Question:
HOW BAD IS THE EXCESS SKIN REALLY?
? I'm fifty, have exactly 120 lbs to lose. How bad will it look? — [Anonymous] (posted on June 25, 2001)
June 24, 2001
Honestly, I didn't expect it to be as bad as it is. I am 26 and have lost
115 pounds so far. I have 15 more to go till I reach my personal goal. I
think I look worse now than before when the skin was all filled in. My
apron hangs, and sometimes bounces against my thighs when running, hehehe.
My upper thighs are a mess, and my underarms could use some work too. It
is unlikely that I will be able to pay for much plastic surgery, but
hopefully my insurance will at least approve a tummy tuck when I am ready.
It is so bad that I am considering the tummy tuck right away, and taking my
chances with stretching it a little with childbirth (I hope to have more
children someday). The good thing is that I am in a size 12 now, and I can
hide most of the excess skin in clothes. You can only tell when I am
dressed scantly (which is hardly never) or not wearing anything at all. It
is defintely better for me to have this excess skin to deal with than all
the health problems I was having. I feel much better and I am much
healthier now that I have had surgery and gotten most of this weight off.
The positives certainly outweigh (hehe) the negatives in my opinion. I
hope you have better luck with your skin than I have had with mine
— enjo4
June 24, 2001
I think it really depends not only on the total amount of weight you
need/want to lose, but the rate of loss. I don't know if this is entirely
predictable, either. I had a starting bmi of 45 and had a total of 130 to
lose. I'm four months post-op (going on five) and have lost 66 lbs to
date. My body is shrinking and adjusting fine, even my 'panni' is 'lifting
up' (the exact words of my surgeon at my three month post-op visit LOL).
I had a laparoscopic BPD/DS and my weight loss hasn't been extremely fast
(steady but not rapid). I had only lost 15 lbs by my three week post-op
visit. I've found that my body really 'fights' the weight loss and I have
mini-plateaus in between weeks of pretty rapid loss. I don't know if the
skin retention only has to do with age or genetics, etc. -- I'm sure all
play a part. I just know from my experience that my thighs are tighter,
arms a little jiggly but not hanging and my abdomen is shrinking
accordingly. I know this is in a large part due to my relatively slower
rate of loss. I also walked a lot as a pre-op and continue this as a
post-op so I'm sure that helps. But, I'm not lifting weights (yet - have
to do that anyway to retain bone mass) or doing other workout-type stuff.
Although thisis a concern, I hope it isn't a major factor to cause you to
decide against surgery.... It's definately good to know as much as possible
going into the surgery but I think the skin factor is not really
predictable. All the best (lap DS with gallbladder removal, January 25,
2001)
— Teresa N.
June 25, 2001
I think that age has a small part to play in it. My husband has lost 145
pounds and is 52 years old and has very minimal excess skin on his abdomin.
Lucky him! I on the other hand have lost 105 with about 40 more to go and
have a large apron. I am only 38 years old. I was aware that this would
probably be the case because I have had 4 previous (non-related) surgeries
in the same area over the last 14 years. The doctors said that with the
muscles and everything being cut that many times, that it probably won't
"snap" back. Looks like another surgery for me. I am so happy
about my loss, but am having problems with clothes fitting properly. I
have to go to a bigger size in because of my abdomin being out of
proportion to the rest of my body.
— livnliter
June 25, 2001
I am 51 years old and eleven months post op. I've been waiting for the
skin on my arms and legs to tighten up...afterall, it tightened up every
other time I lost alot of weight! No problem in my thirties. At 40 I got
to goal weight and looked terrific. At 47...there was a little loose skin,
but not really too disturbing. At 51, however, it's a different story. I
recently stepped up my exercise and started weight training because the
loose skin on my arms is driving me NUTS! Now that the hot weather is
here, I can avoid showing my stomach and even stick with long skirts and
pants, but short sleeves and sleeveless blouses are a fact of life. I am
slowing accepting that I will have to start researching plastic surgery.
First arms, then thighs, and then maybe tummy. What the heck, if I am
doing all that I might as well have the full face lift too! Sounds
expensive, doesn't it?
— Anne G.
June 25, 2001
I am 33. I have lost 145 pounds in 14 months, with 35 to go. More than
half of that is excess skin. I hate it. It is wrinkled, saggy and
misshaped, I have rashes and boils in the folds, clothes don't fit
propoerly, it makes noise when I exercise...my baby asks me constantly when
will I get rid of those "flappy things".<br><br>I
begin my reconstructive surgery on July 31 with hernia
repair/abdominoplasty. Arms and thighs are next in December, and I hope I
NEVER see the interior of another OR for the rest of my life! My bariatric
surgeon felt that with my age I wouldn't have problems, but he was wrong.
