Skin

[pcoswarrior1994 10]

Okay after a long and hard 3 moth decision I've decided to get the bypass after I read about the side effects of my GERD possibly getting worse even cancerous. Anyways my question is when I'm losing weight how do I prevent myself from getting excess skin?

[liveaboard15 1,293]

There is no way to prevent excess skin... Its gonna happen. you can learn to live with it or look into a Tummy Tuck. Some i seen on here wear spandex to keep it all in but its a side affect of loosing weight.

[Arabesque 7,313]

You can’t prevent loose skin. Your skin has been stretched by the weight you’re carrying. Think of your skin like an old, overused, stretched out hair band. Can’t make that elastic. band tight again. But in saying that there are factors that can influence how much lose skin you end up with. Age (younger skin has better elasticity & will bounce back to a degree), how much weight you have to lose (I had hardly any loose skin at goal but with the additional 12kgs I got more than a pinch more), how long you carried your excess weight & genetics. Some loose skin isn’t very noticeable under clothes. Mine’s not & I can wear body con dresses with regular underwear. Others resort to surgery. I don’t mind the lose skin I have. It’s a reminder & I feel I earned it through the effort I put in to lose the weight. Also I’d rather have some lose skin than all those kilograms. But that’s me.

[catwoman7 11,214]

according to your profile, you're hoping to lose about 150 lbs, so yes, you'll almost certainly have loose skin. Fortunately, most of us are able to hide it pretty well by the way we dress. I'm sure no one noticed mine (well, except my husband...). I originally lost 235 lbs, so I had a ton of it (I've since had it removed since it was driving me nuts, even though no one could see it). Honestly, I think I can speak for most vets who've lost 100+ lbs that we'd take the lose skin any day of the week over being morbidly obese again. ANY DAY!!!

[Smanky 747]

What everyone else said. Loose skin is a normal result of massive weight loss. You look young, so that might help lessen some of it, but some loose skin is just inevitable. I've been taking supplements from months before surgery and still take them daily, plus getting my Water in and always using firming lotion after showering. This won't stop me getting loose skin. I'm hoping it *helps* a little, but I won't fool myself. But as Catwoman says, I will take this loose skin with gratitude over being 130kg.

[Johnny2Thumbs 29]

You may have issues getting insurance to pay for things like a Tummy Tuck or skin removal on your arms and legs unless it's causing serious medical issues but you'd probably have more success having them pay for a panniculectomy. That's what I've discovered as I'm going through the process now.

[vikingbeast 987]

It just happens. I have a bunch in the stomach area, and then a little bit of bat wing on my arms and legs, and I wouldn't trade it for the 125 lbs. I've lost or the health I've gained. Once I stabilize I can decide if I want it to be removed.

[gabe0521 4]

I haven’t gotten it so far but I’ve heard people say it’s a badge of honor and to wear with pride. It’s the physical proof of your journey.
I understand that may not help being that the largest majority of people don’t want excess skin

[ClareLynn 153]

I have lost 107 lbs so far and I have to say that the extra skin is not a badge of honor for me.

It is pinched every time I sit, the skin tears with the slightest of pressure, has uncomfortable skin fold rashes and infections, my batwings make it hard to put on a shirt, and constantly pinch, tear or push up my shirt sleeves to my armpits so can’t wear short sleeves anymore.

It’s a real medical condition all on it’s own.

[Guest]

Yeah, I look like I gave birth to quintuplets a few months back, too. But I guess I'm lucky; I can kinda tuck it in the waistband of my boxer briefs and the rest seems to be holding off looking weird for now. There's just no way around excess skin.

I took collagen daily for the entire journey down to here (in the form of sugar-free, high-protein collagen Gummy bears, yum!) and the gym helps with the arms and chest, but when I lie down on my side, I basically have a buttcrack from my butt to my upper back lol.

Getting it fixed next year once I see where I 'land', weight-wise - I suspect I'm a little under what my long-term maintenance weight will be right now.