Possible to use WL drugs and not end up with excess skin?

[IsItPossibleToAvoidExcessSkin]

Almost everyone I work with seems to be on WLI and shrinking by the day. Which has got me curious.

I’m nearly 49 and 5 years ago I lost 3.5 stone in about 4 months just with diet. I then took up weightlifting and felt amazing. I have ADHD so it’s hard for me to keep up with anything long term, and now I suspect I’ve put all the weight on and more, have quit the gym and have no energy. I have a demanding job and am away for work a lot so meals out etc.

Started HRT about 2 years ago and just need to feel better about myself. Would love to be a slimmer version of me by the time I turn 50.

When I last lost weight, I had no issues with excess skin, but my Tik Tok feed is full of people having surgery to remove excess skin.

The wegovy tablets look like the best option for me but I’m really worried about side effects and excess skin.

Has anyone managed to lose 5+ stone without ending up with excess skin?

I don’t feel this is an appropriate question for my co-workers!

It’s nothing to do with the method of weight loss. It’s entirely due to age, genetics and existing skin damage (sun damage or smoking). Essentially the overstretching damage to the skin is already done and the weight loss just reveals the damage.

I’ve lost 11 stone using Mounjaro. I don’t look like the people you describe in your social media feeds. I don’t have large amounts of loose hanging skin. My upper arms are a bit saggy, not awful but a bit crepey. I have some crepey skin on my inner thighs but not hanging in folds, nowhere near that. My stomach is probably the most loose, but that is also to do with having had two large baby pregnancies with c sections. Even with the bit of an overhang and wobbly bits I still look absolutely fine in clothes. My DP also doesn’t seem to mind and he’s the only one that sees those areas.

It will all improve over time. Skin regeneration takes a long time, aided by good diet, sleep and exercise.

I’ve lost 5 stone. Fairly slowly, but in a sustained way I’ve never managed before. I don’t have excess skin, but I think it’s largely genetics. I didn’t get any, nor stretch marks, in pregnancy either. I think my skin just is quite elastic.

I’ve lost 7st (not losing anymore but maintaining on the jabs for the longterm/forseeable).
No real issues with loose skin, slight bit of crepeyness around my inner thighs and armpit area and my belly is flat but wrinkly, no overhang/apron type thing. I had a very large second baby many years ago and my stomach was pretty much decimated there and then.
Too many factors at play really to be able to tell but my crepey skin is mostly covered unless I’m swimming or at home with dh and neither of those things are an issue for me. I’ll take it over being 16 stone any day.

I lost six and a half stone and have none.

however I worked out throughout, moisturised all over daily and consumed enough protein to protect my muscle and lose fat instead, lost an average of 2lbs a week, and always drink 3 litres of water a day. In the weight loss phase I never went below 1g of protein for every kg of body weight and was often at 1.2g.

I had some wrinkly upper arms, a little saggy /looseness under my back side and some crepyness on my tummy when I twisted, when I hit goal. I then went straight into body recomp, which was basically continuing the work outs, but upping my protein even further as I could now increase my cals, I went to 1.5g per kg of body weight, and it just all tightened up and went away, now I have none, I’d say I noticed a difference within 6 months and a year for it to go fully.

I’m in my 50s. It was odd, when I first hit goal you could see I’d lost weight, I was worried about going on holiday and swimwear, I looked a little deflated and thin. Fat goes really soft and sort of pliable when you’re losing weight, which adds to the illusion, but when you stop it firms up, which changes the look again.

but now nearly 18 months later, still the exact same weight, I look fit with muscle definition, no lose skin, you’d never know I lost weight, my daughter actually said to me you just look a normal weight now like you’ve always been like this.

I’m 9 stone, bmi 20, dress size 8.

I think a lot comes down to genetics, how long you’ve been over weight for,ie how long the skin was stretched, how rapidly you lose weight, how well you lose it, ie do you protect your muscle and lose fat, how much do you work out, how much protein do you consume, what condition is your skin in, do you moisturise daily,how much weight did you lose etc

of course there are many people who lose and will always have lose skin, but it is certainly not a given for many, it wasn’t for me.

I’m quite terrified of this too as I think I have a good chance of it. I’ve been overweight for about 5 years, now 3 stone over and mid-forties.

I have very dry crepey skin on the best of days and suspected EDS. The visceral fat score on my scale always reads normal but I’m 39% body fat, so it’s mostly subcutaneous - think rolls rather than just a wider, more rotund shape! 😏

I’m only on my first jab and with possible side effects and the heatwave, haven’t started anything yet, but I’ve got a vibration plate and huge workout mat arriving today. Plan is to walk one hour a day and get back to lifting weights, Pilates and rebounding.

I’ll also be employing lymphatic drainage massage, leg cupping, dry body brushing, a good moisturiser… and maybe a prayer or two!

I'm also just starting on the MJ jabs and am using Bio Oil on the stomach and lots of moisturiser elsewhere. Plus exercise and protein. I have pregnancy stretch marks on my tummy anyway, so just trying not to make things worse!

Thank you. This is really helpful and I remember the squishy tummy fat from last time.

I have to really plan to get a good amount of protein and not too much carb each day as I don’t eat meat. But I have hit 130g in the past so can recreate that this time.

Very thrilled for you and what sounds like an amazing outcome. 👏

Yes it takes work, and you need to do it right, if you do, I can’t say you won’t have lose skin, you may well do. But you will have mitigated as much as possible by retaining muscle, and losing between 1-2lbs a week. Then you go straight into body recomp, and it will improve again. They say it takes up to two years from skin to shrink back. Mine was a year, some people it will require surgery, no one can predict.