Loose skin prevention? GLOW? KLOW?

[MsGizmo]

I intend to lose a significant amount of weight and am currently on month 3 of a GLP-1 drug. (currently 0.5 mg wegovy from the pharmacy until it runs out) I start my first peptide version next week. In total I need to lose just under 200 pounds to have a BMI in the "healthy" range. I know that loose skin is pretty much inevitable but I do want to reduce it as much as possible and wondering what everyone's opinion is on taking GLOW or KLOW to help with that.

 

[christa_channing]

GLOW/KLOW may help improve skin quality and minor laxity, but they won't “tighten” large amounts of loose skin after a 200 lb weight loss. That level of skin redundancy is usually too severe for peptides alone. Before GLP-1s, I looked into intermittent fasting. There was some talk that autophagy would help with loose skin.

The key mechanism here is autophagy, a cellular cleanup process that:

• Recycles damaged proteins (like misfolded collagen and elastin).
• May help improve skin elasticity over time.
• Can potentially tighten skin slightly by encouraging tissue regeneration.

Autophagy is stimulated during fasting—particularly after about 16+ hours without food. So longer fasting windows like 18:6, 20:4, or occasional 24-hour fasts may be more effective for this benefit.

 

[DwightTheDelight]

I intend to lose a significant amount of weight and am currently on month 3 of a GLP-1 drug. (currently 0.5 mg wegovy from the pharmacy until it runs out) I start my first peptide version next week. In total I need to lose just under 200 pounds to have a BMI in the "healthy" range. I know that loose skin is pretty much inevitable but I do want to reduce it as much as possible and wondering what everyone's opinion is on taking GLOW or KLOW to help with that.

I'm down 220 and on the cusp of a normal BMI. I was very worried about loose skin as well. After studying all of the methods that claim to help loose skin like intermittent fasting, extended fasting, keto, and vegan, I decided that occasional fasting combined with multiple low protein/vegan-ish days per week was how I was going to tackle this. As far as I could tell, no one had better skin results than vegans. Despite the faster's claims, there are very few pictures to back it up.

After 550 days, I can say that I'm pleasantly surprised with the results. I held almost all of my excess weight in my butt, stomach, and thighs. If you saw just my arms, below my knees, upper chest, and face you might have thought I was around a normal size if not just slightly overweight. So just imagine what 450lbs looks like with most of it around the mid section and how much loose skin potential there is.

I made a joke in here a few months ago about my loose skin, but in reality, I'm pleasantly surprised. I'm going to want something done for my stomach, but it's not absolutely necessary and the rest of the areas are fine. I've had multiple people comment about how surprised they are that I don't have visible loose skin.

Despite half of my weeks being low protein, dexa scans show that 3 out of every 4 lbs lost was fat and I'm sure a lot of that lean mass loss was skin, not just muscle.

 

[Calm Logic]

If one does need skin removal surgery, I read on Reddit that sometimes insurance will pay for it, depending on what has been documented.

 

[KatRat]

I’ve lost around 80 kgs and I’m on month three of recovering from a fdl tummy tuck. I tried using an industrial rf machine but really, when there is that much skin, surgery was the way to go. I can do a before and after here.

I’m going to do my arms in a few months and my legs next year.

 

[pavlovs]

I'm down 220 and on the cusp of a normal BMI.

I’ve lost around 80 kgs

How old are you two? Kat, your after pic looks great, but your before pic doesn't look as bad as I would have thought a 180 pound loss would look? I'm wondering if that is the result of being young people?

MsGizmo, I think the Glow/Klow might help reduce the amount of loose skin, even if it won't completely prevent it. I'v only lost 45 pounds (20 to go!), but was taking GHK-CU and KPV throughout the loss. My skin actually looks better, and so far nothing loose. I don't think it would hurt for you to give it a go🙂

 

[KatRat]

In my early 40’s and I had been obese since my teens. Low body fat so the skin was mostly just skin.

 

[christa_channing]

I don't think it would hurt for you to give it a go🙂

Absolutely for the other other benefits.

 

[DwightTheDelight]

How old are you two?

I'm 44.

 

[pavlovs]

I'm 44.

