What to do about loose skin?

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TracyP111
TracyP111 Posts: 51
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 38yo and a mother of two (7 years old and 10 weeks old). I've always been big, but after having my second child not too long ago, I'm ready to get healthy. My question is, is there a way to help skin tighten up as the weight comes off? I've heard about people who've lost lots of weight and end up having to have surgery to make the skin fit again, but I didn't know if that was because they'd lost a lot of weight all at once (gastric bypass, weight loss shows, etc).

Between the extra weight I've been carrying for years and the stretched skin from having had kids, I was hoping someone might have advice on tightening the skin as I go....or does it just require time??

Thanks all. This is a great site, and I look forward to becoming more involved with it as I journey to discover my healthier self.

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Replies

  • Pappabacon
    Pappabacon Posts: 104 Member
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    what I have read is that if you lose it at a reasonable pace and stay very hydrated it will tighten up as you go.
  • briocktj
    briocktj Posts: 128
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    Wishing you the best on your journey!
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    It slowly stretched to fit you, and it will slowly shrink back.

    The people that have problems with the loose skin are the ones who go nuts and lose too much too quickly, and the skin can't shrink quick enough to keep up.

    Good luck. :)
  • pspetralia
    pspetralia Posts: 963 Member
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    I also read that if you weight train while you diet it will help tighten up your skin and reduce extra skin.

    Good luck!!! Feel free to friend me :smile:
  • button777
    button777 Posts: 26 Member
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    I'm losing weight after my 3rd pregnancy ( 2nd being with twins) and on the first two occasions the loose skin pretty much went back to pre baby state.... even after a c section..... So this time I'm hoping for the same....

    Fingers crossed !
  • margo36
    margo36 Posts: 222 Member
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    I'm 63 and have lost about 150 pounds slowly and my skin has gone back Okay. I think key is is slow and steady weigh loss.
  • luvmycandies
    luvmycandies Posts: 489 Member
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    I have heard a few things help, 1. belly bandit, wear it around waist for after having baby. 2. wearing a girdle while working out and all day to re shape your body as u lose, a size smaller also, 3. and weight training. I have seen some women over 350 + go down to 150 with no surgery at all. And super toned. Good luck!
  • TracyP111
    TracyP111 Posts: 51
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    Thank you all for the suggestions. That's kind of what I was hoping to hear. :smile:
  • LaurasClimb
    LaurasClimb Posts: 211 Member
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    Thanks for that question! I was wondering the same thing. My MIL had gastric bypass and she still has so much loose skin. It's good to know a few pounds a week and my skin will shrink right along with the rest of me! (I hope)
  • IggyL
    IggyL Posts: 181 Member
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    I've read several article about this. The reason the skin stays saggy is that there is still fat underneath, in order for the skin to tighten you have to incorporate strength training. The strengthening of muscle will help burn the underlying fat.
  • vypeters
    vypeters Posts: 475 Member
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    Here's what I've learned about loose skin (and trust me, at this point I have plenty!):

    How much you have will depend on:

    - How much excess weight you lost
    - How long you were overweight/obese
    - Your age
    - The elasticity of your skin

    It will bounce back a little. For moderate weight loss, building muscle to fill the space will tighten the skin. For massive weight loss (we call it the full sharpei), it's typically either live with it or plastic surgery. Since I've got no skin that's causing anything but cosmetic problems and since I'm too poor AND chicken for plastics, I'm going to have to live with it.

    By the way, despite myths to the contrary, rate of weight loss will not affect loose skin. Staying hydrated may improve bounce back, mostly to the extent that all your body systems and organs (skin is an organ) function and heal better when you're well hydrated.
  • susanb573
    susanb573 Posts: 111 Member
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    I think it will tighten up to a degree over time and with exercise and correct eating. I've had 6 pregnancies and two of them were twins. 3 of them were c-sections. So I have loose skin and the c-section "flap" that everyone talks about. I've never really gotten serious about trying to tone it all back up though. I'm hopeful that with a year or so of concerted eating right and exercise, I will be able to reclaim my abs. We'll see.
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    The people that have problems with the loose skin are the ones who go nuts and lose too much too quickly, and the skin can't shrink quick enough to keep up.

    Not entirely true. I lost about half my weight very slowly (10lbs per year), and about half of it relatively quickly (~2lbs per week). I have a lot of extra skin. I know a woman who had two kids, then had gastric bypass, lost about the same amount of weight I did, and doesn't have the extra skin that I do. On average, slower weight loss probably does help, but it's more than just that. My doctor said short of surgery, there wasn't much to be done, so I'm just living with it. It does get better with time, for some of us it's just a slower process than others.
  • _VoV
    _VoV Posts: 1,494 Member
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    The people that have problems with the loose skin are the ones who go nuts and lose too much too quickly, and the skin can't shrink quick enough to keep up.

    Not entirely true. I lost about half my weight very slowly (10lbs per year), and about half of it relatively quickly (~2lbs per week). I have a lot of extra skin. I know a woman who had two kids, then had gastric bypass, lost about the same amount of weight I did, and doesn't have the extra skin that I do. On average, slower weight loss probably does help, but it's more than just that. My doctor said short of surgery, there wasn't much to be done, so I'm just living with it. It does get better with time, for some of us it's just a slower process than others.

    I think that loose skin after weight loss is mainly determined by genetics. I was in my 20's when I first did a major weight loss, and ended up with loose skin. Agreeing with Mellisant.
  • vastva
    vastva Posts: 2
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    Loose skin is inevitable and has absolutely nothing to do with how quick you lose it. Skin will not bounce back after it has been stretched, do not believe what anyone has told you. With exercise, you can only tighten a small percentage of it, the majority of it, will be loose forever. The only thing that can correct it is surgery, no cream, lotion, exercise, etc will fix it completely (or even, partially).
  • vypeters
    vypeters Posts: 475 Member
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    Loose skin is inevitable and has absolutely nothing to do with how quick you lose it. Skin will not bounce back after it has been stretched, do not believe what anyone has told you. With exercise, you can only tighten a small percentage of it, the majority of it, will be loose forever. The only thing that can correct it is surgery, no cream, lotion, exercise, etc will fix it completely (or even, partially).

    While exercise doesn't tighten the loose skin, what weight lifting can do is fill some of it back out with attractive muscle. Again, for folks with only moderate amounts to lose that can be the difference between visible loose skin and not.

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