Body Wraps & Skin Elasticity

So....I just purchased a online deal locally here in MN through Living Social (similar to Groupon). It includes 5 Slimming Body Wraps, Six Fat burning sessions and one facial for $150.

HAS ANYONE HAD ANY SUCCESS WITH BODY WRAPS?

I know this sounds a bit like quakery...or at least it does to me. However, I'm about 20 lbs from my goal weight now. Since that is actually starting to look like a reality, I'm trying to do some other things to shape up. The concept of the wraps is that it is supposed to break down fat, release toxins and condition the skin. I would like to improve my body to the best of my ability w/o plastic surgery (if I can avoid it--nothing against it...I'm just a chicken). So I decided to try some things that may or may not work. At the very least I'll get pampered a little bit. Has anyone else tried this?


Other things I'm doing to work towards the best looking me I can be:

Exercise and eating right (including lots of healthy veggies and lots of water and vitamins)

FYI: Some additional tips regarding skin elasticity received from obesity help posters recently are listed below. They sound like good suggestions.

Lotion with Retinol
-Nivea with Vitamin E
-Supplement with Neocell Collagen C (purchased at Costco. A huge -horse pill suggested to crush up or disolve in water etc if that makes it easier for you). It is supposed to be good for the skin.
-Strength Training
-Hydration
-Fish oil
-exfoliation

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Well, at worst you bought yourself a $150 facial. Here is what WebMD says about body wraps:

Can a Body Wrap Slim You?

As for the slimming wraps, "any loss of inches is going to be temporary,'' Fryhofer says. ''Wraps cannot take the place of a healthy diet and exercise."

Susie Ellis agrees. "After you take the [slimming] wrap off, there will be an appearance of tightness," she says. "It is definitely temporary." It may last, she says, for a day or two.

But if you're trying to look good for a day at the beach on your honeymoon, for instance, temporary improvement may be good enough, Ellis says. "I look at those slimming wraps like a spray tan," she says. "It's temporary, but sometimes temporary is OK."

"They won't give you long-term weight loss," Tanzi says. "They can temporarily make you feel a little thinner and when you look at the scale the pounds can go down a pound or two. But that's water weight loss. It's a temporary phenomenon."

More to this article here, including releasing toxins, etc:  http://www.webmd.com/skin-beauty/features/body-wraps-what-to-expect

I did a couple- years ago, with a friend for the heck of it- yes, they are quackery. They work just by compression and water loss- very temporary. Great if you need to get into a dress that night, but be careful- by the end of the evening - poof!

As far as the skin.. All those things above may make the surface look better- but none will address the loss of firmness caused by stretching the skin the way we did when we were big. It's damaged, only genetics, how you carried your weight, age, how many times you yo-yo'd a lot.. will really determine the bounce back. In time- a year or two- your skin will look a little better.

Def build muscle, it helps the skin to have a nice foundation under it! Exfoliate all you want, it will make the surface look good & moisturize. Save the retinols for the face, and wait a bit. I lost over 130lbs quickly, years ago. My skin looked a little better after a year, but if I want to look close to normal, it will be PS time. I'm chicken too- so I may live with it!

I personally have not been sleeved yet. I have had a lap band since 2003 and have lost 100's of pounds, 3 different times in my life. I am sad to say that I have a lot of 'baggage.' Strength training will help. BUT, the thing that I found that worked amazingly well for me was hot yoga. It is not easy. I lost 15 pounds the first month I did it. I lost even more inches. I have been doing it ****il recently; health problems) for a year now and do not think I could have lost the saddle/saggy stuff and dimples any other way. I have never felt better than when I do yoga. And it's very detoxifying. Good luck to you!

Thanks to everyone for your responses. I appreciate them. I'm not looking for a quick fix. I'm just looking to supplement the other things that I'm doing to see if it makes a difference. Worst case scenario I get a little pampering.

I think that hot yoga sounds like a great idea. I've done some yoga--but never hot yoga.

Thanks again everyone!!