is it true

[brierpatch1974]

Is it true that you can always add fat cells by getting fatter but no matter how much weight you lose you can never get rid of a fat cell but only shrink it? That would explain alot when people lose tons of weight and have all the floppy skin.


BP

 

[matt182]

you dont add fat cells, you only make them larger, theres not really any limit to how large they can become which is unfortunate. i think the floppy skin is mainly due to the skin that has been stretched.

 

[malkore]

matt is correct. fat cells store an almost unlimited amount of energy, swelling to hold it.

obese people that lose a ton of weight have to deal with the skin that's left over...that stretched for years to contain the fat.

there's also issues with internal organs starting to distend because the tissues supporting them stretch due to an extremely large storage of abdominal fat.

 

[Dallen]

I remember reading about this. You basically have a set amount of fat cells. Your body fills these things like potato bags. When required to use, it empties some of the bags.

Also, your skin has a "memory" system. So when it damages, it knows how to rebuild it. When you lose a lot, the skin doesn't remember how to fix it properly. Of course you can reprogram it to fit, but losing an excess of 100s of pounds would require surgery. I think age has something to do with it too. If you're younger, you'll be able to fix it. But if you're older, it's going to be hard to fix it.