So many factors come into play - age, elasticity of skin, rapidity of
weight loss, body shape, exercise, water consumption. The majority do have
problems with it. Perhaps you will be one of the lucky ones who doesn't!
My plastic surgeon will be removing 10-12 inches of skin that he anticpates
weighing between 10-15 pounds.
— [Deactivated Member]
June 25, 2001
I am 37 years old and had open RNY on January 8, 2001. My starting weight
was 263 and I now weigh 159. So, that's 104 pounds in a very short time. As
for the excess skin...the only place where it is really disturbing me is my
arms. I have those bat wings that continually flop around. However, I have
always had a problem with big arms and never wore sleeveless shirts.(even
at 135!) But now I do want to wear them and am considering having plastic
surgery this winter to correct this. No where else do I have a big problem.
My "apron" is very small. I don't think I will ever lose this. It
really doesn't bother me. I had twins(each weighing almost 8 pounds!!) and
it was at that point that I developed this apron that I call my "twin
skin". I just look at this as my motherhood badge of honor. My legs
are a little flabby, but not enough to worry about. I feel that I look just
fine in clothes and the extra skin around my tummy doesn't cause me to wear
a bigger size. I just wear girdle-like underwear and it is impossible to
see it. BTW I think what has helped me is that I have NEVER smoked and I
seem to have a lot of elasticity in my skin-even at 37!
— Shelley.
June 25, 2001
I'm 44, 14 months post op (down 125 pounds), and gravity is NOT my friend.
I'm scheduled to have my panni/tummy tuck on October 2, and believe you me
I'm counting the seconds until I can wave a permanent bye-bye to my beloved
little (LOL) poochie. I think what the excess skin ends up looking like
depends on a number of things -- like how old you are, what kind of skin
you have to begin with (I've seen some skinny little 20-year olds in my
time who looked older than my 95-year old grandmother), where you were
carrying the majority of your weight (your middle? Your hips and thighs?),
and whether or not you've had kids. After the surgery (which is not the
first -- but the first SUCCESSFUL -- time I've lost that amount of weight),
two kids (one 10 lb., 1-1/2 oz., the other 9 lb., 13-1/2 oz., at birth) and
44 years, getting rid of that thing around my middle is not a battle I'm
going to win with my Ab Roller and good intentions. It was about as bad as
I anticipated, but it's still kinda yucky. But I'll take a skin flap on my
belly the size of Detroit over hanging onto the 125 pounds that caused it
any day of the week! Good luck!
— Cheryl Denomy
June 25, 2001
I'm 45, have had many, many abdominal surgeries including C-sections, I've
lost 111 pounds and don't feel that I really need plastic surgery of any
type. The thing that I'd fix first if it were painless and had no risks,
though, would be the batwings. But, 3/4 lenth sleeves are in and with even
a tight one on, it is no problem. I was more of a 'pear-shape' than an
'apple.' If that helps. Best wishes. P.S. I'd like to lose 10 or 15 more
pounds, I'm 5'7" and perhaps we are similar in that respect.
— Cindy H.
June 26, 2001
I'm 45 and have lost 170pds in 14 months. The skin problem is worse than I
expected. I would NEVER even consider going back, however. I am very happy
with my weight loss and am now truly healthy. However---- I, too, have the
dreaded bat-wings. Nothing sleeveless for me-EVER, unless I have surgery.
Another unpleasant relatively new-comer is my wattle. I had terrible double
chins, which are now all gone, but left in their place is an unattractive
wattle. My stomach, abdomen is probably my least-bad area and I was apple
shaped. I do have a fair amount of sagging and a bit of over-hang, but not
too much. My upper thighs are very bad. I can wear short skirts and shorts
to an inseam of about 6 or 7 inches--5 inches-no way. The loose skin is
wrinkly and almost crepey-looking. I look great with my clothes on, but not
so hot with them off. I'm sure surgery would help, but I probably won't be
able to get it as I have had no "health" problems at all such as
rashes or infections or back pain. I don't think my expectations were very
realistic when I went into this and was a little surprised at how bad the
loose skin is. However, let me add again, that if I could go back and un-do
it, I would NOT!!! NO WAY!! I love how I feel now and I can do so many
things that were impossible for me a year ago. Plus, I do look great IN my
clothes! :)
— [Anonymous]
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