Excess Skin: And the Emotional, Thick Skinned Woman

I have way hex both episodes now and I know it is edited together what they want but I found both episodes depressing. None of them really looked that good after Maybe my expectations are unrealistic but I would be sorely disappointed if I still had that. Much stomach showing in this clothes after surgery. Maybe they just had bad clothes on? With my loose skin I don't look like have that much of a pooch... And they just seemed so sad. I don't think I will watch it again

I have way hex both episodes now and I know it is edited together what they want but I found both episodes depressing. None of them really looked that good after Maybe my expectations are unrealistic but I would be sorely disappointed if I still had that. Much stomach showing in this clothes after surgery. Maybe they just had bad clothes on? With my loose skin I don't look like have that much of a pooch... And they just seemed so sad. I don't think I will watch it again

That's because their "after" video was still so soon after surgery. It takes literally MONTHS for the swelling to go down and YEARS for the scars to fade. I'm over 4 years post plastics and you can see pics of my scars here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/349852-tt-scar-pics/

@@My Bariatric Life I had no idea that complication was a possibility... sorry you have had to deal with it.

Thanks @@JamieLogical! You look great! That makes me feel so much better! Did you have the same kind of depression those folks did or do you suppose the show just exaggerated it for dramatic affect?

@@CowgirlJane - I don't know why people say that exercising eliminates excess skin. I was fit fit fit as I exercised alot that while losing weight and moving into maintenance and I still had excess skin. Actually, considering I lost more than half my body weight, my excess skin wasn't too bad! Exercise is awesome for so many reasons, but it doesnt shrink or remove skin.

I'll disagree to an extent..Putting muscle tone behind lose skin helps some. I'm not going to be able to avoid plastics next year, but yoga, cardio and weight training keeps it from being totally gross.

Thanks @@JamieLogical! You look great! That makes me feel so much better! Did you have the same kind of depression those folks did or do you suppose the show just exaggerated it for dramatic affect?

I have no doubt their depression and anxiety was real, but mine was nowhere NEAR as bad. There was never a time I was afraid to let my husband touch me or anything. I did refuse to wear shorts or a swimsuit in public. And if I were single, I'm not sure how comfortable I would have been trying to date and getting intimate with new partners.

I think it is a highly unusual circumstance. A contracted scar or wound opening is not uncommon. But what happened after that is. That said, the arm lift is a surgery with a lot of problems, as compared to the other procedures.

@@My Bariatric Life I had no idea that complication was a possibility... sorry you have had to deal with it.

My arm lift was the one I feared the most (visible scars) but actually made a huge difference. I recall my son and his girlfriend meeting me at a "bar" a few weeks post op and her...omg...you are so much smaller ! Comment. I am top heavy by build so reducing that skin bulk was a big impact for me. They turned out great. I actually had no idea it was a problematic procedure.

LilMissDiva,

What a great article you have written. I am so glad you came to the conclusion that loving yourself can mean loving yourself the way you are, and loving yourself enough to be who you want to and CAN be! It is a wonderful thing to be able to acknowledge and Celebrate your WLS journey. It is also a brave thing to be able to be ready to cut off the excess skin, because it is a statement that you are done with it – that you’re not going to grow back into it! Thank you for sharing this source of inspiration.

As always, thank YOU.

LilMissDiva,

What a great article you have written. I am so glad you came to the conclusion that loving yourself can mean loving yourself the way you are, and loving yourself enough to be who you want to and CAN be! It is a wonderful thing to be able to acknowledge and Celebrate your WLS journey. It is also a brave thing to be able to be ready to cut off the excess skin, because it is a statement that you are done with it – that you’re not going to grow back into it! Thank you for sharing this source of inspiration.

I do believe there was some editing to make the story more interesting, as with any "reality TV". Another reason why being judgmental toward any of the subjects doesn't make sense. I don't look to deeply into the reasons behind anyone's journey, I only applaud and support anyone who is working on bettering themselves.

Thanks @JamieLogical! You look great! That makes me feel so much better! Did you have the same kind of depression those folks did or do you suppose the show just exaggerated it for dramatic affect?

I'm very happy for you! I will be so glad to have my arms done. Was it very painful? It won't prevent me from doing it, and I have a very high threshold for pain. What was it for you on the pain scale?

My arm lift was the one I feared the most (visible scars) but actually made a huge difference. I recall my son and his girlfriend meeting me at a "bar" a few weeks post op and her...omg...you are so much smaller ! Comment. I am top heavy by build so reducing that skin bulk was a big impact for me. They turned out great. I actually had no idea it was a problematic procedure.

I have had a strange experience with pain, my original plastics I had LBL, arm lift, breast implanr/lift all at once and had less.pain then what I am going through right now (much more minor) I have developed a series of theories as to why that I may write up later. Bottom line, arm lift was not painful and turned out beautifully. Dr Sauceda told me he would.not use.my photos on website as it would give unrealistic expectations because not everyone gets scars that are scarcely noticeable in 2 years. I is worth it especially if you are top heavy (inverted triangle ) shape as it just makes you look so much thinner.

I had weight loss surgery for my health. I figured I'd look better and be able to wear cuter clothes, but that was a side effect/bonus.

The minor health issues I had quickly resolved, and then it became more about how I looked, and the clothes/looks became a focus, along with the numbers - a healthy BMI.

Then it became about feeling "done". I just felt like I was halfway home. I looked fine in clothes, but there was a constant reminder and feeling of unrest. So I had lots of plastics, and honestly it was the best thing I could have done for myself, outside the sleeve. It's not as much about vanity as you might think, though that's certainly a component of it. It's more about accomplishment to me.

The plastics changed my life in ways I hadn't expected, or even realized needed improvement. I was literally shocked at how much easier it is to move. It makes me want to move more, because I love the feeling of FREEDOM. I didn't realize I felt so bogged down by the excess skin.

Plastics have been physically difficult for me. I have scars, but they are pretty faded, and not "hideous" as someone suggested. I am 53, and look/feel better than in my 30s. So I do not think I was too old. I am perfectly good with my age, and not trying to be young. I do call myself Plastic Barbie Grammy, though, lol.

It's not for everyone due to cost and physical pain and risks, but for me, it was the right thing to do. It was worth every penny and painful day it cost.

@ MichiganChic, I remember the day preplastics laying in bed and realizing there was a drape of skin, laying in bed, next to me! Then the day I was doing planks and making the.mistake of looking down and seeing the strangest looking thing ...realizing it was torso skin.

I know this isn't for everyone but I genuinely believe it has helped me transition from the forever obese who always regained to someone who BELONGS this size. My scars don't make me feel hideous at all, they are a part of this new me just like you said!