the dreaded loose skin

Can someone please tell me is the skin thing that bad? Does everyone have it??

Depends on how much you have to lose, how old you are, genetics, and how long you've been over weight. I'm having a 'bad skin day' today.  Just getting to me more than usual. you're welcome to look at my site, I have 'skin pics' posted.

It depends how much you weigh, how old you are, how long you've been heavy, and genetics.

It really does depend on the person... how much you weighed before/age etc.. I started @ 284 im around 180ish now.. i dont have "alot" of loose skin but some! im hoping the gym will help and when my body "catches up" maybe solme of the skin will get better.. to be honest my worst is my arms.. other than that tummy and legs are fine... juuuustt a little in my inner thighs please do not go by my results unfortunetly you will find out for yourself once you get there... I dont think anyone walks away without any but it really varied on the person.. Its not that bad.. id rather be healthy then care about this "loose" skin.. its kind of proof and reminder of where i came from!! good luck

Skin issues and the need for plastics really depends on a bunch of factors... how long you were overweight, age, elasticity of your skin, amount of stretch marks, where you carry your weight, etc. exercise can help but unfortunately sometimes it's just not enough. I think most post-ops will tell you they would take the loose skin over the fat any day though. I never planned on having plastic surgery. I really thought I would be OK with whatever I was left with but I wasn't (health wise and on the emotional side) I was lucky I found a way to make it affordable and get it done. ~Michelle

Especially when we lose weight quickly, our skin does sag because it cannot recover as quickly as we lose the weight.  But more importantly, when we are MO, we have usually stretched at least some of our skin beyond its ability to fully recover.  Stretch marks indicate areas where the skin is damaged at the cellular level, and stretch marks never recover.  We often hear about creams that help, but if you read the fine print, they say to start using them before the skin stretches to make it more supple and better able to survive the stretching--and I'm pretty sure it assumes the stretching is short term-, not long term like for most of us. The skin around stretch marks has the ability to "shrink", but how much depends on time, genetics, age, and whether it's ever been damaged by other cuases, such as smoking, drugs, sun exposure, etc. I was a little surprised to see stretch marks where I hadn't noticed them before, but that's probably because I couldn't see around those large arms!  The tummy didn't surprise me at all! Exercise helps burn fat and tones muscles, but skin is an organ--our largest--not a muscle.  ALthough exercise is important for skin recovery because it increases blood flow and blood flow is essential or all organs to function well, exercise does not shrink the skin. But, a toned body will support the skin better and so it helps appearance, at least when dressed. Some people will also have pockets of diet and exercise resistant fat that can only be removed by liposuction/surgery. It seems to be getting harder and harder to get insurance to pay for plastic sugery following massive weight loss. I can't say that I blame them; excess skin is defiitely a health issue with some, but probably not most of us.  I anticipated being denied by insurance (I was!) and so I started a plastic surgery savings account before I ever had surgery and put everything possible into it, so I self-paid for abdominoplasty and it was worth every penny. Some people are fine with the excess skin, and a few lucky people seem to have skin that recovers pretty darn well.  For others of us, it can be very depressing.  I'd still like to get my arms done, but for a variety of reasons I have not, at least yet. 

So, that's just my take on this.

Ann

I was so not prepared for the skin thing that it came as quite a "suprise".  Does human Shar-Pei, Boxer, etc. ring any bells ?  I've lost approximately 140 lbs and have gone from size 3X to size 4 and my shirts were size 24/26 and now are XS.  The difference is that I know how wonderful I feel (with clothes on) but the naked thing is still hard to get used to.  Oh, in 8 yrs. we get a raise as the last of our 3 kids finishes college and we will hopefully get some breathing room again! Susan

Unless they're blessed by the sagless fairy, I doubt it! My belly, upper arms, thighs, hips, back, boobs and butt need serious help.  My husband lost 200 lbs and just had plastics to remove some. (He needs more)  I have photos on my website. My MIL lost 200 + lbs and has had about $100,000 worth of plastics (including more next month) and she's still a mess)

Jennifer,  My surgery was two years ago.. and dispite the fact I have lost over 140 lbs, I am still wearing the sizes most people start at.  ( a 2X or 18/20)  A lot of my fashion sense today is based on my shape.  If you painted a black ring around my waist, it would literally look like a good year tire.  Stretch marks and excess fat cells in hanging skin is really unnerving to most of us.  Right now I am not ready for plastic surgery... but , can tell you I would rather live my loose skin life with the body of the grinch than to go back.   Remember we are our worst critics.   A doctor will likely advise you to keep a record of any rashes, smells, hygene issues etc. to expedite the posibility of getting plastics covered for health issues over vanity issues.  I was told lot of medical insurance companies will cover plastics for health issues.  Don't dispare.  Ths skin thing has it's frustrations for me... but, nothing was worse than suffering a heart attack and being told If I did not lose the weight ... I would never see my kids grow up.   This skin is an easy price to pay for seeing my girls grow up!   Good luck to you and your future!!      Mother Earth

Yes every body has skin issues post-op - it doesnt matter how young, genetics, how little you had to lose, if you wernt overweight but a few years - you will not be showing up in playboy any time soon :-) Is it that bad? Only you can decide that. You have to figure what you can and cannot live with - we all pretty much end up with the same problems areas - arms, tummy, legs/thighs and breasts.... if you think you may want plastic surgery - start saving now. Its hard to say exactly how your body will look post-op... but again, there will be wiggle jiggle flab.