Excess Skin

My husband is being fairly supportive of my possible wls.  However, it is bothering him out that I will have so much excess skin, especially in my abdomen where I am currently carrying most of my 100+ extra weight.  He says that if I lost the weight conventionally, the skin would have more of a chance to shrink back into place because the weight loss would be slower.  True?  And I wonder just how much extra skin I will have.  btw I am no spring chicken - 48 - and have been over 200 lbs for 10 years.

Hi Susan,

One thing I think you should think about is if you could have lost the weight on your own you would have already done that.  Who cares about the skin if you get your health back.  Once you have surgery start working with a trainer that will help with tighten of the skin.  WE all have no idea how our skin will looks after we loss weight but i will take the excess skin anyway for my health.

Thank you so much for your reply.  Health definitely is more important!  

I'm not a skin expert.... But I would assume that your skin will or will not sag regardless if you lose the weight with or without WLS. Some people don't have a problem, most do. Your genetics, age and exercise all play a role in how bad the skin is. I've almost lost 100 lbs and so far I have no lose skin. If it bothers him that much then there is always plastics. I would much rather have a thin healthy spouse with a little extra skin than an unhealthy one. 

Thanks for replying.  It makes sense that the skin is probably already damaged so even a slow weight loss wouldn't help.  I just need to remember health is more important!  There's always spanx, right?   

That's exactly right!

Tell him he'd better start saving for your plastics then - if he's so worried what you will look like!   Some men are such asses at times ...

Hey!

Yeah, ok.

I already have trouble with sores and bleeding between the skin, I don't know if that will get worse or better after wls.  Maybe if it gets worse insurance would pay!!  And what's weird - he usually is not concerned about my looks like that.  I think maybe it's his nerves!!

Some insurance plans will pay for a panni removal if it's deemed "medically necessary" and you have rashes or lesions. That's something you'd need to check with your individual plan administrator.