6 stone lost. Look like a deflated balloon

[rougheredges]

I started my weight loss over 2 years ago at 16st 2lbs. I lost 2 stone the old fashioned way which took a year and then stalled for months before going on Mounjaro. I’m now on 7.5 weekly and have steadily lost between 0.5 and 2 lbs a week. (Shotsy has my weekly average at 1.4lbs)
I’m now 10st 2. I’m delighted. My bmi is now healthy, my visceral fat is healthy, my knees no longer hurt and I’ve increased my muscle mass through weight training. I want to lose another stone (I’m 5’4” which would put me in the middle of the healthy weight range.)

However I have a lot of loose skin on my stomach, upper arms and thighs. I know that there’s not a lot I can do to shrink it- I’m 54, my skin is older and I was fat for a long time. What I’m struggling with is the disappointment I feel in myself. I look good dressed but like a deflated balloon undressed. It’s still better than how I looked at 16 stone but it makes me sad. I keep watching videos about skin removal surgery abroad and I was considering it but DH tells me it’s daft- he says I look great, should be really proud of myself and with one child at uni and one about to go spending all that money isn’t a priority. He’s right but I find it’s really bothering me which is strange as I’m generally not a vain person and the weight loss was (initially) embarked upon for health reasons.

Has anyone had skin removal surgery? Would you recommend it or could the good ladies of MN come on and give me a stern talking to?

Congratulations on your weight loss. Six stones is a significant loss and it will take a couple of years for your body to adjust and some of your lose skin will disappear naturally.

I’m 60yrs with loose skin too but as you say, it’s fine when you’re wearing clothes. There’s no way I’d risk going abroad for unnecessary skin removal surgery. Haven’t you read all the horror stories? It’s not the same as going to the dentist.

It is a big operation. I have watched tv programmes about people who had this done and it looks so painful in recovery with a significant infection risk.

I have lost about 8 stones so look similar to you but would never consider such surgery.

I've lost a lot of weight (just under 6 stone) and have loose skin. I'm considering having some of it removed (it's worse in some areas). There is no way I'd go overseas though. Despite the excellent reviews of others online. I'd go UK or not at all.

Hi, I’m 56 and a stone into my 4 stone weight loss On MJ (it’ll only get me to the top of healthy BMI). I’m aiming at 5’5” to get to about 10 stone from 14 stone 4. I’m expecting loose skin as I’ve not been this weight for 30 years.
My current exercise routine is walking the dog and swimming twice a week. I’ve learnt, through online research and other people in these groups, that swimming is good for loose skin overall as is weight lifting. I’m planning on starting a little light lifting at home and then in my local gym. I’m going to ask the local gym instructors for some guidance with the right machines but just going to build in 5-10 mins before my swim.
Like you, I have teenagers about to embark on university education and I’m just going to use my current gym membership to address the loose skin issue rather than spending anything else. Other posters are correct, some elasticity will come back over time. I’ve also seen Nivea original Creme reported as fab for neck crepe, Cocoa butter or bio oil for the rest. So, my answer is no, don’t do anything extreme like surgery but work on firming up your improved body using weights, exercise and time-served, cheap skin products.

Remember also, OP, that skin removal will inevitably leave scars.

How well and how quickly do scars fade on you? It does vary from person to person - I'm not lucky in that regard.

If they don't fade well on you, could you live with that? Or afford to pay for additional treatment, if it were considered beneficial?

I had a fdl tummy tuck (one that has a vertical as well as horizontal scar) & breast uplift/implants after a ~ 5 stone loss. Life changing! I was early 50s and even though I have scars I don't regret it at all - after being overweight for most of my adult life I still can't quite believe I look like I do. I would 100% recommend that if you do decide to opt for surgery that you do it in the UK - recovery can be tough and if there are complications you don't want to be in a place where you don't know what's going on, or without support from friends/family.

Screenshot because it wouldn't post.

If you had money to play around with and were younger I would maybe say go for it, but at my age 58,i wouldn't bother, I mean who are we trying to impress? 😂
I lost a lot more than I intended to just because I could I guess, and I kept thinking if I lose a bit more then there's room for a buffer, so all in all I lost 5.5 stone when really 3 would have been more than enough. Now I look great in clothes, but yeah it's a bit wrinkly without, especially the stomach,
Reading on here many people have said that it does improve with time, and honestly who actually sees you naked or in skimpy clothes? It's only perhaps on holiday and really when you look around on any beach it's a myriad of different bodies,and no one cares, save your cash.

Weird post, why would someone younger be trying to impress but not someone older? And why wouldn’t she be seen naked? Older people date or have sexual relationships.
OP only you have to live in your body. I have loose skin but no man has minded!

Me too OP I look a right mess but fine in clothes. I wont be going naked any time soon.
Im having a full face and necklift in May this year at Nordsaesthetic in Kaunas in zlithuania. All the locals go there.
The prices are very good and its safer than Turkey.
I may have more done. I dont know yet. Im going to hit the gym first.

Thanks to everyone who commented. I hear you all about doing it in the UK but frankly the price difference is huge. I have a friend from the gym who went to Lithuania and it sounds amazing. She needed a revision and they sorted it all really efficiently and quickly.
I also hear the people saying “you’re 54. Why bother?” and I do kind of feel that way. Been with DH for 25 years and he’s fancied me at 9 stone and 16 stone and all shapes and sizes in between. He’s delighted I’m healthy and can join him hiking but other than that he’s the person who sees me naked and he doesn’t care! I’d be doing this for me which feels stupid and frivolous.
I don’t think any amount of gym will remove 6 stones worth of skin.

