Read a very interesting article about loose skin after weight loss

[Librarygirl]

I'm not sure what I can say on this forum about outside web sites. The man's initials are RB, and you can google it...loose skin, Ron B..... and he seems to like intermittent fasting, because the high calories on the alternate days replenish the muscles. He also says that loose skin is actually fat, and can be tightened with weight training and proper diet---no surgery required. He says that anyone with a body fat ratio of less than 15% will not have excess skin, regardless of weight loss OR age. There are links within the article, and they are obviously trying to make money, but the article is well-written and longish. I think it's good stuff!

[stargazer]

I think that's been posted before. I've certainly read it. I don't think it's plausible though. Although I agree that sometimes the loose skin improves if there is not a residue of fat weighing it down there is no know cure for serious loose skin after major weight loss. If there was doctors would not resort to risky surgery to cut it all off.

Age, amount of weight lost and how quickly all has an effect. I skin brush and get my fats and work out but the only way the crinkles on my tummy are going to disappear is a tummy tuck. Maybe after a few years it would eventually improve. But if you have really flappy skin you need surgery.

[Librarygirl]

I guess one of the problems would be the ability to wait until the skin has a chance to adjust...as much as it can. I know it was an optimistic article, and one I wanted to believe because I haven't gotten there yet (excessive weight loss), but hope to.

[Erika1962]

Thanks for sharing LG! I will do some serious reading up on things this weekend, there has got to be something that works!

[angie1]

hmmm intersting article. I just had a friend who had a tummy tuck done after losing over 60 lbs! -- I wonder if it would of tightened up with just adding muscle and losing more fat?

[LoCarbGal]

I've seen that article and just re-read it a couple of weeks ago. I would like to believe what he says is true, but 15% body fat is pretty optimistic for those of us who are not true athletes. I'm still optimistic that adding muscle, losing fat, and serious skin care will at least minimize the loose skin. Time will tell...

[cici52]

Somewhere, I read that rubbing that good ole CO on will help the skin. WOuldn't it be lovely?

[Lyric's Mom]

I always end my showers by rubbing the cheaper brand CO (not the virgin kind), all over my body and then do a quick rinse. It's the kind with no coconut smell and it leaves my skin feeling so incredibly soft!

[Librarygirl]

I hadn't thought of using my CO, but will try it because I do have dry skin too. I agree that 15% body fat is a tad unrealistic for the majority of people. I guess there's lots you could do if you had the time and energy to exercise like that.

[LoCarbGal]

I've been intending to use CO as a moisturizer too. I've been dry skin brushing, and really love the way it makes my skin feel. High hopes it'll help the skin shrink up too. Thanks for reminding me to get some of the CO from the kitchen and into the bathroom!

[wiiiifit]

I believe the detox baths are helping with loose skin for me. I haven't lost a lot yet..nearing 40lbs so I didn't have tons of loose skin. But, I did have a raisin/prune type of thing going on in the stomach area that seems to be improving. I am taking about 3-4 detox baths per week with 1/3 c of epsom salt, baking soda and ACV. It seems to moisturize and change the "texture" of my skin and improve my psoriasis. Also, I am noticing that the magnesium (epsom salt) seems to help with sleeplessness and constipation. Some of it may just be taking a warm bath before bed...but, I don't think all of it is a placebo.

[Librarygirl]

Originally Posted by LoCarbGal

I've been intending to use CO as a moisturizer too. I've been dry skin brushing, and really love the way it makes my skin feel. High hopes it'll help the skin shrink up too. Thanks for reminding me to get some of the CO from the kitchen and into the bathroom!

Took my jar of CO into the shower with me last night. My skin does feel softer! Thinking of making it a nightly ritual! I don't really use it in cooking anymore, and I have the cheap kind..Santa Ana or something like that (can't be arsed to get up and look, lol)...might get the "virgin" kind to use for ingesting.

P.S. on the loose skin issue...weirdly, I have noticed more wrinkles on my knuckles of my hands, and I have definitely lost weight in my hands...it's the only loose skin so far, at around 13 lbs down.

[Carly]

Originally Posted by wiiiifit

I believe the detox baths are helping with loose skin for me. I haven't lost a lot yet..nearing 40lbs so I didn't have tons of loose skin. But, I did have a raisin/prune type of thing going on in the stomach area that seems to be improving. I am taking about 3-4 detox baths per week with 1/3 c of epsom salt, baking soda and ACV. It seems to moisturize and change the "texture" of my skin and improve my psoriasis. Also, I am noticing that the magnesium (epsom salt) seems to help with sleeplessness and constipation. Some of it may just be taking a warm bath before bed...but, I don't think all of it is a placebo.

