What about the loose skin?

[snowflake21al 0]

Hi everyone, it's been a while since I posted but I am coming along with my recovery. I am about 1 month post op and have had no major problems so far. I know that I am really not to the point to worry about this just yet but I have been researching what you can do about loose skin. I have found so many things but I want to hear from my fellow banders about what has worked for you. I have heard about skin brushing, silica compound(supplements), lotions, and of course exercise and PS(which would be a last resort). If you guys could give me some advice about what I can be doing now and once I really start to lose to help tighten up that loose skin...Any input is appreciated...Thanks!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Actually I'm not there yet but from what I've learned, what works if you have the issue is plastic surgery. Whether you have saggy skin depends on many factors...how heavy you were to start, how LONG your skin was stretched (how long you were obese), your genetics, your skin type (oily? elastic?) your age, your previous sun exposure, etc etc. Creams, rubs, etc may make it more supple but they won't tighten it long term. Exercise tones the muscles UNDER THE SKIN but the skin is an organ in it's own right; exercise doesn't tone or tighten it. Hope this isn't bad news; but each person is different and you may not have issues, depending!

I'm pretty sure, since I started out at 405, that I'll need plastic surgery. I figure honestly I'd rather have plastic surgery than open heart surgery because of obesity, so it's all good.

And the skin can tighten a good deal on it's own. From what I've been told they prefer, before Plastic Surgery, that you wait 1 year after you hit goal and maintain to allow your body a chance to do what it can on it's own.

Good luck! maybe you'll be one of the ones who has no skin issues. I know I will have them but it still beats the alternative! :smile2:

[PATCHELTON 0]

I am not nearly as young as you, so you have youth on your side. I believe if I understand it correctly that your skin loses elasticity as you age. In my case, I am very near my goal weight (after only 7 months), but I do have some loose skin, and I think PS is the only thing that will rid me of it.

I exercise regularly (started that before surgery) mostly walking outside in a park near home, and now that I am losing daylight during the week, I will be doing Water aerobics as well as Curves. The path I walk is about 2 miles and I usually do 2 times around, but now can barely get one in before dark. On the weekends I go for broke, and the last couple weekends because the weather was lovely, I walked around 4 times each day, stopping to feed peanuts to the squirrels and the lone chipmunk that I have befriended (bribed with peanuts). My legs have gotten seriously smaller and toned, but I still have some loose inner thigh skin. I also have a penniculus, that apron of belly skin that hangs down. At my age I don't care much about being hot and sexy, but I am not ruling it out either:tt1:. I also have loose skin hanging from my arms. I have watched a lot of PS shows on Discovery Health, and if I can afford it, I would at least like to have a Tummy Tuck. If I hit the lottery, a total body lift and a boob job (with self tissue not silicone implants) could be in my future. The skin will be hard to disguise when I go for Water aerobics, but otherwise I can hide most of it in clothes. The world will not end if I have none of this, but I can dream.:smile2:

[Donna113 2]

Snowflake, can you explain skin brushing?

[snowflake21al 0]

Snowflake, can you explain skin brushing?

Here is one description that I found but there are millions out there:

<CENTER>DRY SKIN BRUSHING</CENTER>

<DD>It is WELL known that the Skin is the LARGEST Organ in the Body, and is responsible for one-fourth of the Body's Detoxification each day, also making it, one of the most IMPORTANT Elimination Organs! The Skin is also known as the "3rd" Kidneys and the Lungs are known as the "2nd" Kidneys. TOXICITY can gather beneath the Skin's Surface from such COMMON Influences such as IMPROPER pH levels in Body Soaps, Skin Creams and Anti-Perspirants, plus Synthetic Fibers worn NEXT to the Skin with ANY of them contributing to a variety of Skin Problems and Conditions.

<DD>When you do Skin Brushing, you HELP your Lymph System to CLEAN itself of the TOXINS, that COLLECT in the Lymph Glands. You use a Simple Technique to IMPROVE the Surface Circulation on the Skin and KEEP the Pores of the Skin OPEN, encouraging your Body's Discharge of Metabolic Wastes, and resulting in an IMPROVED ability to COMBAT Bacteria, plus HELPING your Skin to look and feel HEALTHIER and MORE RESILIENT! Skin Brushing is a PERFECT Treatment for SELF-HELP Enthusiasts.

• Benefits:
  
• TIGHTENS Skin.
  
• HELPS Digestion.
  
• REMOVES cellulite.< /span>
  
• STIMULATES Circulation.
  
• INCREASES Cell Renewal.
  
• CLEANS Lymphatic System.
  
• REMOVES Dead Skin Layers.
  
