Skin firming lotions- are they a con?

[thenewaveragebear1983]

I’m in the middle of quite a strict diet and exercise regime, as I wanted to lose 2stone by summer. I’ve lost over a stone now, and I’ve been exercising, so have ‘shrunk’ quite a lot (so very pleased with that!)

However- I have relatively loose skin now on my stomach (especially after 3 pregnancies) and I’ve been using various products that I’ve accumulated (Moisturising daily, using up these products, eg a sanctuary spa cellulite roller thing, and a lotion called ‘get waisted’ which claims to tighten skin)

Now, I know they aren’t a miracle, but do any of them actually work, do you think? I’ve run out of GW and will either go to a TKMaxx for something new, or just continue using a plain moisturiser. Maybe it’s naive of me, but I like to believe some of them might have an effect! How can they^^ claim to do things they don’t do?

Any recommendations? I’m not able to spend £££ but I would consider something a bit more expensive if I thought it might actually do something! Or would I be better off sticking to bog standard moisturiser? Or bio oil- (I have stretch marks, does this actually work?)

Any recommendations?

Anyone?

I was using Bio Oil for a while, but I had to stop using it as it made the rest of me turn into an oil slick.

I also have that Dove roll on thingmebob, and I don't think its made a blind bit of difference. Amongst others I had the Nivea Firming Cream, I do think that if you use it for a while it does show a very small difference. Not totalling firming the skin though, it just seemed a bit smoother. I am using Nivea Soft now as a bit cash strapped, and it feels quite smooth in the butt area. I have only been using it for a few days, so I will report back in a bit if you like.

I problem is my bum. I think if there was a way to firm it up miraculously I would have found the answer, as I think I have tried every cream going. Strangely enough, its not always the most expensive ones that I like the most. I had an aloe vera one which I used after some sunburn and it was lovely. Im not in UK so I am sure brand you don't get, but I don't think expensive is always better.

I've tried every pretty much every cream in every price range since having dc, and can confidently state that they do not work at all, in any way at all, ever.

Body brushing to increase blood flow, and keeping well moisturised with anything you like, and exercise to tone it up, are the only things that will help. Imo.

There is no cream or lotion that can actually shrink your skin.

The most they can do is make it feel tighter while its drying, same as if you put glue on it, it would feel tighter. Its not actually tighter, and there will be no effect when washed off, and barely an effect while its on.

This is what I’m coming to think. How can the manufacturers get away with claiming they work though? It’s baffling.

I have heard good things about bio oil and fading stretch marks so I might try that. And time, I suppose, will eventually tighten up the skin? I’ve never been very very big except in pregnancy, so hopefully it will shrunk a bit! I currently look like a deflated balloon scrotum

I would recommend getting a body brush aswell, when I get into the routine of using mine you can def feel the difference.

Re cream/lotions. I’ve used Soap & Glory, silver tube, think it was called Bikini body something like that (not the Sit tight one). This def made my skin feel firmer when used every day morning & night.

Yes, obvious con. How would that work? All beauty product claims are lies. Look for the words 'helps' and ' appearance'. Means ' does nothing'.

All babble for fools.

I know someone who lost lots of weight and had loose skin - the only she got rid of it in the end was having a tummy tuck.

In that BBC programme recently didn't they find a cream that had some minor effect on cellulite (more than brushing or exercise)?

No, the BBC programme found that body brushing was the most effective on cellulite.

I’ve never really got on with body brushing before but I might try again. I found green tea twice a day was the best for cellulite. Might try that again too!

I find it amazing that such a mega bucks industry can be completely useless though. I suppose they get away with it by very clever wording to avoid the legal repercussions. Some of these creams are literally a hundred pounds a tube! I would never have a tummy tuck for fear of having a botch job and ending up worse!!

I feel a bit squeamish about going at loose skin with a brush! Thighs or bum maybe, but my loose tummy skin is quite thin... Does it really help? I'm more comfortable with self massage. I have come to suspect it doesn't matter what you put on loose skin, it could be La Mer or cooking oil, I think the point is to just to keep it hydrated from both sides? It's also supposed to shrink back more in its own time, keep an eye on it for a few months and see if it starts to shrink back by itself.

It will shrink back a bit, but may not go back to pre-children tautness. I have a bit, doesn't really bother me, although I will probably never wear a crop top. Apparently working out is supposed to help, I work out a lot and it is still there. Some of it can be loose fat under the skin, skin is paper thin, if it is thicker then likely to be a bit of fat which will go as you loose more weight.

Yes me too Brenda, the skin is quite delicate as it literally never sees the light of day! I also have a double c-section scar which I think will always exacerbate the overhang.

I hope it does go with time, I have only recently really begun losing weight and started working out, so it seems quite pronounced at the moment.

i would not bother with the bio oil, i have tried it, it do not work.

I just remembered something about Bio Oil. My dd had to have surgery on her face which left quite a nasty scar. The plastic surgeon who treated her, got another sale from me by selling me this eye wateringly expensive oil to apply to the scar. I think perhaps it had gold or diamonds in it at the price. We applied it religiously, but the scar is still definitely visible. On speaking to a different doctor (a skin specialist) he claimed that the oil we were using was basically like bio oil with a couple of extra ingredients to justify the price. So we changed to using bio oil instead for the next few months, although it healed ok, to this day (10 years later) she still has a scar.

The one thing he did tell me though, is that no matter what potion or lotion you buy, nothing unfortunately will heal stretch marks. The injury to the skin is just too deep for any cream/oil to penetrate through to. So the products that claim to help, will just make it appear so short term as you are only applying to the outer layer of skin, but long term it makes no difference. I think I agree with this, I do have (lucky only a few) stretch marks in middle of stomach, I did apply oil to it for a while, looked better for it bit, but as soon as I stopped religiously applying it (ie in winter ) it just went back to how it was.

wise words. Bio oil is a marketing triumph because some stretch marks disappear on their own, so if you fall for the hype and use it, they can claim it works.

there is no evidence.