I tried this a few weeks ago and never stuck with it. I tried it again this evening. It helped warm me up, that's for sure. I have mild psoriasis (psoriatic arthritis- emphasis on arthritis), but would like if this helped since the rx creams for psoriasis are STRONG and say only use for 14 days and stop. Then what- let it get bad and use for 14 more days

[wiiiifit]

My psoriasis is also fairly mild except on rare occasions when I have a flare up. The cream medicine that is most effective for me is over $200 for a small tube. Over the years with different insurance companies we have had some refuse to pay, some pay with a $40 not on the list fee and some cover it completely. Right now I haven't been to the dermatologist for a long while and mine is down to the last drop. I haven't needed it at all since taking the baths, though.

[Flossyliz]

Ozonated coconut oil and ozonated olive oil are supposed to be good for psoriasis - and lots of other things.

Please note that not all ozonated products are the same. Here's an example from a retailer I trust.
It takes our supplier 2 days to make one litre of this fantastic product and the relatively high cost reflects the fact that coconut oil itself is quite dear and the fact that it is very labour intensive to produce to the quality we require (we briefly tried a cheaper brand, which seemed to be useless. We then found out it had only been ozonated for 4 hours, and we promptly discontinued it).

I'm not allowed to put a link to their website but they're located in Finchley and there are loads of genuine testimonials.

[deedee]

Resurrecting this old thread (hope no one minds) to bring up the excess skin question again. Has anyone had success with anything short of surgery? I'm lucky that I don't have a tremendous amount of excess skin, but the inside of my thighs and my lower stomach are not pretty. The thought of a bathing suit in my near future is frightening.

Have you JB's found anything that works? Any particular exercise? I've started running again and using the weight machines at the gym, but I have no idea what might actually help. Pilates?

[b_lou_who]

I don't know either. I use epsom baths all the time, I wash with coconut soap, moisturize with organic coconut oil, I dry brush sporadically. Serious support garments seem to help a little bit over time when losing, but I get sick of wearing them. (Think saggy busom vs always wearing a bra so you never get to sag...ymmv)
I have a dear friend who was heavy, had triplets, lost more weight than I ever thought possible and she exercises/runs. Her tummy is still a big saggy pouch, but her thighs look great. The only answer after all of these years, with her very low bodyfat is still surgery.
My inner thighs make me squeamish, as does my belly. So my bikini bottoms have little ruffly skirts that hide the inner thigh. Long tops that won't cling to the belly sag.
I did go for a consult once on the laser sculpting that causes skin to adhere to the underlying layers and not sag. At 5k a body part I would be the million-dollar woman. sigh

[grannysmith]

There's a huge genetic component to this too, I'm sure, plus the age factor. I gained 50 lbs with my first baby, lost it all and then some in 5 months...then got pregnant again 6months later (TOM never came back between, TMI, and my excuse, I'm sticking to it) and gained 60 some with that one, lost it all in about 7 months...some really ugly stretch marks, but the skin all tightened back up. This was between 20 and 22 years old, and involved starvation...and breast feeding.

At 52, I've lost less than 20 lbs, and i have saggy skin...i dunno...

[TryingJudd]

And let's talk about the neck thing, puleeeeeeze. If anyone has an answer to that dilemma I'd love to not have my grandmom's turkey neck when I finally reach goal..

[Carly]

Ugh...I wish I had some magic pill for my arms, thighs and stomach.

[wiiiifit]

Originally Posted by TryingJudd

And let's talk about the neck thing, puleeeeeeze. If anyone has an answer to that dilemma I'd love to not have my grandmom's turkey neck when I finally reach goal..

Tilt your head back, look up at the ceiling and act like you are kissing it. You will feel it working, but I haven't been doing it long enough to say how effective it is. I try to do this with my night time routine in the bathroom...mostly because it feels ridiculous and I don't want my teens seeing me do it. LOL Ridiculous or not it only takes a few for me to start "feeling the burn." If I remember correctly, the article I read said to work your way up to 20 repititions, twice a day.

[SlowSure]

Originally Posted by TryingJudd

And let's talk about the neck thing, puleeeeeeze. If anyone has an answer to that dilemma I'd love to not have my grandmom's turkey neck when I finally reach goal..

I've lost 20lbs since January and not one person has noticed. When we were out at the weekend, I wandered into the section of a store with a lot of bathroom and magnifying mirrors and had such a shock.

I went to my DH and said, "I've just seen myself in several mirrors, is this [touching my wattle] as bad as I think it is? Is this why no-one's noticed I've lost weight?". His silence as he tried to come up with a tactful response spoke volumes. And then he said, "I'm sorry, yes it is. Not always, but if you move your head or laugh then it's quite prominent".

He would usually go out of his way not to offend me (knowingly) but he obviously thought about it for a few hours and that night he said, "I know you're not someone who thinks about cosmetic surgery but if you wanted to get that corrected after you're settled with your weight loss, I'm happy that we spend the money on it".

Which is very sweet of him. I think it's partially genetic (there's a frightening portrait of my maternal grandmother who has it, albeit she was about 60lbs heavier than I am and one of my sisters, who is likewise) so I don't know if it is wholly correctable.

