Loose skin...????

Hi everyone, I started out as a so called "lightweight" NOT! Anyhow, I have lost 43 pounds in the 4 month mark. I thought when you loose this weight everything will shrink back up....! My arms still have hanging skin and my thighs don't look to great either. Will I for sure have to have surgery to remove this or after reaching my goal weight (50 more to go) will things look worse???? HELP!!! I don't want to have to have a skin lift. Thanks.....any knowledge? Nadine

LOL You sound like me. Not really funny though. I think most people opt for the skin removal. I am not sure how I am going to feel about the skin after all is said and done. But, I am really worried about having plastic surgery. I think it depends on how much you work out, how long you were big, how much you lose total, age, elasticity, etc. I have a friend who had the surgery two years before me, and of course she showed me what her skin looked like, so I kinda knew going in what to expect. It does sound like you are one of the people who didn't have that much to lose, so maybe you won't look as bad as you think. I am really trying to focus on my health and happiness to take my mind off of it for now. You may want to ask your doctor for an opinion and maybe a referral to a plastic surgeon. Maybe you can get a better answer from a pro. You look great, and I wish you well. Take care

Sorry to be the barer of bad news but from everything I've read and heard yes you will need a tummy tuck and some people have their underarms (batwings) and inner thighs done too. I've decided to keep the extra skin, at my age everything sags anyway

It depends alot on the severity of excess weight, age, elasticity of skin, etc. Here is what I have seen so far. At 64 lbs lost, I am not noticing the wrinkly excess skin yet and the skin seems to be shrinking (not that I am expeact it all will) about a month out I was in a dressing room trying on clothing (at the time a tight 24) and looked down and saw a wrinkly excess skin spot on my lower belly. I have seen something similar on others who have lost alot of weight, It's almost like a wrinkly indentation. Horrified I ran to the drug store and bought Nivia? skin firming lotion. It says in 2 weeks you should see improvement. I have lost alot of weight since (now a loose 20) then and I can honestly say that he spot has tightened up so far and the wrinklies are gone, my skin seems to be faring well so far. (not that i expect it will in another 78 pounds, but it gives me hope none the less, that MAYBE I will just have a little and won't need more surguries. But if I do, well i will know i did whatever i could to help. I also heard drinking water and exercise, particularly weight training will help too. Kristy 306/242/165

THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR POST.....I guess I will just have to wait and see what happens......Uhhgggg!!! Oh well, I will hang in there....... no pun intended!!! Hugs, Nadine