Well, that give me a little more hope🙂

 

[AndyPanda]

If people can afford skin surgery, it boggles my mind why they are slumming with gray market peptides. 😂

Anyway… Reduce subcutaneous water, increase collagen synthesis, and fill voids with muscle (Nobody likes skinny fat). If you want to look like your skin is vacuum sealed to your body, there is a mild, injectable AAS that can HELP with the three, but it depends on your heath, risk tolerance, and if you are willing to do the work. There is a lot of information on MESO about the topic. This forum is sensitive about anabolic talk and I want to respect that.

There isn’t a peptide that’s going to do it for you.

 

[MsGizmo]

I weigh over 300 pounds right now so I'm not trying to do anything for looks. I am hoping to avoid skin folds that can result in infections down the line. I just want to be normal. Maybe a ounce of prevention now will pay off down the line if I am able to get the weight off.

 

[Bflo_Bflo_Bflo_Bfl]

I’m down from near 300 lbs to about 230. I went slow, 1-2 lbs a week. So far my skin is shrinking along with everything else. I imagine things would be different if I was one of the 5-10 pound per week people.

 

[micropapaya]

I intend to lose a significant amount of weight and am currently on month 3 of a GLP-1 drug. (currently 0.5 mg wegovy from the pharmacy until it runs out) I start my first peptide version next week. In total I need to lose just under 200 pounds to have a BMI in the "healthy" range. I know that loose skin is pretty much inevitable but I do want to reduce it as much as possible and wondering what everyone's opinion is on taking GLOW or KLOW to help with that.

Honestly muscle training will be your best friend. You'll still get loose skin, but muscle training will help keep things from looking as "saggy". Also, the slower you lose weight, the easier it is for your skin to bounce back. Just a pound or two per week and you really don't want to go much faster than that if loose skin is your concern.

That being said, if you can afford it, then surgery is always an option. I have some surgery stuff planned and plan to make sure I can keep the weight off for at least 2 years before I get surgery

 

[zanny-kanny]

I’m down from near 300 lbs to about 230. I went slow, 1-2 lbs a week. So far my skin is shrinking along with everything else. I imagine things would be different if I was one of the 5-10 pound per week people.

You are right, losing weight slowly (1-2 lbs/week) was key to preventing saggy skin when I lost my 100 or so lbs. Of course I was in my mid to late 30's at the time. Now that I've lost 113lbs with more to go, the skin is not being so kind to me. But I also lost faster than 2 lbs/wk on Reta, which probably didn't help.

 

[MsGizmo]

You are right, losing weight slowly (1-2 lbs/week) was key to preventing saggy skin when I lost my 100 or so lbs. Of course I was in my mid to late 30's at the time. Now that I've lost 113lbs with more to go, the skin is not being so kind to me. But I also lost faster than 2 lbs/wk on Reta, which probably didn't help.

That's one of the big reasons that I'm just sticking with sema. That and its much cheaper. The money I save holding off on Tirz or reta I can invest in klow. While I still might end up taking them later if I stall with sema .. that isn't likely to happen for a while.

 

[zanny-kanny]

If you're losing on sema you have no reason to switch IMO. It is cheaper by far than the other GLP1s.

Taking HGH secretagogues, like tesa and ipa, or Klow is a prudent move because you are supporting your skin while you are losing so hopefully it will maintain elasticity and tighten naturally, making surgery unnecessary. That's what I'm hoping for anyway. I'm still months away from being finished with my weight loss, so crossing fingers it works for me. Don't relish possibly having to spend $10,000 or more removing loose skin.

 

[Calm Logic]

Regarding damage control, tret (retinol) cream can help too (such as from Amazon telehealth and pharmacy, or AllDayChemist and other Indian suppliers like Kawal at DMOnlineMeds).

Sunscreen and even oral supplements like asthaxanthin prevent UV damage, which would only make things worse.

 

[zpped]

1) go slow
2) hydration/sunscreen/moisturize
3) ghk-cu
4) hgh or ghrh/ghrp

In order of complexity/cost.

 

[peptidepower77]

Anyone use Klow80 here before? Is it supposed to be a bit blue? Some arrived and I was surprised the powder was a tad blue.

 

[MsGizmo]

Anyone use Klow80 here before? Is it supposed to be a bit blue? Some arrived and I was surprised the powder was a tad blue.

GHK-Cu is blue so KLOW will likely also be blue.

