Question:
Plastic surgery

I am 23 years old, almost 4 months post-op and have lost 64lbs. My arms look like 80 yr old lady arms and I am considering plastic surgery. Not yet but thinking about it. Anyways, if you have had plastic surgery after wls, how long did you wait, how much did you lose, and how was the plastic surgery process? Thank you.    — Nina15137 (posted on September 19, 2009)

September 19, 2009
Hello: I have lost almost 200 pds over a long period of time. I had a pannus that hung practically to my knees making it extremely difficult for me to walk. Hygiene was hard to maintain as well. After searching for a long time I found a amazing plastic surgeon that does alot of reconstructive work for people who have lost a lot weight. In August I had a panniculectomy/abdominoplasty done. I was scared to death not so much for the surgery but because I have a history of pulminary embolis following other surgeries. Well I have to say this surgeon was beyond wonderful and the surgery went so smoothly and I would do this again in a New York Minute. I was cut hip to hip and dealt with drains for 3 and four weeks following surgery. Now almost six weeks later the incision has healed very well. Thiry pds. of hanging flesh and skin was removed. I can see my legs that I have not seen in a long time and other parts of me as well. I cannot begin to tell you how great it feels to have all that weight not laying on my legs anymore or having to lift it up whenever I tried to walk upstairs.This surgery was not cosmetic for me in any way, it was medically necessary for me to just walk! Everyday since surgery I notice some kind of "WOW!" thing from this surgery. Everyone who knows me is amazed at the change in my looks. I have had to take bags of clothes that are now way to big off to the used clothing place. When I lose some more weight in my midriff area the surgeon will go back in and tuck some more up and pull the midriff area down further making my upper half as flat and as tight as the lower waist area. Eventually I would like to have my very flabby thighs done and my arms that are so loose and hanging down. My plastic surgeon and I will be friends for a long time! I was in the hospital for four days and it was painful but the meds worked and walking and standing straight helps you also. I have come such a long road since weighing almost 500 pds. and I still have some to go but this surgery was the thing that made me feel not so grotesque anymore. Now when I go to the public places I don't feel like people stare at me anymore. This type of surgery I had is usually not approved by most insurance companies. You really have to meet the criteria that they have set up for it to be medically necessary and in my case it was. It took a long time and many types of doctors to all assess me and many tests to document that it was indeed medically necessary. I doubt if the other surgeries I would like to have done are but I will self pay if I have to. This one was critical! I feel human again! I wish you luck in your search. At your young age I don't know what kind of response you will find from a doctor at a loss of 64 pds but you should go for a consultation. I am 53 and age is a big factor in how your skin does. Mine came from of course losing almost 200 pds but also from two c-sections, several other surgeries, gastric bypass surgery and one revision surgery, as well as two pregnancies and one of those was a twin pregnancy. So good luck and I hope my posting has been of some help to you!
   — Sarah B.

September 19, 2009
You can have a consult at any stage of your weight loss surgery. I believe the rule of thumb for having plastics is 2 yrs after surgery or when your weight has been stable for 1 year. As with everything else the surgeon will be your best advisor on when to have it done. Use this time to be deciding and saving up what you want to have done later. Good job on the weight loss!
   — Arkin10

September 20, 2009
There is something new out there called laser lipo or "smart lipo" - if you google it, you can see pictures and read all about it. My surgeon also does it. It is done in the office with almost no down time. It is not for those who have "huge" amounts of skin to remove (like I do around the stomach), but can be used on just about any area of the body - it requires no stitches as the incisions are very tiny, plus it "shrink wraps" the skin from the inside so that you don't have as much excess skin. Consequently, it is much less expensive than traditional plastic surgery. I am considering it for my arms, neck and thighs if they aren't too bad. Meanwhile, I am having a belt lipectomy done in December. I have lost 140 lbs so far, and although I will still have some to go, the surgeon says I can lose up to 50 more lbs after surgery and not have a problem. I just have such a difficult time because of the pannus, and it is difficult to do a lot of things. Anyway, you can check it out online and then talk with some plastic surgeons.
   — Wendy M.