How long should you wait for PS after weighloss?

Hi everyone I am new to this board...I frequent the VSG boards mostly..but since I am getting all this weight off (144 lbs gone so far, not done yet..70 lbs to go) I am starting to look into PS>..When do I start looking into PS?  Maybe you could share your stories with me.  How long should I wait to have PS..right now I am looking into a LBL--does this include a pannectomy?  I got a huge panni..UGGGHHhh gross and above my belly button the skin hangs too..whats that called and will a pannectomy or tummy tuck cut that off too?  I just dont know where to begin.
Thanks for all your help in advance.

Mendy

I waited until I was a year out and very close to my goal weight to start looking into plastics.  I knew it would be several months before I could get all of the bugs worked out so all together it was about 18 months after WLS when I had my first plastics.  Some of my docs had encouraged me to go for it sooner, but I was scared to death the plastic surgeon would tell me I needed to lose more weight and I knew that would just crush me, so I waited.  When you get surgery is a matter between you and your surgeon, but you should be pretty close to goal at any rate.  I have read of people having a TT earlier but in those cases it was a matter of piggy backing the surgery on to a hernia repair or something or a matter of insurance coverage.

So far as what the different surgeries address.  The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has lots of good info.  http://www.plasticsurgery.org/   But the short answer is generally the panniculectomy generally only addresses the skin issues (not muscle) below the belly button.  The TT addresses the skin and muscle tightening.  And whether that will address the skin above the belly button depends on the surgeon and the type of TT you have.

Red

Simple!! Until you've lost your excess FAT (notice how I didn't say weight since some of that skin is weight :P)