Hi there

Question for everyone/anyone...

I've always been overweight severely, though I'm finally starting to drop poundage by simply cutting back or cutting out 'major' carbs (candy, ice cream, lots of bread, pasta, potatoes, etc) w/o following a specific 'plan'.

My question comes from my own experience in the sun. I've got a rather incomplete "farmer's tan" where my forearms, neck and face are starting to get a good tan, and I don't burn (painfully) on them, even w/o sunscreen when I'm outdoors working (I do apartment maintenance). The skin on my face and arms, where they're tan, is nice and firm and smooth as well. I've never actually laid out or gone to a booth or anything...always thought of it as 'putting a fresh coat of paint on an outhouse

Anywho, I'm starting to get an 'apron' -- my belly, where most of my fat is (and seems to be dropping away from, at least for now, is much less pronounced, is much softer, and it's starting to sag downward as a result of losing. Not of the attractive.

I was wondering...does tanning help in firming up skin, like my arms and neck and face are? I've got -no- tan on my shoulders/belly/legs (anywhere covered by jeans and a t-shirt). Should I start getting some color all around? Does the dehydration/UV/metabolic action that comes from tanning firm things up any? Anyone have any experience in this? Just curious.

Sean

i do know, from experience, that tanning softens stretchmarks, but im not sure if it actually replenishes elasticity in your skin or not.

http://www.aad.org/pamphlets/darker.html

I would say no, tanning won't help your skin at all!
JMHO
Mary

No, I can't imagine it helping in that way.

The best thing that will help your skin as you lose weight is water and moisturizers. You skin will need moisture to regain it's elasticity as you lose weight. So drink your water and use a moisturizer (perferably with vitamin E) on your skin.

This will take time... skin can bounce back. Slowly... but it can happen.

The only thing that going to a tanning bed would be getting you tan. I go tanning and I just sweat, then I hydrate my body by drinking more water after I have gone tanning! Thats about it! Other then that you can try what ever you think might work...good luck!!

Tanning makes you look great now- but it actually damages your skin, reducing elasticity.

Personally, I have started tanning...............my reasoning being that it makes me feel better, therefore eat less.............

It's a simple cost/benefit thing. I think it's worth it (even for my health), even though it is damaging.

I tan, but the only reason I do it is because I think tan fat looks much better than white fat!!! It just makes me feel better.

Have you guys thought about the spray on tans? I haven't tried it, but a friend has. It looks natural and isn't overly expensive.

Loose skin happens as a consequence of breaking down the collagen fibers of the skin. This is associated with abnormally rapid stretching (like a growth spurt in childhood, pregnancy, or weight gain) and aging. Tanning may help mask skin damaged by weight gain, but it will never help it give back its natural elasticity.

Once the damage has been done and the skin has lost elasticity, it is more or less gone forever. The only way to permenantly change it is by opting for elective surgeries which remove skin, and artificially give the damaged skin a look of elasticity and firmness by pulling it very taut.

A test you can do to see if your skin has elasticity is simple. Take a piece of your skin between your index finger and thumb, and pull it away from your body. Hold it for 5 seconds, then let go. Very elastic skin will immediately snap back into place (for example, the skin on the back of your hand). Very damaged skin will retain the stretched out shape a bit and then slowly return to its former shape (areas where you retained a LOT of fat might be this bad off... my arms are this bad unfortunately).