Excess Skin: And the Emotional, Thick Skinned Woman

My scars aren't hideous. I mean you can see them, but they are WAY better than the bulging fat or loose skin was. Besides, they are only in places you would see if I were naked. Only my husband and my doctors see m naked and I am confident none of those people care.

Posted some pics of them a while back here:

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/349852-tt-scar-pics/

I replied to the 600lb post and mentioned the Skin Tight episode. I enjoyed both. I approach the 600lb as a cautionary show now of what could still happen if I don't continue to use my tool (sleeve) like the OP stated. The Skin Tight was a bit more scary IMO. I know at 52 (almost 53) that things don't "go back" when you are over 100lbs overweight. I am within 20lbs of MY personal goal. I am hoping to reach it within the next 90 days or so. My doctor wants me to shot for another 15 - I don't know if I am going to push for that. The sagging "twins" and deflated "muffin top" are really gonna look sad

If I was 20 years younger I would probably be pushing for plastics, but at 53? Maybe my "twins" because of less shoulder/back pain. I don't know about a TT.

I just want to reply in that it is not true that skin removal is guaranteed replacement by hideous scars. Skin removal surgery has made leaps and bounds over the years, especially now that more and more people are having WLS and needing this once they get to their goals. There are many very skilled plastic surgeons who specialize in Excess skin removal and the scars are almost non existent. They are very well placed and look like a small line after awhile of healing.

I watched the show as well and it made me very sad and fearful. I'm only 4 months out from my gastric bypass surgery and am down 55 lbs. Need to lose about 40 lbs more but I'm afraid of what I will look like. I would be happy if I could just be a healthy size 12-14 and never got to "goal weight" and have my skin still look relatively normal.

I'm 57 so there's not a lot of elasticity left in my skin. I don't want nor likely can afford this skin removal process. It seems to be a very painful process, there's high risk involved, and you are left with hideous scars. Now my concern is that I won't stop losing when I want to and will get thinner than I would like. I DON'T want to look like my skin has melted or go through this procedure. Is there a way to stop losing weight when you are happy where you are?

I loved your reply, thank you. You get it.

I'll be honest, I skimmed your post because near the middle my eyes started getting teary and I am currently wearing a ton of non-waterproof makeup. I wasn't bothered by my excess skin the first few times I lost a lot of weight, probably because my entire life I have been fat or saggy, however after having lost with the sleeve I decided I wanted to get my boobs done. This was almost entirely because I hated that I couldn't wear cute tops because I needed major support bras to not look like I was super saggy. That same week I started checking out abdominoplasty pictures and I'll be honest even then I had no idea that I could ever have a flat stomach. Ever since I was a kid, even when I was thin I always had a little pooch of skin/fat so I generally didn't wear tight clothing or if I did it was with Spanx. Well, a year later and 3 surgeries with everything from the boobs and stomach, to thighs, arms and posterior body lift, and I look like a different person. I had no idea how different I would look and feel. Sure, I am still a little ashamed of my arm scars, although they are quickly fading and very hard to see, but the rest can only be seen when I'm not wearing clothing so I mostly ignore them.

Having my plastics procedures did unspeakable things for my confidence that just losing weight never could have. I am so grateful that I was able to have the work done and while most of my friends find me to be fabulously full of myself because I just had to go spend a small luxury car on being a "plastic Barbie", thanks to my surgeon I never look in the mirror any more and feel disgust. I had no idea how much the extra skin made me dislike myself until I finally saw what it was like gone. I may not love my face all the time, my hair might still be thin (damn sleeve) and I have plenty of other flaws, but my figure, because of my surgeon is something that for the first time in my life that makes me feel almost hot sometimes. I feel like a finished product, instead of like a deflated fat girl.

It does not look like I will need skin removal on the arms. I never had really heavy arms. I figure I would like to eventually get a panni and TT. The thighs I am on the fence about but they certainly wouldn't be a priority. Boob lift and reduction probably.

