Skin shrinkage

[Mbstas 57]

I am 57 and have lost 115 pounds. I do not have hanging skin. It is just wrinkly. Pretty funny looking actually!

[Recycled 2,182]

I was curious if there was a time frame that you did notice firming. Trying to determine time frames to get plastics done after I hit goal.

I heard it was on the fifth day of the tenth month, during a full moon in the am hours......and if you miss the window.....that's it. The skin will firm no more......

I missed my window......

[Recycled 2,182]

I was curious if there was a time frame that you did notice firming. Trying to determine time frames to get plastics done after I hit goal.

I heard it was on the fifth day of the tenth month, during a full moon in the am hours......and if you miss the window.....that's it. The skin will firm no more......

I missed my window......

[LumpySpacePrincess 594]

I have lost almost 160, and the skin on my stomach kind if stayed in the same shape it always was. I still have a bit of a pannus, though its much smaller. Some good control top panties, though, and I can wear leggings and dresses and look like I was never overweight. Does it bother me? Sure! But I am far less bothered by it now than I was at over 300 pounds! I have actually learned to ignore it for the most part.

All I can say is thank goodness my boyfriend is legally blind! LOL

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

So, the standard advice is to wait 12-24 months post weight loss. I had consults with 5 different plastic surgeons.... i did the consults within a few months after reaching goal. Every one of them said the exact same thing. Given that I had lost 150++ pounds, after a lifetime of obesity and had lots of extra skin... waiting would not make any difference. What happens is your skin will continue to "bounce back some" - how much varies alot. If your skin has become stretched to the point it is poor quality - it will NOT bounce back at all even with time. My tummy apron and mons areas plus arms were definately like that.

So, for a person who might be "borderline" on whether to get plastics or which procedures are needed should wait. For a person (like me) who clearly needed skin removal, waiting that long has little benefit.

I hit goal in Feb 2013, did consults starting int he spring of 2013 and then in Oct 2013 had plastics. I have lots of photos and have evidence I didn't really improve significantly from Feb to Oct.

Having said all that, i could hide all that extra skin (except arms and inner thighs) with shapewear/spanx. Dresses were great because my extra thigh skin was all on the upper inner thigh which actually showed up through jeans even. This is why the arm lift was in many ways the procedure that made the most difference in my "clothed" looks. I went from looking matronly to looking trim/fit by reducing that arm bulk. My sons girlfriend was shocked - I was wearing a leather jacket and she could see how much smaller I looked, just because of the arm bulk reduction. I am happy i did plastics, but I think you can live a great life with out them. The key is getting the weight off!

[MichiganChic 3,262]

I know the skin doesnt pop back into shape but I was curious if there was a time frame that you did notice firming. Trying to determine time frames to get plastics done after I hit goal.

As you can see from the responses, the answer to your question is unique to the individual. I'm 52, lost 160 pounds from my all time high, and was super obese about 25 years. I carried most of my weight in my hips and thighs, and arms were pretty big, too. None of that skin ever shrunk, nor would it have. I had all of it removed around 2 years post sleeve- about 12 pounds in skin and fat total. My neck is also pretty wrinkly now. It did improve some at around a year after my sleeve, but it didn't improve all the way. I'm debating what to do about that.

I am happy I had it done, but it was most certainly a difficult road for me. I actually don't think I look all that different clothed, and I have a ton of scars, so it comes down to the lesser of the evils. One thing for sure, I love my arms. I agree with CGJ, that is one thing that was hard to hide in clothes, and I needed bigger shirts to accommodate the wings. Short sleeves were out.

Incidentally, one surgeon did tell me that people tend to improve up to 2 years post plastics.

[WildGrits 101]

I carried most of my weight in my belly. Of course when I lost weight it was all over but the places with the least amount of fat have shrunk back pretty well. My arms looks decent even without weight training.

Both my Bariatric Surgeon and my Plastic Surgeon say no matter of weight training or oils or anything will make the skin go back. They say I need 3 months of stable weight in order to schedule skin removal surgery. Even as little as 5 pounds loss after surgery will change the results.

My Pannus surgery is being covered by insurance due to documents rashes.

