Loose Skin Treatment / Prevention

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-18-2005
Loose Skin Treatment / Prevention
7
Mon, 02-21-2005 - 11:20pm

Hi All,

I joined ivillage a few days ago, mainly for the fat flush info. Was thrilled to see the 100 pound plus site-that's me! About 200 pounds to lose. This time (for the first time) am getting everything ready to absolutely insure success. My main question, and one I can't find much solid information on, is how to prevent loose skin after such a large loss. Do body wraps help? Any certain kinds of creams? Please don't tell me it is inevitable! I will not have the cash for plastic surgery after this. There must be a better way? All suggestions appreciated! Thanks!

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-18-2004
Tue, 02-22-2005 - 7:08am

you know, i've been wondering the exact same thing!

i've made a life change over the last 18 months that includes cardio/weight training and sensible eating habits (mostly vegetarian). i can actually wear my bf's 34W/34L jeans now!

the nitty gritty is that i've gone from 292 lbs to 181 lbs, for which i am VERY happy, but i'm seeing stuff around my waist that really concerns me. it kinda hangs from one side to the other, in 3 rows, from my waistline down to my lower hip. when i do situps or just bend to touch my toes, i see the rolls pucker up... along a vertical seam that runs from my belly button to above my pubic bone. :( it's very upsetting to me.

what makes it worse, is that i used to watch Discovery Health Channel's "I Lost It!!" series every day when i'd do my cardio workouts. i was far too embarrassed and self concious to have anyone around during the workouts, so i'd do them in the privacy of my own home. anyway, for anyone unfamiliar with the show, it was about people who lost extreme amounts of weight... ideal inspiration for my workouts. however, one of the big issues for everyone on the show was the unsightly, leftover skin. and in each case, i think the only solution was plastic surgery.

up till now, i was positive that if i exercised, ate sensibly and took everything slowly, i could avoid this. but it seems i haven't. while i'm proud of how far i've gotten, it comes with a sting because i feel like i'll still never be able to go to the beach or even feel confident about my body when i'm intimate with my bf. :(

does anyone have any advice or links to sites that address this issue?

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-17-2005
Tue, 02-22-2005 - 8:23am

OMG, you were reading my mind.

Rhonda

    Spring is Here

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-09-2004
Tue, 02-22-2005 - 8:23am

Well I sure would like to know....I haven't had a great weight loss like you guys but I do have lots of extra just above the fat skin. I can pull it and it comes up about 1/2 an inch or an inch. I know that when I lose all my weight I will have a lot of hanging flab.

So if you guys get a web site into this let me know too! Maybe some Chinese naturalist doctor can answer this question.

Sussie_Q

Avatar for marmax59
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 02-22-2005 - 10:00am
I am not an expert on this topic. This is what I have heard. A lot of that would have to do with your age. The younger you are the better. As you get older you lose elasticity. I don't think there is anything that you can do to prevent this loose skin. Exercise can help build up muscle and that might help a bit especially if you are young. For better info. go to the Ask Jonny Bowden board. He would be a big help. I think the creams are only a temporary fix. Mary
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-31-2004
Tue, 02-22-2005 - 10:11am
The only skin I have that is really lose is around my waist but Im 30 and have had a child.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-18-2005
Tue, 02-22-2005 - 2:53pm

Hi Yesselle,

Thanks for your reply. I am an R.N. so am familiar with the skin's makeup, etc. and know that exercise, water, eating protein while losing are all important. But I keep thinking there has to be something more I can do. There is a lot of good information about body wraps on the site bodywraps4u.com, and it appears to be a legitimate approach. You can do them at home (I had a few wraps many years ago; they were only available at salons and cost $75 each!) so I think I will order a series of at least 4. Also I found a site selling a cream with high amounts of copper peptides, which have been shown to firm. I am still looking! Congratulations on your loss so far, and good luck with the rest!

dogbooks

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-18-2005
Tue, 02-22-2005 - 3:00pm

Hi Rhonda,

Thanks for your reply. I will let everyone know if I find something that works. So far I have found websites for what appear to be legitimate body wraps (bodywraps4u.com) and firming cream with copper peptides (which has been proven to help firm skin). The main thing I will be doing this time to guarantee succes is have everything thought out and planned out ahead of time. First, the doc visit-done. Next, getting all of the junk out of the house-done. Currently am evaluating several diets, leaning strongly toward fat flush. While choosing a diet, I am waiting to receive a detox program I ordered, and am weaning myself off milk and chocolate-two biggies for me! Exercise will be hard at first because I have a heel spur but I love to walk, especially with my dog, so will do as much of that as I can. Finally, the skin thing. I want to be able to be excited about losing, without dreading what I will look like when I am done! Good luck to your efforts!

dogbooks