How to avoid baggy skin after weight-loss?

many people with large weight losses learn to accept it as part of themselves. I couldn't agree more. I'm 28 and I've lost a total of 115 lbs. I have loose skin on my arms, thighs, and stomach, but nothing too awful. I think it's way more pronounced than I can get any of my friends or loved ones to agree it is. The surgery leaves you with massive scars, is expensive and is incredibly painful. They show someone having it on most episodes of the new show "Big Medicine" if you're curious about it. What determines whether your skin can shrink and firm up or not is whether you have stretch marks. Where you have stretch marks the skin is scarred and inelastic. (For me it's the arms, thighs & stomach.) You can not fix this without surgery. Good job on your weight loss, I wish you the best, feel free to email me if you'd like to discuss this more. On the weight loss message boards I frequent this is a common concern for people who are aiming to lose a great deal of weight, but the people who have lost 100++ lbs for the most part have, over time, accepted it as a part of the whole process. I'm kind of proud of my weird skin, I point it out to people and get to brag about my weight loss (I only do this in the context of sports practice.) I'm cool enough with my skin issues to have worn a bikini this weekend, and http://flickr.com/photos/palegirl/878711295/ I feel very leery about people having surgery to take up excess skin, unless they can maintain a weight loss for a very, very long time. What happens when you (as most do) regain some weight? Uh...your skin stretches again? It's not like you're going to bust long-healed stitches or anything. Oh no, your skin only stretches so far, and then it breaks and stretch marks develop. Stretch marks are bad, they're scars, they're different from regular skin, and they should be avoided at all cost. Your surgical scars will probably move around, possibly to weird ugly places, too. I don't know right now if I will one day have a baby, but that possibility keeps me from even considering having my skin surgically corrected. Sometimes I point to the stretch marks on my tummy and say "that's where the baby goes!"

From what I understand, it's pretty much a crapshoot. Your age will help, as will your rate (more like 1-2 lbs a week as you approach your goal). Also, stay well hydrated, which I'm sure you're doing anyway if you're having success losing weight, and moisurize your skin. I've heard that shea butter helps with elasticity and stretch marks, but as long as it's a relatively natural lotion, anything would probably be fine.

I was just going to repeat what ferociouskitty said. The creams are pretty much a scam. Genetics determine a lot, but you're more likely to have sags if you lose the weight rapidly, smoke, or are older. You're losing at a good pace. Keep your skin healthy by drinking lots of water and getting all your vitamins (especially Vitamin E, B-complexes, and Zinc), and after that you just gotta cross your fingers and hope.

It is a total crapshoot as ferociouskitty says ... your youth and slow weight loss are your best bets. Also make sure you are including exercise in your routine. I would not really worry so much about the loose skin at this point though - many people with large weight losses learn to accept it as part of themselves. Right now you don't need to discourage yourself by pointing out any potential downside of weight loss anyway - you are doing an excellent thing for your body, and losing 200 lbs and having saggy skin is way better than not losing the 200 lbs for fear or having saggy skin. If you think loose skin will ultimately be something you can't learn to live with, though, you might want to start saving up for surgery now. I would say most people who lose over 100 lbs wind up with at least some loose skin, and 200 lbs makes it seem even more likely to me. And if you wind up not needing it or getting insurance to cover it, then you have saved up enough for a fabulous treat for yourself, like a vacation or new wardrobe. Win win!

I'm fairly young (not yet 30) and my skin elasticity is good if that's relevant. This is all that matters. During slow weight loss for a young person, your skin might well be able to keep up, but if it doesn't, see a doctor about tuning it up.

Better to have loose skin than to stay fat. If no one is paying you to look great naked, then get thin in a reasonable way, exercise as much as possible, and try to love yourself however you are. I feel very leery about people having surgery to take up excess skin, unless they can maintain a weight loss for a very, very long time. What happens when you (as most do) regain some weight?

I agree with everyone that said it will feel better to not be fat and have saggy skin rather than to stay fat. I have the same problem, to an extent. Over the course of 3 years, I dropped 90 pounds. Most of my sag is in the abdominal area and I really don't like it, but there's not much I can do about it now other than try to continue to exercise and firm up all I can. Congratulations on your current and future weight loss!

I feel very leery about people having surgery to take up excess skin, unless they can maintain a weight loss for a very, very long time. What happens when you (as most do) regain some weight? Uh...your skin stretches again? It's not like you're going to bust long-healed stitches or anything.

Stretch marks are bad, they're scars, they're different from regular skin, and they should be avoided at all cost. I have some stretch marks. They're really not that bad, unless there's something painful about huge stretch marks I don't know about. A few marks is nothing compared to the loose skin I've seen some people on television trying to deal with after large amounts of weight loss.