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-   -   Loose skin after weight loss (https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/body-image-issues-after-weight-loss/263651-loose-skin-after-weight-loss.html)

jg0508 07-28-2012 08:50 AM

Loose skin after weight loss
 
I am terrified of this! I have about 200lbs to lose, and I am so terrified of having loose skin. I am going to follow through with the weight loss just because it is the healthy road to take, but I am terrified I will still be just as insecure as I am now. I can't afford a tummy tuck or any other type of cosmetic surgery.

Is there anyone out there that has lost such a large amount as 200lbs, and had minimal saggy skin? I expect to have saggy skin, I know that is inevitable but has anyone that has lost a large amount been able to tighten up with exercise?

I've heard a few things like if you're young, have little or no stretch marks, stay away from salty food, and exercise regularly it can reduce saggy skin. Well, I'm 22 have VERY little stretch marks, non on my arms, legs, or stomach. I am avoiding sodium, I'm trying to do all I can, but this is what gets me discouraged. It makes me really depressed to think about.

Anyone with experience please answer.

TiffNeedsChange 07-28-2012 06:01 PM

A few montgs ago in this forum there was a very similar question so you may want to search for that.
I think the best thing you have going for you is your age, your skin is still pretty elastic!! It really all hinges on genetics though. My brother needs to lose 200 pounds and what I say to him is that it is better to lose weight and have saggy skin that it is to have bloated and full skin full of fat (which will eventually sag anyway)

Prim2012 07-28-2012 06:11 PM

I understand your concern. There are several threads here on this topic with many thoughtful replies and even pics of successful results. Like Tiff said, use the search feature for "loose skin" to get lots of answers on this.

adbukovsky 07-28-2012 08:12 PM

Repost (only because I put it in the wrong category!) Replies appreciated!
 
4 Attachment(s)
Note: Sorry about the re-post. By accident I posted in the UK weight loss part and wanted this question to be directed towards everyone.

Hi guys! I know that you've all discussed this on many different parts of the forum, but I can't help but ask personally for myself everyone's thoughts on a specific question I want to ask. I've been reading up a bit about saggy skin, and I know that if you have had weight on you for a good amount of time, it increases your chances of having saggy skin. If you've only been overweight for a "few" years, chances are higher that you won't be dealing with loose skin, or very little, if any. My question is...what are a "few" years? I've been fat for 5 years now, my highest weight being 228, but usually my weights been a solid 226 through that duration of time. Before that, I've pretty much been skinny all my life, but I did deal with getting chubby at 16 then losing 50 pounds in 3 months at 17 1/2. Unfortunately, it was because of medicine, and once I got off that medicine, I blew up way worse, and that's when the 5 years of fatness began. Because I gained the weight back so quickly, my stretch marks appeared. Anyways, would 5 years constitute as a few years? My boobs already (regardless of losing 15 pounds so far) have loose skin, and I know that's going to be affected, but man...I'm worried. I was feeling my fat under my arms and I can slightly stretch the skin away from my arms. Could that be just from it being fat? Or is it already the beginning of what we all fear? I'll post photos so you folks have a good idea of what I'm talking about. Also, my weight has been pretty evenly distributed over the years, but my stomach and breast have gotten the most of it, it seems. Has anyone ever had a big stomach but lose it with little to no loose skin? If so, could you share some photos? I need some inspiration! LAST question. I'm sure all of us have had our stretch mark problems, but I have a lot of stretch marks on my stomach. I already know they are there for life, and may look better as I lose weight, but do stretch marks on the stomach = loose skin? Does it affect the skin in such a way? Oh, btw, I'm 23, will be 24 in October~!

mimsyborogoves 07-28-2012 08:30 PM

I am actually quite terrified of loose skin. I'm young, but until the past couple months, I had weighed well over 200lbs for at least 10 years. I'm just scared that no matter what exercise or dieting I do, I will look completely disgusting when I'm done and won't ever have a normal looking body. I'm not expecting to be perfect, but I don't want to have back wings and major back rolls and that line between my lower abdomen and upper abdomen...ugh. I'm terrified.

adbukovsky 07-28-2012 09:17 PM

Me too. T^T I'm hoping the skin I'm pulling isn't loose skin but is just an indicator that I have a lot of fat to loose. Thankfully I've only been over 200lbs for about 3 years, and in the higher range of 185 for two, but gah.... Idk. I guess we should just be happy to be fat free and healthy! I know that I have crappy skin to begin with (I'm an obsessive picker) and I'd rather be skinny with shitty skin then fat, because unfortunately men are shallow and would rather have someone that is thinner. :(

jg0508 07-29-2012 12:07 AM

I will have to look more into it.