[Rebecca1979]

I don't care if I have to take my fat gut and roll it up like a swiss cake in my pants. I ain't gettin' it hacked off.

[TryingJudd]

Thanks for the tip wiifit. I will be starting that today! If that doesn't work, I hope my DH is as supportive as Slowsure's for surgery as I think my neck ages me 15 years.

[grannysmith]

Originally Posted by Rebecca1979

I don't care if I have to take my fat gut and roll it up like a swiss cake in my pants. I ain't gettin' it hacked off.

LOL! It's even funnier when I hear it with a N Carolina accent!

[Librarygirl]

Originally Posted by grannysmith

There's a huge genetic component to this too, I'm sure, plus the age factor. I gained 50 lbs with my first baby, lost it all and then some in 5 months...then got pregnant again 6months later (TOM never came back between, TMI, and my excuse, I'm sticking to it) and gained 60 some with that one, lost it all in about 7 months...some really ugly stretch marks, but the skin all tightened back up. This was between 20 and 22 years old, and involved starvation...and breast feeding.

At 52, I've lost less than 20 lbs, and i have saggy skin...i dunno...

I am 49 and have lost a whopping total of 26 lbs so far, but no noticeable loose skin yet. I don't know if it matters how often you've lost and gained or not. I have never lost more than about 12 lbs in my life. I'm sure I will see some saggy skin, if I continue to lose, so bring it on!

[deedee]

I'd get surgery for loose skin in a second if I could afford it! But there are other things I'd rather do with my money I guess. It's too bad that seems to be the only solution.

[LoCarbGal]

Originally Posted by SlowSure

I've lost 20lbs since January and not one person has noticed. When we were out at the weekend, I wandered into the section of a store with a lot of bathroom and magnifying mirrors and had such a shock.

I went to my DH and said, "I've just seen myself in several mirrors, is this [touching my wattle] as bad as I think it is? Is this why no-one's noticed I've lost weight?". His silence as he tried to come up with a tactful response spoke volumes. And then he said, "I'm sorry, yes it is. Not always, but if you move your head or laugh then it's quite prominent".

He would usually go out of his way not to offend me (knowingly) but he obviously thought about it for a few hours and that night he said, "I know you're not someone who thinks about cosmetic surgery but if you wanted to get that corrected after you're settled with your weight loss, I'm happy that we spend the money on it".

Which is very sweet of him. I think it's partially genetic (there's a frightening portrait of my maternal grandmother who has it, albeit she was about 60lbs heavier than I am and one of my sisters, who is likewise) so I don't know if it is wholly correctable.

Oh SlowSure! That's so frustrating! But DH sounds like an absolute treasure. I also have a wrinkle on my neck/under chin that looks horrible to me. I'm not sure if it's a wattle or not, but likely will be by the time I get rid of 70 more pounds. I had it the last time I lost weight about 12 years ago, when I was mid 30s, and it did sort of smooth out on its own (not completely) but then I started gaining again. I'm going to try that exercise Wiiifit suggested, and also look up facial exercises. I'm willing to spend some time on those to avoid surgery if possible. I also have a facial cleansing brush that is too harsh for cleansing, but just right for dry brushing my neck, so I'm going to start doing that too.

[Kissa]

SlowSure I lost 60 pounds in 2001 and in 2002 I had a facelift. I had a serious wattle, and it was partly genetic. My father, who was never fat, had one. He left me a small sum in his will and I chose to spend it on the facelift.

I didn't think I was someone who would ever do this, but I realised that all the lines on my face I had earned, they were me, my character. There is no character in a wattle!

I have to say it was the best decision ever.

Other than that... today I was trying on my swimmies before my holiday and I am certain my inner thigh skin looks better this year. I think I may even wear shorts in Turkey (nobody knows me there, lol)

[SlowSure]

Originally Posted by TryingJudd

I hope my DH is as supportive as Slowsure's for surgery as I think my neck ages me 15 years.

It is aging, isn't it? I literally have a roll to clutch between 5 fingers.

Originally Posted by LoCarbGal

Oh SlowSure! That's so frustrating! But DH sounds like an absolute treasure.

He is, and I'm very fortunate. He said he'd been wondering whether to say something for a while but didn't want to broach it.

Originally Posted by Kissa

I had a serious wattle, and it was partly genetic. My father, who was never fat, had one. He left me a small sum in his will and I chose to spend it on the facelift.

I didn't think I was someone who would ever do this, but I realised that all the lines on my face I had earned, they were me, my character. There is no character in a wattle!

I have to say it was the best decision ever.

You really do come up with bonmots that are perfect straplines: "There is no character in a wattle!". You're absolutely right. Yours has never returned after the surgery?

Have a super time in Turkey and wear those shorts - you'll top up on your vitamin D and be comfortable at the same time.