What’s your experience with…. Crepey tummy - will it go back?!

[strongermummy]

So I’ve lost 14kgs and have another 6 to be just a little bit below the healthy BMI ceiling.

I’ve lost a similar amount of weight before after both pregnancies and after an illness.

I didn’t remember the crepey belly tho….. have I just forgotten?!

Will it go back to normal like it did after pregnancy?!

was not expecting this as i don’t remember it from last times!!!

yes late 40s.

2x Kids aged - end primary / start of secondary.

please share your insights!!

Sadly no it most likely won’t go back as our skin looses elasticity as we age. I think we just have to learn to accept it and move on tbh
I’ve had two cesarian sections years ago and my belly has never recovered

I'm 67 and I've lost 83kg (13 stone?) since February 2022. Down from BMI 59.5 to BMI 27.8.

This is the 3rd time I've lost more than 10 stones and previously, when I was in my teens and again in my 40s my skin shrank at more or less the same rate as the padding.

This time around it has taken a lot longer. There was a phase around the 18 month mark when my face seemed to collapse into bulldog jowls, the skin hung under my neck like droopy wattles, and my arms had loose flappy bits hanging from them.

I too assumed I was just going to have to learn to accept it and move on, but I am delighted to report that once the weight loss slowed (from 3kg/month to 1kg and now 0.5kg/month) the droopy skin has started to shrink. The flappy skin hanging under my chin has reduced by 80%, and my face is a lot less jowly and collapsed looking. My upper arms and thighs still bag over the elbows and knees in a distinctly elephantine manner, but less so than they did this time last year.

So I reckon if someone a few years short of 70 has skin that manages to adapt after dramatic weight loss then you'd have to be very genetically unlucky to not find the same thing in your late forties. It seems that you need to wait a bit longer the older you get.

Unless you have surgery it will stay but I don’t care about mine, I look good clothed and that’s all that matters

You’ve given me some hope of improvement in the next year or so @stealthsquirrelnutkin, hopefully it is not just your exceptional genes! Fantastic losses, well done 👏

I seem to recall reading that it can take up to two years for things to settle after significant weightloss, but can't now remember the source. I think I was researching surgery at the time and it said to wait a while before going under the knife.

Mine has really improved. I lost around 22kg on MJ (in just over 4 months). Stopped taking the Jab in February and have lost around 4kg since then but it’s been like 1kg a month so not rapid weight loss anymore and I’ve been weight training and doing abs exercises and my belly and skin just seem to be getting so much better and firmer, seems the last 4kg has also come off my belly as I’ve lost lots of inches around my waist since Feb.
I just need to keep going as I’m sure in a year, the difference will be so noticeable from what it looked like now.

Phew. Thank you my tribe!!!!!
I feel a bit better about it now.

shall wait and see how it goes. And try to stay patient!!!!

@stealthsquirrelnutkinthank you for sharing detailed info. Super helpful.