Loose skin after goal: my slow, uneven reality

I hit goal 16 months ago after losing 86 lb over about 20 months, and I’m 44. The loose skin on my lower belly and upper arms is the most noticeable. In the first six months of maintenance, I swore it was getting worse, probably because I was finally looking at it instead of avoiding mirrors. Now, a year later, some areas have softened: less red, less creased, easier to live with under clothes. It has not snapped back into anything like my pre-loss shape, and I’ve made peace with that. Lifting twice a week, drinking enough water, and stopping the daily mirror audit helped my perspective more than anything. Time did some of the work, but not all of it. For those further out in maintenance: did yours keep changing after the first year, or mostly settle? I’m curious whether what I’m seeing is real change or just acceptance.