I have lost close to 40 lbs in the last year. Only a few more pounds to my goal. I am not a young chick (59). I can not believe how loose and wrinkled my arms are. I'm talking about my arms from my wrist to my elbows. OMG, they look like they belong to someone in their 90's. How in the heck do you tighten up the skin on that part of your arm? I am so self-conscious of them. I don't want to wear long sleeves. Has this happened to anyone or is it just due to my age?
Hi Pam, I think the loose skin is due mainly to the weight loss and (I am sad to say) also to loss of elasticity in the skin due to aging. I am 46 and have lost 70 lbs over 18 months. I have loose skin mainly in my thighs and upper arms. It's not fair that I still have batwings after losing the weight - the fat's gone but the skin is still there!
I have read lots of threads on this forum about this topic. Maintenance chicks do say that this situation tends to improve over time. I personally think exercise, drinking lots of water, and slathering on moisturizer also can't hurt.
In the end, I prefer the loose skin to the fat. The skin can be hidden or disguised. Anyway, just wanted to say, I feel your pain!
Pam, I agree with Schmoodle. I, too, have loose skin on my thighs and upper arms, but I've discovered that it's not as noticible as it once was. Maybe I'm just getting used to it? But it does seem that the older we get, the less resilient our skin becomes.
Thanks ladies. It's so weird. If I move my arms a certain way, it looks like a turkey neck. The skin just hangs. My upper arms aren't that bad, it's the part from the elbow to the wrist. I started using my bands for upper strength training, and hoping it tightens that part too. Also, my arms never got much bigger than they are now, when I was heavier, but I guess my skin is just loosing elasticity.
Pretty much the same thing here, especially the chest which we do not speak of My arms and face have both improved quite a bit over the last 6 months though. Moisturizer (I even have eye cream now!) counts a lot and I think the light arm weights I use help my arms. There are some good threads in the Body Image and Issues after Weight Loss Forum.
As others have said I'll take the way I look now over the way I looked and felt before without hesitation!
So far I've been ok with the skin on my arms but my face is really affected by weight loss.
When I lost the weight a few years back I had longer hair in front. I got my hair cut and my dh (whom I'm still married to even after a couple stupid comments) said "Dang, when did you get so wrinkled. Here, look in the mirror, see your forhead" Thanks dear.
Then a few weeks later my mom mentioned that my face looked thinner and dh said "yes, she does look haggard"
"What?!!! Think about it, are you sure that's the word you are looking for?" as the steam is coming out my ears.
"Uhhh, maybe not since your so upset about it. I just meant your face is thinner and the forehead..oh...no, you look fine dear, I didn't mean it at all. You're right, wrong word."
I slather on the body lotions too, but they don't seem to help much. I blame aging on most of it as I have lost weight in the past and never noticed it. My worst spot is on my abdomen and I think some of that is due to childbirth but losing weight over and over again hasn't helped. I also noticed veins on either side of my face in the temple area that bulge terribly now. Very ugly. And a co-worker of mine who is quite heavy has pointed out not so very nicely that my face is more wrinkled now.
I think the only real cure is plastic surgery. I think it is pretty common for people to have plastic surgery to get rid of the excess skin after a significant weight loss.
Wrinkles
I am 46 and have lost 70 lbs over 18 months. I have loose skin mainly in my thighs and upper arms. It's not fair that I still have batwings after losing the weight - the fat's gone but the skin is still there!
But it does seem that the older we get, the less resilient our skin becomes.
Congrats on your weight-loss! I agree with Schmoodle too.
