How have you dealt with excessive skin due to weightloss?

Embell0830
Embell0830 Posts: 105
edited November 10 in Motivation and Support
My highest weight ever has been about 350lbs and I'm about 5'7" and I am currently at approx 293lbs (start MFP around 310lbs). Right now my goal is to get to 150, but when I get there I realize there is a possibility I might want to lose more. The exercise I do does include strength/resistance training twice a week, which I could incorporate a litte more into my exercise schedule.

With wanting to lose a total of what will be 200lbs+, I know that it is inevitable that I will have to deal with excessive skin from everything being all stretched out. While it is not happening now, in the past I believe that anytime I've had done well with weight loss, I have subconciously partially sabotage myself with the thought, "what's the purpose of losing all this weight if I'm going to have to deal with all this extra skin". Yes I realize how vain that sounds because I should be more worried about my health, which I do worry about.

I know one the most popular ideas can be to have it surgically removed, but that isn't really an option for me. I suffer from blood clotting disorder and makes surgery tricky, ie it took three months to coordinate a surgery to have my gallbladder removed between my GP, Hemotalogist, and surgeon. Plus surgery is very expensive.

So to finally pose the question, for those of you are/have dealt with the excessive skin issue, how do/did you deal?

Replies

  • jillyt85
    jillyt85 Posts: 161 Member
    Bump!

    I'd like to know too.
  • Browny43
    Browny43 Posts: 124 Member
    bump
  • rmsrws
    rmsrws Posts: 639 Member
    CRY!!!!!!.........Honestly, I look in the mirror and cry! Sometimes I even get a little creeped out by it. I am seeing my face attached to the body of a 90 year old!!!
  • TexasGirl_Amie
    TexasGirl_Amie Posts: 215
    bump.. curious myself.
  • jacqandrew
    jacqandrew Posts: 2
    Oh I identify with you so very much. I am just a little over 300 lbs and one of the things that I am struggling with is loose skin when I reach my goal weight. In 2010 I lost 70 lbs then I began to sabatoge myself by gaining th 70 lbs plus more. I am going to be doing a lot of research in this area and I will let you know what I find.

    My heart goes out to you!
  • jurrie
    jurrie Posts: 5 Member
    Everything I have read about the loose skin advocates lots of water, and cardio, and not to loose weight too quickly. Since skin is an organ it can and will change to some extent, but it needs time to do so.
  • Embell0830
    Embell0830 Posts: 105
    I know toning is also supposed to help. As for loosing weight to fast that's a main factor why I've stayed away from Atkins and Gastric Bypass due to the rapid weight loss. There are other factors I've stayed away, but that's a whole other thread for me to rant about lol.
  • lesle1
    lesle1 Posts: 354 Member
    Lose weight slowly. Exercise! Drink a lot of water. Stay away from Caffeine.
  • 99cherrypie99
    99cherrypie99 Posts: 205 Member
    I'm going to be brutally honest. My highest weight was 344 pounds. I now weigh 145. I have a huge amount of extra skin on my stomach and thighs. My "apron" as they call it hangs down below my vagina and sits on the top of my thighs. I recently saw a plastic surgeon and am awaiting word from my insurance company about whether they will pay any part of skin removal.

    I did everything "right". I'm losing weight slowly, drink a ton of water, moisture daily, and exercise like crazy. And I still have all this repulsive hanging skin.

    It sucks. BUT it still looks a TON better then the huge amount of fat I used to have. Especially in clothes. I would love to have surgery, but it's a long shot that insurance will pay and Irefuse to raid all my savings to get skin removed.

    So my choices now, since I can't go back in time and make better life decisions, is to be hugely fat, or to be fit, healthy with some gross hanging skin.
  • littlegrill
    littlegrill Posts: 1
    In the past when I've lost a lot of weight and had the excess skin, I was told that as I lose weight and do my exercises to incorporate a lot of toning exercises...that will help with the excess skin as you reach your goal.

    The last time I lost a lot of weight was 3 years ago...I didn't exercise much but I did do toning exercises and found I had very little excess skin after my weight loss.

    If you're going to a gym ask some of the staff there what you can do for toning exercises.
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