Excess Skin - did anyone suffer from it?

Hi All

I was just wondering...

I'm 24 years old and I am 5'7 weighing 18 stone. My target weight is 12 stone 7 pounds. If I lose this amount of weight will my skin go saggy. I have stretch marks and as I have always been big I got my first stretch marks at 9 years old.

If I do become slim will the skin on my belly, boobs and legs become saggy.

Did anyone else have this problem or not???

Thanks

It's difficult to say as there are several factors such as your age, how long you've been overweight, how overweight you are and genetic factors.

For me, I was older (40+), had been overweight for many years and became morbidly obese (5' 2" and 22st).
When I got down to 12st 7lb in Dec 2006, I could see I was sagging all over the place - but better that and look ok in clothes than being obese!

In your case, you're relatively young and probably have a lot of elasticity left in your skin (mine gave up the ghost after baby #5!!).

I've currently lost just over four stone, and will have lost just under 5.5stone by the time I finish. I am 34yrs old. I've got no loose or saggy skin (no one can believe that I haven't) but it seems to have just pinged back! The odd ripple (noticeable only to me) will be gone within the year I think when my body has had time to readjust itself.

Certainly don't worry about it, and if you DO get any loose skin, give it a good year to spring back before you start to panic. I have no 'apron' of skin hanging over anything!

Does anyone know of anything we can do along the way to try and prevent any loose skin?? Moisturising? Anything else?

L x

bio oil is very good for stretch marks i have used since i became pregnant with number and two and i have no stretch marks hope this helps

I shall get some to help with the stretch marks! Many thanks hun!

But is there anything that will help reduce or prevent the instance of saggy skin in the first place? As in - is there something i can do as i am going along thru SSing to help prevent the saggy bits?

Thanks guys
Lx

Exfoliating is very good, you can get exfoliation gloves from Superdrug/Boots, use in a circular motion with your favorite shower gel/soap in the shower/bath and then slather a good moisturiser once you're dried off...in fact when you're still damp (absorbed better!)
Bio-oil is great, so is cocoa butter and ....regardless of age, the Dove range for 'mature' skin is fantastic....the one with extra oil (maroon bottle with yellow writing) is especially good.
Exercise is always a good one, especially yoga or even just some stretching exercises on your bedroom/living room floor for 30 mins a day, if nothing else the stretching feels soooo good and is a great stress buster!
X
P.S All the water you will be drinking will be hydrating your skin so if you struggle with drinking it, just keep that in mind!
X

slimbydecember said:

Hi All

I was just wondering...

I'm 24 years old and I am 5'7 weighing 18 stone. My target weight is 12 stone 7 pounds. If I lose this amount of weight will my skin go saggy.

Click to expand...

Hi, our starting stats are almost identical. I started at 18st 1lb, am 5ft 7, trying to get to about 12st 7ish, although I am 10 years older than you.

I have lost around 4 stones so far and do have some saggy skin, but I have always had this "apron" since having my two gigantic babies at 10lb each, the last one by caesarean.

The apron is reducing in size along with the rest of me but I dont think it will go completely.

We are all different though. You have your age on your side, but you dont say if you have any children.

At the end of the day if you are left with loose skin, you can cover that quite easily with clothes. Losing weight is so much better for your health.

As others have said, moisturising and drinking the water will probably help but I dont think there is a miracle cure unfortunately.

Good luck with your diet. xx

Thanks

Hi All

Thanks for your replies. I don't have any children and my friends who do, slim or not all have a bit of a saggy belly they have said has never gone back right.

I spoke to my boyfriend about my fear of excess skin and he said that at my current weight I feel uncomfortable naked and clothed. If I lost weight and did have excess skin i'd feel comfortable clothed by not naked.

He said its got to be worth a go because at least I will feel comfortable clothed.

Never knew men had sense and logic!!!

In my experience men aren't bad at sense and logic but pretty rubbish at empathy!

Anyway, whether your skin pings back or not is largely down to genetics - ask your mum, aunt etc what happened after they were pregnant. But if you body brush and moisturise regularly you'll be helping it. Palmers Cocoa Butter so a cream especially for people who have lost weight (I have a problem with it as it smells of chocolate and I'm always tempted to eat it!! ) and one that consistently comes out really well in tests for firming is Nivea with Q10 - which won't break the bank.

Hope this helps

I'm a firm believer in that your loved ones love you anyway regardless, you can always tuck skin in your knickers and hide it, you can't hide being overweight, failing that have a tuck should you get skin, remember this is quick weight loss and you need time for the skin to catch up. Don't panic, being thin will be much better even if there is excess skin for a little while xx