Sagging Skin

Morning everyone.
I am so grateful for my surgery.  This has been and continues to be a wonderful journey for me.  I am, however a little disappointed in my body.  I have lost 180 lbs to date and being 55, my skin has double triple sagged!  Every pound that I lose now shows with more wrinkles in my face and body.  Even my ankles have wrinkles on them!  I am not in a position to do plastic surgery right now.  I was just wondering if anyone else had experienced this?  My body is actually less attractive now than when I was heavy!  Maybe that is just my perception, but any wise words of advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Paula

less attractive???? maybe to you but others dont see the sags so much believe me  and yes we all have the sags and wrinkles....the only ones i know of that have been able to get by without so much is my sister she exercises daily and hour lifting weight and another hour doing water arerobics and rides a bike 3 times a week  so if you have that sort of time to devote to exercise you might get rid of some of it but it is like old elastic was stretched too much for too long but i will take the wrinkles over the fat any day....

Aloha Paula.....First of all, CONGRATULATIONS on your amazing weight loss!! You have come a long way, baby!!

Isn't it ironic how our bodies change as we shrink. I, too, feel like I looked better in some ways when I was heavy.....nice, smooth skin. Tight thighs, arms and face. Now, it's wonderful to wear size 8 jeans....BUT....my arms, thighs and face now look like someone let the air out....and I guess they did!

My program allowed one plastic surgery, and I had panniculectomy which made my belly nice and flat. So, I am grateful for that. Any other PS I may have will have to be paid for....fully. So, I just try to live with the saggy skin......learn creative ways to hold it in (tights, etc). My next plan is to get to a gym and work on muscles under the skin of my arms, legs, etc. Now that Medicare PAYS for gym membership, I have NO EXCUSES any longer.

Thanks for coming and telling us your story. I hope you find answers that make you feel better about your body. Just think of how much easier you move, and the freedom you have given yourself to live an unencumbered life....that is awesome!!

Know that your concerns are shared....by many I'm guessing.

Aloha nui loa,

Maui Karen

Yeah, I have my share of them. I could probably get my panni removed because of my back problems (I have enough documentation for it), but I have opted not to because I have dealt with enough pain issues after two knee replacement surgeries on the same knee.

Quite frankly, I don't think I'm less attractive. Most of my wrinkles are in places nobody sees but me. My face has evened out after four years and looks good; the wrinkles are basically under clothing and no one sees that but me. I have some sagging skin in my thighs and bat wings in my arms, but hey, what woman over 50 doesn't? Clothing basically covers it most of the time. No wrinkles in the ankles. I try to exercise as much as I can, which, since the knee surgeries isn't as much as I'd like. My thighs aren't very pretty, but no one sees them but me and the knee doc.

I don't know what else to tell you ... You can exercise with weights to get rid of some of the sagging  to firm up your skin, but it won't get rid of all of it. Some of it will be there unless you opt for plastics. That's expensive and sometimes painful.

I've decided I'm happy with what I have. I'm healthy (except for the knees ... and the right one is finally coming along) and I can live with sagging skin. I feel good about myself. I guess it's a matter of if you feel good about yourself ... and it's obvious you don't. So maybe you want to look at plastics ... see if you can get something done through a teaching hospital for less money or through insurance. Or see if working out will take care of some of it.

I hope I've helped. Hang in there. Some of it will resolve itself in time. But not all.

Gosh you sound just like me ... I am also 55 ... but I sure don't want to put that 150 pounds back on! YIKES! I am what I am and I look great with clothes on which I sure didn't before ... I looked bad naked before (heavy) so I actually improved in one way so it was sooo worth it! We just have to come to terms with our bodies and learn to live with it and accept it (or get a lot of plastic surgery) and LOVE OURSELVES.

I don't like the saggy skin.  I especially don't like my bat wings.
That said I totally hated the way I looked 102 pounds ago!  I would much rather be thinner and flabby than bigger than a whale and as sick as I was!  My DH thinks I look wonderful and he is the only one that sees all the sags.

 Paula,
I totally identify with what you are saying.  I felt I looked better when I was heavier.  With the sagging skin and the hair loss I have a difficult time looking at myself in the mirror and being pleased.  As a heavy person I kept myself nice and was not displeased other than my big tummy.  Now I'm having a hard time looking at myself without clothes.  

With surgery I'm now feeling so much better and I know I look better to others but I still have to do mind games to feel good about my face and body.  And especially my hair.

But, ya know..  we will get through this.  Seeing the overall results is what we need to focus on.

Millie

Paula,

I know what you mean.  But I can't afford plastic surgery, I look good clothed now (if I don't look too closely at my face/throat), my husband thinks I'm beautiful, and I'd rather be thin, healthy, saggy and wrinkly than obese, unhealthy, and smooth.  So I'm working on self-acceptance.

And you know, you are probably 1000 times more critical of your appearance than anyone else would be.  I know it's important to be happy with yourself, but hey, at age 55, I think you (and I) should give yourself a break.

Jean