Skin??

[cmandrews13 8]

I am still early, EARLY in the process, but have so many questions and fears. My primary one is SKIN. With all that rapid weight loss, how can you keep your skin taut and keep it from sagging/bagging? I am at my absolute heaviest right now and I have never had a super rapid weight loss, just the usual yo-yo stuff in the past. I am 44, which adds to my fear that my skin won't bounce back as quickly from the weight loss. Any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations? Thank you!!!

[GreenTealael 24,964]

Its going to be individualized and depend on a lot of factors you cant anticipate until its happening but muscle building exercises seem to help to an extent. Also a lot of people love bio oil and special creams. In the end you'll know whether you will need additional help (plastics)

[nenes78 528]

My skin is not as bad as I thought it would be and I feel that exercise and strength training has helped most of it. I expected worse based on my starting weight. I am almost 41.

[cmandrews13 8]

Thank you both for responding. I have heard that physical exercise does help the skin to be more elastic.

[GradyCat 3,693]

I'm using firming cream and going to the gym to keep things toned so the excess skin won't be so bad when I reach goal in 50 more pounds (100 pounds total)

[RickM 1,747]

1 - have your surgery younger (get out that time machine!) as we lose elasticity with age, and

2 - choose better parents - genetics plays a big role.

The various creams and lotions may do something, but it is very hard to do any kind of scientific investigation (because of the variables involved) and the manufacturers of such products aren't inclined to fund such studies. The best that one can do for such a study is to gather a group of WLS patients together and apply the product to half of their body and do nothing to the other half (or use a placebo cream) and who will sign up for that?

Exercising and toning can help some, but what one really needs to do is to build muscle mass (rather than just tone) in the areas where the fat is being lost to fill in the lost fat volume - plausible in the upper arms and legs, not gonna happen in the abs (think of classic six-pack abs vs the folds of flab we usually have there - muscle won't fill that.)

Resolve within you that you will probably need some kind of reconstruction done and start saving your pennies for it. Do what you can on exercising and try whatever products make sense to you and hope that all those various factors work out in your favor - then you can buy a new car instead with what you have saved up.

[Kris77 1,531]

There will be loose skin bc of how rapid the weight loss is. Start exercising and weight training as soon as you get cleared to. Also, lotion lotion lotion. Keep your skin moisturized. Other than that the rest is genetics...some people have great elasticity and others not. My skin is loose but I didn’t weight train right away...wish I did. I am now. I’m 44 as well. But ill take the loose skin over how big I got any day!!

[SusieQ2019 567]

I will be investing in a personal trainer in addition to my regular workout after the surgery, while relying on good genetics.

[Avery's Mom 315]

moisturize and hydrate!!!! I am 52 and already have quite a bit of loose skin to deal with. strength training and toning exercises will help as well. YOGA and Pilates are your friends! I also use Nivea skin firming lotions every day! twice a day!

[dbbonoso 14]

I'm only 3 months post opp and I have so much loose skin in my arms... I started going to the gym right after I got cleared. But like they say in the other comments, it's also about genetics( I'm 23)

Sent from my LM-V405 using BariatricPal mobile app

[Calgalintx 26]

Wear your loose skin like a badge of honor! It's a reminder of what a success you all are!

I have the middle 'apron', I think it's called. I've had it since pregnancy, so it's only going to get worse. Since the skin has been like that for years, surgery will be my only option after weight is lost.

My dermatologist told me years ago to use Zeazorb, a powder, in the foot care aisle. It keeps me from having skin problems. I use it anywhere there is skin to skin contact.