Is plastic surgery generally required after WLS and the weight is gone?

I don't think the freaky excess skin where it drags everywhere is all that common, but I also think it depends on how overweight you are.

At 300 pounds, I carried all my weight in the stomach area. This was my  problem area and now with all the weight gone, this is where I find my skin to be the worst. I think your worst area will be where you carry your weight (stomach, back or hips).

My friend carried all her weight on her hips/legs area and now her tummy is flat! She had to get the skin removed from her leg area though cause she couldn't wear shorts because it would drag.

I wear a bathing suit, but I still haven't gotten over the fat mentality (that's a whole other ballgame) so I wear shorts with it. I don't feel uncomfortable or like i'm "hanging out"

Whether you need to have the excess skin removed or not depends on a few thing like how much weight you lose, your age, & your skin (thin or thicker...red head or brunette). I have an ugly apron across my abdomen  & I definitely want it off. The government will only pay if you have lost 100 pounds, kept it off for 2 years, & have had medical problems (rashes) not cured by medication. I will qualify ....even if I have to use sand paper!

Welcome to our board Sunflower! Your question was a good one and something I did alot of research on as well. You can usually tell if your skin will bounce back. There are certain spots where excess skin is that stretch out so badly there is no way they can return. Also age and size, genetics play a huge part as well. Most Wls patients find once they have lost the weight and gotten more healthy they desire to look on the outside how they are feeling on the inside and thus some decide upon Plastics. Others do not go in that direction and are happy to be feeling better and able to be active. Apersonal choice for sure. Myself personally am already able to tell where my problem areas are and am wanting to save money for plastics and I haven't had my WLS yet. Soon I believe I will get my call! Hope that answers your question and I understand your thoughts on a future boyfriend, I have been married for 17 years and would still love to look beautiful for my hubby. Trish

 Thank you for the warm welcome!

With all of you giving me the 'real' information I feel so much better prepared for what may come.  

The excess weight I have is well distributed, so I suspect the worst place will be the tummy area.  And some flab is fine with me.  
From what I was reading though, it seemed as though there would a freakish amount of flab that would require some kind of hefty support garments all the time or surgery and THAT worried me.

I don't quite understand why some people feel that it is unhealthy to want to look good, but I don't think it is.  I don't have to look like a supermodel to look good either.  (In fact many models don't look good and aren't healthy)

I guess I will just have to wait and see what happens with me.

Have a fantastic day!

A belated WELCOME! to you Sunflower. Yes - I do wear a bathing suit. Not a bikini - never wore one and never will. I probably could if I wanted to - my lap RNY scars are barely noticeable - but the scar from my surgery last summer is still nasty looking - it really isn't important to me. My bathing suit has firm soft cups - so keeps the girls where they should be - and tummy support is adequate. It's not a specialty suit or anything. I carried my weight all over - so wasn't left with huge amounts of slack skin in any one  area. Take care!

Thank you for the warm welcome!  

May I ask what surgery you had last summer that left you with a nasty scar?  (Only answer if you feel comfortable doing so.)

I wear a bathing suit now (and have for years) with breast support in it, so it would be nothing to have to continue to do so.

Thank you again for the information!

No problem - it's no secret - I became ill with intermittant severe abdominal pain - close to 3 weeks later I had emergency abdominal open surgery to repair an internal hernia - called Petersens Hernia. It's one of the possible complications that can happen after weight loss surgery. I never scar faintly - I do expect this one will fade in time also - but at the moment it's a keloid type scar that's still quite red and raised. You can check my profile and blog if you want for the whole gory story!

I am sorry to hear of this complication you have had to deal with.

It seems like you have handled it well though and I will pray that things go well for you going forward.

Thank you again for being forthright and honest and welcoming me to this board.

I'm sure we will see each other again:) 

No plastic surgery here. I was 270 lbs down to 150 at my lowest but now back to about 188. I certainly have more weight to lose so I wouldn't even consider surgery until I was at my goal weight and maintaining that for at least a year. The chances of that happening for me personally? Slim to none :) If I won the lottery, I may consider it then but for me, no.

Hello  Sunflower and welcome to our little board. I love it here and hope you will feel as comfortable here too. i had RNY gastric bypass in Feb 2009 and have to date lost 132 pounds.
 
I have a HUGE panni (apron) and my poor old boobs are hanging to my waist. I was 54 DDD and that was a tight fit.You can tell I have excess skin issues.
 
I am also single and would like to start dating but with this loose skin I feel less than attractive and do not look forward to letting someone see this flab regardless of how they feel about me. I felt less self conscious when I was fat to be honest.
 
That being said I woulod still not excnhange my former life for this for all the tea in China. If I were to never get the plastic surgery, being this weight and feeling this great would be enough to have had this procedure done and I would do it again in half a heartbeat.

I do understand your concern and if it is really a deciding factor in your getting this surgery think long and hard. If you are so fortunate to get this done and do lose a LOT of weight, you just may very well have a lot of loose skin EVERYWHERE. (I have loose skin on everything from my face to my butt ) My face now has become wrinkly and for the record so is my butt LOL.
 
I am scheduled to see a plastic surgeon and hope to get in this year and too hope to be fortunate enough to get a panniculectomy done. (removal of the  belly apron). I am also in the medical field so I know the dangers of surgery.  

I wish you the best of luck and success whatever you decide to do. Keep in touch