If you lost abotu 100lbs...
 

Howdy!

I am about 17 and I have 100lbs to loose. My mom says that if I loose the weight now before I get older all my skin will go back (specially if I do toning exercises). She has however said that the skin on your private area (ie right under ur belly line) will not go away. I am like what?? How will this look in a swim suit? in lingerie? in anything? So my question is if you'v elost around 100 pounds and are relatively young (say under 25) did it stay loose and fleshy or did the skin go back?

Please answer but also include how long you were overweight and how old you are when u lost it and if possible how old you are now. I would appreciate it sooo much.

It depends on more than age. It depends on how long you were overweight, your skin in particular, and how much you tone it with exercise. I'm 39, started losing my weight at 37 1/2, exercise practically daily for more than a year, and was overweight all of my adult life (19 and up). And....I have that skin "down there". Hubby calls it "alligator skin". However, unless I plan on wearing a thong or somesuch, it's fine in a regular two piece. I just don't wear low-cut bottoms.

Losing weight at your age will help, but it isn't a guarantee. Unfortunately, you won't know how it works for you until you've lost the weight and see for yourself. We all have different levels of elasticity in our skin. Age, and being overweight for a longer amount of time both affect this. Also, if you lose rapidly you are more likely to have saggy skin.

The pubic mound may or may not bounce back, like any other part of your body. It does have just as good of a chance of 'bouncing back' as any other part of your body! Here is a very popular thread on weight loss and excess skin:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36040

Yes, adding to what's been said here, I just wanted to say Miss SVH that you really shouldn't worry about it now. It should in no way be something that will bother you or perhaps discourage you not to lose weight. A lot of people who lose a great deal of weight have to have skin tucks to deal with the loose skin. I'm sure there would be something for you there too IF it was needed. So, just do it, SLOOOWLY and you can see what you need after the loss. Good luck to you! :wave:

If you checked the link that Jennifer has in her post, you'll have already read what I wrote...and more importantly what Meg wrote.

I had been fat (chubby to obese) since I was a kid. My parents put me on my first diet when I was 7 years old (I'm 42 now). In fact, my childhood (from 7 through when I left home right after I turned 19) was a plethora of diets (made worse by the fact that all three of my sisters did NOT have a weight problem, in fact were all popular, thin, two were cheerleaders, and all three had boys chasing after them constantly...). I even went to fat camp the summer I was 16 (1979). I finally, FINALLY got control of my weight after yo-yoing my whole life in 1990 when I was 27 years old and at my top weight of 265 lbs. But yup - I did have saggy skin. I don't recall if my skin was really saggy back in my teen years - I do remember already having stretch marks.

Thing is, like Meg's post at the link above says...it's basically a crap shoot - genetics, how fat you were, how long you were fat, etc. There are SO many elements involved!

What you need to do though is take things ONE STEP AT A TIME. Begin by losing the weight - sensibly. Don't be tempted to do the Fad Diet of the Week or crash diet. You want to shoot for PERMANENT LIFESTYLE CHANGES - it's important not to view this as "oh, I'll be on this diet for X amount of time, then when I get down to my goal weight, I can go back to 'normal'". Through personal experience, I've found that it doesn't work that way...you basically have to eat healthfully and exercise for the rest of your life to maintain the weight as well. (the book "Thin for Life" by Anne Fletcher is a great resource...incidentally, down in the Maintainers forum Meg is planning a reading discussion group and TFL will be the FIRST book on the list...)

I know that you're young - start changing your eating habits NOW - don't wait another day! And get moving - exercise (especially strength training) has been said to help keep the skin - although I don't know if that's really been scientifically proven...drink lots of fresh cool WATER...take care of yourself...

If you DO end up feeling you need some 'work' done - well, you're young...you have LOTS of time to save up for it. Besides, most plastic surgeons would recommend that if you're planning on having children, to have the babies FIRST and THEN consider a tummy tuck (if that's what you're looking to have done).

Whew...just a few comments from moi! Take care...