Hi cagedbird,
It's not just age you have on you side, the weight slowly came on, so you haven't maintained it there for long and your skin hasn't had years to get used to being that stretched.
I've struggled with my weight my whole life, but I did get to my goal weight when I was around your age and I had stretch marks and all of it, but I used a lot of rich body cream and took vitamin E while I was losing and my stretch marks shrunk so that you could barely see of feel them, and some even dissapeared, and my skin wasn't loose at all!
I suggest a loofa everyday and good body cream night and day. Buy the good stuff either from a health food store or a spa or salon, and your skin will look fabulous....and no tanning! It dries your skin out and makes lose the elasticity. (sorry I'm and esthetician...don't mean to preach)
You're doing awesome so far!!!! Don't let fear keep you from what you want...trust me, I'm 37 and just learning that now....I wish I'd found something like this forum when I was 19!!!! Keep up the great work!
hugs
Tracy
Hi tgvirgo Thanks for the advice. Right now I too am taking Vitamin E tabs just as a precaution... and I use Jergens lotion that has vitamin E A and others.... I wonder if that's enough? Any other recommendations though?
Welcome to 3 FC's. When I started my wt. loss program , I was afraid that at my age that I'd have terribly saggy skin. I am at goal. My skin looks far better than I thought it would. My stretch marks are faded more instead of red and bulgy like they were. I have very little loose skin, maybe an inch on my belly and arms. My body looks a far cry better than it did before losing the weight. I feel good in my clothes and am not ashamed to see myself with my clothes off. I'm sure that after you lose the weight, you'll be thankful you did. Just wanted to say for you not to worry about it. Do the best you can and enjoy the body that you have. We only get one and we need to learn to treat it nicely.
Well there is not a whole lot I can add here. Your young and will probably be just fine if you do it now. Just know we are all here for you. My thought is a life with lose skin is better than no life at all and I'm not just talking about dying all though that is part of it. I'm talking about not living my life because of my weight.
Hi cagedbird,
The Jergens is fine for now. When you run out of that I'd say go to a health food store or vitamin store and pick up something that has a high concentration of vitamins, especially vitamin E. Use it day and night. It's just to keep your skin moisturized and healthy.
I hope this helps. Don't worry too much about exactly what you should buy, as long as you're taking care of yourself your body will respond.
ciao bella
Tracy
I'm 25, and the loose skin issue scares the crap out of me, but not as much as staying at or weighing more than my high weight of 352. With all the weight I have lost, especially in such a short time, I have not noticed any more loose skin than what I have had in the past when I have lost weight (which isn't enough to bother me). I did make it known to my husband that after I get to goal and maintain for awhile, that if I am not comfortable with the amount of loose skin that I have, then I WILL get plastic surgery (I frankly have no hope for my arms, as I inherited my moms arms which are just large). It is expensive, but can be well worth saving up for if you have excess skin that really bothers you.
I feel the same way - I'm only 25, I've been fat my WHOLE life; I just want to look sexy and wear revealing clothing on occassion and look good. I would be highly disappointed to get to goal and not be able to wear some of the styles that are meant for us *youngins*.
You are definitely not alone in feeling scared about the unknown... certainly none of us know what to expect our bodies to look like when we hit goal and that is a scary thing - whether or not loose skin bothers you.
As for stretch marks, mine are fading/shrinking as I lose...some of the newer ones I had when I started Optifast are completely gone, the ones I've had for 10 years + probably aren't going to go away, but certainly good skin care doesn't hurt: creams/lotions, good fluid intake, vitamins can all help.
Loose skin sounds depressing but I told myself I would rather be 135-160 and have a little loose skin than be 250 to 280 and have tight skin and potential health problems!
Thanks for the advice. Right now I too am taking Vitamin E tabs just as a precaution... and I use Jergens lotion that has vitamin E A and others.... I wonder if that's enough? Any other recommendations though? 