I carried all of my weight in my belly so I going to have the most excess skin there. I have always wanted to be smaller chested even when I was thin before.

I find that where I carry my weight and have the excess skin effects the clothes sizes I can buy. I would probably be down to a 12 pant size except that I would have camel toe. (Sorry about the visual picture). I would be fine in the legs and belly but since I still carry fat and skin in the panni the pants fit odd there. Same issue with some underwear. The panni kinda spills over the sides but can have a bit too much butt room or leg elastic room.

I ride horses and I ride English. Since ride in breeches which fit tight, like 2nd skin. Eventually having the excess skin gone will help the fit of the breeches. Having the boobs smaller will be easier to manage. Unless I am really careful with the type of bra I use the girls hurt when I ride and just move too much. The smaller boobs will help with my balance while riding too.

This is another thing that gets me, the way my clothes fit. It's not a mystery that most clothing makers don't factor in 20 Lbs of excess skin when creating clothes. It will be so nice to be able to put on clothes with ease, rather than trying to re-fit a busted can of Pillsbury muffins back into the canister.

It does not look like I will need skin removal on the arms. I never had really heavy arms. I figure I would like to eventually get a panni and TT. The thighs I am on the fence about but they certainly wouldn't be a priority. Boob lift and reduction probably.

I carried all of my weight in my belly so I going to have the most excess skin there. I have always wanted to be smaller chested even when I was thin before.

I find that where I carry my weight and have the excess skin effects the clothes sizes I can buy. I would probably be down to a 12 pant size except that I would have camel toe. (Sorry about the visual picture). I would be fine in the legs and belly but since I still carry fat and skin in the panni the pants fit odd there. Same issue with some underwear. The panni kinda spills over the sides but can have a bit too much butt room or leg elastic room.

I ride horses and I ride English. Since ride in breeches which fit tight, like 2nd skin. Eventually having the excess skin gone will help the fit of the breeches. Having the boobs smaller will be easier to manage. Unless I am really careful with the type of bra I use the girls hurt when I ride and just move too much. The smaller boobs will help with my balance while riding too.

Awesome visual

When I had WLS, I was of the mindset that I didn't care if I had loose skin. What ever, I just want to be healthy.

Now, having started the journey in to plastics, I can certainly relate. I won't say I had loathing for my loose skin, but it definitely bothered/bothers me.

The way my upper arms would sag and wrinkle like prunes, even though I have built up awesome biceps and triceps. I couldn't build more muscle without looking like the Hulk

The hanging belly. Not only was not pleasant to look at when undressed, but clothes just are not made to stuff that mess in there. Plus the rashes and issues when I'd exercise were another frequent reminder.

So I've had an arm lift, a panni, and a Tummy Tuck. And I have to say it's only the beginning. Not because I want to be "Barbie". OMG, I'm 53 for heaven sake. But it really is finishing off all of this hard work. It's the final chapter that I'll be happy to close and put behind me. I just need that winning power ball number!

"Loving myself doesn't have to be accepting myself the way I am. It can also mean loving myself enough to be everything I imagine in my head."

@@LilMissDiva Irene,

Thank you for this post. This statement, that I quoted above, just resonates with me in such a powerful way. I had plastics done. A part of me--or maybe some of the social stigmatisms that are ingrained in my brain--feels partially guilty. I sort of feel like my vanity drove me to spend that money on myself, versus using it towards our home or kids, or any other area of our lives. But that part, when you said that "loving" ourselves...honoring our self worth...includes doing everything we can to become what we "imagine" ourselves to be...it hit the nail on the head. I worked VERY hard--from changing our eating life style at home, making our family an active family, to my extremely hard work in the gym--to become the person that I imagined. However, I fell short. Despite my 5' 6" frame and being a size 4/6 with barely any belly fat, my stomach still flapped when I ran and jumped. And no matter how many push-ups or how much weight I put on that bench press, my breast still looked like large & flappy dried prunes. And not matter how many lunges, squats, box jumps or leg presses I did, my upper thighs remained a jiggling mess. I wanted my hard work to reflect on my body. And it did. With my clothes on. With a pair of spanks on.

