How is skin and how much is still fat?

[blondegal_ 1,028]

Hoping those that have had skin removal can help me out. I've lost over 100 lbs and need to lose 30 more lbs. And now I'm wondering how much fat I still have on my lower stomach and thighs and how much is skin? When I was at my maximum weight I was all "filled in". Now I can grab my stomach. I can push my thighs around so to speak. Just trying to figure out this out. Wondering when I should start consulting a surgeon.

[erp 2,016]

Not sure there is a standard one can apply here since we all carry our weight differently but I'm curious too for those who have had lbl, tt, or panni work done. How much did you weight before vs after plastics. How much skin was removed (in lbs)? How much fat if you had Lipo?

As far as when to get a consult, the ps I spoke with said after my weight has been stable for at least 6 months.

[Scamp 207]

It really depends on how much fat there is under the skin. Skin itself doesn't weigh as much as you would think. When I had my belly done - I was so sure it would be like 6lbs or more - But was a measly amount in he end - But the results were dramatic and fantastic! But looking back 4yrs on from Op1 - I think the most important thing that this gave to me was......... ME! It gave me the gift of myself. My surgeon gave me multiple gifts better than I could ever have imagined. Yes I am covered with scars - But they are a small trade off for the wonderful feeling of being smaller than I was in my teens! Before I had my first child I was 140lbs. Today I was 125lbs!

(EDIT- Forgot to say at my heaviest weight I know - As avoided scales for many many years - But the heaviest weight I know definitely via scales was 252lbs)

The closer you are to goal the better your results will be as you won't have anything coming loose again after the Op...

I was 3lbs from my goal of 140lbs at Op1 - I had 5 ops in all - I can't remember Op5's amount but that was very little (Maybe 1lb)as was just a line of skin but the other 4 ops went thus.....

Op1 - Brachioplasty and Breast reduction = 3.96lb (1.8 kilos)
Op2 - Tummy Tuck = 2.42lb (1.1 kilos)
Op3 - Inner thigh lift = 1.06lb (0.485 kilos)
Op4 - Outer thigh/butt lift = 2.899lbs (1.31 kilos)

Total = 10.339lbs (4.689 kilos) Removed in Ops 1-4

I only had a tiny bit of Lipo on outer thighs and that was in grams on each leg - I will hafta search out where I put my list of amounts.

The amount of fat removed is small fry when you think of how fantastic you will feel afterwards when you can wear clothes you could never wear.

I never thought about the afterwards. I didn't believe in myself enough to know I would be able to get here. But - I would say to anybody - If you are able to get as close to goal as possible - the surgeon will be able to give you a better result as the skin will drape across the body better when they re-attach it - Without anything in the way etc (If that made any sense at all lol)

Edited February 1, 2014 by Scamp

[skiddles 66]

Talk to your PS, they're all different, I had to have my weight stable for a year and within 20lbs of what medically I should weigh, not my goal weight. My lower body lift was 10lbs of skin and fat! Next year, I'm getting breast reductionand upper body lift, which may be another ten lbs, He said I had heavy boobs! ( My back could have told him that!)

[CBT 450]

Go meet with some PS. They will tell you exactly what you've got going on and when/how they can help. You won't be wasting your time.

[skiddles 66]

It really depends on how much fat there is under the skin. Skin itself doesn't weigh as much as you would think. When I had my belly done - I was so sure it would be like 6lbs or more - But was a measly amount in he end - But the results were dramatic and fantastic! But looking back 4yrs on from Op1 - I think the most important thing that this gave to me was......... ME! It gave me the gift of myself. My surgeon gave me multiple gifts better than I could ever have imagined. Yes I am covered with scars - But they are a small trade off for the wonderful feeling of being smaller than I was in my teens! Before I had my first child I was 140lbs. Today I was 125lbs!

(EDIT- Forgot to say at my heaviest weight I know - As avoided scales for many many years - But the heaviest weight I know definitely via scales was 252lbs)

The closer you are to goal the better your results will be as you won't have anything coming loose again after the Op...

I was 3lbs from my goal of 140lbs at Op1 - I had 5 ops in all - I can't remember Op5's amount but that was very little (Maybe 1lb)as was just a line of skin but the other 4 ops went thus.....

