Preparing your skin for weight loss?

Does anyone have any tips that can help with the loose skin after WLS?  Is there anything you can do before the surgery and after to help it bounce back.

I know weight training etc can help tremendously but is there anything that can also help.

thanks

Greg

It definitely will be easier for a guy in the arms and legs areas. For your stomach, I would start 10k walks, to strengthen you core and overall toning. Swimming does wonders for the skin too. Weight training is a given :) good luck

I agree with 'So_Jaded'

Yoga would be good too... 

For me, I lost 110+lbs and my tummy skin did not bounce back. I am scheduled to have my panni, tummy tuck and a breast lift on Jan 13th :) 

 

Good luck Greg ... work at it ;) 

Im looking for help too, so any advise will be helpful. Leanne1 ... I was wondering how much you will have to pay? as I will have to do the same

Everyone seems to have a different payment... I paid $9000. OHIP covered my panni BUT I upgraded to a tummy tuck and breast lift.

I also have to take into consideration that I will not have any money coming in for a month, so I am trying to make sure that I have my household bill money saved up a little so I won't have to worry about it. 

I got my referral from my GP in Sept and seen Dr Nandagopal. Then waited for ohip to make their decision. Went back in Nov to see him again and got the call for my surgery date on dec 2nd. 

You have to keep taking your vitamins! I got a little lazy with mine. If your levels drop to a low number, it will prolong things. Be diligent and follow your centres guidelines, all the time!  ;)

Many factors play into how your skin will react. First being your age, how long you have been over weight and how much over weight you are. I am 58 years old  and was overweight way to long. My skin has not come back to anything resembling normal. 

hey Greg. If you have stretch marks, that means that the skin is damaged, torn, and it CANNOT bounce back. at all. Keeping hydrated, weight training, may help. but not with the damaged skin.

Don't let monica scare you ;) It doesn't mean the whole area isn't going to bounce back at all - just the lines that are streched are 'damages' well they are scars... so no scars won't shrink but the skin between each strech mark can - but I have heard you can reduce the look ok them thereby potentially repairing them by using Bio oil and other similar products.

Because you are a guy I suggest hitting the gym like everyone else mentioned - the more space taken my muscle the less skin will be left over to hang.  My husband went through and lost 200lbs and is now a regular gym goes (and in the army now) the only evidence that he was ever over 300lbs is his little belly which when he is 'bulking' can almost be explained away.  That being said he was 25 when he lost the weight so it really depends alot of your genetics and age etc.

keep your skin moisturised - research the different vitamins that are good for your skin and get a really good body lotion. 

Without knowing more about you that is all I can say and I hope it helps. :)

Thanks for the information everyone. I really appreciated it. 

Sorry.. I have to agree with Monica.. I used many things and they didn't work. 

The gym or any kind of working out is a GREAT idea. I personally don't go to a gym but I am in an exercise class and I do alot of heavy lifting and stairs and I am a very busy person. Skin is skin, some may get lucky but if it's stretched and has stretch marks, it's damaged. I was "big" all my life and I am having surgery next month to remove all my excess skin from my tummy area. 

I also have a guy friend that lost over 250lbs and he also had to have surgery to remove his excess skin, it didn't matter what he used for moisturizer and he goes to the gym everyday as well. 

Each of us are different. It's best to ask and be informed.