I need all the information I can get my hands on. I've been doing lots of research, but I cannot find enough evidence for the following:

Exfoliating - Can you really manipulate this organ called skin into tightening up by exfoliating dead skin away? I can see how this concept could be possible, and I've been doing it for about 3 weeks now, but I haven't seen any significant results. I know it's supposed to take a lot longer than that, but i'm feeling discouraged. I haven't found any proof that this actually works with both stretch marks AND loose skin.

Laser Treatments - Can laser treatments help tighten loose skin, and if so, is it permanent? Does this help out with stretch marks as well? Anyone have any information on this? It's supposed to be the better, cheaper alternative to cosmetic surgery.

Skin removal surgery in Texas - Any Texans who have had surgery, please give me more information on surgeons you recommend who are affordable and most recommended.

Thank you! Please ease my anxiety with some good answers

First of all, you shouldn't consider surgery until you are at your goal weight and any surgeon worth his beans should have you wait until you have stabilized in weight for two reasons. One, to be sure you will not gain the weight back and two, to see how much will tighten up naturally.

Skin takes a lot longer to shrink than it takes the body to shed fat (and muscle). You may find 2-3 years later that you are still shrinking up loose skin.

As far as exfoliating... I can't see how that possible can help. Time and genetics are the answer and eating right and healthy and including exercise.

See, this is what I find very confusing. Some people claim that exfoliating works, and others say it doesn't. I found this article on this website, 3fatchicks:
www(dot)3fatchicks(dot)com/loose-skin-why-surgery-is-not-your-only-option/

I also want to know more about skin needling, has anyone tried this?

ManicMinx, you can google this to your heart's content and you'll find websites pro (who probably want to separate your dollars from your wallet) and con, who are probably giving the more honest advice. What might work for someone might not work for another. Don't be so desperate to fix the issue that you chase a snake oil salesman all the way to your bank.

Give your body time to adjust. Achieve your goal weight. Give your body more time to adjust. Consult a doctor.

Out of curiosity, have you tried compression garments? I was wondering if they were useful for loose skin reduction or even just exercising post weight loss to reduce the extra skin jiggle.

Loose skin is something scares me a lot, but I will not let it keep me away from my goal. I will not hurry though mostly because I want to be sure I will not gain the weight back.
Melissa I really didn't know that skin still shrinks after the weight loss. Thanx for sharing that.
ManicMinx don't be so anxious. Lose all the weight you want first, wait a bit to let it settle and then start searching so you gain some extra time and see what happens before you take drastic measures.

I've been dry body brushing for about 6 months now and I noticed a HUGE difference in how visible my stretch marks are but not much of a difference in the skin tightness.

A few weeks ago I started using coconut oil and I already started to see a change. I put a few tablespoons in my warm bath water in the evening and soak (I dry brush right before I get in the tub). Then when I get out of the bath I do a total rubdown in it. It's been about 3 weeks and I can already see that wrinkleyness starting to decrease. I still have fat deposits under my skin that I need to get rid of but I am starting to look less "loose" and more just chunky.

Try out the coconut oil. The stuff is relatively cheap and I can't find a bad word about it on google. It's worth a shot.

thanks for your replies. i know i'm feeling the anxiety even way before i decided to finally lose the weight. i think this is the reason why it's taken me so long to get started, but i'm going to lose the weight regardless.

I was worried about loose skin in the beginning too but since I gradually lost it and exercised throughout, the damage has been minimal.

I did talk to my mom about a tummy tuck when I get to goal because I definitely stretched out my stomach area when I ballooned past 220 in a short amount of time. She told me to wait until after having kids so I wouldn't have to redo the surgery which makes sense. She had a tummy tuck after her third child (my baby brother) when she was 40.

I would take loose skin over fat any day though. I think I'm ok in a bikini (not great but I don't run for the cover up). I wear spanx on important events to the wobbly bits in place when I wear form fitting clothes (love them!)

Congratulations on your loss!