Worried about loose skin
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kellyanne4210
Posts: 18 Member
Hello, so as the title says I am really really worried about getting loose skin after weight loss! I started my weight loss journey at 235 and am currently down to 220 so this is only the start. It feels great to be losing weight but I have this looming dread in the back of my head that I might get loose skin! I am 23 with about 100lb to lose in total.. is there anybody else that might be able to share some tips on how to avoid this? Thanks in advance
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Replies
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I am not an expert on this but since you are young, some of your skin might bounce back. I can't guarantee it but you are luckier in that aspect than I am. Also weights might help tone up some of it. Basically as people on here have said it depends a lot on your genetics also. There is really no way to avoid it. It is either going to happen or it won't. There is nothing really you can do except like I said try weight training and the fact that you have your age in your favor. I am sure other people will weigh in on this who are more knowledgeable than me and further along with their weight loss than me.3
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Congrats on your weight loss progress!
As for ending up with loose skin, don't borrow trouble. Losing the weight is best for your health and your appearance whether you get excess skin or not.
Everyone can always see your excess fat. Clothes can cover excess skin if you end up with any.19 -
If you lose weight at a slow/ healthy pace and exercise that will minimise loose skin issues.7
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as you are young as has been said you will probably not have as much problem as us older guys and gals,(i've lost 186lbs and still got another 80 to go and i'm 51yrs old and been overweight most of my life so for me loose skin is a given) but use a good moisturiser all over and drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated. exercise and weights to build some muscle will all help. but most of all don't worry about something that may not be too bad in your case.
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Go take a look at threads over in the "Success Stories" part of the forums. Some of the people who've lost lots of weight have before & after photos, and a few talk very frankly about loose skin. I think you'll find most people's actual results much less scary than you're thinking, truly.
One thing to be aware of us is that for some of us, our appearance part way through weight loss is worse in some ways, with respect to perceived loose skin, than our appearance at max weight or goal weight. For some, there's a midway point where fat mass has depleted like a half-filled water balloon: When fat, the mass is rotund, filled out. Part way to goal, the fat area gets kind of regrettably floppy and squishy; the remaining squishy fat conspires with gravity to keep skin stretched; and appearance isn't great. Don't panic at that point. Keep going!
At a sensible goal weight, that squishy fat leaves, you get very thin wrinkles of loose skin, and those thin wrinkles - they look like wrinkles in fabric - will keep shrinking well into maintenance at goal weight (and they look fine under clothes while they do so). My true loose skin - the thin wrinkles - kept shrinking well into my second year of maintenance, even at age 60-62.
Losing weight will have huge benefits in how you feel and what you can do. I don't even have ways to tell you about how much better you'll feel, in so many ways. At your young age, you'll truly be able to put obesity/overweight behind you permanently, and change your life - and your (future?) children's lives, in huge, dramatic ways. Please take the risk of scary change, and go for it with all you've got. You won't be sorry, I promise.
(Lose slowly and sensibly; remodel your habits; exercise (do fun active stuff); get stronger. It'll be good.)
Best wishes!28 -
For most of us, it's not nearly as bad as we fear. Most of us don't end up with inches of skin hanging and drooping everywhere. You are young and that's in your favor. I'm 62, People look at me and say I have no loose skin, but I do, and can "hide" it in my clothes. I am so thrilled at losing 150 I don't really about some loose skin. Much better to be a little loose than filled with fat.5
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I have a friend who lost over 200 pounds. She had the skin surgically removed. It was just too much.4
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What others have said, I will just echo...love AnnPT77's post especially. Down 130 lb in my late thirties, I worried a bit about loose skin too, but the reality wasn't so bad. There are areas I was pleasantly surprised to see look fine with minimal or no loose skin...my lower abdomen, legs, knees, and back. And other areas I'm not as fond of...armpit/upper arm and just above my navel is pretty ugh, but still SO much better to me than when I was heavier. I have often joked that the spare tire I once had came from a semi truck and my current spare tire is like a bicycle tire...I'll take it, to be honest.
I think most people do have a better chance of it springing back the younger they are and sometimes more so if you haven't always been very overweight. I was obese for most of my teens, 20s, and early 30s. Four years into maintenance, I find that the loose skin issue continues to improve. Staying hydrated and having good posture are two super easy things that help a lot with your overall appearance IMO.7 -
Would you rather keep being fat or have some loose skin?
ETA: My experience in answering that question is that avoiding loose skin was making an excuse for not doing the work (calorie deficit) to lose weight.
I'm 43, lost 100lbs, and have little to no loose skin. I'm sure glad I chose to not be fat anymore!11 -
49 here, down 118 lbs, skin is not too bad except on my lower belly and upper thighs, belly is easily concealed under mid rise bikini panties. Thighs are more of a problem but look fine in shorts. My armpits don't look great if I wear a bra band too tight, but they are improved enough that I feel okay in sleeveless shirts.
Chances are you will be fine at your age. Either way, as was said already, fat looks bad all the time, skin you can cover up. When I weighed 272 I wouldn't go swimming even in a skirted granny swimsuit in a private pool because I was afraid someone might see me over the fence. Now I worry that I will look a little weird in a bikini. The second option is better.8 -
Do anti cellulite massage daily with any vegetable oil. Do right after shower at evenings. It’s very effective if you do it daily. You’ll get better at doing if you do it consistently. Watch YouTube videos for how to do it.15
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I am in my 40's and have some loose skin, mainly around my tummy and thighs. I lost 70+ pounds (not sure of my starting weight). It is getting a bit better with time but is easily hidden under clothes. All in all, give me loose skin over obesity any day of the week. People notice fat . They don't notice loose skin unless you are in a bikini. However, as you are so much younger your chances of loose skin is much less than mine to begin with.
