Skin Tightening - this is SO weird

Hi there. I'm posting this as I know I would have found it helpful as a newcomer. I am 22 months out from surgery and maintaining a 143 pound weight loss. I was very self conscious about my excess skin at about a year out from surgery, having hit my goal of 160 pounds.

I figured I'd learn to live with it as plastic surgery was not a financial option for me ~ so I decided to focus on my health rather than become obsessed with my appearance.

Well, fast forward to 10 months further along and I have noticed a dramatic change! My weight is still the same, but my skin has bounced back more than I could have imagined. It's not perfect, but I am so surprised ~ especially in my lower abdomen that my skin pouch feels much less full and 'hangy' . I only walk for exercise, so I guess this is a natural occurrence... My waist, which was virtually non-existent due to having to tuck all my skin into my clothes, only to have them hanging in the bum in order to fit my waist, has also slimmed a bit...again all while maintain the same weight. This is weird to me. I had read that skin 'adjusts' for up to two years after surgery, but really believed at about a year out that what I saw, was what I was stuck with. I was wrong.

Just wanted to share this for your consideration. Be well :-)

Thank you for sharing your experience!  I was going to take care of my sagging neck when I have maintained for a year.  Now maybe I will wait a bit longer.  The rest of me is just going to have to do without, as I don't think I can handle more surgery than that.  If I do as well as you did, maybe everything else will shift around.  That would be nice.  If not, I have learned how to cover the sags pretty well.  Thanks again!

You bring up a great point - your body absolutely will "shift" and "adjust" things around for about 12-18 months after you hit maintenance.  That's why plastic surgeons (and me) suggest that people wait at least a year after hitting maintenance to determine what, if any, plastics would be beneficial.

My face and neck, which horrified me at goal weight, have filled back in and aren't so awful now.  The batwings I was worried about aren't so bad now.  However, the tummy skin was still a nightmare (30 years obese/MO will do that to a person) so I had a LBL in July 2015 - 18 months into maintenance.  I'm really glad I waited! 

I will echo what Tracy said. It takes quite a while after your weight stabilizes for things to stop shifting about. I think those that jump into plastics, especially those that aren't even done losing yet, are nuts.

I agree.  From the beginning I figured I'd wait 2 years post-goal to get plastics.  This will probably end up working out well, since there's no way I'll be able to afford it while being a full time student :P  Plastics will be my gift to myself for paying off my school debt!

I waited 2years after hitting goal and I think that is why I had such a good outcome.  Take your time