Y would U get PS when UR still LOSIN???

I have read posts from a few of you who have gotten PS when you are either:
a) not done losing OR
b) not maintaining for at least 3 months.
I was just wondering why you would do that.

All the information I've always read says to WAIT until you are done losing and have been maintaining a steady weight for at least 3 months (6 is better) before undergoing PS for the best results.  You wait until you quit losing so that all the excess skin you're going to have is already there (you don't have to worry about more skin sagging after you lose more).  You wait until you maintain a steady weight for 3 months (again 6 is better) to ensure that any/all fat redistribution you may have goes ahead and happens. 

I understand wanting to get the extra skin gone ASAP, believe me.  But I wouldn't want to rush into it at the expense of longterm satisfaction with my results (and or sacrifice what could have been BETTER results had I waited).  I certainly wouldn't want to have PS, lose more, then wish I had waited because my skin is sagging again.  And I wouldn't want to have PS, then have fat redistribution and look deformed or something.  

So I was just wondering what some of you were thinking getting PS when you are still losing or the very second you think you've quit losing.  I don't get it, so help me understand what the logic is behind that. 

(I'm not asking for me.  I've already had mine and don't plan anymore.  I'm just really curious.) 

Most plastic surgeons are always taught this is proper procedure so they pass along the information to their patients, obviously. The real world and abundant post bariatric patients have taught them not every situation is the same. Quite a few of Board Certified surgeons are going against the grain and advising their patients that are close or within an acceptable "window" of slowing or stopping of the weight loss to have some procedures done such as removing a large pannus that interferes with excercise or causes more harm by leaving it any longer. The removal of a large amount of skin will jumpstart and remotivate the patient and their self esteem and actually improving the final results or getting them to the next stage and they are able to contour safely enough that an extra loss doesn't affect the procedure in a negative way but enhances it. The weight loss journey is a journey of stages and steps and for each individual the amount of steps is different. Here is an example of a surgeon explaining the same but slightly different.

http://www.realself.com/question/weight-loss-prior-surgeryi- beg-reach-weight-loss-goal-before-tummy-tuck

I can see this surgeon's point of view, but I agree with the majority of his colleages who say to lose it all and maintain before doing PS for the best results.

Everyone wants to feel better going to the gym without extra skin, but is that really worth one surgery now, then another surgery later to fix the original surgery to what didn't really need to be fixed to begin with had the person just waited?  Unless I was in actual pain and had a DR recommend it to me, I would never go into a surgery KNOWING that I wouldn't have the best results and that I'd need ANOTHER surgery later to complete/fix what was done in the FIRST surgery.  That would be like getting the DS in 2 surgeries instead of 1. 

Maybe it's because I'm self-pay.  But I can't drop $10,000 this year, then another $10,000 in 2 or 3 years AGAIN to complete/fix what could have been done had I waited 6 months to spend the first $10,000.  (I also MEDICALLY have no desire to undergo SURGERY twice when I could wait 6 months and do it once.)

Of course some plastic surgeons are starting to be okay with this, that's $20,000 in surgeries for them as opposed to $10,000 - but does it really serve the best interest of the PATIENT???  I don't know of ANY sane surgeon or doctor who put their patients well-being first who would recommend getting 2 surgeries when you could wait 6 months and get 1. 

I've never seen one shred of evidence that getting PS before you are done losing or maintaining improves final results.  But if someone was in pain and was getting where they couldn't exercise, etc, then I could see how it would do that.

I just don't think I am going to loose anymore - as I have been at this weight for 16 months -- I am sure if I get "strick" and exersise daily I could - but I am now living a normal life - one that I would look better 40 pd lighter - but I hate the way I look with my pannis hanging and round hips so I am going to get a tummy tuck and body sculpt -- if I loose another 20 - that's OK but I doubt I will ever loose more then that ever.

But see, I'm not really talking about you because if you have maintained that specific weight for 16 months, you probably WON'T lose anymore (since you are living the life you want to live and don't wish to alter it I assume). 

So you ARE maintaining for at least 3 - 6 months and you probably HAVE stopped losing.  So I'd do the PS if I were you now too! 

For me, I had a lot of back problems due to my panni.  I am a nurse who works 12-14 hour shifts and I was on a lot of NSAIDS for my back pain.  I then would come home and had take something for sleep because my back hurt so bad.

I'm an active peron who swims 5 times a week for an hour and cycles 7 days a week (3x a day- interval training)  I've lost over 200lbs and I felt if I could get my tummy done and my arms done, I would be more active.  When I swam prior to surgery my arm**** me with each stroke.  I know I"ll have to have a revision and I don't mind. 

See this I can understand. 
1) there is pain involved which makes waiting much more difficult
2) you already know you will have to have a revision of the PS

You are definately going into this with your eyes wide open. 

I'm glad we live in a country where we can choose to do something when we think it is best for us.  If someone has surgery earlier than others and then needs a revision down the line, that is their choice to make.  I have not been maintaining my weight very long, but my arms will not change much even if I lose or gain a little down the line.  My arms bother me, so I chose to have them done now.  I want to wear cute shirts in the spring.  I did not want to wait until the summer because that would interfere with taking my kids to the pool.  We each have our own reasons for having plastic surgery when we do. 

I respect everyone's decision and refuse to judge others.

Laura

I'm glad we do too.  And I'm not judging others for chosing to do something early, I'm questioning the reasoning behind it only (out of curiousity only as I said in the OP).

My main ? really isn't so much about arms or even breasts - but mainly stomach and possibly thighs as those would change the most with the last few pounds off (thereby deminishing results). 

I do worry that some people are going into their PS (on the advice of economically challenged plastic surgeons) without realizing that they could have much better results had they waited OR that they may need another procedure all together to "correct" the first plastic surgery that they would NOT have needed had they waited.  That is a REASONABLE concern as I have seen it happen on this very board.

But again, I was just curious to hear reasoning behind it.  I see nothing wrong with getting into discussions about these things openly.  If you felt judged by this conversation, that was not my (or any of the responders I'm sure) intention.  This is just a discussion only. 

 I had my TT at 189 - I'm 5'7.5" and my WL surgeon has always said that my goal weight should be 170 - her reasoning was that since I have been obese since childhood my bones are much more dense and weigh more that the average person.  When people guess my weight, including a nurse who did an insurance physical and weighs people all day long, it's generally around 165 so I think Dr. Kurian's reasoning is probably correct.  I had the lapband in 2001 and got down to 200 lbs from a high of 305.  Only in the last year have I been able to break that 200 lb barrier.  I went in for a PS consult just to do lipo and the dr said that now was the time to do the TT when looking at all factors - most of my remaining excess weight is in my legs, my abs are rock hard (thank you trainer + pilates), I can only really take time off at this time of year, single recovery for the lipo and TT.  I will also need a thigh lift at some point and we agreed that it would be done as a final procedure when I was absolutely all the way done losing weight - otherwise I would definitely need a revision.  Hopefully I won't need a revision to my abdomen but for all of the timing reasons above, the time to do the TT was now.