What to do about all that extra skin?

Grab a handful of it. If it's thicker than the skin on the back of your hand there is still plenty of fat cells left to burn. Most people think they have loose skin is in reality just more fat.

When you are really obese you have to get thinner to tighten up your skin.

I'm an RN, and though this isn't my specialty I'll have to respectfully disagree with some information already here. Excess skin is going to vary greatly from person to person depending especially on genetics and age, as well as how quickly weight was gained and how long it stayed on. I'll link you to a web page that has some great information that's simple and clear. You'll read specifically about abdominal anatomy because the site is instructing patients or possible patients about abdominoplasty, but you can imagine the layers of fat described are not the same as the back of your hand, so what you pinch can absolutely be much thicker than the the skin there. Just like a healthy fit person could pinch more over the belly than over the hand... trust me... I give subcutaneous injections all the time... I guarantee there's a big reason they're very often given in the belly, especially in a very underweight person or someone with limited body fat... and absolutely never on the back of the hand no matter how overweight you may be!

Anyway, my personal advice would be to continue eating a healthy diet (low in fat and watch your high glycemic index foods, they mention this briefly) and make sure your exercise routine includes strength training that includes your core. And if you're still seeing the "flab", talk to your primary care provider. They can help you determine if your flab is excess skin or extra fat that can be burned or a lack of toned muscle, or some combination of those... or they may refer you to someone else with more information. 90lbs is a lot! You've done an AMAZING job!!! Don't give up and don't get caught up in getting "stuck" and give up! Knowing for sure what kind of tissue you've got there will guide your next steps, whether they be adjusting diet, exercise, learning how to cope, or some other intervention. Also, the tummy isn't the only place where excess skin will linger... arms, legs, buttocks, can all be problem areas... and in women the rear and & thighs tend to hold more fat than we like to see, and that's true even when it's actually a very healthy amount!

http://www.tuckthattummy.com/anatomy.htm

Definitely consider doing some research of your own if you want! There's lots of information available, but consider the sources when you consider the validity of the info. If there aren't cited, reputable sources, be careful!!! If it's a fitness guru type of site, be very very careful... People with a great abundance of personal experience (often no personal experience with excess fat or skin) may be prone to passing on information that sits well with them but that isn't at all evidence based.

Best of luck to you!! When I get down to my ultimate goal weight I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a big issue with this myself. Time will tell how big the issue is...

~Katy

Oh, and feel free to FR me - I always like to have friends at all points on their journey, and I love encouraging folks to get to their goals. I have many friends who have released more pounds and look amazing !

Gazz

Sounds like you've done very well, and you look fantastic!!! You're very young, so your skin has a much higher chance for "shrinking" than many. Give it some time... You want to see how it reacts over a good long period of time while maintaining your diet & exercise routines. But if it stabilizes for many months and your weight isn't changing, I'd still talk to your doc about it. There can be risks with the extra skin depending on how much there is, including frequent yeast infections, but if it's not enough to sag over that much consistently it's probably not going to cause you medical problems. What can cause you problems is dieting too severely trying to lose it when that particular area of your body isn't going to get any smaller... that's a big part of why I suggest talking with your doc... if you find out you've got more to lose, great! You have a plan! But if you find out you're at a healthy weight and that excess tissue isn't going to "burn" off, you can also make a plan. Either way you should be eating well and exercising, so for now, I'd just keep up the great work you've done! Gazz is right, surgery is extreme in many cases and can carry great risk, but it all depends on your particular situation and preferences. And I completely agree with him, at least for now, spend some money on nice flattering clothes! You've more than earned it!!