Excess skin - warning photos

[Jackson's Mimi 1]

Can someone explain about adipose tissue? I hear people saying that the saggy skin will shrink, but how does that happen? I thought the only way to get rid of excess skin was with surgery to have it removed. Thanks for the explanation, since I'm already thinking ahead and am not looking forward to a lot of saggy skin!

[Bluesea71 698]

Congratulations on your weight loss! I see you're coming up on your one year anniversary! You should be proud of what you have accomplished this past year! I think there are a lot of questions we have pre-surgery... specifically around saggy skin and hair loss! I know I wondered about both and appreciate your candid pictures. I thought I would post a pic on this thread too to show how much the skin sagginess can vary. I am just 5 months post surgery. I am also 5'6" and started out this journey at 236 pounds (241 at my highest.). We are both now around 180 pounds (I was 177 this morning.) I have lost 61 pounds and am 17 pounds from my first goal of 160 and 37 pounds from my stretch goal of 140. I have very little saggy skin. I credit that to my extra SLOW weight loss (as in it took me over two months to go from 189 to 180). I think the two factors that influence the most how much excess skin you will have is 1) how overweight you were and 2) how much time you spent as an overweight person. Your skin will retract some post weight loss, but not much. I do know the areas I had concern about are getting better. I initially had saggy skin on my inner thighs and arms, but it is almost gone. I have an area on my belly between my belly button and pubis that looks like a deflated balloon. This is a result of two pregnancies and is unlikely to ever go away. I'm okay with that though. I'm 43 years old. I will never have the tight youthful skin I had when I was younger. I look pretty damn sexy with my clothes on though! I wouldn't change the fact that I can now hike without dying and live a full, exciting life without the extra weight weighing me down!

Edited September 20, 2014 by Bluesea71

[shmeyers 240]

Congrats! Thanks for sharing. You look beautiful. I am 3 weeks from surgery. So excited that I might be able to lose that much.

[amylynns 802]

Thank you so much for being so candid and sharing!! That is my one concern about losing weight so quickly. I had the lapband in 2008 and lost 85 pounds over 2 years. I didn't have any excess skin from that loss.

I had the band removed in 2013, and of course have gained back all but about 15.

I'm having the bypass on Oct 20th and you've really helped me gain perspective on my one big fear. (the excess skin) It's not about the appearance, it's about being healthy.

Thank you!!

[MrsOptimistic 38]

Autumn Punkin, Thanks so much for sharing. I was very curious about what the extra skin will look like, and this really helps.

[oui1213 29]

Thx so much for showing ur private side. I have been worried what will happen after surgery. U look awesome!!

[nora72814 20]

GIRL!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHOWING THOSE PICTURES!! You are brave, but who cares of our excessive skin?! (lol) You are skinny and I will be skinny someday soon also. I rather have my skin like that and be skinny and healthy. (if that makes any sense) I know that will be a issue w/the weight loss but you are gorgeous. Again, I rather have excessive skin and be healthy(skinny) than overweight and in bad health. Congratulations!!! and God Bless you girlfriend!

GREAT JOB!!!!!

[BeachBish 123]

YAY!!! Good for you! What an awesome attitude!
You look GREAT and I know feel 110% better!
Keep up the good work! XO

[nrhannon 11]

Congrats on your success. You look great, I take excess skin over excess weight anyway. I am two months post op but it does let me know what to expect & I will deal with it then.

[mrs.papa923 3]

OMG!

Great pictures!

I'm 3ms post opt and have lost 56lbs!

My arms are a little jiggly, but who cares. I'm getting healthy! Keep up the great work! You look GREAT!

[Dark Phoenix 6]

I was wondering about this just the other day. As I'm seeing changes to my body, I don't fear them. Extra skin, so be it. Like another poster said, it's worth it to be healthier. I thank you for sharing your candid photos. I only see success

[Sarah Randles 1]

Thanks for sharing.You look great.

[quinn1219 1]

Thanks so much for sharing your photos ... you're very brave! Our bodies look very similar. I'm working on becoming comfortable with how my body looks and the excess skin. My arms are really bothering me though (1 day at at time, right?). I did just have my breasts done last week, not really b/c of weight loss though. I had implants done in 2007 and recently developed a contracture (scar tissue) around the right implant and it made the breast become hard and pulled upwards. So then I was lopsided and uncomfortable. I went back to my plastic surgeon (amazing woman!) and we scheduled a replacement of the implants, a reduction in size to reflect my new frame and a lift ~ whew~. So, I'm off work right now; recovering.

Good Luck on your journey ... you're truly a lovely person!!

All my best,

Karen

[AutumnPunkin 313]

Thank you everyone for the amazing feedback. I feel very comfortable in my skin, and find it funny sometimes. For example the other day I was laying on my side, my skin fell to said side and they was a fist size gap in my pants from where the skin used to sit and my hips bones, it was hilarious.

Everyone here is so.amazing, and I hope to show you all again in the next few months how my skin has changed again over time.

I feel pretty awesome and life is great. Excess skin is scary, but skin does shrink a little. Unfortunately it can take up to 2 years for some elasticity and collagen to return.

Ok so I will never have a beach babe bod, meh, who cares.

I can walk, run, and do everything now. The sky is the limit!!

You all motivate me to live my life awesomely!

[Zingythingy 210]

Thanks for sharing I just had FTT last Monday. I have about 20lbs had 20 lbs of skin for removal. Had 3.6kg removed so far. Having breasts arms and thighs done over next 18 months. Starting weight 350 lbs ish. Current weight 180lbs.

Quite tender but worth it will add pics soon. ????