Excess skin question

[Mad__crow 11]

Besides trying with excersise is there another way to help excess skin that isn't surgery?

[AvaFern 3,516]

Nope....unfortunately, depending upon the type of loose skin you have, surgery is the only viable option. You and I started close to the same weight and I had the same question. I totally did not want surgery, but ultimately there are some areas where nothing else I was going to do would fix it. I'm 3 weeks out from plastics now and it was a decision I'm glad I made, although it isn't for everyone. Clothes fit better, I can walk around in a bathing suit, and for the first time in my life my stomach is actually flat, which is endlessly amusing to look at in the mirror (sorry, I'm shallow, lol).

[Mad__crow 11]

Well I'm definatley getting plastic surgery for the skin then. Also for my breasts because currently they are a 40 G! So once I will have to ask my doctor when to get te reduction and lift and I guess it makes sense to take care of the loose skin at the same time. How was the recovery with plastics?

[finediva 979]

@AvaFern. Congrats! When did you get to goal weight? What plastics did you have? Thanks.

[AvaFern 3,516]

@Mad_Crow- Recovery was cake for plastics compared to the sleeve, lol. I thought it would be SO much worse, given that there is a lot more chopping up of the skin involved, but being able to eat afterward and not having to take major IV narcotics made it a much easier process. I had a breast augment and lift, abdominoplasty, and Lipo to my thighs, lower back, and hips. My thigh lift is scheduled for November- my doctor nixed the idea of doing everything at once since it was already a 6 hour surgery. I have been walking several miles a day since a week after surgery and I have really felt fine outside of a little soreness. I expected it to be horrible, but it really wasn't.

@finediva- My weight chart on here is accurate- so still 145 and not at goal yet. They want you to be within 10-15% of your goal before surgery and I was within that range. I have 16 pounds left to lose (2 of which are now in the form of sillicone boobs, lol) and the doctor did not feel that this was a big enough loss to affect the surgeries at all.

Overall, I am very happy with my decision thus far and I can completely understand why people love plastic surgery so much- such a HUGE difference that there would otherwise be no way to achieve.

[mommab4 2]

Has anyone tried the ultrasound skin tightening?

[Mad__crow 11]

@@AvaFern thanks so much for telling me that! My fear is pain and for me gastric sleeve has been a breeze so I'm happy that plastics is easier. Did you have to pay all out of pocket or was insurance able to cover some? I think I heard sometimes they will do that after weight loss surgery.

[blondebomb 580]

I gf of mine had the tummy done several yrs ago. She is a daily walker..miles...an no matter how much zumba several x wkly,walking WW. .you name it..she had it done an said it was the best thing ever!! She's 60 now..tinier now then ever..she's one of my supporters. ..I done told my hubs get prepared it's going to happen! Lol

[AvaFern 3,516]

@Mad__crow I paid fully out of pocket, but I also paid for my sleeve in cash too. I have zero patience, which proably cost me a lot of money in this process, but with the sleeve I didn't want to spend 6 months dieting and get denied and with plastics, I knew there was no way they would approve me- I didn't really have enough skin to count as being any kind of disability.

I personally didn't have any issues with pain. I was prescribed 80 percocet and I used I think 10 of them over the course of the first 2-3 days. After that I took tylenol for a day, and then haven't taken anything since. The annoying part of the surgeries is you get drains for the abdominoplasty. They are inserted into your mons area, so anytime you move, it pulls on your upper lady area....and it is SO irritating, lol. Once the drains are out, the rest of recovery is mostly a breeze. I ended up with a seroma, which is a pretty common complication, but it's more a hassle than anything else. Check out realself.com if you're considering surgery- I have found it very helpful.

[Beni 1,484]

I have a friend who lost quite a bit of weight about two years ago. I suspect about 50 lbs. She is in her 50s. I remember saying to myself that her face looked a bit odd and saggy. Her cheeks had that droopy bulldog look. Well, I assumed it was just the way it was considering her age and skin type. I saw her two weeks ago and I had not seen her since December of 2013. The droopy cheeks were gone. l know she did not have plastic surgery. What I am saying is there is some resolution to saggy skin issues. I just don't know how much but I was amazed at the difference.

[maggiemayuk 106]

Beni is right, it can take a while for your skin to catch up with your weight loss when it's been rapid. The younger you are the more likely it is to tighten up but the older you are, and the longer that you have been overweight, it's less likely to. Having said that it's partly genetic I think. I have yo-yo dieted all my life, gaining and losing up to 140lb and yet I don't have a single stretch mark - other people get stretch marks with a much smaller weight gain. I do get flappy arms and a wobbly stomach nevertheless. I always found that exercise made the biggest difference because at least the excess flab is draped over a shapely frame! I'm not convinced that anything that you rub into your skin makes any difference - apart from making it well hydrated. After I lose the weight this time I'm pretty sure I will get a Tummy Tuck as I've always wanted a flat stomach and there's no other way I'll get one, even with exercise!

[Mad__crow 11]

Thank you all for your responses. It will be interesting to see how my skin bounces back. I'm only 22 and my weight gain was very rapid due to being diagnosed with an auto immune disease about 2 years ago I really became immobile. I only got up into the 200's two years ago and it was impossible to come down my weight just kept adding on. My breasts will definatley need surgery because I have always been large chested and gravity hasn't been kind. No fun to be 22 and have saggy boobs! Also I'm 6 days post op and this morning I woke up and my stomach was flat! ... And my butt. I don't know how much weight I have lost yet because I don't own a scale. I think I'm gunna keep it this way so if I want to know the number I have to get my butt to the gym! Later down the line. For now I'll just wait till I see my surgeon.

[maggiemayuk 106]

At your age I think you have a very good chance of your skin shrinking back especially as you haven't been overweight for long. Good luck and let us know how you get on.