strechmarks???

For people who had strechmarks before WLS.. What happened when you lost your weight? During my pregnancy I got the dreaded strechmarks, not from my weight just from the baby getting bigger.. Now after baby I've got them something horrible also I developed a spare tire.. Something else I've never had. This all concerns me because if I get the WLS will all this make me have a lot of extra skin.. I'm now only 252 and I would like to get down to 130-145. Any information would be greatly appreciated..

The stretch marks won't make any difference on how much skin you will have. You will have excess skin as anytime you lose an enormous amount of weight that is just normal. However, the stretch marks will make a difference in how well your skin does when you have plastic surgery. I had lots of small stretch marks in my tummy area and breasts area from gaining and losing weight through the years and with having kids. I had a tummy tuck and breast lift with augmentation back in January. My tummy is flat and tight, but it is not as tone looking as I would like due to the inelasticity of my skin from all the stretch marks. My breast area was very inelastic too, and my breast lift didn't turn out exactly right due to the skin giving a few months after the surgery. I have to have a revision done to my breast when I get a chance and can squeeze it into my schedule and of course fork out the dough to pay for it. I was 277 pounds the morning of my surgery and very healthy and in pretty good shape for a person that size. I have lost down to 135 now and exercised and worked out with weights the whole way down and continue to do so. I really didn't have that much excess skin in comparison to lots of people. They removed 2 pounds. But it was the stretch marks that were my problem when it came time to do the plastic surgery to remove the excess. My tummy looks much better now that I have been back working out and all. Now, I just have to get my breasts fixed right. Good luck to you. Keep us posted with how your journey to have surgery is going. This is a great place to get support and information. We are like a big family around here. Hope to see you post often If you have anymore questions about the WLS or plastic surgery or excess skin just send me an email and I will give you my contact information. Melissa

I agree w/ Melissa. Well being the Big Loser that I am.... minus 250 lbs. I really didn't have that many, but the ones I had were so wide and long. Now just white shiny wrinkly lines. I have had skin removal. I can tell you the spare tire ( and I had an 18 wheeler size tire) will melt and slide on further down your hips. I'm afraid to tell ya----- but being a fat loser u won't mind to much for a while. Start your piggy bank for "reconstruction/remodeling " asap glenda

Read the " smashing scales" post on board. glenda

Mine have all faded to next to not noticeable, but I have had any plastics either and where Missy lost only 2 lbs in plastic surgery, my Doc says I will lose about 20!!!!!!! smoochies Arlies

Thanks ladies.. I really am thinking about doing this. My hubby wants me to do a lot of research about it.. I'm going to go to the meeting in Gulfport on the 30th and hopefully my hubby will get to come because all this really worries him.. I know this is something that I need to do.. because I don't want to get up to 300lbs or 400lbs by they time my son is 10 years old.. Which that looks lilke the track I might be on... Thanks again.. April