Loose skin and the speed of weighloss

[RJrocks 69]

I have been seeing a few posts about rny causing more saggy skin. I can understand that if weight loss is fast vs. slow that there will be more saggy skin, however does it not catch up? I mean is a Sleever goes from 300 to 150 in 2 years, and an RNYer goes from 300 to 150 in 1.5 years they may have more loose skin. But at both 2 years out and maintaining 150 pounds won't they look the same? Thanks everyone :-)

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[LipstickLady 25,682]

I am no expert, but from what I have experienced and seen, weight loss is weight loss. The rate of weight loss has no impact on loose skin. Now, that said, it can take up to a year after weight loss for your skin to "catch up" and shrink as much as it's going to, but it will catch up to whatever its potential it no matter how you lose the weight.

The actually loose skin amount is based on several things; your age, genetics, your level of obesity and how long you carried the excess weight.

No matter what? Loose skin looks better than filled out skin in a great pair of jeans, so....

[Healthy_life2 8,324]

@@RJrocks

Loose skin seems to be a fear for many patients. Its that unknown outcome from surgery. You will not know how your skin will look until you reach goal. Some insurance will cover plastic surgery if you have documented rashes. Self paying for plastics is an option.

I can't afford plastics. I wear shape wear. I weight lift. The muscle is filling out the skin and I look healthy. (healthy is my goal) I will always have loose skin.

I would not go back to my obese body just to fill out my skin.

[catwoman7 11,212]

if you have a lot of weight to lose, you're going to have loose skin no matter how fast or slow you lose it and no matter which surgery you have. Like others, I would take my loose skin *any* day over weighing almost 400 lbs again!!

[RJrocks 69]

This is great. Thank you :-) I have 85 to 90 pounds to lose. I have lost 12 so far. So close to 100 pounds loss in total would be ideal for me. I know I will want a breast lift without a doubt. Hoping everything else will be "ok" with me. The loss is more important than the skin without a doubt. Thanks for the feedback :-)

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[j16 166]

I asked the plastic surgeon who gave a presentation to my support group this exact question. She said the rate of loss does not make a difference but moisturizing might. Otherwise,as already mentioned, factors such as age, genetics, the amount of time you have been overweight, and the number of times your skin has been stretched and retracted will make a difference.

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[laceemouse 631]

This is great. Thank you :-) I have 85 to 90 pounds to lose. I have lost 12 so far. So close to 100 pounds loss in total would be ideal for me. I know I will want a breast lift without a doubt. Hoping everything else will be "ok" with me. The loss is more important than the skin without a doubt. Thanks for the feedback :-)

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It seems like it also depends on where you carry your weight. I mean, most overweight people have big tummies but some have relatively thin arms and legs, etc. Some start out with D cups and others start out with DDD cups.

I am similar to you, I will have my sleeve surgery tomorrow and hope to lost 100 pounds at most. Actually losing 75 pounds would make me happy. But I don't worry about loose skin at all. I am 54 years old, I am never going to wear a bikini again and my husband is not going to complain no matter what. I have had 4 huge babies, I doubt my stomach would be perfect even if I wasn't overweight.

Shape wear is a wonderful thing, even thin people wear it, it's a multi-million dollar industry.

Even people who lose without surgery have excess skin. Go to YouTube and search WLS, RNY, VSG, and loose skin, people call them "skin flicks". You will see almost everyone has loose skin no matter how fast they lose or what they do trying to avoid it. Working out with weights does help, especially the arms and legs, because the toned muscles fill in the loose skin a little.

[shedo82773 1,236]

Hi Rjrocks, I think what was said above has a lot to do with skin issues. I have gained and lost many many pounds thro out my adult life. I went to 285#'s and lost 35#'s the last time before my surgery and kept it off for a couple of years before my RNY. Now I am 60yo and after my RNY I lost 132#'s in 6 months. I did have a gain of 8#'s but I have maintained my 125#'s for 2 and 1/2 years. And yes I have skin issues, I did have a Panni done in 2015. The PS promised all of these things like he would pull all of my skin from behind and pull my FUPA skin up etc. He didn't do any of it except remove 10 plus #'s from my lower stomach. if he would have been honest I would have paid the extra to have a Tummy Tuck, breast lift and the Lipo he now says I need. When I was 45 I lost 135#'s I had no skin issues. The 15 years made such a BIG difference. But it is what it is. I really don't think I will do any more surgeries that are elective. Even if I was to have everything done I am coming to believe what my hubby has said. I would never be happy with what I have. Being FAT for that many years does something to your mind!! When I look in the mirror I still pick myself apart. When I walk into a room I still feel like I did when I weighed 249#'s. It will take some time to really accept that I am not the BIGGEST person in the room like I have been for years. As for Shapewear, I tried it...but IalI I could think of was to get home and get them off. LOL But I will say this for sure, CLOTHES hide a multitude of sins!!! Good Luck on your journey.

[LisaMergs 2,854]

This is great. Thank you :-) I have 85 to 90 pounds to lose. I have lost 12 so far. So close to 100 pounds loss in total would be ideal for me. I know I will want a breast lift without a doubt. Hoping everything else will be "ok" with me. The loss is more important than the skin without a doubt. Thanks for the feedback :-)

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I saw my plastics guy to get a handle on the cost. Originally wanted info on a lift and Tummy Tuck. Came out dazed and confused over the cost. No way will my husband ok that expenditure. I'd prefer to do all at one time, one anesthesia experience and cost, one recovery period.

I'm now trying to figure what I can live with or without. I tabled further contemplation at this time because it was overwhelming. Even though I'm 15 from goal and only 7 months out, he would do my breast lift now if I wanted- literally nothing else to lose above my hips. I just don't like the scarring involved in a lift. It wasn't what I imagined it to be.

The tummy? I think I can live with it...really not bad at all.

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[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

@@RJrocks

On that TLC show Skin Tight, they have people that have lost weight slowly without surgery taking years 3-5 years and they still have loose skin. The speed that you lose doesn't matter.

People just associate loose skin with fast surgery weight loss because most people will never lose a large amount of weight and keep it off without surgery.

I have lost over 160 pounds in 15 months. I have loose skin. It sucks I won't even lie, but the loose skin is still way better than carrying all that extra weight around. I feel and look great. No one sees the skin really but me. I am going to have it removed in a year or 2 so I can deal till then.