Loose Facial Skin

I’ve had a lot of friends posting lately about facial wrinkles, so I though I’d talk about weight loss wrinkles from the shoulders up.

This is my experience. YMMV, but this might help someone who’s stressing out.

I’ve lost almost 100 pounds since 09/2018. The first sixty came off in six months, so was pretty rapid. The next 35 or so came off over the course of the next fifteen months. I’ve been in maintenance for about a year.

As more weight came off, I started jokingly (self-critically) calling myself Cadaver Face to the mirror. I had hanging skin on my face, loose bags under my eyes, deep wrinkles on my forehead, sagging jaws, and a wattle that would have been the envy of any tom turkey. Even the color and texture of my face seemed to change- sorta mottled, grayish, and unhealthy looking.

It was scary and hard to accept. I haven’t worn makeup in years, and, for me, changes to my face were painfully, embarrassingly obvious. After all, you can’t put shape wear on your face. I also loath the unctuous feeling of lotions and oils, though I did earnestly try for a couple of weeks, before giving in to utter gross out at the texture.

It was all incredibly frustrating. I’d done so well and worked so hard for the weight loss, and felt somehow punished.

TBH I’m no great beauty at the best of times, but I had become downright scary looking. Hence, the self applied Cadaver Face moniker. (Calling ourselves names doesn’t help, btw. It pains me to see people here with self flagellating user IDs, but that’s a different post.)

I had to breath deep and accept that if this was the trade off for lost weight and better health, I had to accept it for what it was. I CLEARLY felt healthier, and that was my goal, even if my face looked like a newspaper left out in the rain.

But, over the next year or so, something wonderful happened. Still no great beauty, but the wattle disappeared. The skin firmed up. Wrinkles (mostly- I mean, I’m 59!) disappeared, sags, too. Even my complexion brightened so much that a few people began asked,”What have you been doing for your skin?” It all happened so slowly that I didn’t even notice.

Time and continued nutritious eating began to pay off.

I can tell when I am dehydrated, because my skin reflects it. If I have fine lines on my inner elbows, that’s a “Level 1” warning. Level 2 is crepey wrinkles all the way up to my shoulders and/or around my knees, and very, very dehydrated shows in my face and is a immediate reminder I urgently need hydration.

So many of you MFP troopers have posted lately worrying about your faces, and anguished that friends and family have commented that you look drawn and unhealthy. Yeah, you very well may, but it’s just a step on the path to better health.

This, too, shall pass- if you continue to aim for your goal in a healthy manner, and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. (I’m the worst for forgetting!)

And btw, this has applied to skin below the shoulders, too. Loose skin has tightened with time. Even down to an XS clothing size, I still have a roll around my midsection that I can pull out three or four inches if I relax, however, it’s far tighter now. A few months ago I could easily pull it out six or eight inches. I don’t think it’s visceral fat. I’m pretty lean, a DEXA scan last year pegged my body fat fairly low, and I’ve muscled up quite a bit even since then. It’s encouraging to know the Floam is shrinking, too.

I’m glad I didn’t resort to surgery, or the ridiculous skin freezing thing my sister tried to convince me to do with her. Nature is taking care of things her own way, a hella less cheaper and less painfully. 👍🏻

Anyway, all this is to give hope to those of you who are struggling with your “new look” and extra skin. Relief is on the way, but it does take time.

Be patient and tell the naysayers,”oh yeah? Well watch where I can go!”

Your face is your greeting card to the world, so to speak, so this seems to be a particularly tough thing for many of us. What’s been your experience, your worry, things people have said to you?


Photographic timeline of face changes. Hope this isn’t overkill!

July 2018, before weight loss

5’7”, starting weight was 222+ (I didn’t have the stomach - ha!!! - to weigh myself)


November 2018, 20 pounds down


1-31-2019 first PT training session, about 40 pounds down


Mid March 2019, fifty or so pounds down


May 2019 about 60 down


July 2019- “layers” around face


November 2019, down about 70, face really getting weird

04/2020 down about 85

January 1, 2021, 95lbs down, “Cadaver Face”, trainer begins urging me to put some weight back on

Feb 3,2021 Bags, sags and wrinkles,

June 2021, after gradually adding back five pounds. Wattle mostly gone.