Will I get loose skin after I lose the weight?

[LaFilleTriste]

I am 5'2" and 180 lbs. I'm going to try to lose weight. I don't really know how much weight I need to lose for my height, but personally I think my healthy weight would be at 100 lbs. If this is the case, I would need to lose 80 lbs, which I've heard would cause loose skin because of the substantial amount of weight that it is. Does anyone know what's the best thing I can do to prevent or at least reduce the chances of getting loose skin? I have struggled with my weight for years, and it has actually made me a very depressesed, anti-social person. Everyday I cry because of what I've done to myself. I would like to think that I'd be happier once I reach my goal weight, but knowing that I could get loose skin would just make me feel worse about myself, since right now I am already dealing with having stretch marks practically all over my body, as well as other incurable skin conditions I have due to my obesity. I'd be grateful for any advice.

[annie24]

hey - no worries, you'll get to your goal. there may be some skin problems, but hopefully, it shouldn't be too bad. you can always have surgery to have it removed, if it is a problem.

 

I think... and am not sure... but that if the weight is lost gradually over a long period of time, your skin should look just fine. I know a woman that was your height who lost 80 pounds, and I didn't see any saggy skin problems from her at all!

 

in any case, it will be better than the situation you are in now. It is not healthy to be depressed and anti-social. I bet if you lost some, you'd start to feel better about yourself right away!!!

 

good luck and hang in there!

[LostInMyThoughts]

Talk with your doctor about what they think a healthy weight for you would be.

 

5'2 @ 100lbs doesn't seem healthy to me.

 

2nd, yes you'll have loose skin when you lose weight, but the skin will eventually tighten back up.

 

If your weight loss is gradual, then you stand less of a chance of having much loose skin.

 

For reference I went from 220lbs to 172lbs in 9 months and didn't have any loose skin.

[annie24]

ok, I just did a BMI calculator run (body mass index). The healthy range for a 5'2" 22 year old is 109-125 pounds.

 

(of course, can vary depending on frame, musculature), but this is the general ballpark.

[LaFilleTriste]

No matter how bad I feel about the way I look, I don't think I would ever get surgery. Because if I were to get surgery for having loose skin, I'd start thinking all these negative things like although I've lost the excess skin, I'd have big old scars in place of them, and that my scars would be really bad because my skin never heals properly. I have plenty of scars on my body from minor cuts and scrapes, that would have otherwise healed completely on a normal person.

[annie24]

are you considering not losing weight because of the skin?

[LaFilleTriste]

I'd feel better if I didn't have to lose 80 lbs because then I would think the chances are lower with less weight to lose. I don't think I'm in the higher range of weight for someone who's 5'2", because back when I was 120 lbs, people thought I was chunky.

[LaFilleTriste]

the thought of loose skin would not make me change my mind about losing the weight. I just feel like it would really suck to get loose skin because of all the other skin problems I already have.

[annie24]

hm... don't think of it in really big numbers, like 60 or 80 pounds. make small goals for yourself, and celebrate them!

 

how about for the next few weeks, just focus on losing 5 pounds. that won't make your skin loose, and it's a good start. treat yourself when you lose, not with food, but with a DVD or a book or a perfume or something. Same thing for the next 5 pounds. When you hit 165, buy yourself a new outfit.

 

reward yourself for the little progress that you make. don't freak yourself out by thinking about a 65 pound weight loss. that sounds daunting and scary.

 

I bet a lot of your skin problems will start going away though, once you start losing, so don't get scared now.

 

who was calling you chunky at 120? people say all sorts of messed up stuff. don't listen to them.

[LaFilleTriste]

Sometimes, I'm actually optimistic about the skin problems going away if I lose the weight, and sometimes I'm not. But I'm still going to do what I have to do because I figure being thin with skin problems is better than being fat with skin problems.

 

I'm also aware that I'm at risk for diseases and it's a reason why I'm trying to lose weight. I have most of my fat concentrated in my belly which is the worst place to have it. However, my health isn't the main reason I'm making this decision to lose weight.

 

Oh why couldn't I just be like those people that may be overweight, but have it all in the right places? If I was like that now, I probably wouldn't be giving myself such a hard time, but I'm not like that. That's why everybody thinks I'm disgusting.

[LaFilleTriste]

Everyone's constantly asking when my baby is due, and I'm not even pregnant!

[annie24]

no, you are not disgusting! embrace your body. love yourself. ok, I sound really new-agey right now, but seriously. you are not disgusting. EVERY woman is beautiful in her own way - either her eyes, or her hair, or whatever...

 

first, stop being so hard on yourself. you are beautiful now, and you'll be beautiful thin also.

 

what is your main reason for wanting to lose weight?

 

PS - have you thought about weight watchers? they are a great program, I tell everyone I know....

[annie24]

Everyone's constantly asking when my baby is due, and I'm not even pregnant!

 

I am so sorry. people can be so rude and tactless.

[LaFilleTriste]

People always tell me that I have certain physical qualities that are beautiful after I complain about being ugly because they just want to be nice. They think I'm fishing for compliments.

