Excess Skin

He may just be worried right now about how he'll feel if it happens because it's just a big unknown.  If you don't have stretch marks you may end up better situated than most of us.  That's good news! 

Thank you for your insight!  The unknown is kinda scary sometimes!

If it is stretched out and covered in stretch marks it is never shrinking back no matter how slow you lose it, its stretched out to its max.  Plastics are so worth it, why not have a perfectly flat stomach at 48.  And I will be 51 in September and never looked or felt better.

Why not? Because not everyone has several thousand dollars to spare, even if they save?

I am coming to terms about the excess skin.  Foundation garments will have to do for me unless my sores between my skin continue after wls and insurance pays.  No way I could save - I am on disability and my husband isn't rich!

I am coming to terms with the excess skin.  No way I would ever be able to afford plastics in our situation.  Good for you that you were able to!

Your question struck a chord with me. I had to answer this. I had VSG in 10/11 and lost 150 pounds over 2 1/2 years. I am older than you and had carried over 100 excess weight for quite a long time- I lost and re-gained weight many times over. 

I had most of my weight around my abdomen and thighs. After the weight loss , i had an "apron" of excess skin which hung down to almost mid-thigh. I had a great deal of support from my husband. In fact I could not have done this without his encouragement & support. 

Last year I decided to have plastic surgery to remove the excess skin. They removed more than 50 pounds from my lower body & thighs. almost 25 from my abdomen alone! 

I felt this was important for my mental health, as much as my physical health. You are younger than me, your skin is most likely more elastic and may well spring back into shape. 

The longer you carry the excess weight, the more stretched out the skin will become. It is not true that the slower you lose the weight, the better the skin will shrink into place. 

I am sure that you spoke with your husband about the WLS. It is NOT a quick fix. It is hard work and just a tool in the arsenal against excess weight. Did you take him with you to your surgeon and to the support group, if you attended any sessions. This may help him understand what you will be facing, and may address some of his concerns. 

Good luck in your decision. 

No, if you lost 150 lbs over 2 years or you lost 150 lbs over 9 months, at the end of 2 years your skin would have shrunk the same amount at the end of the same amount of time. 

Remember that no matter how quickly you lose the weight, your skin will not rapidly shrink up.  Based on your genetics and everything else mentioned in the responses here, you will only get the amount of shrinkage that your body will do.  There is very little you can to and there are not miracle creams.

With that said, I do feel like taking good care of your skin and keeping it full of vitamins and moisturizing can only help it do the best it can.  I don't think any of the creams I am using have *made* any improvement on their own.  However, I do feel like that by keeping my skin in the best health I can, that I am helping it live up to its potential (shrinkage)!

I can tell that I have a little less sag than I had 3 months ago.  I'm at the stage now to figure out which parts bother me enough to go through surgery.  If you don't have a burning desire to wear bikinis or if arm flaps won't stop you wearing tank tops, then don't bother with surgery.  It is all up to you!

I will tell you, that even with my sags and flaps, I'd sure rather be under-inflated than over-inflated!  Even with my "bat-wings" under my arms, I still wore a strapless evening gown to my company Christmas party!  And I rocked it!

Good luck and I hope your surgery goes well!

If getting rid of the skin is important to you then know that you can get rid of it,  surgically.   I had VSG in November 2012,  and got my plastics done in February 2014.   I lost 150 pounds,  and needed everything done.  I got a thigh lift,  lower body lift,  arm lift and breast lift/augmentation.   WELL worth it to me!  My thighs may need a revision because they are still quite saggy but that's not the doctor's fault,  he tightened them as much as he could at the time.  My waist/breasts are WONDERFUL though :)