 

[peptidepower77]

GHK-Cu is blue so KLOW will likely also be blue.

Ok thanks. Make sense.

 

[jjjennys]

I have lost over 100, gained 40 back. I do have loose skin. I will not have removal.surgery. can these peptides help tighten or is what us done, done.

 

[AndyPanda]

They are not going to tighten the skin. They will help with collagen production and some may help with fine lines. You have to put in work to build muscle to help fill voids. Depending on your age, some of your skin will bounce back on its own. Eat meat, get collagen from supplements, get Vitamin E and give yourself time. Maybe wear some compression clothing to help as another tool combined with the rest.

 

[ZuZuPetals]

GLOW/KLOW may help improve skin quality and minor laxity, but they won't “tighten” large amounts of loose skin after a 200 lb weight loss. That level of skin redundancy is usually too severe for peptides alone. Before GLP-1s, I looked into intermittent fasting. There was some talk that autophagy would help with loose skin.

The key mechanism here is autophagy, a cellular cleanup process that:

• Recycles damaged proteins (like misfolded collagen and elastin).
• May help improve skin elasticity over time.
• Can potentially tighten skin slightly by encouraging tissue regeneration.

Autophagy is stimulated during fasting—particularly after about 16+ hours without food. So longer fasting windows like 18:6, 20:4, or occasional 24-hour fasts may be more effective for this benefit.

Was reading about a study suggesting AICAR promotes autophagy. Am digging a little deeper as I have interest in it for this reason.

 

[MsGizmo]

If people can afford skin surgery, it boggles my mind why they are slumming with gray market peptides. 😂

Anyway… Reduce subcutaneous water, increase collagen synthesis, and fill voids with muscle (Nobody likes skinny fat). If you want to look like your skin is vacuum sealed to your body, there is a mild, injectable AAS that can HELP with the three, but it depends on your heath, risk tolerance, and if you are willing to do the work. There is a lot of information on MESO about the topic. This forum is sensitive about anabolic talk and I want to respect that.

There isn’t a peptide that’s going to do it for you.

You can finance it and you can sometimes get insurance to cover it.

I am not delusional enough to think that there is some magic injectable that will make me look like I'm in my 20s again. Like I said originally, I was thinking about risk reduction for it. There doesn't seem to be any harm in trying it. I credit KLOW with ending my back pain. So that alone make it worth it.

 

[AndyPanda]

Was reading about a study suggesting AICAR promotes autophagy. Am digging a little deeper as I have interest in it for this reason.

I tried AICAR several months ago. It helped me with endurance but it was giving me headaches. Kind of like crashing after a lot of caffeine. I think of you don’t have any side effects it is on a short list of peptides that are worth giving a go.

 

[desinr-gal]

Saw this and started googling. I found this warning..





AI Overview

AICAR side effects can include neurodegeneration, inhibition of cell division, and the accumulation of naturally occurring AICAR in the body, which is linked to metabolic disorders in humans. While research in animals has shown beneficial effects, such as fat loss and improved blood sugar control, other studies highlight potential for hepatotoxicity and toxicity from AICAR's metabolic derivatives.


Potential Side Effects

• Neurotoxicity:
  Too much AICAR or activation of the AMPK pathway in the wrong tissue can lead to neurodegeneration.
• 
  
• Inhibition of Cell Division:
  AICAR can prevent cells from dividing.
  
  
• 
  
• Metabolic Disorders:
  High levels of naturally occurring AICAR in the body have been associated with metabolic disorders.
  
  
• 
  
• Hepatotoxicity:
  Studies in animals have observed liver toxicity in some cases when AICAR is administered to animals on a normal diet.
  
  
• 
  
• Accumulation of Toxic Metabolites:
  AICAR itself can be converted into other compounds within cells, and some of these derivatives, like ZMP, can be toxic.

Considerations for Human Use

• Dosing and Concentration:
  In animal studies, the toxicity and effects of AICAR are often concentration-dependent.
• 
  
• Underlying Conditions:
  The presence of certain conditions, such as the metabolic syndrome or diabetes, may influence the potential side effects of AICAR.
  
  
• 
  
• Existing Therapies:
  Combining AICAR with other drugs might alter its effects and potentially lead to unintended consequences.