Can skin ever un-stretch on its own?

As most people reach the end of their weight loss, they tend to look gaunt. They get a lot of people telling them they look much too skinny. Some of it is just perception, but some is the result of rapid and massive weight loss.

It takes another year or so after you have done losing for your body to even out. Even though you might be done losing weight, things "shift" around a bit. You can see the results in your face more than anywhere else.

Since you specifically mention diabetes, I'm going to suggest you research a procedure called the Duodenal Switch. Of all the currently-performed weight-loss surgeries, the DS has the highest rate of success if resolving or preventing Type II diabetes---98+%. (The resolution rate for the RNY/gastric bypass is around 85%.)

Thank you, I did look into it and seriously considered it, but it ended up being a moot point because there are no surgeons in-network with my insurance who perform it. I had originally been planning on the sleeve, but that wasn't a good option due to my GERD, so even the RNY is more intestinal re-routing than I'd really been hoping for! I'm still hopeful for diabetes resolution though. I'm not insulin-dependent yet, and I've managed to stop two of my meds (including the injectable) and get my A1c down from 7.4 to 5.8 with the weight I've lost already.

I noticed a slight tightening in year 2 or 3 post op, but it was nothing to write home about, I'm afraid.  I'm still all kinds of jiggly.

As the others have said, if the skin has been stretched too much for too long, it isn't going to snap back much, even if you have age and genetics on your side. Even skin that does retract can take some time to do so. Skin that has stretch marks will never snap back at all because the skin tissue is actually torn.

The skin on my neck tightened up a bit once I was 2 or 3 years out (and I have no idea whether the special night cream I was using really helped or not, but it made my skin soft, so I kept using it), but I still have some sagging skin under my chin. As far as the skin on other parts of my body... Well, I had surgery on my tummy, mons, and arms, but the thighs are hideous with all the extra, wrinkly skin that sags down to my knees, and my boobs hang to my waist.  

Lora

I have already started saving for plastic surgery! My hopes are I can get away with just a tummy tuck, but if the neck is awful I'll consider it too. I don't feel old enough to accept a wattle along with all the premature grey :)

I had my surgery at 30 and some things looked okay, others things did not. My neck and back are fine, for example (my plastic surgeon couldn't even tell that I was obese by looking at my face) but my arms, rear, thighs, stomach and breasts had various degrees of deflation issues.

I waited a couple years to make sure that my skin "caught up" and had a chance to get in order, but it never did. It stayed exactly the same as it did when I stopped losing weight. WI had a very high BMI, so I figure that when my skin got so big, it's just damaged and can't return to a smaller state. For that reason, I needed plastics. It's expensive and a bummer, but it was my only option for my skin at this point.

On the plus side, if it's just a neck issue then you might be able to get plastics done fairly inexpensively. When you're done losing weight, you might get a consult with a couple local surgeons just to get a price in your head so you know what your options are.

Thanks, I appreciate hearing about your experience. I'll see what happens with my neck. I've also always carried an odd amount of weight in my arms, and I know they'll need work eventually. Here's hoping necks and arms are cheaper than legs and butts!  

Arms are the cheapest from what I saw anyway. Butts and legs are the WORST! ugh!

Congratulations on your weight loss!  I'm still deciding whether I want to have the surgery or not.  What have you been doing to lose the 70lbs so far?