Let's talk about...

loose skin. 

I am curious about it now more than ever. I know it is inevitable, but is it really that bad? I'd like to think I am young and my skin still has a lot elasticity in it... BUT... let's be real, I am 23 and have been overweight, not to mention extremely overweight for 16 years of my life. I just can't see myself going through yet another painful surgery at any point in the future. (I have had two surgeries my entire life: a completely sedated csection, and my bypass will be number 2)

Is it really an issue? I would rather have loose skin than be this overweight ever again. But I kind've want to know what I am up against. How (if possible) can I can control it? Is it painful? 

The answers to this will vary so greatly!

For me... a 51yo woman who's pretty close to goal, yes, I have some loose skin... yes, especially around my stomach, some on my arms (bat wings! LOL) and maybe a little on the upper thighs...

I was 260, and spent the last 17 years or so over 200 pounds, losing weight once, down to 180 during that time... 

I am lucky and don't really have an 'apron' hanging from my stomach, but there's a fine line of overlap there, nothing that gets irritated or anything.

Age, genetics, and time overweight probably all play huge in this for everyone.

At your age I would be optimistic that things might get back to 'normal' after a year or so after you reach your goal weight. But I don't know how heavy you are now, and how much you have to lose.

It's all worth it though, this I KNOW to be true!!! 

***Edited to add I can't imagine that it's painful for anyone, unless there is a lot of overlap, usually around the tummy, and it get irritated... otherwise, it doesn't hurt me one bit... unless you count my ego! ***

It is real.  It is bad.  And it is totally worth it.

I had skin surgery and am super lucky that I could have it.  Even if I couldn't have had it though all of the weight loss is still totally worth it.

Here are some pictures of my skin before my skin removal surgery...

I wish I had really given more thought to what the skin would look like before surgery so I wouldn't have felt so shocked by my body. I read about loose skin and saw the TV shows and such but I was sort of in denial...It won't happen to me...so when it did I wasn't ready for it. I never felt like I regretted RNY but it was pretty depressing for a while. Just be prepared for the skin to be loose and then if you are lucky and it doesn't get loose, great!

All the best,

~Elizabeth

Yup, loose skin will happen. No avoiding it. How much and how bad varies. If your profile pic is you- then you are of African-American decent. (?) I think we have a slight advantage in Terms of skins elasticity, but not much. 

I've lost 145#. I have loose skin on my stomach obviously. It doesn't hang, so I don't have an 'apron'- I can see my girly bits- no skin blocking it's view. Above my belly button is where the skin seems to have concentrated. It's humorous to do push ups since it always catches my eye. But under clothes it's hardly noticeable. 

I have bat wings too- but it's also easy to see muscle definition- I can live with a little of each.

i think I won the jackpot with my legs/thighs. They are awesome- muscular -- no cellulite, some loose skin but nothing that will stop me from wearing a swimsuit/shirt skirt. 

Area I hate is under my arm pits-- I have to go up a band size for my bra to account for that loose saggy skin. 

i exercise regularly- including weights. That's the main thing I can credit what I feel is liveable in terms of skin. Consistent exercise to build muscle to fill in the loose skin is my best advice. 

No plans or burning desire for plastics in my future. 

So, I recently was approved for surgery to remove the "apron" I have.  I do get rashes/irritation there even though I clean it very well. I think it really does depend on your body and all of that.  I originally thought I would never have plastic surgery either but here I am.  My point is you just won't know until the time comes.

I was in the high 200s for years, and was eventually well over 300 pounds. I have flappy arms. They don't bother me too much. What I find somewhat irritating is the loose skin in my underarms and my sides, in the area between my breasts and my back. I am a lot older than you. I'm not bothered enough to have plastics.

I have some flappy stomach skin, but only my doctor and my husband sees my stomach, so that doesn't bother me, either. I have stretch marks and a funny-looking hysterectomy scar, so even if I didn't have loose skin, I don't think I would wear a two piece.

If you start saving now for plastics, you will have a good start on a fund. If you choose not to have plastics or postpone them, you can take a nice vacation.

My skin is soooo bad already. I'm gonna look like a sharpei. But, I have more to lose than you, and I'm older. I went on YouTube...there's a whole weight loss surgery community there. And I found a video of a woman about my age, my height, that had lost as much weight as I need to lose,,,,it gave me a good idea of what's to come. I will totally be getting plastics. Not to be beach body....that is not gonna happen. But just to not be a sharpei. 

My stomach looked like Elizabeth's pictures.  I had a TT 5 weeks ago and I love my new tummy. It was much less painful than I expected (though more than WLS, which for me wasn't really painful at all).

I started at 267 and have lost 70 pounds in five months.  I am older... 58.  I thought I was prepared for the loose skin.  So I was not really surprised, but still it is shocking to see it appear.  I have bat wings, and my stomach just recently started looking very strange.  I took a picture and considered posting it but... really too much.  I can't really own it at the moment.  I have a chicken neck that is getting more prominent daily. My thighs are just starting to look funny.  It is like the fat and skin starts to melt a little so when I sit or lay down it rolls away from my frame.  I am a swimmer and it is starting to embarrass me a little bit to wear my one-piece.  I used to look very much younger than my age, and now I look about my age, my daughter thinks.

TOTALLY worth it though.  I just have to adjust.