Hi there. I could use some advice. I have been doing a lot of research online but I am getting conflicting information. I am trying to avoid having loose skin after losing a large amount of weight quickly. I will mention a few things that I have read, and if anyone out there has tried them please let me know- and let me know if it has helped.

1. Wear Spanx and Ch’arms as you are losing weight to make your skin stay firm.

2. Use Vitamin E and skin firming lotion.

3. Lift weights and do situps to tone the muscle under the skin

4. Wait 2 years, it will take 2 years for skin to catch up to your weight loss.

Anyone tried any of these? Or if you know of something else that works please let me know. I am tempted to try them all.

The skin's gonna do what the skin's gonna do, no matter what. Some of the "firming" or Vitamin E lotions might help slightly with elasticity and tone, but not to any noticeable degree. Exercise, as you noted, can create a firmer frame for the skin to sit on, but won't do anything to change the skin itself. Not to be a downer, but really all you can do is hope for the best and work with what you've got in the end (or, pay to have it removed!).

Yes I agree with the other response. If your skin over-stretches, no amount of cream or exercise will get it to 'snap back'. The exercise will tone the muscles under the skin but not the skin. Cream really doesn't work all that well.

However, there is something to the suggestion of waiting 2 years - I would say 18 months, but hay ho. Sometimes the skin does take time to shrink back a bit. However, if you have loads of it hanging down, then it is unlikely to shrink back in 2 years.

If you have lots of lose skin, you need to get it cut off or put up with it.

Yep - you will have loose skin and there is no miracle cure. I will always have evidence of my past. Good news - I don't walk around in a bikini all day so most cloths cover up any lose skin. My DH could care less and who else do I care about seeing the bikini body? he he

I wear compression garments some of the time. They make you look smother while you wear them but I don't know if they work to permanently smooth the skin. Some Drs do recommend them for other surgeries... its worth a try!

I had a lower BMI and thus less skin but I've found my arms especially need the firm muscles I get from lifting weights to look decent.

Last time I lost over a hundred pounds I had A LOT of loose skin. I worked really hard to tone up and get rid of it but nope it stayed around. The skin was stretched and basically my only option was surgery. I kept telling myself just work harder but the sagging skin didn't change.

Unfortunately I gained the weight back but am hopeful to keep it of now with the sleeve. I know that once at goal I will have loose skin again from the losing/gaining cycles I've put my body through. However this time I will say hello to the knife and good-bye to the flab! By that time I will have went through a lot to get to goal and will not let loose skin keep me down or self-conscious!

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS. I MAY TRY THEM ALL AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS....CANT HURT