Daniel Hernandez3 said:I’m 19 and I’ve been dealing with this one issue that’s honestly just draining my soul at this point... Over the last year, I went through this massive weight loss phase—dropped from about 185 lbs down to like 123 lbs just a month ago. But then, after that month, I gained 15 pounds back pretty fast (family stuff, depression... basically just stress-eating everything in sight). Because the weight loss was so intense and I was at such a low body fat percentage—like under 10%—my doctor actually mentioned my skin elasticity looked pretty poor. Now that I've put those 15 pounds back on, I can literally feel my facial skin sagging a bit when I walk... and there's another thing. During that rough month, I was crying constantly, and I ended up getting this weird, deep bump on the right side of my face. I kept picking at it and stretching the skin around it, and now the whole right side feels swollen and... I don't know, looser than the left? Is it even possible to permanently stretch out the skin on one side just by messing with it for a few days? Once things calmed down, I started using chamomile compresses, and while the left side of my face tightened up nicely, the right side stays puffy and feels soft to the touch... it just won't snap back. I’m trying so hard not to touch it or pull at it, but it’s driving me absolutely insane because I can’t stop thinking about it... I really need some advice or help here. I haven't even worked up the nerve to talk to my parents yet, but I’m seriously considering looking into cosmetic procedures or something. I know if I lean out again, the skin might tighten up, but I’m terrified I did permanent damage to the right side by messing with that bump. I probably sound totally crazy, maybe I am, but honestly, the last month has been a total nightmare (my dad got sick, a long-term relationship ended...) and it all just spiraled into me crying all day long. Please, if you're reading this, don't just tell me I'm losing it... I just really need some actual help or guidance. Thanks in advance.
Tyler James5 said:Think about those models who rock a pregnancy bump—like, massive skin stretching happening right there—and then just a few months later, they’re back on the runway. Skin is an organ that heals itself, especially at your age. Just give it some breathing room to bounce back, maybe a few months, before you even start thinking about cosmetic surgery (which, hey, is always an option, it's not going anywhere).
Level up your diet with some Omega-3 fatty acids and, if you aren't already, grab a broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement, plus a B complex for sure.
Topically, you can go harder on skincare with stuff made for mature women, like Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair, http://www.qvcuk.com/ukqic/qvcapp.as...6#BVRRWidgetID
paired with a 0.2mm Dermaroller (maybe twice a week to start)
it's basically that little roller tool with tiny surgical needles, 0.2 mm, which helps products sink deeper into the skin, plus it kicks off collagen production on its own.
At night before bed, apply your serum to totally clean skin and just "roll" it in. The needles are so tiny it won't hurt or bleed, don't even worry about it, it just feels like a light tickling or tingling sensation. You might get a tiny bit flushed, but by morning, it's gone. It just makes whatever serum or cream you're using work way better.
The fitness advice above is also spot on. You've gotta let your body actually recover from all those heavy hits it took.
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It just hit me that a 19-year-old guy probably isn't even thinking about this stuff: if you decide to go the derma roller route, you can't just have a clean face... you need your hands, your towel, your hair, and even your pillowcase to be freshly washed before you hit the hay that night. If you’re using those cheap synthetic-cotton blends that can't handle high heat, you should probably just grab some 100% cotton ones you can blast in the wash at 190°F. If you skip the roller entirely, a silk pillowcase is your best bet for skin health.
The whole skin elasticity thing is more about your connective tissue and staying hydrated, plus how fast you dropped the weight (I'm mentioning that because of the part in your post where you think losing even more fat will tighten everything up—that’s not quite how it works, and honestly, it’s probably not the healthiest move for you right now. Just calculate your BMI range and try to stay within those boundaries)
You really ought to be drinking at least a liter of pure water every day, plain and simple. And I mean that on top of all the fruit, juice, and soup you're already having.
If you smoke—just stop. Nicotine is terrible for those surface capillaries and chokes off blood flow, which basically kills any chance of your skin regenerating itself.
If you're going to mess with serums and a Microdermabrasion roller, you absolutely have to avoid the sun between 11 AM and 4 PM, plus you gotta use sunscreen (at least SPF 20).
Some high-end spas use microwave treatments to heat up subcutaneous tissue to jumpstart collagen production, but I don't think you need to be going down that road at your age.
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