Flabby skin

[toofattoo]

Can any senior (62 and over) who has lost a lot of weight give me some insight as to how long it takes to lose the excess skin that will be left when I reach my goal weight? Or will I be doomed to carry it around with me for the rest of my life or go the surgery route? Peg

[csoar2004]

Hi Peg :wave:
I'm not over 62. But I rid myself of over 80 pounds between age 49-50. I'm happy to say that I don't have a saggy skin problem <wahoooooooo!>
I attribute this to several factors:
1) The fat flush plan (which is the lo-carb plan that I follow) utilizes flax seed oil and GLA (in the form of either evening primrose oil, borage oil, or black currant seed oil). Between them, these two omega-rich oils help skin regenerate and give it a glowing appearance.
2) dry skin brushing. Hooooooboy! this is a wonderful activity - not only does it feel wonderful - it stimulates the lymphatic system to flush cellulite AND stimulates the skin, too, helping it along in the shrinkage department. Do a search on the term, you'll find lotsa wonderful info out there.
3) rebounding. Nothing like getting your cardio exercise by jumping on a mini-trampoline (feels more like fun than exercise! :thup: ). This particular type of exercise is low impact and ALSO stimulates the lymphatic system. (see, the lymphatic system has no central pump like the cardio/heart, or respiratory/lung systems. It therefore uses gravity and YOUR MOVEMENT to flush out toxins from cells)
4) pilates mat work out. Again, this feels more like fun to me than a workout. It's given me back my flexibility and helped me build this slender <size 6!! :D > body I never dreamed I could have. Admittedly, I was so fat in the beginning that I had to do all the moves in the modified position. :help: But these days I can not only SEE my toes, I can touch 'em!! :lol:
5) genes. Ok, it's true, I got good ones (thanks, mom & dad!)
6) time. Sometimes, for us--um--chronologically gifted types, it's gonna take time for our skin to catch up to the rest of us. ;)

While you can't do anything about your number 5, you've got some other ideas that may work. :agree: :idea:

happy shrinkage!!

[littletexa]

Dear Peg,
If you get a workable answer to your question, I need it too! Tried to leave a comment at your gallery (good job lady! I'm just starting and hope I can follow in your footsteps!), but wasn't allowed to post, so I came back here.
The problem is that even when the weight is lost (so they tell me) those fat cells are still lurking around (although flattened out I guess) waiting for a refill. Don't know the answer about the skin - know for sure the facial wrinkles look way worse as the weight comes off (I've lost the same 40 pounds so many times I can even begin to count!), but at age 57 I find I'm not caring as much about it as I did at age 37 - I just want to be able to cut my toenails again without huffing and puffing!
And I figure that in a year or so I'd better be ready to chase my new grandson around a little too!
Keep up the good work, and let me know what you do about the loose skin!

[shawnee]

Hey ladies, I'm actually suprised that there are so few threads about 'FLOB' (my term for loose skin) on this board

Let me add my two cents. Problem for those of us in this forum is also our age. People who are in their teens & twenty's can often lose 100 lbs & have their skin snap right back into place.

I think the younger you are the easier this problem is to overcome. If you're like me the fact that we're 50 plus cannot be changed

This issue is why I think slow but steady is a good way to lose. I lost around 40 lbs on the 1st six monthes of this WOL the flob problem was pretty bad, I spent the next six monthes exercising & reshaping & only lost an additional 3-4 lbs pretty much on purpose as I tried to tighten up overall before losing more. Losing slowly and drinking LOTS of water helps our skin be able to keep up with the changes

More importantly exercise is the key & not just a specific area but trying to bring down the bodyfat percentage overall via a regular exercise program.

My biggest problem area was the one area that cannot be hidden; under my neck where I used to have multiple chins & then after losing 40lbs looked like a turkey, but that too slowly improved & has eventually gone away especially after practicing the following exercise regularly over the past 1&1/2 years

Tilt your head back nose pointed up.
Open your mouth as far (as widely) as possible & slowly
close it while still looking upward
Do 10 repetitions twice a day. You could start out with 5 and build up. You will tone those muscles. The first time you do it will make your face and neck sore. But if you continue, it will go away like any exercise & eventually its starts to tighten your neck

So I say lose slow & steady, don't forget to keep up the water intake & dont forget the KEY component to a healthy low carb lifestyle, regular exercise; not only to get rid of that flob but to be sucessfull over the long term.

An additional benefit of course is that people that incorporate regular exercise into their low carb program are usually the ones that are sucessfull at reaching their overall goals.

[Jiggy Puff]

Extra skin cannot be improved by any exercise. Only the muscle underneath the skin can be toned and may slightly improve the appearance. Young skin can shrink back some but that depends on how obese that person was in the first place. I am sad to say there is only one way to reduce excess skin and that is by surgical removal and tightening.
I know this is not what you wanted to hear but it is the honest medical fact of the situation unfortunately.:(

[Duparc]

There are two amino acids that might assist in reducing the amount of bodily slack due to dieting. Regretfully, I am able only to recall one, meantime, which is N-Acetyl Cysteine. As it is an amino acid, in order to do its specific task it requires to be taken on an empty stomach with nothing to eat for about an hour afterwards. Don't expect an immediate impact but it might help and if it does, it could be slow at doing so. I am using it at the moment for aging-flesh and it seems to be working and restoring muscle to its more youthful-looking state. This effect happened when low-carbing which seems to have accelerated the condition but currently I am reluctant to blame it on the diet. I am sure glad to have discovered something that seems to be helping.

