Extra Skin?

m16shane
m16shane Posts: 393 Member
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a little worried about losing a lot of weight and having extra skin. I lose an average about 2.2lbs a week. I weigh 240.7lbs I'm just wondering has anyone had this problem or does skin shrink pretty quick?

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Replies

  • You won't technically have extra skin - you will still have the same amount. From what I've read (believe me I'm no expert) skin is alive and will shrink back eventually to fit your new figure ... although this could take as much as up to 2 years from what I've read.
  • vdubster
    vdubster Posts: 2
    I'm wondering the same thing? I'm currently 250lbs from a starting weight of 323lbs.
  • gildinha
    gildinha Posts: 57 Member
    bump!
  • kkarrolle
    kkarrolle Posts: 120 Member
    How much skin shrinks back can depend on a few factors and these will likely include genetics, environment, yo-yo dieting (along with extreme losses and gains in short periods of time), hydration, exercise, underlying body mass though this is more to do with visual aspect, etc. It can also take a while to shrink back for those that it does shrink back.

    Be patient, take it as it comes, do your best to the manage the factors that you can and at the end of the day, should you have some excess skin - a little excess skin is better than be massively unhealthy due to being overnight.
  • sondra216379
    sondra216379 Posts: 174 Member
    I thought that in order to NOT have all the "extra" skin, you had to be doing toning exercises?
  • Beth_R
    Beth_R Posts: 6
    I know every body is different, but I have lost 225 pounds so far, in the last 2 years, from my highest weight of 375, and I have hanging skin EVERYWHERE! In my case, I have struggled with my weight my whole life, yo-yo dieted for years, lost more than 125 pounds 3 times in the last 12 years, and gained it all back plus at least 50 more, except for this time, this is it!
  • Mabohlale
    Mabohlale Posts: 148 Member
    Agreed with above. ^^ It all depends on your skin type and the elasticity levels in your skin. I went from 209 pounds to 116 pounds in just over a year ... and my skin did not shrink back. My legs and arms bounced back pretty well, but I had a pouch of skin on my tummy that didn't go away. And it was only skin. I had a C-section at that point for my 2nd child and when the doctor cut me open he said, "You don't have an ounce of fat on your tummy!" =) One thing that might be an indicator is if you have stretch marks or not. If you are a person who has stretch marks from gaining weight (or pregnancy) that probably means that your skin is not as elastic as others. (I have terrible stretch marks from my pregnancy as my skin is not that elastic.) But ... don't worry about it. Having a little extra skin hanging around is not as bad as having 100 extra pounds hanging around! Clothing hides loose skin well. =)
  • Altruista75
    Altruista75 Posts: 409 Member
    I was told to give it about a year to catch up but there are times when surgery is going to be needed to remove it! I'm facing the fact of extra skin now and am hoping I won't have to rely on surgery but its always sitting in the back of my mind. I'd focus more on continuing to lose the weight and worry about the skin later! Getting the weight off and keeping it off is so much more important than having some extra skin hanging around!
  • m16shane
    m16shane Posts: 393 Member
    Thanks for all the info so far. You all are right, its better to have some extra skin than to have the extra weight
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