Has anyone lost their desired amount of weight and seen stretch marks and loose skin? I have lost 48 pounds- still need to lose more, and I am noticing this I plan to tone up later...but will that get rid of it?? Or does there have to be surgery involved or something?

Thanks guys

I don't know if it really helps, or it's just my perception, but I use a firming lotion on my skin every day (I think it's Jergen's?) and it seems to help. skin takes a while to firm up, so you may not need surgery, but it may take several months for the loose skin to start tightening. The stretch marks minimize, but don't disappear

Will exercise and toning help?

Toning will help muscle definition, but it can't help loose skin. I found this thread very helpful: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/body...intainers.html

While I can't say for sure, I think that if you take a slow, gradual pace to weight loss (e.g. 1-3 lbs/week) you shouldn't have much loose skin. If you look through the pictures posted in the Goals folder you might see examples of people who have lost lots of weight but don't appear to have much loose skin. You might even ask questions of those users' journeys.

I think the most extreme examples of loose skin are when someone undergoes weight loss surgery and the smaller amount of flesh isn't given enough time to "settle."

In looking at your size and height you probably won't have much of a problem in this area. What you may be experiencing now may just be less flesh trying to settle itself onto your muscles and bones. This process could take several weeks to normalize. I didn't have too much weight to lose and I went through something similar.

The time to tone up is while you are losing weight. If you don't you lose muscle along with fat and will be a thin person with too much BF. Loose skin and stretch marks are the price we have to pay for getting overweight. You can't undo all the damage but the stretch marks will fade and muscle can help with some loose skin. Dress to cover it is my solution.

I have the exact same concerns. I have a lot of weight to lose, I have lost 50lbs so far but still have over 100+ to go. I notice that now that I have lost weight, everything seems less "firm" if that makes sense lol, especially in my upper arms. I also notice that I have more stretch marks than I previously thought!

I have read that if you do weight training while you are actively losing weight, do not loose weight too fast and stay hydrated and moisturized that the problem may be less extreme. I am hoping that this is the case for me, otherwise it is under the knife I go....Tummy tuck, boob job (that happens anyway), arms legs, neck the whole shebang. But if you are going the surgery route, I have also heard from surgeons that you need to be at goal for at least a year, because I guess your skin and body has to "normalize"? I dunno.

Good Luck you are doing great

Thank you for your input I really hope you are right! And good luck too

Thank you for your input I was planning on toning later, but I can see why its beneficial to do so now and during weight loss. I guess we will have to wait and see..Ive been losing without exercise *knock on wood* and once I plateau or close to goal I will start exercising just for the health benefit of it and toning also for the health benefit

I'm in good shape 100lbs down.

I think it depends on your genes/skin (mine is pretty elastic), age (I'm 38), diet (I eat a ton of oily fish which is great for my skin) and exercise (I do masses but only really started 60lbs down with weights and later running).

If I had to put money on the most important factor, I would say age.

Just wanted to add that starting strength training now and not later will definitely help with firming up. I'm pretty far from my goal but I've been lifting weights for almost a year now and I love it-even more than cardio! Plus, I just feel stronger. Congrats on your weight loss!

This FAQ is very comprehensive http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/body...skin-faqs.html

Well thats ridiculous, I get the point to lose weight is to become healthy and all but whats the point when most ppl dont like their image still!! Sure I would chose to be healthier than to have tight skin, but there has to be some way.

I lost weight once when I was 19- the unhealthy way, but at that time I was 150 and only went down to 105. I never had saggy skin or bad stretch marks with that, but then again I was younger. I than gradually gained it back all the way up to 200 pounds- never thought I would weigh that much!

I am now 29 and my total weight loss when I am finished will be 85 pounds! Technically I am still young, but that is more weight that Ive ever lost in my time, not sure if that will make a difference.

I hope I get lucky...right now I lost 50 pounds and I dont see that much lose skin- only when I bend down, if you really pay attention you can see gravity take its toll. I will start to swim soon because I love swimming- even though I dont know how to professionally swim, dont think it makes a difference, I will still tone up a little

Thanks for all the input guys!

Swimming was great for my arms, really toned them while I lost my 40lbs.

Thanks I read all of this. Was helpful but discouraging at the same time :P