Fact or Myth: Loose Skin can be helped with exercise

This is an extremely good point. It's probably entirely genetics, age, length of obesity, and smoking/tanning histories. I don't like the fatphobic blame game extending to skin. If you have tons of skin then you didn't drink enough water/exercise/lotion enough/eat enough vitamin whatever/catch a unicorn under the full moon so it's all your fault! No, I don't think that's fair to say at all. 

I think there are some things that can improve the situation, sure. But we can't probably ever down to a hot porn body, even with plastics. Reality; it sucks.... Let's watch that movie Surrogates with Bruce Willis again. 

Jesse, I'm a scientist too. This isn't my field, not even remotely, but I do appreciate quantitative data just as much as the next science nerd. Here's what I found.

I found one study that looked at Retinol-A for fine wrinkles to deep wrinkles and rough skin. It was shown to have an improvement in their study. However, I did not find the statistics or the methodology to be particularly significant since there was little in terms of actual data. It seemed too subjective, still there are many studies that have similar conclusions. ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2921764/ ) However, the anecdotal evidence suggests that Retinol-A may help a bit because it seems to help promote collagen and elasticity. It does not get rid of excess skin but it may tighten up what you have. It does carry its own risks in terms of skin health though, because of the sunburn risk.

There are other articles where Recombinant human erythropoietin (stem cell activator) is used as a topical agent in the reversal of wrinkling and skin traumas, but I couldn't get the full text on that. It would stand to reason that stem cells with their rejuvenation effects and potential for regrowth would revolutionize skin care as well, especially scars after surgery and plastics. 

There's also the critical effect of nutrition. Sugars like fructose and glucose appear to have a strong negative effect on the skin's collagen. ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20620757 ) Simple sugars seem to break down the collagen more when activated by UV especially. In fact, UV is one of the worst things for your skin's elasticity.

Anyway, I am not a dermatologist or even in the biology field, and most of what I have read is only talking about minor to moderate wrinkles and elasticity. Once you have extreme extra skin though, the best you can probably do it have a highly scar-reducing plastic surgery. I saw some articles on laser skin tightening, but I didn't look into it since it's an after-the-fact situation. 

Maybe if you ate few simple sugars while growing your excess skin it will have a greater chance of rejuvenation if the obesity duration was not too substantial. But there are so few articles on this, because the current thrust of the research is into anti-aging, where Retinol-A seems to have the most scientific umph (from my cursory browsing). I do think stem cells would provide an interesting and potentially amazing benefit for skin damage like this, because like regrowing teeth, the benefits are revolutionary. It could make the scars from plastics essentially disappear, and return collagen elasticity regardless of age. Definitely something to watch for in that and related biomedical fields.

One interesting article that was not fulltext available, was talking about the causes of tobacco use in premature skin wrinkling. It is, along with UV, the most damaging thing you can do to your skin. If you are a smoker and a tanner, well, you'll probably look like the Marlboro man and there's not all that much that will help with that. However if they can understand why it causes premature aging, it is possible that a derivative may yield an agent to cause delayed aging. I couldn't find anyone who is actively researching this, though.

I did not see any articles on my brief pubmed tour that indicated that exercising had any effect on skin elasticity at all, though. Most of it seemed to indicate that UV, smoking, nutrition and age deteriorate skin elasticity to some degree. But at some point it's beyond simple elasticity and into new skin entirely, and the current research for that is all plastics, plastics, plastics.

I hope this is enough information for you to branch off and investigate further, as it is not my field of expertise.

 OK, here's my take I lost over 100lbs over 30 years ago with the original style stomach stapling. I was in my 20's. The only exercise I did was walking. My skin snapped back, I was smoking hot!!!

The staple line failed and I gained all the weight back, I flirted with a lap band in 2000, lost some had issues and gained the weight back. Had a DS in 2004, lost all the weight again and have kept it off for 6 years now. Did the skin snap back - oh no......  My skin is 30 plus years older, I walked for exercise, I didn't do weights back then or now because of joint issues. 

So $35,000 worth of plastic surgery later - no skin. 

Skin is like the elastic in knickers, undies, or pants eventually the elastic wears out and the snap goes.

It's BS.  I'm down to doctor's goal and I"m about 13 pounds from my goal

I have done weight lifting 3x a week with a trainer, yoga 3 times a week with a trainer and cardio 5-6 times a week since I was about 8 weeks out....  I have more saggigng skin than a sharpei puppy...

I need my back done
I need my thighs done
I need my butt done
I need my belly done.
I need my boobs done

about the only thing I don't need done are my arms and my face but I did not carry a lot of weight in my arms...

Well, everybody else posted & I gotta give my 2 cents! The guy doing ads for St Francis Weight Loss Center in Indianapolis has lost #200, 45 yrs old, no plastic but he rides a bike constantly-like more than I drive my car-no sag & he's not "muscle big" he's long & lean. I think it's genetics, exercise & luck of the draw! I've lost 90 since high weight & I have batwings but everything is shrinking rather than hanging. I workout half-assed (need to step it up!) and I moisturize. I have a friend that's younger than me (I'm 45) she lost about #200 and has a lot of hang & ripples etc but she hasn't exercised or even stayed on top of vitamins-just her "smoke". You never know & I think lifestyle affects it too, heck I know a skinny guy that is 41 but looks 55 just from a crappy lifestyle!  Do what you feel is right, I've been told lotion won't help but hey, makes me feel like I'm doing something so I will keep on! Good Luck!

It's not a matter of tightening the skin.  Resistance/weight training grows muscle mass, which fills out the deflated areas where flappy/loose skin occur.  If you lose fat and muscle during weight loss (and you will), and don't bother to try to bring that muscle mass back, your skin will appear to be more loose than the person who is actively building their muscle mass back to toned or normal levels.

Cardio will not likely help as much with this, as it is primarily a fat-burning activity.  Weight resistance training (combined with a diet sufficient in protein for your surgery) will help fill the void and give that skin something to wrap itself around, but even WR training can only do so much.

"I'm a scientist and I want to collect some real data..."

As a "scientist" you know very well that anectdotes from the internet mean nothing.  If you truly are a scientist doing RESEARCH you know already that you should be in contact with your local bariactric clinics to see if they'd be willing to help you with your "data collection."

Reached any 'comclusions' yet?

It is my experience that working out and diet along with your genes is a huge factor. You need to eat proper foods ie. fish, eggs, olive oil, lots of greens. Drink lots of water. Dr Oz has great suggestions. I joined a Gym in August. lost 35 lbs. My body went through periods of sagging a little then recovery. You cannot lose it overnight or without some kind of exercise. Meaning anything from  heavy duty yard work or the gym. Agreed your skin is an organ and it can bounce back but it really depends on many factors. Women see this a lot after having children. Some are lucky and there skin truly bounces back over night others it takes time. And some are just not so lucky. So there is no one answer. I am a 47 year old female. So I am pushing it so to speak. We all know as you age your skin is just not the same. I still get break out and have very few wrinkles. I say this only because I believe the oils in your skin are a factor. In my humble opinion.

This is only my personal two cents about this topic.  Clearly all the above mentioned factors play a specific role (age, genetics, gender, nutrition, exercise routine.. etc... etc.. etc..).   This is my theory and I guess could be a glimmer of hope for some and a dead end for others where surgery seems to be the only option.   

 

In my own opinion I think people who have lost substantial...and by substantial i mean hundreds of pounds, to me I don't really even need to think about their genetics.... 2 and 3 hundred pounds will most DEFINITLEY will stretch the skin beyond the point of no return.  That seems obvious to me.  Just for pure argument sake you take a man who lost 200 pounds, def sagging skin... but his goal is to be as bulky and body builder-ish (lol) as possible.  He will be able to take up more skin with muscle than the man who is same size, lost same amount of weight, same genetics... but his goal isnt anywhere close to being a body builder,...welll def different scenarios....and maybe the first man would be ok without surgery...whereas the second man will without a doubt think it's a no brainer..im getting surgery.  Both in my opinion are going to have some loose skin but to different degrees.  

 

Now in my case... i was obese as a child.... probably from 9-12 years old ... at that age being 5'6" and 205 pounds at my heaviest. I lost weight at 14 going into highschool.......in a matter of 3 months lost about 70 pounds ( obviously didnt do things properly- drink enough wateer, exercise, and lose weight more slowly)...so anyways... i found i got extreme stretch marks on hips lower abdomen, inner tops of thighs and tiny ones on inner arms at the top.  Now, i can tell it is loose skin.  Not the worst, but most definitely noticeable.  Now here's my point. Most girls i know dont want any muscle on their thighs.. want every body part to be skinny and want the skin right there with it....but ME...i actually LIKE muscle definition on my thighs....so since my weightloss wasnt hundreds of pounds..and although my saggyness shall we say is noticeable...i KNOW and have been CLOSE to bringing it to a point where the muscle DID take up more room... Skin stretches, i know it will not go back fully so the only option left for me is to build my muscle out.  Here's where I think everyone's scenario and what look they want is where it can be possible for some.  In my case... I personally don't mind the thicker thigh look.  Now if i were to really get down to business and ....squat, deadlift with weight and REALLY target my thighs, it most definitely would build my muscle out to take up the space of my sagging skin.  Again...in my opinion only because i didnt stretch it beyond and beyond.  Now maybe there is another woman who DID loose more weight than me.... a little more sagging skin..but her goal is to be as close to a woman body builder physique as she can get.  well she clearly doesnt care about her actual body SIZE and measurements in the end.. she will be able to take up even more loose skin..( but obviously this is a slipperly and very painful journey.... because to maintain.. you have to literally live in a gym.  My point is.... asking for advice in these areas are sooooooooooo very different for each individual.  I really truly think it is more possible than people think in cases of smaller amounts of weight lost.  Women can and do build muscle.. but it takes time...and effort.  What i find though.... is a note to women.... I always hear this skin issue a worry for most women losing weight, ...and they have this image of a tiny little itty bitty woman with no fat... and hardly any muscle...so they shy away from weights.  Many many women do not realize they will not look like body builders...... but could really  make SIGNIFICANT changes to certain parts if they didnt want to be cardio bunnies, and pick up the weights.  In the skin issue, unless it is an extreme amount of weight, not that it can be PERFECT... but weights would really cure MOST of the cases of the loose skin.  It comes down to time and effort.  

 

I know some people always like to take the power out of individuals in some cases by constantly talking about "genetics".  Do not get me wrong, I am well aware of genetics... but in i would venture to say over the years....60% of cases I've seen of women complaining about loose skin (not the extreme weight loses..I already covered those are most likely surgery time)..it most DEFINITELY woud have serious progress if they would look into building MUSCLE.  I myself do not like the so called "body builder" look...sorry to offend anyone if that is their deal... but i get it.  But to LITERALLY build muscle and be opened to a more toned look would change a lot of things... but women have this image of beauty as tiny and any once of muscle is manish.  So ya... these women that are afraid of weights, and run like a mad women..will most likely have to get surgey... but in many cases.. if they would be open to really trying a weight lifting regime that is muscle building focused... would see changes.  I've witnessed it a lot, and know it can be done.  I also will say... even if a woman isnt afriad of it...and is trying... once the skin is actually stretched(and accompanied by severe stretch marks....do not get me wrong.. the skin will never look the EXACT same.. even if the muscle is built up to take up the space that the loose skin created.  The actual surface will not look like ur 20 years old all over again... but as far as the 'sagging'... would be minimized substantially!!  Like i said... 60% of these cases could and would be resolved with hard work.. giving up a body image that you were not genetically gifted in.... pick up the weights...and eat properly..... it can be done. 

 

lol...i know.. it's hard for me to get something out perfectly said.. but I hope the point wasn't missed.  I don't expect and hope I do not offend anyone.. but I hope this comes across as a message to some that it is possible in more cases than I believe are recognized.

 

 

God Bless you all and I pray you have success on your journey!

J

I can actually relate it to you I have lost 40% of my weight and I was like 14 years old or so now I am 17. 

I lost all this weight with hunger, thinking was just a diet. Obsessed with calorie counting. But the huge problem is lose skin all over my thighs, tummy and lower arms. 

I've been going to gym for almost an year now daily sometimes 5 times a week two hours a day to reduce it. But at times I've been missing it for like near week but not so often. And what are the results... Just lost few pounds I've gained back then I got more toned around some areas of my body 

But yet this sagging skin is killing me. It hasn't gone it is noticeable especially my arms and thighs I am really ashamed of it and even my friend told me that there is no possible cure for it. I am upset about it and idk what else can I do should I just work harder. I am hopeless I wanted better results. If no planning for surgery in the future.