If I lose weight slow (1lb-2lb a week) and strength train...

BeautyFromPain
BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Will I get excess skin?

I still have 30 kilos to go and I am worried that after all my hard work I will be left with excess skin...

Replies

  • mrpearson253
    mrpearson253 Posts: 20 Member
    Only if your skin has lost it's elasticity will it not 'stretch back' as you lose weight. I've only seen a guy with droopy skin once, and he lost a bunch of weight quickly.
  • philsy1
    philsy1 Posts: 104 Member
    I don't think that exercise will prevent extra skin or stretch marks, but I know that rapid weight loss does lead to stretch marks, at least for me.
  • hhan
    hhan Posts: 74
    Will I get excess skin?

    I still have 30 kilos to go and I am worried that after all my hard work I will be left with excess skin...

    The simple answer is Yes. You will get excess skin at least initially, whether it remains or not (and how long it takes) will depend on other factors like age, skin condition etc.

    My other half lost around 50kgs in the year after having cancer surgery and had loads of excess skin. Even in his 50s, the majority of it was gone within about 18 months due to the very physical nature of his work.

    It takes your body time to readjust. Just as it took you time to stretch that skin out. Like many other organs in our body though, skin has an amazing power to change to suit your bodies needs. Mind you, the older you get the less elasticity it has.
  • Artemis_Acorn
    Artemis_Acorn Posts: 836 Member
    I did some research on this question, as I am older and have quite a bit to lose.

    There is no guarantee that you won't get the excess skin, but the sites I read indicated that you can reduce the severity by making sure you're getting healthy fats in your diet as well as staying hydrated. They didn't address whether lotions or creams can help, but I've heard that some people have found help with that too.
  • dogdaze
    dogdaze Posts: 110 Member
    Lose weight slowly and keep up with hydration and exercise and it should not be a problem.

    It also seems to me (purely anecdotal) that non smokers seem to have an advantage over smokers( who seem to get more wrinkly when they lose weight).
  • hhan
    hhan Posts: 74
    I don't think that exercise will prevent extra skin

    Exercise helps with blood circulation and as a major organ skin responds better with better circulation. Muscle tone helps to pull the skin back into shape, so while you may be left with some creasing (at least for awhile), the skin doesn't just sag as it could without excercise.

    I've lost 45kg in the past 11 months, and it wasn't until I started taking excerise more seriously that my skin started to lose much of it sagginess. Of course there is still more than I need, but at least I've seen it become less of an issue particularly when I just stayed maintaining weight for a couple of months. Good moisturising will also bring positive benefits.

    Seriously though, if you need to lose 30kg, then excess skin should be the least of your worries. You could always get it cut away in the future, because at least your body will be in better shape to handle any future surgical wants/needs.
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