercises you're doing, the way your c-section was performed, and how much weight you're going to lose.

While I know we all have our thinspirations, be proud of achieving your weight loss goals, and less about if you can or can not afford plastic surgery. From what I can see, you are a beautiful woman, and you will feel so much better getting the weight off. The best thing you can do to help achieve that goal is to make sure you are incorporating toning exercises in your routine, to keep up with your losses. Good luck.

It is a possibility but not something that should deter you from losing weight. I am 5'5" and I've lost 70 or so lbs and since most of it was in my stomach, I do have some extra skin hanging on. They say it usually only happens to people who lose weight really fast, but it took me over a year.

It was a frustrating realization at first, but I have gotten used to it and I still do ab exercises which help me hold it in better than if I didn't. But I will never have a flat stomach and I am okay with that -- it was still worth it to lose the weight because I am healthier and happier now

No way to know for sure, but.. Why would you make that deter you from losing the weight??

Ive lost over 200 lbs and have a lot of loose skin and it is an issue, but would I trade that for going back to being almost 500lbs, NEVER!

Umm....yeah...most likely. HOWEVER ~The benefits far out weigh any loose skin and you can always have it removed later.

Age and the amount you need to lose, along with genetics will determine whether you will have extra skin. Plus the baby belly may never go away, I only had one and had a very flat belly up until I got pregnant with him, 23 years later I still have a small pooch. Nothing I can't live with.

I am pretty sure that P is feeling threatened by your weight loss. If you get thin, then you'll be more attractive to other men and he might lose you. So it's better to discourage you now in his mind.

I defeinetly have stretch marks, but it doesn't bother me (although i use vitamin E oil daily), I call them my battle scars, it just reminds me to never turn back to my old ways. As far as the saggy skin, you have to incorporate weight lifting into your workout regimens, it will help. But overall it all depends on genetics and then thekinds of food you eat also plays a part definetly.
Good Luck.
~Chika

I believe that the majority of your skin will tighten up and "fit" your body - if you exercise along with your diet. Don't take shortcuts with diet pills, because that won't help your skin tighten. You might have a little extra skin, but probably not anything excessive. I've had 3 huge babies, and so I have a little too. However, when my weight is undercontrol and I am exercising, my muscle tone is good and my skin looks much better.
I'm sorry your guy wasn't super super supportive, but be sure you are doing this for you. He will probably get on board when he sees your great results and your fabulous new attitude. If not - - then you still did it for you!!

Curious to read responses.... I started at 238, down to 228 now and goal is 138.. I've had 1 child (2 yrs old now) and my stomach looks like a road map of Texas... I have stretch marks all over my body. I've accepted I will never wear a bikini because of them, but I'm ok with that... I'm here to get myself healthier and look good, even if it is with shorts a t-shirt on. I have a feeling I will have loose skin as well.

From what I've been told over the years...slow weight loss is the key!!! Your skin will have time to readjust and shrink over time. I've heard that people who lose a lot of weight quickly are the ones who have a lot of extra skin. I think age has something to do with it too. As you get older, you lose the skin elasticity you had when you were younger so it makes it harder. I'm 45 and I have 70-80 lbs I want to lose and I'm not afraid of extra skin bc I really don't think I'll have any. Being successful with my weightloss is my concern right now, not the extra skin when it's all said and done. Be sure to do toning exercises too! Hope this helps! Have a great eating day and stay on track girly! You'll be much happier with yourself afterwards. Don't let negative talk get in your way or hinder your wants and abilities!!!

It's difficult to say. I have seen people who have lost lots of weight and have no extra skin or blemishes on them what so ever. As for me....
I was around 115 lbs when I got pregnant. Between then and my two pregnancies I went up to 167 pounds. In the past six months I've lost 46 and am down to 121 pounds. Here are some things I had noticed:

1.) I had REALLY BAD stretchmarks BEFORE I lost the weight. I use Palmer's stretchmark oil (not the lotion) every day. My stretchmarks are better / less noticeable NOW at 121 than they were at 167. Hard to say if its from losing weight, the oil, or both. Tanning also seems to help fade the stretch marks.

2.) I had a baby poochy BEFORE I lost weight. At 121 it isn't as bad, but I still have a flap of skin/fat that sags a little over top of my appendix scar (similar to c-section scar). I haven't lost hope, yet, that just a few more pounds or a few more crunches will fix this, but it may not.

3.) When I lose 2 pounds in a week, my skin on my stomach looks saggy (deflated, wrinkly, sunk in) for a few a days. It seems that the skin takes a few days to catch up to the fat loss. If I lose 1 pound in a week, I don't have this problem. It's not enough of a problem (to me) to only want to lose 1 pound a week... unless I'm going to the beach or something that week. I can see how it would be a MAJOR problem for someone who loses 5 pounds a week (think gastric bypass or whatever). I'm sure it takes longer to catch up. But it DOES seem to catch up.

Well, those are my experiences over the past 6 months. I hope this helps.

Well, your relatively young, so that's on your side...but unfortunately, there's just no guarantees either way. There are things you can do to minimize it (lose at a slow place, workout and lift weights, eat a well balanced diet with all the vitamins you need, drink lots of water) but a lot of that has to do genetics too, some people just have more resilient skin than others.

My advice is to do the best you can with the things I mentioned above and don't worry about the rest. Your health is more important then your boobs hanging a little lower then they used to.

With a weight loss of 65lbs, even if you do have some sag, it won't be anything too outrageous. That's how much I lost and I'll be honest, my skin is NOT what it used to be, but it's not horrible either. It may shrink back within a years time or it may not.....but if it doesn't, I can live with it. I feel way better then when I was a chuncky monkey. You are 5 years younger then me so I imagine your skin will bounce back better then mine.

As far as your boyfriend goes, the only think I can come up with is that he is jealous. Either jealous of the attention you may get when you lose the weight or jealous of your motivation to be healthier. Is he overweight?

I totally agree with daddyssunshyne, even though your partner was probably telling you the truth. He should support you no matter what. It is such an amazing feeling when your partner starts noticing the little changes as you are losing weight. Their compliments help a lot. Just curious…. Is he overweight too?
Anyway, you shouldn’t even worry about the extra skin right now. But I do suggest that along with cardio, you do some weight lifting to firm and tone up to avoid a little bit of extra skin.

Remember something…Do it for yourself this time, focus on your goal if it’s what will make you happy and in the long it will make your kids happy too because you will live longer to see them grow and succeed in life.