Is plastic surgery the answer?

ginger12/26 · March 16, 2008

I have lost a little over 120lbs and I feel great. However my belly, arms, and boobs sag like crazy. I really want to have plastic surgery, however my family and friends say that because I am young (26) that with enought exercise they will all shrink up and my skin will tighten. I don't believe this. I am not wanting to walk into a tummytuck or boob job right away because I want to start having kids in the near future. I would love to get my arms done. They are one thing that I have always been embarrassed about and I would love to have them "normal looking." Does anyone believe that exercise will shrink them or is plastic surgery the answer for this. I still have many more years before the band is paid for, but I am just wonder if this is next step and how do you go about even getting plastic surgery?

maziemommy · March 16, 2008

Exercise can make your muscle bigger, to fill out some loose skin. I don't think it can shrink skin. Time and nature may do some shrinking. For the most part, I think, after a 100 pound loss, or more, we have streched the skin past what nature could repair. Good luck and great health to you.

Jachut · March 16, 2008

Exercise wont shrink them, time might to a small degree. At your age, I'd go for it, you've got lots of years to be young and show off your body and why waste them being sad about a part of you that you can change?

I feel a lot differently about it for myself because the reality of sagging, wrinkling skin is a lot closer. I need a boob lift, but I kind of figure, what's the point. The rest of me will be heading south faster than I can blink!

salsa1877 · March 16, 2008

I have lost a little over 120lbs and I feel great. However my belly, arms, and boobs sag like crazy. I really want to have plastic surgery, however my family and friends say that because I am young (26) that with enought exercise they will all shrink up and my skin will tighten. I don't believe this. I am not wanting to walk into a tummytuck or boob job right away because I want to start having kids in the near future. I would love to get my arms done. They are one thing that I have always been embarrassed about and I would love to have them "normal looking." Does anyone believe that exercise will shrink them or is plastic surgery the answer for this. I still have many more years before the band is paid for, but I am just wonder if this is next step and how do you go about even getting plastic surgery?

That is what everyone kept telling me because I was so young (28), but when I went in to talk to my lap band doc about the possibility of having a TT he said there is NO way that my belly flab is going away. He said it was possible my arms could shrink, but that the excess skin on my belly was there until I cut it off. I don't plan on ever having kids so I am having it done quickly. I too have many more years before the lap-band is paid off, but I have a good job that will allow me to get the TT. That is all I care about at this time. Other things need to be fixed but I HATE my belly!

Good luck with your decision.

rharriet62 · March 16, 2008

Of course exercise and lifting will give you muscle tone, but you won't see it under all the sagging skin. With such a huge weight loss, you are probably stretched out...I can TOTALLY RELATE! You are so young...do your arms, have your kids, and then get a breast and TT. GO FOR IT!!! You deserve to be HOT! I'm totally going for PS, but have a lot of weight left to lose first.

juliegeraci · March 16, 2008

I've lost 105 lbs and there is no way that exercise will remove my sagging stomach. I think they call it a pannus when it hangs down. I spoke to the plastic surgeon last week and she said I looked great given the fact that I have lost so much. Thankfully my back side looks good so all I need is a TT, BA with lift. Also, there is no way my thighs can improve either. I can still lose inches but the skin that hangs down on my inner thighs are gross. The only way to remove that is having a thigh lift. I figure at the end of this I am going to spend probably $$20k - 25k the price of a new car on my body! Wish me luck!

losingjusme · March 16, 2008

i wouldnt say ps was inevitable, but probable..

congrats on your weight loss, that is amazing.

your skin may shrink a little, but doubtful back all the way. that depends on so many factors, age (which you do have on your side), how long you've been heavy/obese, where you carry the weight, etc...

after just going thru an extended Tummy Tuck and Lipo, i cannot determine which was better for me - the band or the PS...

best of luck to you.

cori in wa · March 20, 2008

That's a tough question and one you alone can decide for yourself.

I've been a yo-yo dieter my whole life so I've gained and lost a lot of weight. When I was in my 20's my skin DID tend to shrnk back fairly well and fairly quickly. Not perfect, but not enough for surgery.

I'd encourage you to wait 3-6 months and see how YOUR skin does. It may surprise you in a pleasant way! If not, you'll have been at your goal wweight longer and you might be perfectly ready for a more permanent change.

Best of luck with your decision!