[firelady]

I lost my 40+ pounds in my late 40s. Three years later I
have less wrinkles and much improved skin tone on my throat. I do the facial exercises and skin tapping, I use topicals like vit C serum and DMAE, I eat flax and fish oil and drink plenty of water and green tea. It is partly genes but I'm sure the other things helped out also.

Good luck. It takes time. If it really bothers you do a chin tuck.

[Born2run]

I'm not over 62 either, but have noticed that my under arms are flabby, and I lift weights. So I am going to seriously look into some of the suggestions you all have recommended, thanks. Judy

[firelady]

Duparc: I don't think low carb could have accelerated skin aging. After the first 6 months without changing anything else I lost considerable wrinkles. I did get loose skin at the chin which took some time (over a year )to
tighten up but that was just because I'd lost 40 pounds and I am older so
it takes time for the skin to recover. Luckily for me it did but I would council anyone who lost weight and is bothered by hanging skin to try diet and topicals for a year and then get surgery.

Everyone: I get DMAE from Skin ACtives you can mix it in with any inexpensive skin cream you like. If you get a "fancy" skin cream you'll probably get less actives. There is plenty of evidence in the literature that DMAE works and that the effect is cumulative over time.

[ladylou]

Hi Peg
I was the proverbial apple shape as opposed to pear shape,since starting "the diet" i've lost considerable fat from around the middle also arms and like yourself have the flabby skin to prove it. I walk quite a lot + exercises for the problem areas and I have to say I'm having some success with tightening up, I am using exercises from the Monica Grenfell site
(uk) which I find easy enough to do but I agree with the other forumers that at our age (51) it will take time and patience so good luck to us all.

[annielee]

I lost 80 lbs in ten months with low carb when I was 40. I had no sagging skin. Alas, I gained back much of my weight a few years ago. A divorce and the death of a son had me reeling. Now I'm over 65 and as I'm losing the weight I have ugly sagging skin. As we age our skin loses it's elasticity. I'm afraid that surgery is the only way to get rid of it. Phooey!

[mskllsws]

I am 52, and lost 110 pounds. No amount of exercise was toning my skin.
I have had three surgeries to deal with the problem, and am very pleased with the results.

Whether your skin will "snap back" after weight loss is determined by
1.age
2. how overweight (how much it was stretched0
3. how long it was stretched (9 months of pregnancy or 30 years big difference)
4. genetics

I had been obese since childhood. After forty years of overweight I was doomed to a surgical solution. Someone who only had 40 pounds to lose might not face the same situation as I did because the stretch is not as much.

I went from a size 26 down to my current size 10/12 before surgery, and being only 12 days post op I have fit into an 8.

If you like look at my gallery for some before and after photos.
Karen

[TANA1]

I lost 100 pounds since June of 2006. The biggest problem i have is "batwings", but I guess I just don't wear sleeveless tops.

I started wearing size 22 or 2-3x tops, 42DD bras, and now am wearing size 4, junior size 5, and size 34 C bras.

I am not sure if I will attempt wearing a swimsuit, it has been more than 20 years since I owned one.

[Kisal]

I'm over 62, and I have lots of flabby skin. However, it doesn't seem to be as bad now that I'm barely losing weight at all as it was when I was losing rapidly. Perhaps it's tightening up a bit as time goes by, but I don't think it will ever go away completely.

I'm still debating with myself whether I might want to have the excess removed surgically if I ever get down to a reasonable weight. A lot will depend on how bad it looks after I've maintained my weight for a year or 2.

[galatia]

I lost 100 pounds since June of 2006. Wow!! Congratulations! :)

I started wearing size 22 or 2-3x tops, 42DD bras, and now am wearing size 4, junior size 5, and size 34 C bras.
I'd love to see pictures, you are surely an inspiration!! What does your meal plan look like? How many calories, etc.? I've seen people doing Kimkins, but I don't know what it is they are eating. :) What exercise are you doing? It's very interesting finding out the particulars when someone is so successful. :)
Again....Congratulations!

[TANA1]

galatia,
Thank you.
Hoping to get some pics soon.
I just followed the basic KE and kimkins plans. Still a work in progress, learning how to maintain.

[Cyclegirl]

I'm almost 57 and after my 100 lb. weight loss I had much loose skin. I was an avid exerciser cardio and weight training. I told myself that before I would look into surgery I would be faithful to try to improve it with exercise, didn't happen and the plastic surgeon said it would never happen. I had a braecheoplasty (bat wings and abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) at the same time I had my abdominal hysterectomy and no the surgery for plastics was not covered. I am very happy I had it done.

[SissyPoo]

My stomach droops now, I can imagine what it will look like when I lose weight.
I am new to low carb and just starting my plan with Atkins so are you telling me my stomach will get even flabbier!
Its been like this since I had children many years ago.
No exercise or sit ups or anything has been able to flatten it.