I had everything on my side and still ended up with loose skin. It's not a lot and it seems to be shrinking, so there's no way I would really consider surgery or anything. It's annoying, but I figure that I've done this super awesome thing so if I bear some scars as a result, so be it :p

Yep! Two people who lose the same amount of weight can have very different results at the end.

Like everyone else has said, it will definitely depend on a variety of factors.

I am the same age as you and my skin has been tightening up nicely. My stomach is getting flatter and is not sagging, my stretch marks are now silver and not too visible, and my arms have toned up pretty nicely so far.

I suggest weight training in addition to cardio. This has helped me tone instead of sag. :P

My boobs also shrunk from a full D to a C so far. But I'm not complaining. :)

I started about where you are at and I've lost roughly 100+ pounds over the last year. I've been a bit lax with keeping up exercise but! I'm 31, I was at obese levels for about 4 years and after my loss last year this is what I've experienced:

I have stretchmarks that are silvery and long over hips, thighs, breasts and stomach areas. I have looser skin (but not what I consider unsightly) in my stomach area. With more exercise, the muscles in those areas will help contract some of that back. I only get my :O face on when I bend over and can see there isn't enough muscle tone to hold the loose area on my stomach in. It feels like a fat roll would, only it flattens and hangs down. It's not ugly, it's just not toned. I expect it will hold itself better once I get back into my exercise routine.

None of what I see on my body is anything I'd consider worth surgery. YMMV, but I think once you start losing, you'll see what you can expect as you go along! :)

You'll just have to lose the weight and see what happens. Giving your young age, your skin could snap back with proper exercising, but the fact that you already have stretch marks is a sign that your skin isn't very elastic. You could start up a surgery fond, and if you come to the conclusion that you don't need surgery, use the money for something else.

Some people are saying exercise helps, I'm doing circuit training twice a week and a lighter gym sesh once a week and wanted to up this during the summer but I'm worried about losing the weight too quickly and not giving my skin enough time. Edit, just turned 21 but yoyoed 15 pounds over christmas and have a shelf that protrudes the distance of half an index finger but is not hanging.

You know how "they" say give it a few years at maintenance weight after losing weight to see what happens? I completely believe that. I'm 27, have had two kids, stretch marks before and after having them, and have always been overweight/obese as an adult. I had lost 85 pounds and maintained it for around 8-9 months. When I FIRST got to goal weight, I was sure I'd need a tummy tuck (and some boobs since I lost them lol) but even in just those 8-9 months my skin firmed up some. It's still not tight, and most likely never will be, but there was no way last summer I'd wear a 2 piece and this year I'm rocking one for the first time in my life.

Recently I decided to lose another 10 pounds or so so I'm hoping that'll help even more. Also, fwiw- I knew my chances of my skin getting tight were low because my family just doesn't have the good skin gene.

Make sure you research research research cosmetic surgery. I was sure I'd have it but recently decided against it. I googled "tummy tuck gone bad" or something and it's not important enough for me to potentially not heal for months and have more body image issues then I started with!

I've lost over 70 pounds and just asked a similar question on the forum. Just wanted to say that I've been overweight since I can remember. Like over 190 since forever (in my mind). Now I am under 180 (as of this past week) and since getting under 190, I've noticed my stretch marks on my stomach itching. I've also noticed that they are sagging and looking worse than they ever did before.

I've got like 50 more pounds to lose (and I'm going to unexplored territory here since I cannot remember ever being this small except in elementary school). Anyway, I think for me that my skin will definitely sag and not snap back since I've been overweight for so long. But I have to worry about getting healthy and not worry about my stretch marks at this point.

Will let you know the end results once I reach my 50 pounds goal though...

Most of my stretch marks didn't hinder my skins ability to snap back. Only the really deep ones did that, which are on my boobs. Those are a lost cause and actually look much much worse the more weight I lose.