Worried about skin hanging does age help?

Everyone is worried about this problem at one point or another but some people can afford to have plastic surgery down the road, I cant!!! So I am worried about it because I dont want to carry around a pouch or a sack as some call it. I can work on my arms with weights etc but what about the stomach, inner thighs and the 'hump' that is on my big a$$? I am 28, no kids been big for about 10 years or so and Im pretty sure my skin has stretched as far as it can (well im sure it will get bigger if I dont do something now). I have stretch marks pretty bad all over my abdomen, hips, boobs and butt so does this mean these are the areas I will not be able to tone? Everyone is different I know but I am just trying to see what people MY AGE have to say about it. I am 5'4" and 270 so maybe that will give you an idea of my size. Look forward to hearing from someone or a few of you. Thanks T

I was 312lbs at 5'-6.5". I have lost 66lbs and have noticed areas where skin isnt sagging yet but isnt as "tight". Expecially on my tummy where I had most of my strech marks. The skin is just sort of loser.. I know its hard to explain. I also noticed it on my inner thighs. There isnt much you can do. These things are so dependant on age, genetics, water intake, how long you have been big, elasticity of your skin, and a million other things. I have seen people in thier late 30s that have lost over 150+ lbs that dont even need a tummy tuck! Their bodies are almost perfect... and I have seen people in thier early 20s that have more saggy skin. You cant really tell until it happens to you. It is so individual.

Thanks for your response. I am prepared for whatever comes my way (of course I am still awaiting for my appeal answer) but if and when I have surgery I just want a little of an idea of what to expect. I think I want to prepare my husband as well, right now I am big but everything is tight so it is (not ok) but ok. Get me? I know after surgery I may be smaller but things will be more wrinkled up, I dont want to look like an old lady ya know. Anyway, I guess I will just go with the flow. Thanks again for your input. Tara

Hey there, A lot of people get some of the surgery covered by insurance. Talk to your surgeon (once youget approval and all) about the possibilty of insurance covering reconstructive surgery for you after the weight loss. I was told that a lot of the time they will cover everythign but your arms. It helps if you document how it gets in your way (e.g., not being able to run due to flabby skin, rashes, etc.) and let your docrors know it bothers you. Take pictures of your "extra" skin as you lose the weight so you cans how the insurance company how bad it is. I lost 100 pounds when I was 20 (gained it all back, of course!) and my skin was even needing some surgery back then. Now I am also 28 (we are about the same weight and height too!) and I know that at the end of this process of losing the weight, there will be some plastic surgery! Good luck with getting approved!!!!

Yeah, I pretty much had super bad stretch marks all over my arms, (it just looked like the skin was ripped in all these little slits) I knew they would be sagging before I even lost the weight. My stomach doesn't look so bad yet, although it does kind of flap over my cooch a little bit. Still meat in there, though, so insurance won't cover it any time soon. I am now 6 mo post-op as of today, lost 83 lbs. Still have another 35-40 to go really. I make decent money, but have bad credit, so am going to start saving the $11,000-$15,000 I'm going to need for the PS. I need to lift the twins(they hang to my belly button now), tighten the thighs(they look like elephant legs), and remove the bat's wings in the arms. I pretty much am one of the unlucky 23 year olds who will need quite a bit of work done. Honestly, I was VERY worried about it pre-op, BUT I will take the sagging, dropping body parts over the MORBID OBESITY anyday. It's hard to take in, but you'll see. It's an AMAZING feeling when you can finally shop at FOREVER 21, CHARLOTTE RUSSE, MACY'S! like everyone out there your age! If you want, you can glance at my profile. I have lots of photos and updates. Warning, though, if ur on dial up connection, don't bother! Lap Last 2/16/05 rny 237/155/115...that's what both my sisters weigh anyway!

your profile info. is so great - thanks for all that sharing and analyzing, it's great to read for someone like me, all pre-op tests done, just waiting for a surgery date!

Thanks girls I am definitely taking it all in and believe me I too will take the drooping stuff over being this big. Cant wait to buy normal clothes and be able to keep up with my family and go rides again...all the stuff I miss now. I want to do everything that I did 10 years ago. Thanks Tara

Tara I am scared of the same thing, people say dont worry about it as long as you are healthy and thin bla bla bla but come on do we all really want to walk around looking like some kind of animal with skin flapping around? NO WE DONT!! I am sure it will all work out just fine, I plan to exercise a lot and walk as much as possible...I spoke to my doctor and he said I can do as much as I physically can handle. Good luck and since we are so close to each other we should chat sometime. Angel

You can't really tone skin. You can tone the muscles underneath so it looks better on top, but the skin is going to do what it's going to do, unfortunately. I'm going to be saving up a good amount of money to have plastic surgery. It might be 10 years before I get it, but I'm going to save up for it. When I have the money saved, I can decide if I really think I need it. It's quite possible you can get your insurance to pay for a panni removal (abdominal skin removal). That's different than a tummy tuck, because during a tummy tuck they actually tighten the muscles in there with stitches. The Tummy Tuck is called an Abdominoplasty, and insurance generally wont cover anything -plasty, but the panni removal is called a pannilecomy (or something like that, I know I'm spelling it wrong) and lots of people can get that covered. Any time after your WLS that you get a rash or any other skin problem in that area, have your doctor document it, so that when you need to get it done you can show them all the problems that the access skin has caused you. Sarah

I know of someone that was an employee of where I work and she pretty much had a full body "lift". She no longer works there so I cant ask her details. But, I have heard that she had rashes and or yeast infection under her apron (lower tummy skin) and her breasts. I think she also had her arms and inner thighs done as well. I do not know if she had any trouble with or anything done to the lower thigh skin. I say this because I have massive thighs and anticipate when getting to goal that I will have skin hanging down and covering my knees. Anyways, with this woman I heard that her skin surgery was all paid for by insurance, but I do not know for sure. I know that in general insuance will pay for removal of excess skin that causes a rash and possibly for skin that is impedeing movement. FYI I am also 3.5 months out and down 60lb and I do notice looser skin in my arms, lower tummy and upper thighs. Hope this gives some insight for you, and I am hoping for a rash!! LOL