If I Lose Weight Will I Have Loose Skin?

People who have worked hard to slim down weight often worry about excess skin. Many wonder,

if I lose weight will I have loose skin? or exactly how much weight loss will cause loose skin? These are reasonable questions because in some cases, the loose skin causes as many problems as the excess pounds that they worked so hard to lose.

If you have extra skin after weight loss surgery, you know how frustrating it can be.

  But there are some solutions that can help. There are exercises, surgical and non-surgical medical procedures that may help you tighten your skin.

Loose Skin After Weight Loss is Normal

To find out more about the problem of excess skin, many bariatric surgery patients have loose skin after surgery.

sagging excess skin is one of the most common problems that weight loss surgery patients face. “It can be one of the biggest hurdles,” But he adds that it’s not a problem that patients will face alone.

surgeon counsels his patients before surgery about what to expect during the entire weight loss process. they continue to see patients for the rest of their lives following surgery. If loose skin becomes a medical issue due to infection or if the patient is uncomfortable about the look of the skin, the surgeon will work together with the patient to figure out the best option for their particular condition.

Will I Have Loose Skin After Weight Loss?

There are a few factors that may affect whether you’ll have excess skin and how much loose skin you’ll get after losing weight. Patients who are smokers may be at higher risk for loose skin. So quitting your cigarette habit may be help decrease your risk.

In addition, slow, steady weight loss can help prevent loose skin because it gives the skin more time to regain elasticity and recover.

Quick weight loss, on the other hand, can make loose skin more common.

Age is another factor. “Older patients (generally 50 years and over) are at higher risk for getting loose skin after weight loss because their skin is less elastic and less able to recover from the change in size.”

And of course, the amount of weight you lose matters as well. But you wouldn’t want to end your journey to a healthy weight simply to avoid loose skin. even though the treatment of loose skin around the arms and certain other areas is not covered by insurance, “plastic surgery for removal of excess abdominal and breast skin is often covered by insurance for reasons of moisture, hygiene and rash issues.”

How to Prevent Loose Skin After Weight Loss

In some cases, excess skin can be prevented or minimized. exercise is one of the best ways to deal with it. “It’s not perfect, but it helps to tighten both the muscle and the skin.”

But starting and sticking to an exercise program can be difficult if you don’t like the way you look. There are certain forms of exercise that are better for you if you are overweight.  It’s generally best to start slow and gradually increase your workload as your fitness level improves.

  Add strength training workouts to shape and tone the muscles and flexibility exercises to keep your joints limber and comfortable.  If you’re short on time, combine into a circuit style workout to make your sessions more efficient.

Surgery for Loose Skin

In some cases, surgery can improve loose skin. Surgeons generally recommend that you wait at least 18 months after bariatric surgery before getting evaluated for loose skin. Before that time, your body is going through too many changes.

For excess skin on the abdomen, there are typically two procedures from which to choose:

• Abdominoplasty: Both the muscle and the skin of the abdomen are tightened during this surgical procedure. Because it is considered a cosmetic surgery, it is not usually covered by insurance.

• Panniculectomy: Your doctor may recommend this procedure if you are experiencing skin breakdown or infection from loose skin or hanging skin on your abdomen. During the surgery, excess skin is removed and tightened, but the muscles are not tightened. Many insurance providers are more likely to cover this procedure.

Some patients also end up with loose skin in the lower body and choose a thigh lift procedure which helps to tighten skin on the thighs and create a leaner look in the legs.

There will be patients who choose not to go under the knife to get rid of loose skin. Compression garments for exercise or normal daily wear can help you to look and feel more confident in your new body.

A Word from Verywell

If you have loose skin after weight loss surgery, your best resource is your bariatric surgeon. He or she will be able to answer questions about your specific condition and make the best recommendation for you. If you’ve got excess skin from weight lost through traditional methods and exercise hasn’t helped, consider speaking to your health care provider. Your excess skin may be both manageable and treatable.