Loose Skin

So for everyone out there who's lost/losing lots of weight... What are you doing to help minimize the amount of sagging skin?  For me right now I'm using a daily firming lotion and walking a lot.  Sadly I'm not at the stage where I can really start to exercise.  Does anyone have any good suggestions for when I get there?

you either have skin that will spring back into shape, or you don't. If you have stretch marks, the skin is damaged, and will not go back to where it once was. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that's the truth.

Exercise, keeping hyrdated, etc will help to a degree, but it won't eliminate the problem. Especially if there's stretch marks.

My suggestion is to start saving now .
Your skin is what it is. How your skin will bounce back or not depends on a lot of factors. Genetics, how long you were heavy, how damaged your skin is and age all determine how your skin will recover.
If you do decide to pursue plastics don't do it too soon. I found that even after I had lost all of my weight my skin continued to adjust and change for some time. I would not recommend pursuing plastics until you are at least 18-24 months out and at a stable weight for at least 6-12 months.

Linda

Sorry to say it but all this doesn't help skin issues. Exercise firms the muscle and your body looks way better, but the skin damage cannot be undone. Plastics BTW, don't fix it all either - scars stay there forever.
I used vitamin E oil and Manuka honey to smooth my skin, as for exercise - 4-6km run almost daily + kickboxing twice a week. Can't complain about the muscles but damaged skin is what it is. 
I was extremely lucky to have most of my fat in the abdominal area, so my legs and bum didn't need intervention, but the TT was inevitable. No lotion and exercise can eliminate a skin fold of 10-20 inches, that's what we end up upon losing some 200 pounds. Again, it all depends on your age, skin condition, amount of weight lost, etc. Some people end up with just a wrinkled flab and opt to leave it as is. But these are usually "light weights", while you are asking about "lost of weight".

So yea, as it was said before - start saving. sorry.

if i may impose on your thread ..... for plastics, will they only do a TT if the skin is so many inches sagging ?    I'm still battling skin irriations under the fold and they seem more frequent now for whatever reason and when I exercise the skin is causing some major discomfort and pain, would they use that to maybe qualify for a TT ?

TT is not covered by OHIP and women that have always been thin and have the mommy pouch can get a TT since it's self pay. There are no requirements for self pay procedures.

I think Ohip may cover a panni removal under certain cir****tances but this is not the same as a TT.
(maybe someone can elaborate on this?)

The panni removal is sometimes covered by OHIP; depends on how low it is hanging AND there must be a medically documented history of skin irritations (see your doc!); it is the removal of the skin and fat below the naval that hangs over the pubis.  The TT is never covered.  It is a more comprehensive surgery; removes the panni and the skin/fat above the naval, tightens the stomach muscles, and places the naval back where it belongs.

I'm on the fence about plastics.  Although I was a "lightweight", I have quite a bit of hanging skin.  If I win a bunch of money (very unlikely, as I've never even won a free lottery ticket or a coffee at Timmy's on the roll-up-the-rim contest, lol), I'll probably do it.  Otherwise, it's shapewear and padded bras for me!