(Sorry--didn't mean to get censored--the title is from an old expression I'd heard, but hadn't experienced before: "Your face or your a$$.")

I just passed by a mirror and saw this huge crease going from my nose to the corner of my mouth, with crepey skin from my cheek draped over it. WTF???!!!

I guess my skin has lost its elasticity (I'd already noticed that on the backs of my hands), but I wasn't seeing it on my face because fat was keeping it plumped. This REALLY sucks.

I have 17 pounds left to lose--ALL of it in my belly, but I know from experience it will come off my body evenly--leaving me with a gaunt face, and a smaller belly. And this time, apparently, drapey skin and wrinkles.

I guess the answer is cosmetic fillers...but that's a problem I didn't have before. Sigh. Anyone else experiencing this?

I'm noticing some age-related skin changes. I also noticed it first on my hands, but some days it's there and sometimes it's not, so I'm kind of thinking maybe moisurizers or some of the other cosmetic "age-defying" products may help? Don't know.

I am kind of wondering what all of the fat is hiding. I'm losing my hair at the crown (in what I'm just praying isn't inherited baldness - but as an adoptee I can't guess by how either bio-parent aged). I'm thinking the hair loss is probably thyroid related, but my thryoid hormone levels haven't dropped enough to warrant medication.

I am more uncomfortable about the possible face aging than I ever expected to be. Hubby swears it won't matter to him, even if I lose all my hair and look like yoda. I hope I can be so accepting of myself, I'm not so keen on looking like yoda.

Oh, I'm adopted too!
Yeah, the face thing bugs me a lot. I'm at least used to the weight. But THIS was never on my list of problems!

HHH< it may resolve itself in time. Lets hope so. I'm a bit concerned, too. My mom recently lost a lot of weight quickly and wrinkled overnight. (She's in her 60's). I'm hoping it goes more slowly and gently for me.

oh yeahhhh. touchy subject ... thank goodness we can share here! In the process of coming down from my high weight, I've got some serious new wrinkles, and my skin texture is just ... shot. I used to consider my skin one of my best features. Getting my cheekbones back, but now I've also gained what almost is beginning to look like jowls. I've been having Botox and Restylane fantasies lately, but it's probably a good thing I'm too cheap to spend the money.

Count me in on the saggy face bus over to the plastic surgery clinic!
As for thinning hair, there is a propensity for obese women to have thinning hair -- not genetic, but PCOS or peri/menopausal hormonal changes or elevated testosterone levels are to blame. Women rarely lose their hair due to genetic predispositions.

Kira

Cool! I always loved being adopted, because it was different (my brother hated it for the same reason). I don't remember ever not knowing, because our parents never hid it and explained it to us, when we started asking those questions. I was always a chatterbox, and my poor parents were probably endlessly embarassed, because I'd tell everyone I met "I'm adopted," even strangers on the street corner. Must have been fun.

When I was 14 my parents had their first bio-child and two years later their second. Mary, the youngest was so jealous when she learned the "difference" between my brother and I and she and our other sister, Ann. She was four, I think and she wanted to be 'dopted too (because she thought Mom and Dad got to pick us out specifically, while with she and Ann they had to take what the got). She didn't understand that much like bio-kids they hand you a baby, you don't get to browse through all of the available children and pick out the "best."

I've thought of searching for bio-parents, because I have several weird medical issues that are often inherited (Jeez, bio-parents must have been mutants).

I wanted to come in here and post that I am having good luck with Tazorac. They say and I believe it really helps to create new collagen.

It's expensive if your insurance does not cover it (Dr. has to help with an Acne Dx)... but I can't believe how much it seems to be helping me.

I have been using it for 2 years now.
I am also looking into Thermage for later.

About 15-20 lbs ago, My face became kind of droopy too. But over the last 4-6 weeks, my skin has sort of bounced back. I'm still kind of jowly, but not as bad. I think I've been blessed with really good genes--nobody in my family looks their age. I did, however, gain a lovely gobbler under the neck--ew!

I have many girlfriends on the botox bus. It's very effective for my one friend who is still in her 30s, but for my other friend, who is my age, not so much. She has been very slender all her life. And while her forehead and eye area are very smooth (nothing's movin' there), the lower half of her face is still pretty droopy. It's like the upper and lower halves of her face don't match!? I still love her though, but wouldn't dream of telling her--she's the best!

I was really annoyed when I discovered that under all this fat and droopy skin, there's a freakin' 48-year-old! I guess I was hoping the 175 lb 25 year old would be hiding in there...

My sister is three years younger than me and has some serious creases between her eyes, crows feet, etc. She's only 30 lbs. lighter than me. I have hardly any wrinkles at the moment. (I think my backside is serving as a counterweight and is pulling everything down.) Our mother is nearly 80 and she's not terrible wrinkled, and I favor her more, so I'm grateful for those genes.

Everything south of my chin is dragging. But I will gladly choose sagging over my legs being so tired of hauling the excess weight around.

Georgia