Honestly I’m probably not going to bother. I am however researching face lifts. Without the fat supporting my face I’m looking a bit droopy. I work in a pretty aggressive male dominated industry (currently the only woman in leadership) and I do think it might help me at work….

Im 64 and we dont bounce back at that age. Im having a classic deep plane face and neck lift with Dr Urbanos. Its 7k.
I know well that Ill feel 100% better once my ancient tortoise neck has gone. Well done losing all that weight. It isnt easy.

I have recently had surgery and honestly I'm so glad I didn't have it abroad. I needed to see my surgeon urgently after 10 days and I'm not sure what I would have done if she was a plane ride away! I am part of a WhatsApp group of other people who had the same surgery, and quite a few of us have had some very anxiety provoking moments post surgery where we've needed to get swelling/ infection checked out. Post surgery you feel very vulnerable and in a lot of discomfort, and knowing you can access your surgical team when you need to is very important.

Can I ask gently have you prioritised protecting your muscle throughout ie strength training and eating your protein?

im your age, a couple of years older, and I lost 6 and a half stone, am I just had some crepyness,but I worked out throughout and ate my protein,I then went straight into body recomp when I hit goal, upped my protein to a min of 1.5g per kg of body weight and kept up with my work outs. It was all but gone after 6 months and now a year at goal and you’d never know I lost weight.

id not advise surgery, but I would recommend you now move to body recomp. The skin does tighten, it can take up to two years, but you need to work, having muscle tone is key.

and I don’t agree with age, I like the fact you can see muscle tone, I want to feel good in swimwear, I want to wear sleeveless tops. And the fact I’m in my fifties doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be bothered.

I lost the same amount, and now work out a lot, so have the same saggy skin over toned, defined muscles. When I’m dressed, I have a fabulous body, but without clothes I look like a bald shar-pei. I can’t afford that kind of surgery, so I wear it as a badge of pride.

Ha! Shar Pei was my original descriptor for the post until I thought it was unfair on the dogs and went for balloon….

I have eaten protein and worked out. I’m pretty pleased that every month the % of body fat I’ve lost has been pretty much equal to the % muscle I’ve gained (I use the fancy body composition scales at the gym.)
I hear you about waiting a while. Thinking about timings, DS has A levels in a few months and I want to be present for them, then we have a holiday booked , then its my brothers wedding in Oct. Realistically I can’t do anything until after all this because of the bruising and swelling and healing.

I do think that at 54 losing so much weight I need to just accept the saggy skin.
However I’m now googling deep plane facelifts after seeing Denise Richard….

Following

@QueefQueen80s each to their own, but I definitely would have been devastated to have ended up with a saggy skinned mess like I have in my twenties, for one thing you've got a lot more life left to live with it.
I don't care about it now, I'm old, I don't want to look younger, and I definitely don't want to impress anyone naked😂
I wouldn't be spending money I couldn't afford on risky surgery that's for sure, that's just my opinion,
I look good enough in clothes and am seeing improvement with a bit of weight training, my diet is good in that I prioritise protein and don't drink alcohol or eat upf crap, but I don't want to go back to my youth.
Fwiw, I live a very different life to what I did years ago I had job where looks really mattered, I only care what my dogs think about me now 😂🐶😂, and I'm pretty sure they couldn't give a fuck about my saggy skin.

Ah okay I get you, you were just saying it about yourself and not others your age. I have a lot of fun naked still! But yeah I’d never bother with surgery as men don’t care in my experience.

@Wickedlittledancer what is “body recomp”, please?

Body recomposition

so when I hit goal I upped my cals by a hundred odd a week,till I hit maintenance, and upped my protein to min 1.5g per kg of body weight. I continued exercising, about 5 times a week, a mix of cardio and weights, about 30/70. I maintained my weight but dropped two points in body fat, so gained it back in muscle.

I also focused on the worst areas, so for example my arms were a bit crepy and saggy, and it was because my triceps were poor, I’d just worked biceps at the front, so I focused on triceps more to build muscle at the back so the skin didn’t sag, and kept on with squats and weight bearing exercise for my lower half, planks are great for stomach muscle.

I also moisturise all over, twice a day and used bio oil on my arms, as that had the most crepy ness,

its really hard to retain muscle during the weight loss phase and as much as we protect it at all costs, we always lose some, so going straight into body recomp when you hit goal means as your skin tightens naturally you build muscle to fill it out. As said took me about 6 months to see a noticeable difference, as the skin had to tighten naturally which it does for all of us.

also I take creatine daily as it draws water into the muscle and drink 3 litres of water a day.

hitting goal is really just the first step, the second is body recomp and the third is maintaining that.

I work for a surgein in the nhs and he said he'd take care of any post op problems so....I feel quite happy going ahead.

https://perbarindo.org/profile/bpr/2361?s-news-15085519-2025-11-30-woman-faces-severe-complications-after-lithuania-cosmetic-surgery-gone-wrong

Beaware of the issues getting legal support in Lithuania if it goes wrong.

Good for you. I'm glad the NHS exists to deal with the potential complications of private surgeries carried out abroad.