Congratulations on your progress.3 -
I’m in the squishy fat phase that AnnPT77 speaks of. I’ve lost almost 50lb and my arms are the last to get the memo. The skin does hang but it’s still got a lot of fat under it to weigh it down. BUT in the past month or so, I have noticed an improvement. I can see my bicep moving under my skin now, and they have suddenly lost a bit of width when flattened against my side. My stomach will never be amazing (three babies and so many stretch marks!) but there are dips now that weren’t there before and it creases in a different place when I bend now (which feels weird). I’m in the limbo phase, definitely not looking great, but I have faith that the fat will continue to reduce, there will be less weighing the skin down, and (even if not perfect) I’m going to have pretty good results once I’m at goal. Don’t let worrying about loose skin consume you and hinder your efforts. Put that on the back burner, and don’t think about it until you have reached goal. And don’t be horrified in the squishy fat phase! It’ll pass.7
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Thank you what a great way of looking at things!Congrats on your weight loss progress!
As for ending up with loose skin, don't borrow trouble. Losing the weight is best for your health and your appearance whether you get excess skin or not.
Everyone can always see your excess fat. Clothes can cover excess skin if you end up with any.
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Go take a look at threads over in the "Success Stories" part of the forums. Some of the people who've lost lots of weight have before & after photos, and a few talk very frankly about loose skin. I think you'll find most people's actual results much less scary than you're thinking, truly.
One thing to be aware of us is that for some of us, our appearance part way through weight loss is worse in some ways, with respect to perceived loose skin, than our appearance at max weight or goal weight. For some, there's a midway point where fat mass has depleted like a half-filled water balloon: When fat, the mass is rotund, filled out. Part way to goal, the fat area gets kind of regrettably floppy and squishy; the remaining squishy fat conspires with gravity to keep skin stretched; and appearance isn't great. Don't panic at that point. Keep going!
At a sensible goal weight, that squishy fat leaves, you get very thin wrinkles of loose skin, and those thin wrinkles - they look like wrinkles in fabric - will keep shrinking well into maintenance at goal weight (and they look fine under clothes while they do so). My true loose skin - the thin wrinkles - kept shrinking well into my second year of maintenance, even at age 60-62.
Losing weight will have huge benefits in how you feel and what you can do. I don't even have ways to tell you about how much better you'll feel, in so many ways. At your young age, you'll truly be able to put obesity/overweight behind you permanently, and change your life - and your (future?) children's lives, in huge, dramatic ways. Please take the risk of scary change, and go for it with all you've got. You won't be sorry, I promise.
(Lose slowly and sensibly; remodel your habits; exercise (do fun active stuff); get stronger. It'll be good.)
Best wishes!
Thank you so much for this advice!
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Thank you for your comments everyone! Not going to let this worry get in the way! As you've all said you can conceal loose skin but you can't conceal fat! And i am realising that it's not all about appearance, I can't wait to be healthier and happier!!9
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Never tried it but have you heard of fascia blaster? It is this weird massage thing that is supposed to get rid of cellulite and make loose skin tighten up5
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MaryannDale wrote: »Never tried it but have you heard of fascia blaster? It is this weird massage thing that is supposed to get rid of cellulite and make loose skin tighten up
I haven't heard of this no! I will do some researching, thank you0 -
I started at the same weight and same age (im 5 ft 3) I lost 110 pounds. I have loose skin but i accept it and still think i look pretty dang good im healthy im happy and i accepted theres nothing i can do but give it time and hope, But im happier this way thn i was before no point in worrying over things you cant control4
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Go take a look at threads over in the "Success Stories" part of the forums. Some of the people who've lost lots of weight have before & after photos, and a few talk very frankly about loose skin. I think you'll find most people's actual results much less scary than you're thinking, truly.
One thing to be aware of us is that for some of us, our appearance part way through weight loss is worse in some ways, with respect to perceived loose skin, than our appearance at max weight or goal weight. For some, there's a midway point where fat mass has depleted like a half-filled water balloon: When fat, the mass is rotund, filled out. Part way to goal, the fat area gets kind of regrettably floppy and squishy; the remaining squishy fat conspires with gravity to keep skin stretched; and appearance isn't great. Don't panic at that point. Keep going!
At a sensible goal weight, that squishy fat leaves, you get very thin wrinkles of loose skin, and those thin wrinkles - they look like wrinkles in fabric - will keep shrinking well into maintenance at goal weight (and they look fine under clothes while they do so). My true loose skin - the thin wrinkles - kept shrinking well into my second year of maintenance, even at age 60-62.
Losing weight will have huge benefits in how you feel and what you can do. I don't even have ways to tell you about how much better you'll feel, in so many ways. At your young age, you'll truly be able to put obesity/overweight behind you permanently, and change your life - and your (future?) children's lives, in huge, dramatic ways. Please take the risk of scary change, and go for it with all you've got. You won't be sorry, I promise.
(Lose slowly and sensibly; remodel your habits; exercise (do fun active stuff); get stronger. It'll be good.)
Best wishes!
Echoing all of this, and just adding another testimony: I have loose skin, and I don't mind it in the least because it is so much better than what used to be there. I feel much more comfortable in my body than I used to. It's a good trade off.
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