Thank you. I feel validated in my decision. Any whispers of regret or guilt have just floated away.

I waited 10-years to have my plastic surgery. I had all kinds of excuses, and I have learned that I am one of the greatest procrastinators in the world (I waited years on my bariatric surgery, too)!

The plastic surgery was life changing for me. I will quote another patient who said, "Bariatric surgery saved my life. Plastic surgery saved my soul." Yes. That is how I feel, exactly.

Understand that my body contouring plastic surgery was not a walk in the park. I went through some egregious situations and more than two years out I am still contending with complications. And of course, I now have scars in place of the skin. My facial plastic surgery was a cake walk by comparison.

Despite all that, I am glad that I did this. The plastic surgery was the completion of my weight loss surgery.

If anyone is interested, I have begun to document my journey:

Body contouring plastic surgery

Facial plastic surgery

Good luck to all of you on your journeys!!!

I'm already thinking about having my excess skin removed. I am 39 lbs from goal and the wrinkly skin on my stomach, arms and inner thighs, to me, is a constant reminder of how I treated myself before and I am not sure I will ever be happy with how I look unless I get it removed. I know I am healthier, but I also know that I worked hard and deserve to have my body look the way I want it to.

I cant even allow myself to dream of ever being able to afford plastics, or be able to get carecredit. Just the way it is. I wish I could, but I know my reality. Im gonna have quite a bit. But thats okay.

If you all don't mind answering, when did you begin to experience loose skin? I have lost 50 pounds since being sleeved in August, and haven't yet noticed any issues with my skin (besides the scars taking longer than expected to heal.) I've lost at a relatively slow pace, and was hoping that it might speed up a little this year. I'm technically just a smidgen over a healthy weight with a BMI of 25.9 but I'd love to lose another 30 pounds at least. I have a narrow frame and tiny bones, so being at the lower end of the "healthy" weight range would be ideal for me. I'm a little worried about excess skin, though. I don't know if I should still be anticipating that it will likely happen. I was prepared to lose some hair, and reading all the posts about it helped me to be braced for it.

I'm 31 so I'm not that young but not that old either. My skin still has elasticity.

Ok so I had to watch this after hearing you all. I expected to be touched and emotional. I had my skin removal surgeries 7 months ago.

I wasn't. I am trying to give this woman the benefit of the doubt--she mentioned taking anxiety meds. But oh my! Not letting her husband hug her or touch her (like TOUCH her not even sexually), not talking to people because she thought they wouldn't be her friend bc she's a "freak," being afraid people are staring at her and hiding behind things (saying this while wearing a tank top), being miserable 24/7 because of her looks. I'm sorry. How about your improved health? All the things you can DO now?

Sorry. I understand being dismayed by the skin, but she was truly so focused on her appearance and what OTHERS may have bought about it, that she was missing everything good about her life and being unnecessarily cruel to people close to her.

The other guy, loved him.

@@My Bariatric Life may I ask what ongoing complications you are dealing with?

I am 2 years post plastics and doing great, but I had some sort of injury to my right breast, resulting in a seroma that would not go away, resulting in removing the implant, resulting in me needing a replacement. My implants are small, but they give that youthful upper fullness that I have none of without. Anyway, it is not a big deal but I had no idea that implant revisions are so common (for one reason or another). Anybody on the fence about it should be aware that something like 20% of implants are revised in the first few years post op. sometimes it is because the patient wants to "go bigger" but sometimes it is mysterious stuff like my story.... As far as my arm lift, lower body lift - no issues, it is behind me and i don't expect any ongoing problems. My scars don't bother me either.