Will I need Plastic Surgery?

[tink128 0]

I have 120 pounds to lose and I already exercise 3 times a weeks for an hour and a half each day. Will I need plastic surgery after losing the weight?

[BlueTattoo 43]

only time will tell hun , after u lose the weight u might end up boosting up your excersize program and see if that helps some. It also depends on the shape of your skin and your age and previous pregancies. I'm 23 and already have saggy skin in the tummy cause i had my kids back to back so my body never really got a chance to "bounce back". I'm hoping when i start losing the weight i can exersize more and try to get rid of the *apron*

[Chickie 15]

Only age, genetics, duration of obesity, how you carried the weight, and if you smoke can determine if you will need reconstructive surgery.

No amount of exercise / Water / Vitamins will tone skin. Skin does not contain muscle. once it is stretched, it is usually stretched for good. However, there is muscle under the skin, that in some places when built up with weight training, can help fill out the empty skin.

And the only sure fire way to prevent needing surgery, is to not loose weight.

Best of luck.

[Chickie 15]

I would imagine step 1 would be to lose the weight, then step 2 would be to determine if she / he needs further surgery.

Not 100% of people who have WLS (of any type) need surgery. Some people have amazing skin and simply never need plastics.

[Jachut 487]

I dont need PS. Well no more than I needed it last time I weighed 78kg.

But that's down to a number of things. I was less than 100lb overweight, and that was spread over 5ft 10 of me. I also think I have good skin given I escaped 3 pregnancies with nary a stretch mark.

If I lived in Hollywood and was a star, I'd be at the Plastic surgeon's office begging for removal of my saddlebags, belly roll, tiny batwings and lots of work on my boobs. I'd probably also want a chin implant, and something done about my dark undereye circles.

As it is I happen to be a 39 year old mum, part time uni student, soon to be primary school teacher. For that role I reckon I look pretty bloody fantastic. No need to cut up bits of me in the Quest for perfection. I got out of WLS very lightly, otherwise I wouldnt hesitate to be considering surgery now. But over this journey, I have also gotten rid of the idea that I would finish it looking perfect, when I was never perfect in the first place.

I think I sometimes come across as anti surgery and I'm not but I do feel VERY strongly that you havent beaten your weight problem until you've learned to love yourself and can identify the difference between a physical problem requiring surgery (such as many WLS are left with) and looking like a normal healthy person.

Why dont you get the weight off first, assess during and after your journey. You may be lucky!

[Chickie 15]

Jacqui, you actually come of as (to me anyway) pro loving who you are, as you are. Not anti surgery.

I think so many people get caught up in the excitement of having a perfectly flat tummy, or perky boobs, and don't stop to realise that they are worthy with saggy one's or a not so flat tummy.

Now, I may look like a hypocrite saying all this given I had a Tummy Tuck. But (and this is a big one) If my tummy had been in even slightly better shape I would not have had my tuck.

I honestly will not put myself through any surgery that I do not need. Need and want are very often confused.

Needing surgery to correct a pannis, for example, is when the apron folds over, rubs, breaks the skin doing so, and causes infection.

Want is "Ohh... My tummy is a bit blobby after losing weight"

Boobs:

Need; The empty skin that once held tissue folds over on itself inside the bra, causing rubbing, rashes, broken skin and infection.

Want; Boobs are a bit saggy, not the boobs of a 16 year old (or porn star)

I am not trying to be mean here, but so often I see people who just assume that they will need a tummy tuck, lower body lift, boob job, thigh lift, ect... Then they will go and have the surgery well before they are really even ready (20, 30 or even 50lbs from goal) and they just assume again that they will have enough extra skin (and fat) cut off to get them down to their goal weight. And it very rarely happens.

I know you are trying to help. I just see so many people putting the horse before the cart so often, it frustrates me.

Lose the weight first. Give your body time, then think about further surgery.

And for what it is worth, I lost close to 185lbs (closer to 198lbs if you count the weight I lost prior to banding) and all I needed in the way of surgery was the tummy tuck. Yeah, my thighs, arms and boobs are not perfect, but nothing in life is perfect. And I am more than happy with what I have.

[tink128 0]

Thank you all for your encouragement. I would think that after putting myself thru all of this and losing the 120 pounds I will be very much in favor of PS. A Tummy Tuck and a boob job sounds great at 40 and I am sure it wont hurt the bedroom exercises with the hubby either! First things first and I have to find a good physician to do the surgery first and then the ins approval yada yada! Keep me in your prayers!

[kyethra 0]

Personally, I find watching the weight come off sort of adventurous. What will my body look like next? How does it affect different parts of me differently? That sort of thing. Right now I'm thinking that my belly is getting thinner (well at least my upper tire). One arm is the same. My other arm, I noticed the other day, seems to have gotten flabbier! Now in the spirit of full disclosure before I ever lost a pound I already had flabby upper arms with loose crepe like skin. And with my being such a tender young thing, I feel that is a disgrace. But after I looked at the one arm initially I was fascinated by it! Its gross, yet amazing at the same time. I can't wait to see what it all looks like when I am down 50 pounds and more! And when I am at goal I'll get done what I feel I need to get done (or really want to). Right now I voyeuristically eye plastic surgery websites and their before and after photos. I feel confidant that any possibility can be covered.

[Jachut 487]

Actually on that topic, I know I've said this before but I've found it amazing how different the body that's emerged at 39 is so different to the one I had at 28 which is when I last weighed this much. Then I was post 1 baby, now I'm post 3 and nearing middle age. Of course there's some flabbier bits but what's amazed me is that I ever thought I was fat at this weight.

I tried on my wedding dress which I wore at 72kg. It fits me now at 78kg. I think it must be all the running but I am most definitely thinner now at 78 than I was at 28. And my face is entirely different. I've actually stopped losing because I fear getting gaunt in the face. Back then I had chipmunk cheeks.

But I also have new skills! Lol, I can tie my boobs in a knot around the back of my neck!

[argon 3]

Chickie,

I don't suppose you have pictures of your arms anywhere around here? I'm curious to how your arms have fared with all your loss. You know I mean the underside of the arms, not the rest... that's the part that's concerning me.

Mandi

[Chickie 15]

Mandi, I will get my husband to take a photo when he gets home...

They are not too bad, really. They are just not as tight as I would like, but nothing I am running to the surgeon for. My thighs are worse than the arms. But again, nothing I would run out and have another elective surgery for.

[argon 3]

(thanks! That would be awesome!)

[Chickie 15]

Argon,

I uploaded some photo's to my journal (link in sig line)

Sam.

[argon 3]

Awesome... I think they look pretty damn good. I'm sure I'd be more than happy to end up with your arms! Thank you!

Were they significantly floppier, say when you were 60lbs heavier than you are right now? Cause I've got a lot of flop right now, but if you tell me your arms shrunk alot between where I am now, and where you are now, I might hold out some hope yet.

I took this picture not too long ago (the skinnier arm is me holdin' up the flab in the front!) http://www.lapbandtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7989&d=1175047388

Thanks so much, Sam

[Chickie 15]

My arms were much the same then (60lbs ago), as they are now... They were just solid then. The same amount of slack... DH swears black and blue that the skin has gotten tighter in the last few months, but I can't see it.

Your arms look just fine, by the way! One thing I have noted while "people watching" is that everyone has some sort of defect.. No one is perfect. Only the 14, 15 16 year olds have perfect skin. And if my only problem in life is slightly saggy arms? Baby, I have got it made in the shade!