• STRENGTHENS Immune System.
  
• IMPROVES Exchange between Cells.
  
• STIMULATES the Glands, thus helping ALL of the
  Body Systems to perform at PEAK EFFICIENCY!
  

</DD>

1. How To Do Skin Brushing:
   
2. Buy a NATURAL, NOT synthetic, bristle brush, since it does NOT SCRATCH the surface of your skin.
   
3. Buy a brush with a LONG handle, so that you're ABLE to get to the areas of your body, that are NOT EASY to reach, when doing your own Skin Brushing.
   
4. Skin Brush, before showering or bathing, at least ONCE per day, and TWICE, if possible.
   
5. Do NOT wet your skin, since it will NOT have the SAME Effect, because this stretches your skin.
   
6. Do LIGHTER Strokes over and around your breasts, but do NOT brush the nipples.
   
7. Brush each part of your Body several times VIGOROUSLY, COMPLETELY brushing your WHOLE body.
   
8. Brush the soles of your feet FIRST, because the nerve endings there affect your WHOLE body, next Brush your ankles, calves, and thighs, then brush across your stomach and your buttocks and lastly brush your hands to your arms.
   
9. ALWAYS skin brush towards the heart.
   
10. Do circular counter-clockwise strokes on your abdomen.
    
11. Take a WARM bath or shower, which should always be followed by a COOL rinse at the end to INVIGORATE blood circulation and STIMULATE surface warmth.
    
12. Wash your brush every few weeks in Water and allow it DRY.
    

You can google dry skin brushing and thousands of hits come up about it, I haven't tried it yet but I think if it might help, then it's worth the 3 or 4 dollars on a brush and 3 minutes before a shower...lol But I did read that you don't see results right away, it takes months to really see significant results.

[Donna113 2]

I'm a skeptic so you have to take my response with a grain of salt... Anyway, I doubt skin brushing is going to help with loose skin as a result of massive weight loss. However, it sounds like it's a good skin exfoliating regimen.

[laurigee 545]

I think genetics, age,exercise, and how fast you lose weight are all factors. I personally took 2 years to lose almost 100lbs. During that time at certain points my skin seemed flabby then it seemed to tone up gradually over time. At this point I have no skin hanging anywhere. Unbelievable to me not even on my stomach. My chest is another story, everything has gone south. A great bra does wonders for that and I don't at this time plan to do anything about it. But who knows. When looking around on this site I did notice that the people who lost their weight the fastest seemed to have more problems. But there are so many factors who knows. I am sure you will be successful in your journey and look great regardless. Good Luck

[KelinTx 1]

A medical professional once said to me that there is no such thing as a magic lotion or potion and exercise alone will not undo the effects that a massive weight loss has on the body. Soooooooo......untill plastic surgery is covered by insurance (big laugh) i will be sucking in my flab with Spanx and hiding it under the beautiful cloths i can now purchase because i can fit into them !

[Donna113 2]

Soooooooo......untill plastic surgery is covered by insurance (big laugh) i will be sucking in my flab with Spanx and hiding it under the beautiful cloths i can now purchase because i can fit into them !

Wow Kel! Congrats on the weight loss. Do you have any before/after pics? I find those so inspirational.

[snowflake21al 0]

I think genetics, age,exercise, and how fast you lose weight are all factors. I personally took 2 years to lose almost 100lbs. During that time at certain points my skin seemed flabby then it seemed to tone up gradually over time. At this point I have no skin hanging anywhere. Unbelievable to me not even on my stomach. My chest is another story, everything has gone south. A great bra does wonders for that and I don't at this time plan to do anything about it. But who knows. When looking around on this site I did notice that the people who lost their weight the fastest seemed to have more problems. But there are so many factors who knows. I am sure you will be successful in your journey and look great regardless. Good Luck

Thanks Laurigee for the encouragement and Congradulations! :thumbup: I am pretty discouraged because all I see is people that have lost weight but are now having to deal with loose skin. I watched a PS show on The Discovery Channel about this girl that had the bypass and I felt so bad for her because even though she lost all that weight she still felt terrible about herself b/c of the loose skin. She didn't even want her husband to touch her. I just don't want to end up in that boat, I have already spent too much time hating my body and not enjoying life due to my weight...I am glad to hear that there is somebody that lost weight and didn't have to deal with loose skin!

[BellaBean 0]

I have been told that hot tubs and saunas help tighten back up loose skin. When you do this you will sweat a lot and it helps your elasticity. I have been told to do this by people who have lost weight. I plan on doing this, hope it works.

[snowflake21al 0]

That sounds like a good reason to buy a hot tub...:thumbup: