Dealing with loose skin after weight loss?

J

Jules1984

Member
I dropped about 85 lbs, and now I've got some extra skin in places, mostly my belly and legs. It's not super bad, but it bugs me a little. Has anyone else found ways to manage it without going under the knife? It's like, wrinkly cellulite or something.
 
I had a procedure to remove skin the first time I lost a lot of weight (over 100 lb). It was on my abdomen because it was such a pain to deal with daily.

Now, the second time around, the weight came off my arms, chest and thighs. I’m working on just accepting it because I’d rather not go through more surgery.
 
I wear control-top briefs every day. I also have compression shorts for under dresses. And my swimsuits have longer legs, like compression shorts. I get normal priced stuff. No way am I paying for Skims. I'm over tight clothes, but I do appreciate the support.
 
My skin looks better now than it did at first. I mean, it is still loose, but I don't mind it so much. I talked to a surgeon (she fixed my spider veins) and she said women should look good in pantyhose. I think I look good in a skirt with hose! So I am happy! I keep covered up most of the time anyway.
 
Unfortunately, surgery is the only real solution for loose skin.

I started on Ozempic in summer of 2022 because of T2D. I was 5'2" and weighed 243.

I'm around 160 now, and I've got a saggy stomach. I'm on the waitlist for a panniculectomy with fleur de lis.

It's covered here in Canada, but the fleur de lis part will cost me $1500 extra.
 
I can't get surgery because my insurance won’t cover it, and I don’t have the money to pay for it on my own. So, I've accepted it. I'm much healthier now, and my clothes fit better than before. Life's too short to stress about what I can't control.
 
I mostly try to ignore it. I have the saggy upper arms for sure. And my boobs are definitely droopy - no surprise after being heavy for 3 decades and breastfeeding two kids. My butt jiggles. So what? If I cared that much about how I looked, I wouldn't have let myself get so overweight in the first place.

My abdomen.... I actually had my dermatologist write up that I had a recurring rash under the skin, because that’s one way to MAYBE get insurance to pay for a panniculectomy.

Then I found out I've got a genetic thing that makes breast cancer super likely. So, the first step of reducing my risk involved a lift and reduction. Stage two will be a mastectomy with reconstruction, and THAT will fix the belly problem!

The surgeon was excited about other stuff I could get done if I wanted: arms, inner thighs, butt. I don't care about any of that. He even said he could argue that the arms were a functional issue. I don't think so, and I'm not going there.
 
I lost 125 lbs (gained back like 15 or so when I went off it for a year cuz I moved and didn’t have a kitchen for a while so I was eating out a lot, but I’m back to losing now, slower this time. Gonna try to lose a half pound a week and take a week off each month on maintenance). I had 6 lbs of skin cut off my stomach. I'm gonna get my breasts lifted after I lose another 10 lbs or so (and a month to stabilize). I want my thighs done eventually, too. My arms are okay. Maybe a neck lift. I have money set aside ONLY for medical stuff, so I'm gonna use it!
 
To @Just-Journey: I'm still losing a bit, actually! My surgeon wants me stable for a couple of months before the surgery, but I'm already scheduled. Waiting lists are long!
 
My next appointment with the doctor is locked in. Four months out from surgery now. The A1c readings are all over the map and honestly confusing. Mornings without the injections would be high 120s, sometimes hitting 130. Never seen it drop to the 60s range. Before all this, labs hovered under 100. Even my own spot checks land around 95. Thinking I should ask about a CGM to track better. My dietitian has programs with them. The surgery wasn't cheap and the skin work after cost more, so I'm really trying to hold the line on the scale.
 
Another thing I've been doing is maximizing my protein intake. I was told to eat high protein foods, not drink shakes, but I was nauseated all the time, so protein shakes saved me. I'm trying to preserve as much muscle as possible during this weight loss journey.
 
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