Loose skin

char70tt3 · May 2021

Guys and gals, anyone that’s HW was 200 lbs+, did you get loose skin when you lost weight? Is this going to be inevitable for me

wunderkindking · May 2021

I wasn't quite 200lbs (was 190), but I can tell you a few things:

1-) There are lots of things that determine how much loose skin you have, and there's no real way of knowing
2-) you'll probably be left with some but the look of that varies by a lot and
3-) While I personally have gone through some STAGES as I lost weight (it doesn't come off evenly). The worst was when I had lost about half as much as I have now. Both because it's more even and becomes some tightening up happened, even for me in middle age.

and

4-) Even with the loose skin I look 900% better than I did obese.

scarlett_k · May 2021

I'm 35, 5'6" and was 124 kg (273lbs), now 74 kg or 163lbs . I have lost that weight deliberately slowly over the past 4 years and miraculously don't have any loose skin. I'm still losing though so I guess there's still time. Sometimes it has looked a bit crinkled, kind of like someone deflated me 😂 but it's always gone away over time. YMMV. I think a lot of skin stuff is genetic but I also think losing very fast doesn't give the skin much chance to recover (that's just what I assume anyway).

AnnPT77 · May 2021

You might take a look over in the "Success Stories" part of the Community, as there are people there who've shared their stories, plus honest remarks/photos. I think many people just starting out imagine the loose skin problem will be worse than it usually ends up, in the long run. (Not saying there will be zero loose skin, just maybe not what you might anticipate.)

Also, I'd note that it's quite common to look a little more worrisome part way to goal weight than at goal weight (because remaining fat conspires with gravity to keep skin stretched, for a while), and more worrisome at goal weight than after maintaining a healthy weight for a while. For sure, my loose skin kept shrinking well into year 2 of maintenance, and maybe beyond (it gets hard to tell, eventually). Since it can't start to shrink in an area until most/all of the excess fat is depleted from that area, and then the skin shrinkage itself is a slow process, it requires some patience. Give it time!

Truth in advertising: I only lost about 60 pounds, obese to healthy weight, but I was age 59-60 when I did it, and age can be a negative influence. Now, 5+ years later, I don't think I look lots different than other women my age who've always been slim, especially when wearing street clothes.

springlering62 · May 2021

Speaking as an older woman myself:

My first seventy came off in about eight months, the next twenty or so took another year.

My BMI hovers at 20.8, so I’m fairly lean. If I lay on my back, my stomach is very concave without effort.

Yet up til a few months ago, I could grab my stomach and pull both sides out to *here*, like a Stretch Armstrong action figure. Looking at me, though, you’d never know i had such a superhuman talent. Looking in the mirror, I used to hum the Continental Soldier song to myself, wondering since my belly hung low and wobbled to and fro, if I could throw it over my shoulder, too!

Last summer my thighs sagged badly enough above my knees during workout and yoga that I wouldn’t wear shorts to either. It didn’t show during the course of the rest of the day- probably because of engaging muscles versus not.

Over the past few months, as I’ve settled in to maintenance, continued weight training, and experimented with the “stomach vacuum” (search it here), I’ve seen a distinct improvement in my personal belly taffy pull.

My knees also don’t sag as noticeably.

I don’t use creams or lotions, not interested in a tummy tuck.

It seems that time, continuing to watch my diet, and continuing exercise are the keys.

Interestingly, I do know I’m dehydrated when I see fine wrinkles above and below my inner elbows.

Anyway, if fate was this kind to me, I would think that youth will definitely be on your side. With patience. Lots of patience.

Oh, and firm leggings and high waistband britches are your friends for tucking and holding it all in.

Lhenderson923 · May 2021

I am 5' 6" and initially started at 223lbs. I got down to 158lbs and had the most loose skin on my boobs- and there was quite a lot of it there. I also had some on my stomach, but not too bad really. I maintained around 165 and over a year the loose skin definitely did get tighter, though my boobs never returned to their previous state. I just had a baby 4.5 months ago and gained 55lbs while pregnant, and, obviously, had a very stretched out stomach for a while. I have lost 70lbs now (so below my previous maintenance weight and prepregnacy weight), and this time I again have loose skin on my stomach. I am certain that there will be more shortly as I hope to lose another 10lbs, but then I expect it to tighten up some as it did before. Like everyone else said, sometimes it looks a lot worse during the journey, but with patience it will get better!

Iwannabeapunkrockmom · May 2021

I started at 210 and have lost 42 pounds. I've also had five children. My stomach skin was a little droopy there for a minute, but I currently seem to be going through some changes. My weight loss slowed, but my body is changing a lot, including my skin. My stomach is not droopy anymore and looks pretty normal. I still have a little wrinkly spot from having kids, but that's it. I still have stretch marks, so it's not perfect, but given time, the skin is bouncing back.

Fflpnari · May 2021

Ive lost a 100 pounds and am at goal. No kids. I have loose stomach skin. I just wear high waisted compression leggings. My heaviest was when i was a teenager. I thought it would bounce back but didn't. Im 100% ok with my skin. Id take the skin over carrying around 100 extra pounds everyday. if i have a skin removal surgery it will be after I have kids

Speakeasy76 · May 2021

Technically, I was over 200 lbs at my very heaviest, as I was 210 when I delivered my daughter almost 10 years ago. I was 190 9 months after she was born, and managed to lose about 35 pounds. Then, last year I lost around 8 more pounds, and have lost more than 10 pounds since then, too. These last 10 pounds was relatively quick for a myriad of reasons, but I've noticed the loose skin seems much worse now.

I definitely notice the loose skin in my stomach and boobs, and it's become even more noticeable now at a BMI of 20.2. I also notice some in my arms....but I'm also 44, and our skin elasticity lessens as we get older (yay!). I believe the younger you are, the more likely your skin will bounce back. Also, I believe you're less likely to have loose skin issues if you lose it more slowly. It may be inevitable to have some, but I believe there are things you can do to lessen the effect.

SAHNinja · May 2021

I am very much in the beginning stages of losing weight. My highest was 265. I am currently at 235. I've noticed my arms have a little sag to them and my belly. Though I imagine my belly was also in part due to having 3 pregnancies, 2 full term. I am ok with this for now. I am hoping as I am 27 that my age along with weight training will help to tighten things up. When I get closer to goal I will look into things like loose skin removal and somtehing to keep my breast lifted so I can wear some cute tank tops or backless shirts. That is, if my progress doesnt get me there first.

MsCzar · May 2021

Saving up for a neck lift and maybe a quick lift if I can keep my weight off for a year. The rest of the saggy bits I can cover with clothing.

Vjmikesell · May 2021

Everyone’s skin elasticity is different- some people get loose skin worse than others (my skin elasticity is absolutely terrible and I had to get tummy tuck to get access skin from pregnancy removed). Losing weight slowly with exercise helps minimize loose skin but, unfortunately, your skin elasticity, which has a lot to do with genetics, will determine how much you get.

kshama2001 · May 2021

When I was in my 30's my high weight was 240 pounds. I very gradually lost 80 pounds. I did not have loose skin. Again, this was extremely gradual. And I exercised along the way.

This time around I am 54 and while I am curious to see what happens, I don't really care about loose skin.

Also bear in mind that it can take a year or two for skin to finish whatever tightening up it is going to do after you reach your goal weight.

Loose skin

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