Scared of saggy skin

[Bellerine]

Hi there

I watched "Obese a year to save my life"last night and they said anyone losing 40-50% of their body weight will be a canditate for lower body lift - ie. Surgery to cut out all the lose skin. Is it inevitable that i will have lots of lose skin on my arms legs and tummy when i am done?? Do some people get away without needed surgery and really tighten up. I need to lose almost exactly 50% of my body weight . I really didnt think i had destroyed my body to that extent- that id need surgery to fix it i am worried. Please help.

Belle

 

[Lovelyjoolz]

Hi there
I watched that program too - wasn't she amazing?

Although i did hear that little devil at the back of my head saying "Yes, well I'd be slim too if I had time to work out 5 hours a day!" That little devil is a bad person!!

You really won't know how your skin is going to respond to your weight loss until it happens. Yes, some people will have extra skin left over, the same as some mums have terrible stretchmarks and saggy skin after pregnancy. But not everyone has this. Your skin may well snap back into place just fine.

I am moisturising like a demon because apparently that can help - both the moisturiser and the massaging when you rub it in. But I'm not letting the prospect of saggy skin worry me. I'd rather be a healthy weight with a saggy belly than morbidly obese

And besides - there's always Spanx to control the extra flesh!!

 

[Blue Butterfly]

I'd rather have saggy skin than have so much fat on my body. I know having saggy skin isn't going to be putting my life at risk like my weight is.
I am also not against surgery and this is something I've spoken to my doctor about quite a bit, really just to find out if I'd get any help from the nhs as I'd never be able to afford it on my own. Luckily she told me that the area where I live the pct are very generous when it comes to surgery after weight loss.

Once you've lost all your weight you have to remember that it can take up to 12 months for the skin to sort itself out.
So you could stop losing weight and have saggy skin but in a years time it may have improved.

You may not even have any excess skin.
My sister went from a size 26 down to a size 8 within a year and she has a teeny bit of a jelly belly but that could be fixed with exercise coz it's not skin, it is a little bit of fat that wont budge!
But that's it, everywhere else on her is toned and she didn't even do any exercise, just walking at work!

 

[Bellerine]

Oh thank you so much. Yes that lady was amazing and i agree i would never have gotten fat in the first place if i had five hours to work out every day! I dont get five minutes. If its POSSIBLE to lose the fat without the saggy skin well i can hope for that. It just depressed me that i had allowed myself to get into such a condition thay surgery was almost inevitable. Im going to start moisturising twice, massaging and drawing blood to the stomach area. It wont stop me losing weight but it makes me realise in a stark way how bad putting on weight has been for my poor little body. Ive been ignoring reality for so long...

Belle

 

[miss_malone]

I am terrified about this too! I seriously advise you NOT to Google 'saggy skin after weight loss'. the pictures are the stuff of nightmares!

I am going to start body brushing and using bio oil and cocoa butter (both meant to be really good).

 

[BarbaraG]

This is one of my fears too, but as others have said I would rather be slim, active and healthy with a jelly belly than morbidly obese and struggling with mobility.

I am exercising regularly and hope that will ward off the worst excesses, but I have to accept that at 48 and having been morbidly obese for most of my adult life, it may be a step too far. I'd still rather be healthy...... after all, the people who get to see you with your clothes off should love you enough not to care

Barbara

 

[flab-buster]

I know that saggy skin for me is inevitable, after I had my oldest boy I had an awful saggy flap of skin left and tremendous stretch marks and back then I was a size 12! BUT I would much rather have saggy skin and have the option of surgery to correct it than to die prematurely and not see my gorgeous children grow up all because of my weight.

All any of us can do is just hope for the best

 

[newmummy]

I know that saggy skin for me is inevitable, after I had my oldest boy I had an awful saggy flap of skin left and tremendous stretch marks and back then I was a size 12! BUT I would much rather have saggy skin and have the option of surgery to correct it than to die prematurely and not see my gorgeous children grow up all because of my weight.

All any of us can do is just hope for the best

Here here! I already have flabby skin - I have that type of skin unfortunately. I have 2 gorgeous kids and one too many bars of dairy milk to thank for It!

 

[spea]

Isn't it funny how must of us have the same fears...saggy skin. I am starting to panic a bit, my belly has the wrinkling and my legs are well.... wobbling all over the place. I still have a long way to go yet so only time will tell if it goes back. Looking back I wish I had gone on a diet 6 months after having my child instead of 3 years and in theory I would have sprung back but nope I enjoyed myself a bit too much, this time last year I was heavier than when I was two weeks overdue with my baby and couldn't even fit into my maternity clothes, that was a wake up call to say the least. Well anyway, i would rather have a bit of saggy skin I suppose than what I was before.......a fat lump!

 

[AmZie]

I agree that I would much prefer to have a bit of saggy skin or a lot than be overweight as it can be hidden and I know I'm never going to be a slinky size 8. The thought is scary but when I've read about it everything says that quick weight loss is worse way to loose weight !! Is this true or am I reading wrong things they say the slower you loose weight the easier it is for into adapt back as you change shape!!! Tbh the thought of being 3 stone lighter for summer with skin is better than only being a stone lol arrggghhhh it's all so scary

challenge 1- 42lbs for June 20th 42lbs to go

 

[AmZie]

This is one of my fears too, but as others have said I would rather be slim, active and healthy with a jelly belly than morbidly obese and struggling with mobility.

I am exercising regularly and hope that will ward off the worst excesses, but I have to accept that at 48 and having been morbidly obese for most of my adult life, it may be a step too far. I'd still rather be healthy...... after all, the people who get to see you with your clothes off should love you enough not to care

Barbara

Yeah I think everyone is right I'm married to a fab man have 2 fab kids and I'd rather be slimmer and healthier with skin rather than overweight and struggling ..... I'm just going for it and see what happens if I keep up a small amount if exercise and exfoliate and use cream and stuff it's got to all help so I'm going for the skinnier and skin x x x

challenge 1- 42lbs for June 20th 42lbs to go

 

[flab-buster]

Yeah it is supposed to be best to lose weight slowly so your skin has time to adjust with the weightloss.

Is it bad that post pregnancy, I used to describe my belly as a map of the london underground??

 

[AmZie]

I think we will all be fine I think my belly is a map of the world haha lol good luck all and I'm sure we will be fine x x

challenge 1- 42lbs for June 20th 42lbs to go

 

[nixib]

I have lost over 70+ lbs in a year (Combination of calorie counting & LL).. I was dreading the skin situation, as I have had 4 c-sections and remained seriously overweight for 8+ years. To be honest it really wasn't that bad at the end, but you do have to remember to give your skin some time to tighten up. I did use several products everyday, and I am using them again just to make sure! I'm a sucker for a good name and a promise. So my fav's are 'Sit Tight' & 'Firminator' both by soap&glory...One is for your bottom & thighs and the other is for tummy & bingo's. I also think that it's all part of learning to love yourself again, as my routine everyday now includes some taking care of me time!! Things started to go wrong for me when I stopped doing this, and I guess that is why I'm dieting again.

 

[lilsonn]

So pleased that this discussion is on here - I'd been really worried! :cry:
So long as there is the possibility that it may be ok, I think that's a really positive thing.