Question:
Are you ever sefl conscious about your scar or loose skin?

For the people who have had a lot attention since the operation, are you ever self conscious about the scar? [if you have one] or loose skin, etc. Does it ever make you feel like you're betraying your old self? [a friend of mine went through this when she lost 60 pounds on a diet as there were good things about her fat self as well that she felt she was being nasty too since she loved her new self more ...she later put back on 80 pounds]    — blank first name B. (posted on December 4, 2001)

December 4, 2001
Of course! It'd be great if I'd turned into Barbie, no loose skin, no aging, no signs that I ever was heavy. But that isn't how it is. When I see something flapping in the breeze, I just remind myself how much more attractive it is THAT way then when it was filled to bursting with fatty tissue. Time tightens up a LOT of it, exercise will take some more and plastics take yet more. But it's pretty hard to erase every vestige of the disease that I still have and would kill me if it was not in remission. I have to celebrate the victories that I can.
   — vitalady

December 4, 2001
I go in spurts but remind myself that I would rather live with the Deflated balloon than the Inflated one. As for scars, I don't intend on wearing a bikini anytime soon so that's no big deal I am healthy today, that is not a betrayal, that is preventative medicine. I definitely love myself more and that is why I am able to continue on and maintain and take care of me. Rita 463/185 RNY 3/31/94
   — vt_rita

December 4, 2001
I have always (even my heaviest) have had the firm belief that if you can't hide it, decorate it! I am not a tattoo fanatic at all but have decided when my weight is gone, I am going to have a very tasteful vine or rose bush tattooed on my scar (or at least whats left of it). That of course will be AFTER the tummy tuck!
   — Reta D.

December 5, 2001
I'm not at all self conscious about that god awful scar. Almost four years and it's still an ugly sucker! I'm quite lucky in that after losing over 100#, I have no loose skin...my upper arms are a bit flabby...but I don't really care. I never espected a perfect body ...just a better one. I got my wish! To be quite honest, I care a lot about my looks...so much so that I made a conscious decision to maintain my weight at 190 where I'm free of excess skin. I'd rather be a firm 190 than a flabby, dimpled, 140.
   — [Anonymous]

December 5, 2001
Yes, it bothers me. A little. Very little, actually. Starting out at a 52"+ waistline and getting down to a 42" and dropping, there's going to be some excess. Would I go back? Now there's a no-brainer.
   — Chuck O.

December 5, 2001
The only time I am self conscious about the scar and the skin is when I am nude and see myself in the mirror. BUT, if I do say so myself, I look pretty good in clothes and since I have no plans to become a nudist or wear a bikini I'm just fine with the way things are. I'm like Michelle, I would rather see the hanging skin than the rolls of fat.
   — georgiacarol

January 18, 2003
Does it bother me? Not as much as i think it bothers others. :-) I've lost 75 pounds and stable, my husband 145 and continueing down. We also are looking pretty good in clothes and aren't nudists :-)so it really doesn't matter. To me, when I see my and my husbands added wrinkles where once there was fat impeding our life, I thank God for it !! These are battle scars that represents years, I said years of lost battles but now have been transformed into badges representing victory. Would I have plastic surgery if the finances were there? probably, Am I obsesed with the wrinkles and the "bat wings" when I wear short sleeves? NOPE. Just bugged by comments by others who have less wing spandage who "wouldn't wear short sleeves to save" their souls. (good thing that really isn't a factor in salvation :-) They don't know the freedom it represents. But then those are the same people who probably thought my overweight situation was lack of self will. Relish that you can turn around and actually see those buttocks wrinkles with just one mirror. !!!
   — Brenda F.

March 7, 2003
Besides the loose skin, the attention itself is interesting. Comments like, "Wow, you look great!", or "Holy cow, I've never seen you look so good!" are a bit daunting. I know what it really means, YOU WERE ENORMOUS, and I was but no one would dare say that. Now they talk about my size all the time. "How much have you lost?" is a big question. The one I like the most though is, "Great hair cut, takes pounds off you!" Of course there are pounds missing, 160 of them. As for the sagging skin, to get back to the real question, I was shocked the first time I really noticed it. I find I have humor about it, not betrayal. My bat wings are so big that I could take flight if I flapped my arms hard enough. The sagging skin in the legs is a different story. I look like I am 90 years old from the top of my thighs to above my knees. I happen to 45, was fat for many years the elastin has totally disappeared. However, I love being able to dance, ride a bike, walk, hike, and just plain ol' do things that I couldn't do at 385 lbs.
   — Leslie G.