Question:
Do you have excess skin after WLS and how do you get rid of it without more surgery?

   — DONNA R. (posted on August 15, 2001)

August 15, 2001
Hi! I haven't had my surgery yet (Columbus Day, Oct. 8th!), but I had this SAME question. My doc says it is largely a matter of heredity - some people's skin "shrinks back" with weight loss more than others. If you do have an "abdominal apron", they will usually wait until about a year postop, when you've lost the biggest majority of your weight, before doing a "panniculectomy", which gets rid of the "apron". He says most insurance companies will cover that, because it is a "health hazard" making the person "at risk for infections under the folds of skin, etc." However, I have also been told that people who exercise for half an hour every day briskly get better skin shrinkage, and especially true for those who do swimming as their chosen exercise, (plus it is easy on all the weight-bearing joints.) Hope this info helps. Good luck to you!
   — Lisa D.

August 15, 2001
The need for reconstructive surgery to reduce redundant skin varies by the age, amount of weight lost and the individual's ability to tolerate a less than perfect appearance. Exercise, while helpful with muscle tone and general health and wellbeing, does next to NOTHING to get stretched out skin to miraculously shrink, nor for that matter does aloe, vitamin e, moisturizer or any other snake oil. Think of a balloon that has been blown up and the air then released. Those who have held onto a very full balloon for many years (and probably inflated and deflated it many times with dieting) will have drooping stretched out skin in areas where we were heaviest. This was confirmed for me by the Director of the YMCA where I worked out 5 times a week during my first year after my DS, as well as several of the instructors, my PCP and 3 individual Plastic Surgeons before undergoing an abdominoplasty (you don't want merely a panniculectomy as it doesn't tighten the muscles under the apron), breast reduction (mastoplexy), brachioplasty (bat wing removal), thighplasty and a chin lift. My lower body lift (butt & outer thighs) will be later this year. At 53, afer losing 177 lbs, there was a lot of loose skin EVERYWHERE. I know a young woman in her early 20s who was very bothered by her batwings and less than perky breasts. They were nowhere near as bad as mine, but she is bothered by them and will be having them taken care of shortly. This is up to the individual. However, should you decide you are bothered by whatever amount of skin that remains you should know that in my extensive experience, plastic surgery is much less invasive and painful than WLS and the recovery is quicker, and that insurance covers it for more than people with rashes and infections in the folds. The Academy of Plastic Surgeons recommends coverage of reduction of redundant skin after massive weight loss to attain a normal appearance. I have been almost as happy with the results of my plastic surgery as I am with my weight loss and quality of life after my DS.
   — Jill L.