Loose skin versus body fat

[erp 2,016]

I am interested in having my body fat tested via a Dexa scan or Bod Pod. I've never done either so please pardon the question as the answer may seem obvious to some. I am wondering how excess skin is read by those tests. Do these machines calculate it in as fat mass or can they discern it as extra skin? I have lost over 100 pounds and I have bat wing arms and other hanging loose bits, I want to know how much is fat versus skin.

[sharkgirl 251]

I have been curious about this too

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

@@erp

The machines don't determine skin. They determine bone density, lean mass, and fat. When you get your results for each zone on your body, you can tell where the fat is.

I am going to scan a page my last DEXA and post it on my DEXA Scan thread.

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/368237-my-rmr-test-dexa-scan-results-wls-works-better-than-biggest-loser/

Edited June 23, 2016 by OutsideMatchInside

[OKCPirate 5,323]

There was a question of DXA and loose skin, does it count as fat or lean? My son who is studying this at OU says a professional 12 point body clamp test would be more accurate for me than DXA. The DXA is great at measuring bone density, but could really be inaccurate with loose skin since it is measuring moisture content.

[jess9395 5,448]

I dunno but I had a DEXA scan done when I was a year out at goal but lots of extra skin. It had me at 17% body fat. I have a lot of muscle but I can't imagine measuring that low if it were measuring my extra skin (this was before plastics) as fat.

[erp 2,016]

@@jess9395 that's encouraging to hear. DXA may factor excess skin as lean mass as opposed to fat mass or at least be relatively insignificant in the overall results.

[erp 2,016]

I booked a Bod Pod appt for next Friday- send low body fat vibes my way. [emoji6]