afraid of excess skin. any tips?

[Lee 316 24]

Im truly scared of excess skin, ive been trying to look up the topic and i know to get your Protein and drink plenty of Water also make sure you strength train. But out of curiosity do any of you have something that worked for you?

[Iniysa 157]

YES!! I am afraid of this too!

[Sooner girl36 27]

I am so glad you asked this question. Out of all things that should concern me about surgery this is the one thing I worry about most of all. I heard strength training is a must.

[Threetimesacharm 1,400]

The thing is if you have alot of weight to lose, and poor skin elasticity you WILL have loose skin; there will be not much you can do about it. Working your muscles helps how the skin will look over the muscle but to a point.

Would you rather be obese and possibly sickly or thin with some loose skin; I chose the later in a heartbeat!!

[Lee 316 24]

Okay i found 2 articles i found helpful

http://www.ehow.com/how_5783858_prevent-skin-after-bariatric-surgery.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_5630794_prevent-surgery-after-bariatric-surgery.html

[Lee 316 24]

@Amazon13

Yes this is true! Alot to think about. Im only 22 so i have age going for me, ive been hearing elasticity is genetic? I dont get that, honestly.

[Lee 316 24]

I am so glad you asked this question. Out of all things that should concern me about surgery this is the one thing I worry about most of all. I heard strength training is a must.

I watched a really disturbing video on YouTube.. so please avoid going on there! In one of the articles it said to up the cal intake a day to make sure you only lose 1-2lbs a week so your body gets "used" to it.

[journeygrl 27]

This was one of the first things I asked my NUT. she said strength training and genetics. She lost weight at 14 yrs old and has loose skin, but of course she said it is totally worth it!!

[SerendipityHappens 1,594]

skin sagging is related to how fat you are, how long you've been fat, how old you are and your genetic predisposition. For me.. coming from a long line of chicken necks and swinging pani(is that the plural of panus?)and being over 40 and having been fat for my entire life AND coming from 360 pounds.... um yeah, I'm already researching plastic surgeons. I'm pretty sure I'll need a full body lift. I've lost 70 pounds so far pre surgery and my skin on my belly is already wrinkly..... and it's still really fat!

[Lee 316 24]

skin sagging is related to how fat you are' date=' how long you've been fat, how old you are and your genetic predisposition. For me.. coming from a long line of chicken necks and swinging pani(is that the plural of panus?)and being over 40 and having been fat for my entire life AND coming from 360 pounds.... um yeah, I'm already researching plastic surgeons. I'm pretty sure I'll need a full body lift. I've lost 70 pounds so far pre surgery and my skin on my belly is already wrinkly..... and it's still really fat![/quote']

Ha! I can relate a little. But i feel better about it because i am only 22 and my family seems pretty tight lol. But i have been heavy my whole life, so its a waiting game now!

[MICKEYMANTLE 8]

only 2 things help plastic surgery or Spanx,

one removes the extra skin the other covers it up

[CowgirlJane 14,260]

Okay, first there is the mindset. The excess skin is created as a result of the obesity... losing weight reveals it, but it was there already. I like to think of it that way - that skin was not CAUSED by weight loss, but rather became apparent then!

I am in my late 40s, have been morbidly obese most of my life and have lost and regained weight many times. Perfect storm for ugly sagging skin.

I do want to get plastics to fix it, but the good news is that I look pretty good in clothes. I don't have any skin irritation or rubbing from the excess skin.

Bad news is it can make you feel fat because you can "pinch more then an inch" but it is skin, not fat.

I have worked out during this journey, including strength training. I think that has helped give me a shape and overall look better, BUT it does not shrink skin.

Spanx or Shapewear definately hold it in and I wear that when dressed up or wearing something really form fitting.

Don't let the fear of excess skin hold you back from the most wonderful thing ever - becoming healthy and trim!

[CowgirlJane 14,260]

Oh, another remark. I am at goal now having lost 150# or so. When I had lost maybe 110-120 I didn't have nearly the excess skin so one way to cope with it is to just not get quite as thin. I have been shocked at how much difference losing 20-30# made. I swear the last 5 came 100% from my boobs!

[kyllfalcon 768]

Look, I sympathize 'cause I got it, but just about everyone will have excess skin to some degree.

Excess skin is unsightly. Fat is unsightly AND unhealthy.

Easy choice.

A previous poster said they don't get the genetics thing. I was stick thin at 119 (5'8" back then) when I got pregnant with twins, at age 16. I didn't even carry them full term, but the skin on my belly and boobs was stretched out enormously, for just a few months, and never returned to anywhere near their former state. So, I was very young and wasn't big very long at all, and the skin just did not recover. And it was riddled with stretch marks. Genetics.

My sister in law was a much smaller woman than I, older than I was, carried twins full term, never had a stretch mark and her skin snapped right back. Genetics.

[kyllfalcon 768]

But I will add that having been at goal for about three months now, and even with being old, and even with previously wrecked skin, I continue to see improvement in the tummy and upper arms week by week. I don't expect to ever model bikinis (haven't had a suit on in 23 years!), but I am holding off on a plastics consultation for a year. It would probably help immensely if I would exercise...