Let's talk about skin...

[LindaD 3]

For those of you further along in your journeys, how did the ol' epidermis bounce back?

I know that many get tummy tucks and such. I'm curious --

Have you achieved the lion's share of your weight loss?

Did your skin bounce back or do you have 'problem areas'?

Does everyone end up with problem areas? Or is it dependent upon age and how much you lost?

[Jodi_620 37]

At 39 and 100 pounds lost, I didn't bounce back so well. My problem areas: upper arms, thighs, tummy and breasts. The arms and thighs bother me the most now that warm weather has arrived because they are not so easy to hide. I will only wear bermuda shorts and sleeves that cover a good portion of my upper arms.

I will say that although there is no possible way that the skin is going to completely bounce back it is improving a bit with exercise and perhaps time. One thing I noticed a few months ago is that the weight of the skin hanging on my thighs was pushing everything down causing my knees to look saggy. I have since built up a considerable amount of muscle in my legs and that and time has lessened the sagging a good bit (I still refuse to let my thighs see the light of day though...same with my arms, but at least I can now let my knees show! )

My surgeon told me to give it a year before considering cosmetic surgery because the skin will shrink back some and that is what I will do along with exercising regularly to build muscle. But if I am still unhappy after a year I fully intend to get some work done.

Edited June 3, 2009 by Jodi_620

[mlwinva 0]

Good Morning,

I am one week post op today. My surgeon suggested walking with 1 to 2 pound weights to prevent the arm sagging.

[LindaD 3]

Oh, trust me, I know how important exercise is. I was doing 5-6 hours a week prior to surgery, and that included about an hour of weights (the rest cardio).

I fully intend to resume once I have the all clear (it's been less than a week since surgery).

I have been doing my treadmill every day - even the day of surgery (mine was outpatient). I did a full hour yesterday at 2.2MPH. I have hand-weights at my treadmill but haven't added those in yet - I don't want to push too hard.

So I will be fastidious about Protein intake and working out. And I know that will help.

I also know that upper arms seem almost impossible to fully recover, and I'm sure the same is true for other areas, person by person.

Will definitely wait and see. I really don't like the thought of more surgery. I've always had a bit of an objection to cosmetic surgery (and before anyone calls the lapband cosmetic, I swear to goddess that I did not do this for looks, although it's a nice part of the whole package...)

We'll see, I suppose.

[tapshoes 2]

There are a number of factors that come into play here. Age (the older you are, the less elastic the skin), underlying fitness level (more muscle will look more toned), genetics, and of course how much weight you have lost as well as how long you were overweight. A lot of weight over a long time will be more likely to result in the dreaded sagging skin.

I'm in my 50's and have been obese for most of my life. Although I have been faithfully exercising since banding, and built up muscles, there is skin - lots of it. My primary areas are stomach and arms...and nothing short of plastic surgery will eliminate it.:confused:

[LindaD 3]

Are there advantages to having the plastic surgery for the excess skin that go beyond cosmetic? Does he help in any other way, physical health, movement, flexibility, etc? Does anyone know?

[Jodi_620 37]

Are there advantages to having the plastic surgery for the excess skin that go beyond cosmetic? Does he help in any other way, physical health, movement, flexibility, etc? Does anyone know?

Medically speaking, the only issue I am aware of is that some people develop rashes and/or infection in the skin folds.

I pinch myself alot when getting dressed due to the excess skin, especially in the ab and breast area...I have to do some extra tucking when getting dressed.

I have way too much breast skin and it hurts to run. I think that if I removed all the excess skin and left the breast tissue as it is I could easily go from a D cup to a B cup. And if my arm skin is not tucked tight in a fitted top, it actually flaps and makes a clapping sound as it slaps the side of my body. :confused:

[mumof2boys 71]

I had excess skin and just had plastic surgery 7 weeks ago. For me, I did it for appearance purposes but it's also easier to get around...the hanging skin on my belly was just in the way. I am very, very happy with my results and wouldn't change a thing...here are my pics in case you are interested. They are before weight loss and after plastic surgery...good luck to you all!

