I'm working with my insurance company in order to get the lapband, but for the time being I'm trying to do it on my own with exercise and diet. Anyway, I just turned 22 and so far I've lost 24 pounds. My question is - for those of you who have lost a lot of weight, does your skin sag? I think it would be absolutely horrible to lose all the weight, expect to be confident, and then still be unhappy with yourself because your skin doesn't snap back.

I've heard about people having this dilemma, but I didn't know if it would be easier for me to avoid this because I'm younger. I'm not quite for sure. I'd really appreciate it if you'd share some tips, testimonials, etc. Thanks

It will depend on how much you have to lose, how long you've been overweight, and your genetics more than age or any other factor.

It depends on a lot of things really. One you're very young so chances are you'll have less of a problem than someone two or three times your age. But you're either born with good skin or you arent too, and some people will have stretching and some wont.

I think it depends heaps on where you carry your weight too. Those apple shaped people really have a disadvantage because they develop really big tummies that are very stretched out when the weight is gone. Whereas others of us that are pear shaped never have that problem. I've got plenty of weight to lose but to be honest, my stomach looks more like an after photo than a before photo on any of those plastic surgery sites so I'm praying it'll stay that way. I can live with a bit of wrinkly skin.

It also depends how much perfection you're demanding as a result. At your age its fair enough to want a really really good result. You've got bikini wearing ahead of you afterall. At nearly 40 I dont really care much about that, lol.

I really dont think there's anything much you can do to influence whether or not it happens though, you're either lucky or your not.

Yeah, as of right now I'm about 247 and my doctor said she doesn't think I need to go any lower than 160 because I'm 5'8. I think we'll just have to see, but I doubt I'll go any lower than 145 because I don't want to look like a skinny little boy.

And I'm more of an hour glass shape. But if I had to pick between apple and pear, then I'm more of a pear because sometimes I have to wear a size bigger on the bottom than the top. And I gain a lot of weight in my butt/hip/thigh area.

BUT I have stretch marks on my stomach They just popped up last year when I gained a WHOLE lot of weight within a VERY short amount of time. That's the problem. But since the majority of those that are here are/were clinically overweight, then I figured they probably had the tummy stretchmarks to and I wanted to know the result.

Oh yes, and I've been overweight since I was young, but I've only been clinically obese for about 3 1/2 years. It fluctuates, but I'm ready to get it off for good now.

Any tips on how to keep my skin from sagging? Water? Certain exercises? Anything I can do that is known to work?

People who gain and lose weight (whether or not they do it through Weight Loss Surgery or not) often suffer elasticity of skin. Younger skin can have some increased elasticity but if it's stretched enough, excess skin can be the result. With RnY bypass patients,often the sudden speed at which they gain/lose can be more detrimental to the skin's ability to adapt, but it can be seen with LapBand patients also (though we generally lose at a slower pace) over time.

A lot of it has to do with your individual situation, skin condition and your personal tolerance for excess saggy skin. Especially on other weight loss forums, you will encounter those who say "Oh I lost 213 pounds with my bypass but I wouldn't even consider cosmetic surgery - the hanging skin doesn't bother me."

OK, fine.

Personally I was sick and tired of the excess skin and flab around my abdomen. I've never been pregnant so these weren't proud battle scars I had - this was from being overweight and being sick, and I wanted it off. Exercise and diet helped me get fat off, but even after all my work, I was still stuck with the excess skin & stretch marks. YUCK!

As a single girl who still goes out - I knew the kind of clothes I wanted to look good in (camisoles and shorter tops, lower rise jeans, skirts, etc ) weren't going to hide my tummy flab. So I had an abdominoplasty (or Tummy Tuck) and I am so glad I did. I eventually went down a size just from no longer having to stuff my flabby excess skin in to my clothes. Later on, I plan to have a Boob Lift (want them sitting high and perky again like they used to) and some lipo for those stubborn areas of fat.

So that's just me. Not everyone feels like they need it, some don't want. I need it and I want it.

Instead of spending time camoflaguing or hiding my flab, I wanted to show off my hard work and weight loss.

Good Luck with your continued loss.

Happy Band Journeys to all...

In order to try to ward off sagging skin, I'm following a regimine of:

1. Oil skin from inside: flax oil every day (1 tablespoon)

2. Oil skin from outside: firming lotion designed specifically for weight loss, and coconut oil (oily skin sags less than dry skin)

3. At least 64 ounces of Water every day for good hydration

4. Multivitamin designed specifically for skin (Olay Vitamins)

5. Exercise 6 days a week

I have no idea whether or not this will work, but it's what I'm trying! I've lost 21 so far, and so far, no sagging skin LOL!

In my opinion, it all depends how much you have to lose to start with. I had (embarrased to say) gotten up to 365 pounds and have lost 140 pounds thus far. I do have sagging skin, which my doctor warned me would happen. His description was "you stretched your skin out for so long with being overweight it lost its elasticity" He advised strict exercise as soon as able after surgery to help with it, but it is inevitable to have some sagging if you have a lot to lose. I am now anticipating plastic surgery to fix all my sagging skin. But overall, I would rather have some sagging skin and be a wrinkled skinny person than to be a fat, smoothed-skin person! You are younger, so it might play a good part in your case. The others (above) have given you great advice, especially about the exercise and the water intake. Good luck on your journey.

I'm 24, 5'6" and started at 280. I'm at 225 now, and haven't lost anything since August. My lower stomach 'panni' area, hangs just a little bit, but I believe that the skin has tightened up since august. I have read that it can take a year or more for skin to go back, so even if you lose all your weight, if you just have a little bit of access skin, you might give it some time before you go have surgery to have it removed.

Stretch marks will affect the elasticity though. I have a number of them, and I doubt my skin will go all the way back where I want it too.

Well, I've researched this quite a bit over the last couple of days, and the majority of the research says the same thing - stay hydrated. Also, have a diet that is balanced and all were against low-carbing it because carbs keep your body hydrated. Some advocated skin firming lotions - but most said moisturize at least. And then they all said not to lose weight too fast because your skin can't catch up as quickly. I'm guessing that means that eventually it will catch up?

One article said that loose skin was a myth and that it can be treated with exercise - it was from an expert trainer. So who knows. I drink a whole lot of Water each day and exercise - there's not any excess right now except on my breasts, but that's been there forever, and I've already got a tentative date for an augmentation. I'm 22 and I have the breasts of a 50 year old - says my plastic surgeon. It's pathetic. Not to mention, they're severely assymetrical.

Anyway, thanks for all the responses