Loose Skin

I'm hoping to have my bypass some time next month just waiting to have my sleep study done.  Out of all the things about this surgery that I keep worrying about the most is the loose skin that will come after the weight loss.  I hope to lose 100lbs but even if I lost 75 I'd be happy, happy, happy.  Can anyone that has lost approximate this much weight tell me how bad the loose skin is?  I mean I already have a saggy belly and I can just imagine what it will be like.  What do you do about it etc, I would never consider cosmetic surgery I don't think because from everything that I've heard from people that have had it, say that it's extremely painful.  I know that we need to exercise but I also know that exercise alone will not take away all of the excess skin.

Will anyone share their experience with me????

Cathy

Depends on your age and skin resilience at time of surgery. Bagginess is worse the older you are as skin doesn't bounce back due to lack of natural collagen, etc. You say you dont want plastic surgery? Then I have one word for you: SPANX

THE FLABBY MERMAID Aka Jennifer

Well Jennifer I'm 52 and gravity has already taken a hold on things so I'm sure that I'm not going to "bounce" back very good LOL.  I guess I'd better find me a sale on spanx, so in other words get ready to "lift" and dry after bathing and showering, and I would think powder, powder, powder.......oh well I'm ready to get thinner and become healthier, that is the main reason for the surgery.  Thank you for your reply.

 

Cathy

Instead of using talcum powder, try using cornstarch under that belly rolll and droopy boobies...before sores develop. Some insurance programs will pay for boob reductions (not lifts) and panniculectomies (apron removal, not tummytucks) but mostly it is self pay. If you do develop skin fold problems and sores, document with color photos and you may get lucky for some free surgery, augmented by your own contribution to turn a "panni" into a full tummy tuck ( tummy muscle tightening etc. ).



But if still determined not to do plastics, wait with buying spanx or other such undergarments until after you have lost your weight....maybe that tummy roll is not as bad as you expected and surgery not needed....sometimes at year 2-3 your body starts absorbing some of your looseness due to rapid weightloss....you need to let your body catch up!

Hi Cathy...I lost about 170 pounds and I never had any kind of skin surgery afterwards. Call me chicken if you want...lol. I have some sagging skin I admit but its not THAT bad in my opinion. So I guess it depends on HOW bad your skin is after IF you need surgery or not.

Wishing you the best on your journey!!! Hang on its a wild ride!!! Stop back often let us know how you are doing!!

HUGS

Judy, how old were you when you lost the 170lbs?   Congratulations by the way that is awesome!!!!

 

Cathy

I had my surgery when I was almost 54. I started out at 334 pounds. I still don't know how I lost all that weight!!! LOL I had sooooooooooooooooooooo many stalls along the way it wasn't funny!!! BUT it did come off!!! So do not be discouraged if it takes awhile for your weight to come off!!!! Do what your dr and nut tell you to do and it WILL happen!!! Another thing is do NOT weigh EVERY day!!!! The scale is your enemy!!! Yes it is!!! Your tape measure will be your friend for sure!!! Your clothes will start to become loose on you and you will know that you are losing trust me!!!

So which type of surgery are you going to have? I had the RNY. My only regret is that I didn't have it sooner!!! But I love my new life now and wouldn't trade it for anything!!!

HUGSSSSSSSSS

Cathy-

I lost 100 pounds at 55.  My arms were really flabby but with exercise they've tightened up a lot and I'm not self conscious about wearing sleeveless shirts.  My belly was another thing but Spanx is the solution.  I worked out 4 nights a week a****er fitness.  My belly got really floppy but Spanx kept everything in place.

I fortunately haven't had problems with sores or skin issues.  One women in my program documented all her skin issues and finally her insurance company paid for the tummy tuck. 

I also found a website that had facial exercises that helped with the loose skin around my face.  It was something called free face lift.  They used to laugh at me at the water fitness class because I would insist that we do the face lift exercises but they worked!

Good luck with your surgery and welcome to the club.

 

Cindi

Hi Cathy,

I have to tell you that loose skin will be a problem.  Long before I had WLS, I had already lost a couple of hundred pounds and I still weighed over 300 pounds so I had to have some of the skin removed.  Honestly, the skin hung to my knees.   That was one of the most painful surgeries that I had ever had but the pain was short lived.  I was back up and around the next day. Now that I have lost all the weight I needed to lose, I still could use a lower body and upper body lift.   I will have it eventually, but for now, I am happy to wear SPANX.  

I will tell you what one of our dear old timers told me, lose the weight, then worry about the skin.  I would add to that, lose the weight, keep the skin under the sagging parts clean and dry and use good lotions and oils.   

I make my own products for my skin because it is fun and I can control the amount of crap that I am putting on my skin.   

 

I lost 60-80 pounds at 16 no problem, at 24 no problem, at 39 no problem at 52 and banded little problem at 56 the lost was a total of 105 pounds and this time a real problem.  I have bat wings, wrinkled turkey neck, wrinkled tummy and thighs hanging to my knees and lower.  Age caught up with my good skin genes.