Question:
Does our skin become more dry after surgery?

someone said our bodies dont absorb oils after surgery what do they mean and how does this effect our skin? and what we take oral and put on our skin    — Jackiis (posted on July 22, 2001)

July 22, 2001
Since becoming post op as of April 23, I have noticed that my skin has been hydrated more than it has ever been in my life. This may be due to the fact that we must drink so much water, but I can truly see a difference because I had suffered from chronic, and severe dry skin. I would have to use emollients such as vaseline to moisterize my skin. Now I just have to use a little lotion and I am okay for the full day. Hope this helps.
   — Chinwe B.

July 22, 2001
I never had dry skin before in my life. Even though I always used lotion or baby oil after I showered. Now I find that my skin is dry. I use lotion AND baby oil. I make sure that I have a pump bottle on my desk at work and every now and then lotion up. Let's not forget water. We MUST drink water all day long. I always have a bottle of water or unsweetened iced tea on my desk or in the fridge, just in case....
   — Diana P.

July 22, 2001
My daughter had her surgery in Jan and at her support meetings we were told to use flaxseed oil as a daily supplement. They said dry skin and hair could be a real issue since they encouraged a low fat diet after surgery.
   — Helen B.

July 22, 2001
I have always had dry skin and it has become even drier post op. I use lotion in the daytimea and baby oil at night and I am still dry to the point of constant "itchiness". I drink plenty of water, take vitamins daily and am at a loss to explain why this is so. Maybe this is another area where "we are all different".
   — Lynn T.

July 23, 2001
I haven't experienced dry skin. But, it does make sense becasue if we are eating correctly after surgery, we are eating a low fat diet and after a time that could lead to dry skin. That's why it's important to include some fats in one's diet.
   — margaret N.

July 23, 2001
RNY do malabsorb some of our fats & oils, so following a low fat diet increases your sugar intake, but lowers fat, which we already don't get. I have never followed the fat free type products because they are so high in sugars. And I am SCARED of sugar. I feed my skin with the protein supplements and 1600 IU vit E, dry form, daily. IF we can't get the oil from food, we can't get it from an oil gel, either. My skin was terribly dry pre-op and is a little better than that now, though still tending toward dry. Putting emolients on the outside helps, too, but there's all those layers to feed! I also take flax seed oil and fish oil, but since they are oil, I suspect I am busily throwing money down the toilet, but hey, you gotta try, right?
   — vitalady