Weight loss and skin?

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bjajdtk
bjajdtk Posts: 25
in Health and Weight Loss
I wish I knew who to ask this question. I wonder if I am losing weight to fast. (49lbs in 5 mths is pretty fast imo.) I hate the way I am looking right now. I saw myself walking in a store window the other day and about gagged, I have all this extra skin flapping around, my thigh's giggle more now than they did before I started weight loss. When I move in water its like gross because of the way my skin is hanging loose. How long does it take for skin to shrink? Is there anything that can be done (besides exercize) to speed the process?

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  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
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    How long was it stretched out for? I would think it would take at least that long to shrink back down. I think it also depends on your age and your skin's elasticity.
  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
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    It can take a year before you see any real difference. Do you have more to lose? That will impact it too. Unfortunately if it's too far gone surgery may be the only option.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    Not sure exactly how to speed the process or how long it takes, but have you been lifting weights? That will help the muscle firm up and the skin to "shrink".
  • bjajdtk
    bjajdtk Posts: 25
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    How long was it stretched out for? well, I've been overweight my entire adult life, so 20 years?
    Yes, I have another 100lbs to lose.
  • mefeight1964
    mefeight1964 Posts: 88 Member
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    Try using some skin firming moisturizer. It won't be a miracle solution, but keeping your skin healthy will definitely help the shrinking process. I'm seeing more wrinkles now too. I'm 46 and have dropped 30 lbs in the past 4 months.

    Good luck!
  • whitejessamine
    whitejessamine Posts: 166
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    It takes about six months for your skin to catch up with your body after you stop losing weight. It may not catch up all the way, unfortunately. It just depends on how much damage has been done to it. Skin is like elastic; it stretches and contracts back, but the more stretched it is, and the longer it stays that way, the harder it is for it to contract fully again, and if the elastic fibers have broken from too much stretching (i.e., stretch marks), nothing can be done to fix that. That being said, it will get better, and it will look better. But if you have lots of stretch marks and you're hoping to get back perfect, tight, youthful skin, it's not gonna happen without cosmetic surgery.
  • Crystalchaos72
    Crystalchaos72 Posts: 531
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    Moisturize with cocoa butter, start ifting weights, I have lost 114# 61 of which has been since feb 17th 2011 and I have minimal loose skin. Good luck :)
  • mrsrobinsonlauraj
    mrsrobinsonlauraj Posts: 74 Member
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    Congratulations on your weight loss! The down side to losing weight is that we end up with extra skin afterwards. The elasticity of our skin deminishes greatly as we hit our 30's and is not able to "spring back" to accomodate the lack of fat that it was used to supporting especially if you are losing large amounts of weight. The only way to get your skin from sagging would be to have cosmetic surgery tighten it. I do know that some insurance carriers will pay for breast reductions and panniculectomies (loose skin on the abdomen) in some cases. Don't let this deter your weight loss however because loosing the extra pounds is a healthier way to live, extra skin or not.
  • bjajdtk
    bjajdtk Posts: 25
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    The reason that I am wondering if I am losing to fast as part of the problem is that in 2004-207 I lost 70lbs and did not have this problem. But I lost it much slower.
  • Nasty77
    Nasty77 Posts: 9
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    Great weight loss!!! Now it's time to lift some weights......I think i had the same problem till I asked this guy at my gym. I was losing the weight but my arms still looks fatter than the rest of my body. He told me to lift heavy and less reps. Before I was doing lift weights and a lot of reps. I went on www.bodybuilding.com and basically workout 5 times and week with Saturday and Sunday off. I've been on the program 1 month---taking this week off because of my cruise BUT I did lost 15 pounds in 3 weeks.
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
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    i think people saying you can avoid it, gives people false hope. If your skin has stretched, it wont ping back. If youve been fat, youll have looser skin than if youve been thin all your life. To what degree it happens varies from person to person.

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