[Chris Stilson-Elmer 1]

I had WLS in 2013 & lost 100 Lbs. in 14 mo. So then I had the Tummy Tuck at 14 mo. & I would do it 10 x over. I love how I feel & I look healthier

[sdocforce 55]

Just wondering from veterans and newbies alike thoughts on plastics. How much extra weight do you think the skin would be, let's say you lost ~100lbs, if you had some nips and tucks? 1lb, 5lbs, 10lbs any guesses? Does anyone have credible knowledge of significant inches/wt lost after plastic revisions such as lower body lift, upper arm lifts??? Did you wait until you made it to goal weight? or did you just nip and tuck after you stopped losing?? And PS...why can't I post a topic in the Veteran's Forum specifically? I'm > 1 yr out now and it says I can't start or respond to topics there...any clues???? thanks everyone Stacie

[gowalking 10,790]

Just wondering from veterans and newbies alike thoughts on plastics. How much extra weight do you think the skin would be, let's say you lost ~100lbs, if you had some nips and tucks? 1lb, 5lbs, 10lbs any guesses? Does anyone have credible knowledge of significant inches/wt lost after plastic revisions such as lower body lift, upper arm lifts??? Did you wait until you made it to goal weight? or did you just nip and tuck after you stopped losing?? And PS...why can't I post a topic in the Veteran's Forum specifically? I'm > 1 yr out now and it says I can't start or respond to topics there...any clues???? thanks everyone Stacie

Hi Stacie. I saw my PCP on Friday and she told me I had to increase my Protein in order to stop losing weight. I'm currently around 112 lbs. unclothed and she said that means I'm actually around 102 lbs. as I have about ten pounds of excess skin. She does not want me to be under 100 lbs. (minus the skin).

I don't know anything about inches lost however so hopefully someone can respond to that. If I do decide to get plastic surgery, it will be next year at the earliest which would put me many months after 'goal' weight. I'm actually almost a year out from reaching the 150 lbs. goal that I have on my ticker but it doesn't matter as that goal was just a number my doctor threw out there. At 150 lbs., I was still overweight per the BMI scale. My doctor just felt that at 150 lbs, I'd be a healthier weight, not necessarily an ideal weight.

I had multiple surgeries in 2013/2014 and as much as I'd like to remove the skin, I need a break from hospitals, doctors, and post op pain. So...maybe next year. Or maybe not. I'm just not sure yet.

[jess9395 5,448]

Just wondering from veterans and newbies alike thoughts on plastics. How much extra weight do you think the skin would be, let's say you lost ~100lbs, if you had some nips and tucks? 1lb, 5lbs, 10lbs any guesses? Does anyone have credible knowledge of significant inches/wt lost after plastic revisions such as lower body lift, upper arm lifts??? Did you wait until you made it to goal weight? or did you just nip and tuck after you stopped losing?? And PS...why can't I post a topic in the Veteran's Forum specifically? I'm > 1 yr out now and it says I can't start or respond to topics there...any clues???? thanks everyone Stacie

To post in the vets forum it's a combination of a year out and a certain number of posts on the board (100 I think).

As for skin... I have no knowledge except what I have read here and elsewhere and what my docs have said. I am at (below) goal and intend to wait a year out to see where that leaves me. I am surprised actually... I am 45 and have been heavy my whole life and obese at least 16 years and my skin is still shrinking. It still needs help, but is still making progress.

For a TMI example---my boobs are now the lump in a hanging sock variety...BUT in the last two months my nipples have gone from pointing downwards to pointing back forwards! Honestly never thought I would see that!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I lost 5.5 pounds of skin post plastics and I had.lost 150#. I have heard several ladies saying about twice that...so 10-12 pounds.

Rule of thumb I had heard was you should stay within 10 % of your weight. I had plastics at 150 and I have bounced on both sides of that number with good results

[#1Coltsfan 6]

Erp you look great!

[My Bariatric Life 764]

@@#1Coltsfan are you in Indy?

[MichiganChic 3,262]

I lost 140 pounds, and plastics removed 12 pounds of fat and skin. So far my weight is not changed.