Op1 - Brachioplasty and Breast reduction = 3.96lb (1.8 kilos)

Op2 - Tummy Tuck = 2.42lb (1.1 kilos)

Op3 - Inner thigh lift = 1.06lb (0.485 kilos)

Op4 - Outer thigh/butt lift = 2.899lbs (1.31 kilos)

Total = 10.339lbs (4.689 kilos) Removed in Ops 1-4

I only had a tiny bit of Lipo on outer thighs and that was in grams on each leg - I will hafta search out where I put my list of amounts.

The amount of fat removed is small fry when you think of how fantastic you will feel afterwards when you can wear clothes you could never wear.

I never thought about the afterwards. I didn't believe in myself enough to know I would be able to get here. But - I would say to anybody - If you are able to get as close to goal as possible - the surgeon will be able to give you a better result as the skin will drape across the body better when they re-attach it - Without anything in the way etc (If that made any sense at all lol)

How was your recovery from breast reduction?

[Scamp 207]

It was fine - No pain at all! (Yes I was surprised by the lack of pain also)

The swelling was annoying at bed when trying to sleep on my side, that was about it. I kept my compression garment on for 6 weeks as my PS said. I wish I had kept the tapes on longer as over the 3yrs I had these surgeries I learnt by testing on myself that the longer the tapes are on for - The less stretching your scar might get...

After Op2 (tummy) I had it stretch a little - Op3 I tested two different types of paper tape, my left leg scar is not as good as my right leg scar which had the paper tape the hospital used and not the drug store own brand tape

Op4 (butt/thigh) I put the paper tape tightly in a ring round my waist for 12 weeks! And the scar is much much better for that. I wish I had kept the tape on longer on all the surgeries as the scars heal flatter, finer, and paler. And - 4yrs post arm lift I am still putting moisturiser stuff on twice a day....

My PS is also a micro surgeon so the scars from breast reduction are virtually invisible and were so pale from the beginning

I think the best thing for scars is compression. The longer you can keep that on the better - If you hafta live in the compression garment (mine were by design veronique) the better you will feel and the better your scars will be for it. I figured - Living in compression for 3mths was small fry when I am gonna be living in this skin forever. So the better the final result - The happier I will be..... :-)

The worst of he recoveries was the day I stood up after Inner thigh lift - OMG I thought i would be in bed forever but - half an hour later I put on compression garment - and all of a sudden - no pain - no bother - and I only came out of compression garment to shower or see PS - Then I was straight back in until I decided to come out of compression (PS said I didn't hafta stay in it after 6 weeks but - I decided it made me feel protected - So - with my compression/armour on I felt I was a normal person - From the moment I put it on......)

Edited February 1, 2014 by Scamp

[blondegal_ 1,028]

Anyone want to describe what their body looked like before surgery? Was your skin thin and hung down perhaps like the skin of an old person? Or did have a layer of fat with it so that you could still "pinch an inch"? And if you're having skin removed do you get Lipo or is it considered different and fat is removed with the skin?

And thanks to all who have replied to this thread. I'm just looking for a little info now. I still have weight to lose and the earliest I could have surgery would be July 2015 so I'm not ready to do full fledge research.

[Scamp 207]

You can see some info/pictures here

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/161233-body-lift-with-fleur-de-lisanchor-vertical-abdominal-incision/

before =

and after =

[gowalking 10,790]

Yup...that's what my tummy looks like. If I can avoid the knee replacement for a while, I think I will also see a plastic surgeon and discuss a face lift, boobs, and Tummy Tuck for next year. The arms and legs are also loose but it's too expensive and invasive to do it all at the same time. Not even sure if that's possible.

[skiddles 66]

You can see some info/pictures here

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/161233-body-lift-with-fleur-de-lisanchor-vertical-abdominal-incision/

before =

and after =

How long did you wait between surgeries?

[Scamp 207]

Op1 April 2010

Op2 August 2010

Op3 April 2011

Op4 July 2011

Op5 Feb 2012

[blondegal_ 1,028]

You can see some info/pictures here

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/161233-body-lift-with-fleur-de-lisanchor-vertical-abdominal-incision/

before =

and after =

Thanks for the link. And you are brave to post pics. So when you "bunched" up your stomach was that mainly skin or there was still a good sized layer of fat? I can do that with my stomach so I feel like its mainly skin but not my butt which I feel still has a good layer of fat. And I don't even wanna talk about my thighs. Lol.

[Scamp 207]

It was mainly skin - When removed it was far lighter than I thought it would be.... I wish I had thought of getting them to photograph the removed skin like some people do.....

Edited February 2, 2014 by Scamp