Sagging Skin ?

[Lily22 13]

I have a question. After bypass or any WLS are many people noticing a huge amount of excess skin ? If so what are the options and if not what have you done ???

[esskay77 785]

I think that varies. It depends on a lot of different variables. I think if you lose the weight fast, you might have more of an issue of sagging skin but I don't really have facts to back that up.

I am (unfortunately) losing slowly. However, the fortunate part is that so far, no sagging skin. Of course, I would rather trade and have sagging skin if I could lose the weight faster!

[winning_by_losing 107]

From everything I've read between the thousands of posts on this subject it seems that just like with how fast we lost the weight, the effect on the skin is unique to each of us.

Some of the factors believed to contribute to the outcome include your age, how long you've been overweight/obese, how fast you gained the weight, how much elasticity your skin has, how large/severe and how many stretch marks you have, your vitamin/protein intake, muscle tone, exercise regimen and of course how much weight you lose.

As I started out my journey I wasn't seeing much as far as sagging skin goes. I held onto hope that maybe it wouldn't be too bad. Unfortunately, now that I'm getting so close to my goal I realize that for me it was just a matter of where I was losing the weight and it the effects have now caught up to me.

I've done a ton of research on the suggested treatments, but unfortunately most seem to either be short term benefits or just pure snake oil tricks. I've finally come to terms with the fact that if I can't put up with the saggy skin I will need to save up for plastic surgery.

[Amyllf2 206]

I agree. Not much we can do about it except what we are already suppose to do. I had 2 big kids (one was 9lbs 24 inches) so my stomach skin is shot and has been for 21 years. I had no false hopes of what my stomach would look like. But I also figure I had no intentions of wearing a bikini so it really didn't matter.

For me my arms bother me more than anything else. I've been wearing a lot of those short sleeve or 3/4 sleeve "sweaters" over top of my tanks or no sleeve dresses. When covered they look fine. When they are left to flap around, like when I blow dry my hair, not good.

I did have a lot of excess neck skin and under my chin that has nicely started to disappear. I put a lot of good lotion on it, and because there was no damage to it, it's looking much better.

[Lily22 13]

Thanks. I know it will all be worth it in the end. But just want to know what I should keep in mind and expect. Congratulations on you WLS glad everything is going good for you all.

[Bluesea71 698]

I was worried about saggy skin too pre-surgery. I'm 5'7" and started out at 236 pounds. I'm now 5 months post surgery and weighed 179 this morning. I have been loosing at a snail's pace and as a result, the skin has been bouncing back quite nice. I do have an area on my belly below my belly button that looks like a popped balloon. This is from pregnancy and isn't likely to go away even though my stomach is starting to get flat. I have some sags in my inner thighs but it also seems to be improving. I don't have any saggy skin on my arms. I'm now 20-30 pounds from my goal, so we will see if it gets better or worse with time. I think genetics, how much you were over weight and how long impact how much saggy skin you are likely to have. I didn't really carry weight in my arms, so there wasn't much to loose there. I also spent the majority of my 43 years as an active, fit person. I only put on significant weight the last 6 years.

[Baconville 578]

I had surgery in June, 2013 - so I am a bit over a year out. I have reached my goal and have lost 207 pounds. I am 49 years old. My skin is very bad. I am wearing a size 6 petite, so it doesn't effect clothes too much, but no sleeveless tops for me (my upper arms are horrible) and my stomach and thighs are bad as well - but much easier to hide. As some of the other posts said, the only real solution is plastic surgery. I just don't know if that's for me.

As for what you can do - I am told really not much. Your outcome will depend on your age (they told me if you are closer to 25 than 50 your skin will most likely bounce back), genetics also plays a part.

Good luck to you! Even with the excess saggy skin, I am so incredibly happy to have lost the weight! I feel fantastic!!

Carol

[esskay77 785]

Carol--congratulations!!! You must feel amazing

[esskay77 785]

Let me rephrase that--congratulations everyone!!! You all must feel amazing

[deedadumble 1,033]

I had saggy skin everywhere so I had plastic surgery. I had an arm lift, lower body lift w/ autologous butt flap implant, breast lift and augmentation, and neck lift. I am two months from surgery and overjoyed at the results.

[Bluesea71 698]

Edited September 20, 2014 by Bluesea71

[Lucrezia Borgia 35]

I had saggy skin everywhere so I had plastic surgery. I had an arm lift, lower body lift w/ autologous butt flap implant, breast lift and augmentation, and neck lift. I am two months from surgery and overjoyed at the results.

ImageUploadedByBariatricPal1410899376.397686.jpg

You look FABULOUS! Congrats!

[deedadumble 1,033]

You look FABULOUS! Congrats!

Thanks!