One thought I cant shake lately: will I need plastic surgery if I have to lose more than 100lbs?

I have seen so many shows on tv, about people who lose LOTS of weight, but they have saggy skin left on their bodies. These people are basically at their goal weight, but their bodies are covered with massive amounts of lose, flabby, skin.

Will this happen to me? Are there exercises, lotions, or anything else I can do to avoid this?

I imagine it has partly to do with your age and the elasticity of your skin and if you lose your weight really, really fast (like with lapband surgery).

I wanted to hear from someone who has done LC and exercise and has any advice or knowledge on this topic?

Yes, I also would be very interested to hear what may await me at the end of this journey! Can you help us?

I doubt with "Only 100" lbs to lose that you will need plastic surgery. Most of the people who need surgery are folks who have lost 200+ lbs very quickly through gastric surgery. They lose too quickly and their skin doesn't have time to rebound. If your weight loss is slow and steady, as it should be, your skin will eventually catch up with you. They say to wait at least one year after you reach goal to decide if you need plastic surgery.

I am not an expert but I have to agree with LaJauna...I think most people find that their skin catches up with their loss...Now it might not ever be the skin of a teenager again but I think most find that whatever bit of loose skin they have is minimal and doesnt interfere with everyday life. A good lotion to help your skin cant hurt (vitamin e enriched) Also Vitamin A is essential for skin repair and elasticity (spinach and brocolli are great for this vitamin) Vitamin C helps build collagen (cabbage, strawberries and tomatoes)

I of course am not at goal so this is just my opinion!! Maybe someone on here who is at goal knows better!

I have not lost 100 pounds yet, but I am now 85 pounds down and don't have much loose skin to speak of. I think it's been a blessing that my loss has been slow as this allows my body time to adjust to the change. It's also been useful that my fat loss has been from all over my body. I think loose skin is more likely when you lose all the weight from one spot; this happens with some of our men who lose all their weight from their chest and stomach. The age and health of your skin also plays a factor. In summation....it depends I would focus on your weight loss and improving your health and then let the chips fall where they may. After you've been maintaining for a year or two, if you have loose skin that bothers you, then you could consider surgery. IMO, unless I have massive amounts of loose skin (which seems doubtful at this point), I will have no interest in surgery. Good luck.

--Melissa

I have the same worries, although I have alot more to lose than you. But I have found some information about dry skin brushing. There is alot of info out there about it, and alot of people claim it really works. www.curezone.com has alot of info, but its kind of hard to find it. lol

I've already lost over 100 pounds. I don't seem to have any more skin than I had when I started out at almost 400 pounds. I do think that losing more slowing helps your skin and body adjust as you go. It's taken me 4 years to lose this weight. But it's very good advice to wait at least a year before considering surgery, once you have reached your goal.

Yea pretty much. Skin doesn't go away and its pretty bad (especially when you get close to goal)

so far its eaten up 26 thousand on my side but no question its worth it.

My understanding is that it has less to do with how fast you *lose* the weight but how fast you *gained* it. Gaining stretches the skin, if you do it too fast, the skin can't adjust. I can't remember where I read that though.

No it has to do with how much.

There are alot of old wives tales around skin but pretty much if your 100+ your going to have it and its not going anywhere. Under that it generally just becomes stretchmarks. Some mileage may very but its not common.

Some stuff I know doesn't help

Getting body fat down to the 7% range (did nothing at all)
Losing weight slowly (I lost mine over 3 years)
coconut oil and other skin treatments (can lighten stretchmarks but doesn't do anything for skin that I saw)

Using sauna regularly (I didn't try this till after I have the surgery so not sure here. I don't think its likely to help but it really helps clear out toxins from the diet so recommend it anyway.

Hmm, I wonder where all my skin went to then????

It depends on many things - including age and genetics.
At 33 I lost 113 pounds in 4 months (312 down to 199) and had NO LOOSE SKIN. Exclusive exercise was lots of walking and then up to jogging - Richard Simmons tapes.
I have recently lost (over several years) over 150 pounds (and still have 200 pounds to go) and have little sagging skin. Matter of fact my upper arms - chest are in great shape - no sag.
First: LOSE THE WEIGHT YOU DESIRE.
Second: worry about the loose skin. You MAY need some help. You may not.

Its likely still there.

You can carry alot of skin without it being that noticeable unless you hold the body part at an angle. This is 100% true is you still have weight to lose before your goal. believe me its not really noticeable until you get where your going.

Before you get there fat tends to smooth-out the extra skin a descent amount.

Yea pretty much. No matter how much skin you have its not going to be that noticeable unless your nude. (unless you have bad arms)

i think lose skin happens so far i'm down 127 pounds and there is no going to be no help for my thighs but my things is where all or most of my weight was so that was to be expected. i just start lifting weights and stuff but i'm never going to build enough muscle in my thighs to help the lose skin so i know plastics is in my future.