This really concerns me. Of course I would rather be healthy than overweight, but I just can't describe my anxieties on this matter. I'm insecure as it is, I just can't imagine how much worse it can get to win a battle over obesity just to be just as insecure with loose, saggy skin. I wouldn't mind a little bit, but I am worried about having many pounds worth of sagging skin. I can't fix it with cosmetic surgery, I can not afford it. I hate thinking like this, I really do but this is my main concern after my health of course.

mimsyborogoves 07-29-2012 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adbukovsky (Post 4419919)
I'd rather be skinny with shitty skin then fat, because unfortunately men are shallow and would rather have someone that is thinner. :(

See, that's the thing that worries me the most. I've had enough trouble with guys finding me attractive while being overweight (didn't happen til recently after I'd lost a good bit of it), now I have to worry about them being attracted to me, and then STILL being attracted to me once they see my naked, not-fat-but-obviously-used-to-be body. And you ladies can say "BLAHBLAH IF HE'S A REAL MAN HE'LL LOVE YOU FOR YOU!" all you want to, but quite frankly, I am not married yet and am not ready to BE married yet, and I'd like to be attractive for a potential mate, whether its for a relationship, sex, whatever. I'm only 22; I have a life to live.

jg0508 07-29-2012 12:34 AM

Mimsy, how is your skin looking so far? I feel I can relate to you because you are my age. Of course I am bigger, but the age plays a role.

The thing with me though, is I have unfortunately been overweight my entire life. That makes it even more stressful. I'm hoping that since great skin elasticity runs through my family, and I am so young with minimal stretchmarks that it won't be so bad.

I am aware I will have excess skin, but I'm worried of a puddle of flab around my entire body. This concerns me.

pink61091 07-29-2012 12:47 AM

I'm so glad theres other people out there who feel the same about it as me. I've been trying to prepare myself for it cause I know its gonna be inevitable seeing as I have 130 pounds to lose. I stress myself out about tothe point that I have anxiety. I guess ill just have to see what happens when I get there. I can save all the money I used to spend on fast food and put it towards getting out removed lmao

mimsyborogoves 07-29-2012 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jg0508 (Post 4420048)
Mimsy, how is your skin looking so far? I feel I can relate to you because you are my age. Of course I am bigger, but the age plays a role.

I've also been overweight, in fact obese my entire life. I started gaining weight when I was 5 and was at least 250 by the time I was 13. I have major bat wings that have only shrunk a little bit, and I really don't have a whole lot quite yet because I still have a lot of fat to lose. I have a lot on my boobs, and it's getting a little noticeable at the bottom of my stomach; something tells me I'm going to have a permanent flap there. I have a feeling the next 20lbs will give you a more accurate assessment.

adbukovsky 07-29-2012 01:26 AM

Question for those that may know. Does stretch marks = loose skin? I have tons on my stomach, and I'm worried that that will be the cause of stretchy skin. Anyone know if that's the case?

k8yk 07-30-2012 01:07 PM

Ladies, you simply cannot know how your body will look when you are finished without going there yourself.
Every single person will have a different experience depending on many, many factors. I'm sorry to say that, but you will just have to wait and see. Focus on your journey and making the best choices you can along the way, and cross that loose skin bridge when and if you come to it. If there's one thing that's definitely a hinderance to weight loss (and living a happy life in general) it's stress and anxiety.
Stressing about tomorrow won't change tomorrow, it will only rob today of its joy.

ChickieChicks 07-30-2012 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adbukovsky (Post 4420077)
Question for those that may know. Does stretch marks = loose skin? I have tons on my stomach, and I'm worried that that will be the cause of stretchy skin. Anyone know if that's the case?

I can't say how stratchmarks affect everyone,but oddly for me, it did not equal loose skin. At least not the way I expected. My thighs, for example. I got stratchmarks from pregnancy weight gain, but it was as if my thighs split like casings on overstuffed sausages, I swear to you....I have vertical stratchmarks, saved no more than half a centimeter apart over every square inch of my thighs. Front, back, side, everywhere.

That being said, they have sprung back to a smaller size surprisingly well. You can see in my goal pictures. The downside, of course, is that they will never be able to completely go down to their former size, because of being stretched so. But they don't sag, or wrinkle like I thought they would.

Everyone is different, so don't assume! Just lose the weight, tone and worry about it later. :hug:

ValRock 07-30-2012 01:55 PM

Stop worrying about this!!!

Whatever your body looks like when you lose the weight, will be a billion times better than how it looked with pounds of extra fat on it. Just stick to it, don't give up, and cross that bridge when you get to it.

Everyone is different.


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