Were you informed about PS before you were banded?

[Michee 2]

Like most people on LBT I had lost weight (yoyo) before banding, so I was fully aware of loose flabby skin issue.

Since my lapband was self pay, and I had to pay $200.00 (non refundable) for a one hour consult with the surgeon, I am glad that he used the time to talk about lapband and bariatrics, instead of plastics.

Recently I consulted with 2 plastics docs, and I am booked for a TT on August 20th. The plastics docs seemed pleased that my port was placed fairly high. They said it would make things easier during TT. I am guessing that it will not be moved.

[pandagirl 0]

I specifically asked my surgeon about it after attending one of her seminars in which a potential patient asked about it. I'm not sure if it would have come up otherwise, but my surgeon did explain to me that PS is common for the stomach area and hit and miss on thighs, arms and breasts.

[terrasmom 0]

Before the lap band surgery I was really focusing on just getting that approved and then having the courage to get it done. I certainly would not have wanted my doctor to further tell me a lot of information beforehand about needing more surgeries in the future from saggy skin! You are doing your upmost to loose the weight first and foremost and save your life. The plastic surgery is not a given, it's an option that you may or may not do later. Plastic surgeons should tread very carefully around bariatric patients to avoid looking like they are taking advantage of a difficult situation --

We had a plastic surgeon come to the lap band support group and talk to some of us for about 30 minutes; that was helpful and he had slides and those were great too. Truth is I will seek out a plastic surgeon if I need one later and I will not need anyone to help me do that. It's hard to present those facts to a group just having lost weight through another surgery without looking like you are taking advantage of them. The last thing I want my doctor talking about pre-operation is how much more I'll have to have my skin cut off/moved around after I am done.

[aubrie 6]

My surgeon mentioned the Tummy Tuck thing in passing during one of my two consultations. I was told that some need it, some don't depending on the amount of weight that is lost, age, type of skin, etc. I didn't think to much of it. At 49 I doubted I would ever wear a bikini again, so I didn't pay much attention. That's about all he answered. Well, the reality is, my stomach could use a little lift, but I still have some weight to lose, and it doesn't seem that bad. I can live with it. I am very distressed though at my sagging breasts and the mud flaps on my upper arms!!! while I can buy good bras that place everything in the right place and make it look good, wearing a sleeveless top in the hot south Texas summer looks grim for me. My arms are way worse than I ever dreamed. I asked my surgeon about it, and he said that arm surgery tends to not be as successful as tummy, butt, neck and boob surgery, and that the scars are difficult to hide. My heart sank a bit. I saw a woman in the grocery store that had matching scars down the back of both arms that were wavy, lumpy and about the width of my thumb. If that's the best I can expect, NO THANK YOU!!! So I'm a bit depressed about the arm thing.

[Dr. Schulman 2]

My surgeon mentioned the Tummy Tuck thing in passing during one of my two consultations. I was told that some need it, some don't depending on the amount of weight that is lost, age, type of skin, etc. I didn't think to much of it. At 49 I doubted I would ever wear a bikini again, so I didn't pay much attention. That's about all he answered. Well, the reality is, my stomach could use a little lift, but I still have some weight to lose, and it doesn't seem that bad. I can live with it. I am very distressed though at my sagging breasts and the mud flaps on my upper arms!!! while I can buy good bras that place everything in the right place and make it look good, wearing a sleeveless top in the hot south Texas summer looks grim for me. My arms are way worse than I ever dreamed. I asked my surgeon about it, and he said that arm surgery tends to not be as successful as tummy, butt, neck and boob surgery, and that the scars are difficult to hide. My heart sank a bit. I saw a woman in the grocery store that had matching scars down the back of both arms that were wavy, lumpy and about the width of my thumb. If that's the best I can expect, NO THANK YOU!!! So I'm a bit depressed about the arm thing.

Don't be depressed! You can't judge everyone's result by one bad one. Armlifts, when done correctly, can give excellent results with very high patient satisfaction rates. It is true that sometimes people get bad scars, but this is true with any surgery (there are some bad surgeons, and some people are "bad healers").

When done correctly, arm lifts can give a natural appearing arm, without the "med flaps." A well placed scar is only visible whent he arm is raised. It will not be visible from the front, back, or side.

If you are interested in an armlift, my advice is to search out a well qualified plastic surgeon, experienced in post bariatric body contouring. Don't be discouraged because you saw one bad result.

Best of luck to you

[Sue Magoo 71]

Aubrie:

There's a woman who has been on this forum that had some fabulous plastic surgery results and she put pictures up here. Her name is something like JulieNYC. If you have some time, take a look at her pictures and you'll see how great her arms (and everything else) turned out.

Sue

[Jachut 487]

I've been told by a PS that butts are very hard to fix well. I saw a guy about my tennis ball in a football sock boobs, and asked him more out of curiosity than anything whether there was anythign to be done about the fact that I'm now wearing my bum on the back of my knees. He said to me that its very hard to get a good result with droopy bottoms and cellulite on the backs of thighs, that what you often get is a very flat bottom as a result. I've already got that, its gone very flat (but still wide as I'm basically a pear shape). I wonder how true that is?

