Thread: Loose Skin Fear..

Hi everyone,thought I'd write I thread about loose skin, As I've heard a few horror storys about people loosing weight and being left with a lot of loose skin, I've got about 6stone+ to loose and so worried cos I'm only 19 I have stretch marks everywere,varicose veins all over my legs,my bodys already ruined,just hope I won't be left with drooping skin can I hear some storys to put my mind to ease, is there anything I can do to assure i won't be left with loose skin?

Sorry, but I can't put your mind at ease because I have quite a bad loose skin experience! However, I am a lot older than you and this is the third time I have lost a significant amount of weight, so that's probably why I have a problem with it. At least your age is on your side. Sorry I couldn't offer any words of comfort! However, at least in clothes I look halfway decent and I tend not to go out and about in a bikini much these days.

Thanks for the reply, I'm just a bit worried, I don't have good elestactity in my skin atall, my midwife when I had my son said I literly had stretch marks over every single part of my body,everywere!! And refeared to them as like a road map. so I don't supose my skin will shrink down, I don't want a perfect body,cos I'll never have one,just want to be happy with my weight and not upset about skin hanging over the weight I'd lost. We will see, lost 13lbs in 4weeks, don't feel a diffrence atall just now. Xxxx

The slower you lose, the more time your body has to adjust and "snap back". Apparently. I'm worried about it myself, as by the time I reach target I will have lost 9st. That's half of my starting weight. I done a lot of reading on the subject, and some say loose skin is caused by having a layer of fat still to lose, and if you keep exercising and toning, that it will eventually go away, but then again others say if you've got stretch marks, and who doesn't!?, that your skin will not ever snap back.

Just have to wait and see, I suppose.

Thanks I'm not wanting a toned perfect body, just would like my hard work to show instead of having layers of skin tucked into my knickers my doctor said nhs do operatiopns in severar cases and its rare tht they do it, but think that's if you've lost a sever amount of weight and if its causing disscomfort. X

You may get some loose skin - you may not. It's difficult to tell until you're there. Whether you will or not depends on how fast you lose weight, your age, the general elasticity of your skin etc. Some people say that exercising helps reduce it. 6 stone to lose is a significant amount of weight but I don't you'd have layers of loose skin at the end of it. I've lost 7 stone before (and quite quickly) and even though the skin on my tummy wasn't quite as tight as it could have been, I wouldn't have classified it as loose, let alone drooping. I do wonder if it's something I'll have to deal with this time (not as young as I was etc) but personally, I'd much rather deal with some loose skin than be fat. Good luck with your weight loss!

Yeah same here I'd rather loose skin than be masive like iam right now! Just want to prepare myself as I once apon a time thought loose weight and be pre pregnancy me again, its not going to happen just need to get into the acepting it zone!lol. Loosing 6stone will only take me to pre pregnancy weight not my ideal weight,but I was happy b4 having my child. Weight wise so just want to get there then work from there. Xx

It may help to lose weight slowly so your skin has a chance to adapt to it. Also it may help to exercise, keep your skin well moisturised and your body hydrated. Good luck and don't let this fear put you off losing weight and being healthier. Xx

I was over 19 stone and dropped 3 stone in about 3 months my body went a bit saggy and i packed in the diet as i was disheartened. I didnt exercise loads but i walked lots and after around 6 months my skin got better. Its now a couple of years later and whilst i didnt get back on track straight away my skin is MUCH better and im back on slimming wprld.

I for one am evidence that doing it slowly is better if u are worried about skin. I would reccommend looking at it the way i do... A couple of stone at a time rather than a massive chunk of weight. That way you can address any problem areas and decide if you really want to lose all the weight.