 

Yes, I believe all women are beautiful...except for me. I'm the exception. I thought that at least if I weren't blessed with good looks, then I could be smart or funny or interesting. But I'm none of those things as well. I am nothing. This makes me cry.

[Rabican]

im no doctor, but I would think that losing it slowly may be best... try dropping down to 150ish first... stay there a while maybe?

 

I dunno... id maybe try pausing in my diet/ fitness routine for a bit and see if that helps. Also im sure theres some lotions, cremes etc that help with the stretch marks (not sure how much they help) but ive seen some at the store, guess they have lots of vitamin e (i think) try those?

[LaFilleTriste]

I don't think anybody could ever understand how deeply I loathe my appearance and personality. I look around and all I see are people who are normal, people who don't have to wear winter clothes in the summer because they have no stretch marks or scars to hide. All I see are girls my age, able to express themselves with nice clothes because they don't look like monsters. All I hear are guys talking about how beautiful certain women are, how they're so great because they look good. I know this is all so superficial, but I can't help it. I just want to be like everyone else: NORMAL.

[LaFilleTriste]

I'm sorry if I'm getting somewhat off topic. This happens to me a lot. No matter what I'm talking about, it all just leads to how I'm ugly.

[LaFilleTriste]

I know that I'm saying that I'm planning to lose the weight, but I've actually been planning to lose the weight for 7 years, and I've never come around to doing it. All I've done is gain more and more weight. I shouldn't even be worrying about loose skin right now, I should be worrying if I could even lose the weight at all. A lot of the time that I've failed is because I sometimes get to thinking that it's not worth it to take care of myself, and that I should just keep doing the bad I've been doing to my body because that's what I deserve.

[LaFilleTriste]

Sooner or later no one will reply to my posts, because they'll know that I'm just completely hopeless. I mean, people don't want to hear someone complain incessantly and ask for advice, and then just give everyone the impression that their advice is useless. I'm sorry. Maybe I just need some sympathy.

[annie24]

look, you're not hopeless at all.

 

and beauty really has a lot to do with attitude. carry yourself like you are smart and pretty, and others will start treating you that way. self-esteem is incredibly important. you are a special individual, you have a lot to offer, don't let the bad voices in your head tell you otherwise.

 

there is always hope. first, start losing. that will help. and you'll fit your clothes better, and that will feel good. next, get makeup lessons, makeup can do great things. get braces if you need them, get a flattering haircut. there is always plastic surgery also.

 

you'll get there. don't worry. you are young, 22, your metabolism is still high. even making small changes can yeild large results!

[akazie]

Oh hun, my heart really goes out to you, some people can be extremely cruel.

 

If you put emu oil on your skin, it should help with firming up your skin, fading your stretch marks, fading your scars, make your skin heal faster when you get cuts, yes one product can do all of this. You can buy it online, at health food stores and pharmacies. It can be a bit pricey so I buy it off ebay for a lot cheaper.

 

link removed

 

The link above is about emu oil. You will be amazed at all the conditions that emu oil can be used to treat.

[annie24]

hm. my friend's sister used cocoa butter during and after her pregnancy and she wound up with NO stretchmarks what so ever! could just be good genes also....

[helpme2]

I lost 80lbs in 6 months once, I had loose skin, it tightened back up, it took about 6 months, it wasn't that bad. I am also 5ft 2in, and my doctor and I have agreed on a goal weight of 135 due to my frame and the fact that I have a lot of muscle.

 

The way my dr. explained it to me, is to imagine we are all dogs (like actual fuzzy cute puppy type dogs) greyhounds want to be sharpies, bull dogs want to be poodles, poodles want to be mastiffs.........whatever kind of dog you are, that's what you are, you can be the best poodle there is, but a poodle can't be a mastiff.

 

long story short, eat healthy and listen to your body, don't try to be someone else's idea of perfect, be who you are, be healthy and be happy.

[helpme2]

I'm sorry if I'm getting somewhat off topic. This happens to me a lot. No matter what I'm talking about, it all just leads to how I'm ugly.

I decided long ago to embrace my ugliness, now I am NOT saying you are ugly, I would have no idea how I would know if you were or not.

 

I think I am ugly, and you know what? I am cool with that, everyone isn't a rocket scientist, everyone isn't beautiful, it's OK. I am smart, funny, and a good friend, those are things I can be honest about.

 

What do you have that you can be honest about? are you caring? are you funny? are you smart? are you a good listener?

 

I know some people think you "have" to love your body, well, if I have to then I am going to pick something out that I can be honest about.... I like my fingernails, and my toes, and my cheekbones. I don't like the parts of me that are overweight, but I can fix that. I like my personality and in the end that's all that matters. Beauty fades, but dumb is forever, when I get old, I will still be smart and funny, and a good friend. I may be beautiful then too, but right now I plan on focusing on the stuff I can be proud of.

[Anna.]

ok, I lost 100 lbs. when i was 17. I did not do it right, and as a result I do have loose skin. But it's not so bad. I mean now I keep my skin very moisturized and even though I have stretch mark and whatever, I'm much happier at the weight I am now. The best thing you can do, though, is drink ALOT of water while you are loosing weight and rub cocoa butter on yourself everyday. Keep your skin hydrated and moisturized and it will really help.