[luluc 6]

Are there advantages to having the plastic surgery for the excess skin that go beyond cosmetic? Does he help in any other way, physical health, movement, flexibility, etc? Does anyone know?

there have been several here who have had their panni removed due to rashes/skin tears etc.....covered by insurance, and if they wanted the full Tummy Tuck - they would pay the difference. it interferred w/exercise to kick the final remaining pounds.

i think there are several variables to having skin issues that would require PS:

how long you were overweight

child birth

genes

exercise

good skin

i'll be 40 next month & as a pear shape the only issue i have is my thighs. but i always had issues with them (was only obese 3yrs). i plan on getting Lipo in the fall on the outter sides & butt - waiting till summer & the heat is over to wear the needed compression garments. i have had no kids so from the hips up - all is good!

[Mimilou2004 13]

Tina, thanks for the pictures, you look FABULOUS!!!!!!!

Mimi

[kgloverii 0]

I lost just over 100 pounds. I am in my early 30's and have some skin issues... My breasts sag, I have some tummy issues (but a well cut bikini covers it up), my upper arms are saggy, but a typical short sleeve makes it not terrible, and my thighs, well, they could use a bit of a lift, but God knows they look a ton better than before weight loss. I will wear short shorts, because they don't look that bad... Some things I've noticed... I good compression garment is your friend, as needed. A good bra with lots of foam fixes the sags. And some self-tanning lotion makes the sagginess in the arms, stomach and thighs much, much, much less noticeable and bearable. Someday, maybe I'll spring for plastic surgery, but right now, I am pretty comfortable with my body in the **hot** shape it is in!

[Jachut 487]

I've found it hard to separate body shape v excess skin too.

I guess I got out of this quite lightly, dressed, I have an absolutely FLAT stomach, its perfect, but in actual fact, its quite loose and flabby, even if its flat.

My breasts are the worst affected, I'm a d cup verging on C, but it's ALL skin, I'd say my actual breast is only a B. They really need work, its a difficult part of your body to hide, and much as i'm really not into fake breasts, I think I need not only a lift but an implant to fill out the upper part.

Thighs and butt, well, they are NOT my best features, they're loose, and a bit dimply. I need a bit of Lipo for residual fat pockets - Iv'e lost more weight but I'm virtually skeletal up top now and really dont want to lose any more from my upper body, but I cant manage to make it come off where I want it to! But lipo alone wont improve anything except the actual contour.

I am not surprised though, my breasts and thighs, I always could have guessed they'd look like they do. They werent even firm when I was 15 years old and not fat. They look like my mother's and both of my sisters.

I *could* benefit from a lower body lift. In reality though, i look far better than many 42 year old women, I'm comfortable enough to put on a bathing suit, and can live with the fact that i dont look like a supermodel in it. My issues dont show at all when I'm clothed. So I'm really not thinking I would take that money from my family to spend on myself, and nor am I convinced that the risk and recovery is worth it. How many times a year does a working mother get into a bikini? Its just really not worth it.

I will get my boobs done, hopefully later this year. My upper body is plain scrawny, I think fixing my boobs would balance it out, I have this awful thing going on where my shoulder bones jut out and my rib cage in my chest appears to curve out beyond my breasts. I need to put some shape back there.

My arms I got off scot free. there is not one single bit of excess skin and I have a very satisfying amount of visible muscle there - curvy and feminine but not bulky. I got good arm genes. Just bad thigh ones.

I'm also a devoted constant slave to the self tanning lotion. I never let myself get white. Nice skin colour takes the emphasis off the sags a bit.

Edited June 4, 2009 by Jachut

[maryrose 2]

Hi Linda,

This is a good post!

I would think one advantage to having PS would be to have my clothes fit better. I am not as much concerned about the loose skin because at 55 I won't be showing a whole lot of "flesh", but I definitely do not like the way my clothes are fitting right now.

My seamstress suggested I do down a size in my jeans so they don't sag in the rear, and she will take out the tummy so they will fit better.

Right now I have to go up a size in my jeans and I have no A$$. That would be the #1 reason I would want plastic surgery, just to be able to really enjoy my smaller size in my new clothes! :thumbup:

We'll see, I still have more weight to lose. Time will tell, but I'm not rushing into anything as yet. If I were single, I may look at this totally in a different way.