Personally im not aiming for my reccommended bmi as i think losing that much weight will age me and isnt practical for someone who loves their food. Im hoping to just get down to a healthier weight.
Good luck

I have terrible stretch marks from puberty, I have them on my arms, breasts, shoulders, back, sides, stomach, thighs, backs of my knees!! So literally everywhere. I got them at a very young age. At age 19 I ballooned up to14 n half stone, however I hardly got any new stretch marks! Then at 21 I lost weight and was 11, i know 3 n half stone isnt a huge amound but there was no sagging at all. I became pregnant with my first daughter and I got really big, I was terrified about stretch marks as I already had loads, but nothing! I was 13 6 after the pregnancy, eventully got back down to 11 and still no sagging at all. Then my weight krept back up to 13 3 and I became pregnant with my second daughter, this time I was starting out pregnancy at almost the same weight I was after my last! I ended up huge! People joked she would come out walking after that pregnancy I was 15 3, and still no new stretch marks, I'm now 12 12 and no sign of any sagging (some people sag from pregnancy alone, my friends stomach is terribly wrinkly she hates it). Anyway what I'm trying to say is that in my experience my skin has changed! Now it must have some decent elasticity, if only it had when I was kid, I'd be one of the lucky ones with no stretch marks at pregnancy! I care less and less about my stretch marks all the time, although I still hide most of them under clothes. I used to hate choosing clothes but its just habit now to go for the less revealing things. I have told myself over the years that 'my body may be ugly but at least I have a pretty face' I can hide my body under clothes and, at my slim stages, still be sexy.

Im 26 and do have some loose skin due to weightloss excercise Is helping tone me up and the skin Is slowly catching up and shrinking back but it does take longer than the fat to sort itself

I have been a bit down lately about my loose skin but my husband has told me to look in the mirror naked every day and say to myself how well i have done and say that i love my body, and i am surprised that it is starting to work!

I am not terribly saggy but i notice it, and its only when i am naked, my boobs are my worst bit for me, my belly i am not so bad about as i have 2 children so i know it will never be toned and smooth lol but when i was bigger my boobs were my best feature (well i think so anyways!) So now they have deflated some what (40DD to a 34D) i only like my boobs when they are in a bra lol I am hoping they perk up a bit in the future as i am only 28 and lost the weight quite quickly (a year) so fingers crossed!!!!

I would defo rather be saggy and slim (i look great in clothes now!!!) than big and smooth lol

Good luck with your weight loss xxx

i've got loose skin- wobbly legs, apron, saggy boobs and my bum is a bit wrinkly....

i do get self conscious from time to time and i wish i had washboard abs and a perfect bikini bod.

I have to remind myself, however, where I was physically and mentally when I was 23 stone. I was a mess- I wanted to die- and I was killing myself anyway....i couldnt get in and out of the bath or shower, so i stunk. I went up the stairs on all fours sometimes because i couldnt walk up. i had pain in my back, my knees, my ankles....pressure on my feet was horrendous....not to mention the abuse i suffered with off others- no just strangers but within my own family too!

Now i am 10 1/2 stone lighter. I can move around freely, go out without having stuff thrown at me, or people making comments. i can buy clothes.....in shops that do normal sizes.

I have some loose skin- but thats nothing a push-up bra and a pair of magic knickers won't fix!

Seriously hun- when I was starting out, and even when I was getting close to target, I was worried about loose skin- it crippled me mentally....but I've learned to deal with that. No surgery, no magic cure- but learning acceptance.

Probably not the answer you want to hear. BUT you will see the other benefits to losing the weight and you will not worry so much about a bit of loose skin....if you're anything like me (i'm 24 by the way)

best of luck on your journey hun xx

Thank you soooo much every1! I have stretch marks literly everywere 2 and rather big boobs 38G and I'm hoping ill loose weight everywere jst dread the loose skin, my own fault for lettring myself get this chunky. Literly so embaresed but I can't wait to be a nice weight,cos I will do it,won't let the fear of loose skin put me off my journey! Xxx

My stretch marks are horrific! I have them everywhere! The only place I haven't are my feet and my lower arms lol. Oh and my neck, face and shoulders. My fault for putting on so much weight after my son was born, losing it, then regaining it several times! Trying to find summer clothes is a nightmare as I need three quarter length sleeves that I boil in.
My boobs go wrinkly when I'm smaller (still a 36GG at the mo), I have huge wobbly bingo wings and my tummy looks like I've been swimming and left my rubber ring on!!!