Althought I'm not a maintancer (YET) I have been reading this forum becuase I'm having a lot of body image issues already. So my question is I have a lot of extra skin and I've read all about and realized that I'm going to have to get it surgically removed but for now while I'm still loosing and before I have the money and time to have surgery what can I do to "hide" my loose skin. Is there any clothing or undergarment tips that anyone has to make me look smaller. I feel like I'm a lot smaller then I am but you can't tell because their is so much skin hanging off my body.
Wow, mega congratulations on your weight loss! You're really in the home stretch!
For most of us, excess skin isn't very noticeable when we're dressed. I dressed for camouflage when I had a ton of excess skin, which meant not going sleeveless or baring other parts with a lot of hanging skin. Pants (as long as not low-rise) did a good job of hiding the skin and I didn't wear anything like cropped tops. I've never been a short skirt person so that wasn't an issue.
If you have a lot of excess skin, you're right, you probably are smaller inside the skin than it seems like now. I definitely lost a few inches off my lower body after a lower body lift, though I really didn't lose pounds. It was noticeable in the way my pants fit.
I read in the other thread here that you're 23 and I really want to tell you how proud I am of you for getting a handle on your weight issues NOW, before life has passed you by. I so regret missing out on several decades of my life as I sleptwalked through my days in a haze of food and misery. I so regret being the fat mom! Good for you for turning it around while you have your whole life ahead of you! I promise that you'll look back and see your weight loss as the turning point of your life, with no regrets about anything you gave up to get you where you are now. And this applies to my sweet co-moderator ShrinkingChica equally!!
Congrat's on your awesome wt. loss. I also have a problem with some loose skin. I never wear sleeveless clothes as I'm very self-conscious of my arms. If I wear anything that is form fitting, I wear a body shaper. (The body shapers I have came from WAlmart and cost about $20.00 and are money well spent for me). It holds my tummy nice and flat and makes me look slimmer (at least in my mind it does). I can't afford surgery to remove the skin but I feel like I look great in clothes. I also wear mainly capri's or jeans which I feel totally comfortable in. It seems like my calves have always been very muscular,, so capris look good on me. I have a lot of family and friends tell me I look very Firm after losing so much weight. I'm really not, but I've learned how to camouflage the loose skin and pass for a firm person. LOL. I'm 47 yrs. old and with the wt. loss my boobs definitely got saggier. The body shaper holds these so nice and high that I have been asked several times if I've had implants. Plus, really good bras are definitely worth the money. The right fitting bra makes a huge difference in how the clothes fit and makes us look lots better. A professional fitting isn't embarassing and is a must.
I don't really have any tips other than have you thought about trying flexees or something like that? I know they make smoothing type undergarments that are supposed to help you look a bit slimmer under your clothing.
For me, I don't do anything special. I wear short sleeve shirts, I wear sleeveless shirts. Sure I have loose skin but nothing I can do about that at the moment.
Congratulations on your weightloss!!! You must be feeling marvelous. What a huge accomplishment. Like Meg said, I applaud you for doing this while you are young. I'm 43 now and how I wish I would have dealt with my weight 20 years ago, when I was your age. Actually when I was your age is when the weight started piling on.
I have some loose skin. I believe it is TOTALLY undectectable under clothing. In fact I really, really, REALLY like the way that I look clothed, if I do say so myself. I won't wear sleeveless shirts, though I do wear a bathing suit. My arms are not terrible, but not perfect and they rarely bother me. My worst spot for loose skin is beneath what used to be my butt. I used to have a great big shelf for a bottom and now I've got this flat pancake type thing. Also, totally undectable in clothing. Though I certainly won't be wearing a thong anytime soon, that's for sure. I'm very fortunate my face and neck and collarbone area came out of this completely unscathed. And like Lily said, a good bra, properly fit does wonders.
I'm so happy to not be morbidly obese anymore. I'm so happy to be active once again. I'm so happy to have energy. I love shopping and clothes now. I've found confidence and self assurance that was totally hidden behind all that fat. Any loose skin is a teeny, tiny price to pay. I LOVE my body now. Absolutely love it, flaws and all.
First I would just like to say thanks to everyone who complemented me on my weightloss so far. It is a huge deal for me and I am amazed everyday that I am successful. Its funny how everyone complemented me on doing it so young because I think to myself that I wish I would have done this 5 year ago when I started college instead of when I started law school. But what can you do, I am happy that I made the decision to do this now.
Thanks for the suggestion I think it is that I’m just being obsessive about my body. I feel like you can tell because of all of the fashion trends that are in for people who are my age (low tight jeans, no sleeves, ect.). Also it is probable just me being paranoid because I know how I look under my clothing. I use to were shapewear when I was first loosing I guess I should invest in a couple of piece that fit me now. I guess I’m going to go shopping maybe this weekend or next weekend.
You can try Spanx, which makes a great line of spandex slips and camisoles that allow anyone to wear the currently fashionable cotton jersey dresses that somehow cling in all the wrong places. They also do wonders to conceal pantyhose-induced waistlines, panty lines and those bra lines on your back? Gone! It's a miracle!
I also discovered aless expensive product at Target that has given me confidence to wear lighter weight pants and skirts- they're called solutions or something and they're in the sock section. They're basically nylon bike shorts or three-quarter length nylons that firm up your thighs and rear so you can wear skirts and capris without hose and still have a little shape and support. I like them because they're not as constricting or difficult to get on as the almighty gurdle! I especially like the three-quarter length under suit pants to give a little shape and support yet allow me to wear open-toed shoes and show off my weight-loss-reward pedicures this summer.
Happy hunting and good luck as you continue to achieve your goals!!!
I went to JC Penny and bought a waste clinch, spandx biker type shorts, and a strapless full body thing (I have a wedding next week that I need it for). I can tell the difference with everythign I've worn so far. It just makes everything look a bit more smooth. Thanks for the advice (it's really nice to have someone to talk to about this)!!!
I used to always wear long sleeves because of my arms. I have lost 52 lbs but not much has come off my arms 3/4 inches, but they look loose and have a bit of cellulite. But I started wearing tank tops this summer because it was so hot--just around friends. I got so many compliments and felt really sexy so now I wear tank tops all the time and dont worry about my cellulite arms. It is what it is. I feel more comfortable not hiding and just taking it out there.
As I go around I notice that when I see women with big or saggy arm wearing tank tops it doesnt bother me--I dont really notice it--so why am I so hard on myself?? One of my friends compliments me and then puts down her own arms--what a paradox.
However, I wonder how I would feel if they got more saggy and had lots of loose skin. I guess I would have to see it to decide. I have thought about those arm sauna things to make my arms lose more weight. Some things fit well except for my arms. But I think they just make you lose water and that would be temporary and make the skin worse, right?
Hey Sno, there are also exercises for firming up your arms and, unlike a lot of "targeted" exercises, arm exercises actually work. Don't worry about bulking up like a body builder! Low weights with high repetitions will firm and tone, not build and bulk.
I'm trying to get firm arms for a strapless dress. It ain't easy but I know I can get there.
Hiding extra skin
You're really in the home stretch! 