I've seen GREAT arms in real life Aubrie. The woman in question was a very good healer, I mean you cant even SEE any lapband scars after 2 years, she's got beautiful skin. But the arms, yes there's a scar running down the inside of them, but it doesnt really stand out, you only see it if she raises it and given her great skin, there's no real purple/red colour to them. Worth doing a million times over if you get a result like that. Me, my scars stay purple for years, I get a zit and you can see it for six months!

[ladybug3 0]

I think my surgeon mentioned PS for the first time today when I got a fill, but I was well aware of the possible need for it. I've wanted a breast reduction since I was in high school (I didn't because I wanted to be able to nurse my babies), but at this point, if I had to choose, I think I'd do the TT. They may have mentioned it in the seminars, but I didn't really pay attention because I knew I already wanted it.

I just don't know that I'll be able to get PS at all because I have heart issues and am on blood thinners. It was an issue even getting my band and I had to stay on aspirin and go off my plavix for a few days and start it right away after my surgery (I have stents in my heart). I really, really hope I can at some point because I have terrible sagging from having babies (my skin stretched as soon as I saw the plus sign on the first pg test!) and I'm sure I have muscle damage, since my first was literally pushed out by the nurses. And then I had two more babies! My body NEVER recovered! LOL!

I'd also like a reduction because I. am. huge. Seriously, I can barely find bras to fit me, especially now that I've lost weight and am not a "plus-size" band anymore, but still need huge cups. And never mind trying to find a swimsuit. I'd hope that insurance would cover that (I've been complaining to my PCP for years and have been to chiropractors and everything for my back pain), but I don't know that physically I could do both. But I'm only 34 and my kids are still little, so I have lots of years at the beach ahead of me! It's scary, too, because there's always a risk and my family has been through so much with my health. I'd probably have to do some major convincing of my husband first!

My question would be for the doctor, is it better to do things seperately or together? How much do medications affect one's prospects for PS?

Great thread! I've already learned a lot!

[di1138 8]

Please define "NEED" I know there might be a lot of loose skin after losing 100lbs and may want plastic surgery but never told I may "need it". I of course would not change my mind about the band because my health is more important than saggy skin but if it is a medical necessity I would like to know why. Thank you.

[Jachut 487]

well, here's want rather than need:

http://www.supersportimages.com/products/showbib.php?xs=467&s1=535

those are me, just came through my email now. I'd sure LIKE some work done on those upper thighs. I think they're horrendous. But do I need it? Nope. And its not really a good photo, they're not that bad.

Here's my stomach (posted a few weeks ago when someone asked about scars:

I think its jiggly, and when I bend over, it all hangs unattractively in the middle, utterly disgusting. I hate it. I'd like to fix it if I had lots of money and the scars werent bad. But do I "need" it? No. Its easy enough to just not wear a bikini isnt it?

That's want v need in my opinion. When clothes wont fit parts of you or your 3 sizes different top to bottom or your back aches becuase of the weight of your boobs, that's need.

Its not wrong however to "want" plastic surgery you dont "need". There's nothing vain about it, there's no shame in wanting to look as good as possible. For me, however, it stops with going into debt for it.

[Dr. Schulman 2]

My question would be for the doctor, is it better to do things seperately or together? How much do medications affect one's prospects for PS?

Great thread! I've already learned a lot!

Medications like yours DO affect potential PS. The medications put you at significantly higher rate for potential bleeding complications. You can have surgery, but in your case, make sure you select an experienced PS and only do the surgery in a hospital - not in the surgeon's office!

Also, while I routinely combine multiple procedures, you are best to do multiple surgeries. You will be at less risk for complications if you have smaller individual surgeries as opposed to one large combined one.

Your health and safety is obviously most important and you will be able to proceed with PS if you want, but you must proceed with caution.

[Donna113 2]

Dr. Schulman, are there any board certified plastic surgeons specializing in weight loss body contouring you would feel comfortable recommending in Houston, Texas?

[Dr. Schulman 2]

Dr. Schulman, are there any board certified plastic surgeons specializing in weight loss body contouring you would feel comfortable recommending in Houston, Texas?

There are several excellent plastic surgeons in the Houston area. You might consider John LoMonaco - he is very experienced and talented. You will find several people on this site that would agree.

[Shamrockgirl60 1]

I am being banded August 7th at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA by Doctor Brahm, Plastic surgery was mentioned in a number of our one on one meetings and our group meetings just a bit. I was told that if I developed any skin problems like severe rashes and skin breakdown, which sometimes happens with large amounts of excess skin, that insurance may pay for them since it's considered a medical problem. Is that any chance that at some point PS for excess skin will be fully covered as part of the whole weight loss programs. I hope that someday happens.

I fully expect to need a Tummy Tuck and boob lift by the end of my weight loss. Maybe should start a little stash for it in my sock drawer LOL.

[nina874 48]

My surgeon never mentioned that I might need PS, but then I dont know if that was because my BMI was only 37 at the time.

I was already aware of the possibility though as I had lurked on various support boards and educated myself prior to having the band fitted.

As it turned out I WANTED a FTT anyway (nothing like carrying 6 munchkins to completely screw up your tummy) and that was one of the things that motivated me to stick with the band through our initial stormy courtship!

Nina x