Loose Skin

[Daschy16]

Hi All
I've been on MJ for 3 months now and lost just over 2.5st. However, I am noticing some loose skin in my inner thighs and on my tummy, and I still have a significant amount of weight left to lose (around 8 stone depending on where I set my final target).
I am weight training 2 times per week and I know I should try to increase this to another session.
Does anyone have any other recommendations about how to minimise loose skin? I've seen collagen supplements recommended, but not sure what to buy.
I have resolved myself to provably needing loose skin removal in a few years time, but I'd love to minimise it as much as possible in the interim.
If it impacts on advice, I'm mid 30s and my weight has yo-yo'd my whole life - I've lost and regained 4 stone numerous times which has probably impacted my skin's elasticity. I also have eczema, so not sure if that impacts it as well.
Thanks in advance for your help!

I use a multi collagen powder from amazon called Revive adding it to my coffee and protein shakes. I'm 43 and lost almost 3 stones with no loose skin but I only was a size 16 at the biggest so I think the issue of loose skin is when someone is a lot bigger and lose weight quickly and lose muscle as well as fat. I've only lost average 1lb a week and i started with a muscle mass of 50% which is a lot higher than most women, i did Joe Wicks HIIT workouts for 6 weeks before i started on mounjaro and do occasional yoga but i definitely need to increase exercise as I'm close to my target and building muscle helps tone and use up more calories. Lots of water should help with suppleness of skin too. Omega 3 and hyaluronic acid are great supplements for skin too. I'm always told I look on my late 20s and don't have any wrinkles yet.

I think time is your friend. I’m down 28kg over six months - 31 from peak a couple of years ago - and now have wobbly skin on tummy and top of thighs, but it’s really not too bad. However, it has looked worse at various stages on the journey. It seems to take a bit of time to shrink to fit. I definitely reckon exercise is helping too.

I think you have to reconcile the fact that you may well have loose skin. There isnt anything in reality that will prevent if if the circumstances are such that you're going to have a lot, some people are genetically just lucky, its not affected by how fast or slow or what technique you use.

I lost 10 stone, which had been there for around 30 years or so, perhaps 25ish.

I also happen to have very 'thin' skin, little elasticity, its just the way Im made, very pale skin.

So I now have a lot of excess skin, you cant see it in clothes, it doesnt cause health issues, although that may well come. But it is what it is, Id rather that, than the fat I had, my life is transformed. Obivously not getting so fat in the first place is the answer but that boat had long since sailed.

I’m 58 and have lost just over 8 stone in the last year.

I have a crepey belly, upper thighs and arms (if I lean forwards) but tbh it could be a LOT worse considering I was 11 stone heavier at my highest weight!

I would say that loose skin is generally down to age, genetics and and how much it has been stretched over what period of time. I have, however, exercised a LOT in my year on mounjaro - Pilates, yoga, spinning, body pump, core conditioning classes etc. I take both bovine and marine collagen as well (who knows if it makes any difference whatsoever 🤷‍♀️). I also moisture like a demon (love Aveeno oil!) and have read that the action of massaging helps!

In your 30s I reckon you have a good chance of minimising it. I have read a number of comments saying how much their skin recovered over the course of a year after hitting their goal weight so am keeping my fingers crossed! I had thought I would want skin removal surgery but have now decided that if I can live with it now, when it’s probably the worst it will get, then I can definitely live with it as it improves.

I would stick with a decent diet, hydration, giving it time (maintain for a couple of years once you reach goal) and hoping you have good genes! Being in your 30s will also hopefully work in your favour (I am in my mid 50s so have a fair bit of loose skin).

Collagen, might help but no one knows for sure, no harm - apart from your purse - in trying but unlikely to make a significant difference.

Retaining muscle can also help improve appearance by filling out the skin (and it is good generally), but it won't significantly help a lot of loose skin.

I'm mid 40s and have gone up and down my entire life. After losing 40kgs on MJ I'm now at the lowest weight I have ever been as an adult and have a huge amount of loose skin on my belly and tops of thighs. There is still a bit of fat under the skin on my belly though which I don't seem to be able to lose. When I bend forward it hangs down a lot. I hate it and it's affecting my confidence in the bedroom, so for me the answer is having a tummy tuck. The surgeon I consulted with said there is no way to rectify it naturally as it's been stretched too many times for too long. So I've booked it in. My thighs, I hope I will be able to fill out with doing intense leg exercises. Good luck with your journey.

I'm 4.5 stone into losing 11 stone and I will definitely have a lot of lose skin. My remaining fat is sort of hanging now from my arms, my stomach area and my upper thighs. I had hoped it wouldn't be quite this bad...

I wont ever have funds for surgery so am adopting a learn to live with it approach but I am quite sad.

Everything I've read agrees with above that there's not a lot you can do. Muscle can fill it out a bit though.

Thanks all - definitely some good food for thought!

As others have said there is not much you can do .
I'm 58 I'm not loosing weight although I am morbidly obese but I have noticed in the last two years I have got a lot of loose skin especially on my inner thighs . I think it's part of ageing process .

I admire you for doing something about your weight I seem to be stuck in a 'burying my head in sand' mode but I wish you well .

It does seem to be a bit of a lottery, although I did notice that your rate of weight loss seems very rapid which may increase the risks of loose skin. Are you still losing weight at that pace or has it slowed at all?

This is the problem with losing weight quickly and also depends on the elasticity of your skin really.

The only option is cosmetic surgery but you need to be very careful that you’re going to keep the weight off and that’s why some surgeons want to see you’ve kept it off for at least a year before they will operate.

I think be sensible about it. If you get down to a reasonable size you’re comfortable with and have a little loose skin that’s fine. If you keep going and end up losing half your body weight, getting to a size 6-8 say and ending up with loads of loose skin, are you going to be happy? Are you able to have surgery - boob job, Tummy tuck, arm lift etc and maintain that weight for the rest of your life? There are important considerations.

I'm 55 and have lost nearly 7 stone over 2.5 years. I think slowing the weightloss to about a pound a week is better to minimise loose skin. I do have a little on my thighs but I happily went out in shorts the last two days. It's gone a bit extreme now at only 2lb this month I think it was, but gives my body time to recompisition

This is really interesting - I wonder if there is any scientific studies to show this?