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Give it time, it can up to two years for skin to contract as much as its going to...which still may leave you with a bit of wobble but at your start weight it may not or just a little if so. Water is good, and exercise once you are able to to.

Went from a 36DD pre weight gain to 44F at my heaviest and now a 34C and still shrinking 😭. All that’s left is pretty much sagged skin with very little breast tissue. I’m only 5’1 and small framed so I’m not looking for breast implants but a lift is in my future once I hit goal. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Eight weeks post op, checking in! First off, I am feeling really really good, like almost normal. A lot of the time I could even forget I had ps. Last week was my first not work from home week. It was a long week where I was "on" from breakfast to closing down the bar. I was concerned about my stamina. But I was 100% fine. My swelling seems to be decreasing. I wore compression gear for work last week, and it seems they keep the swelling down even after I take them off. I have been experimenting this week with wearing them. Since I'm less swollen, either the compression gear is helping, or I'm at the place in my recovery that there is less swelling. My breast aug is coming along nicely! My left breast is like 80-90% there. It is looking nearly normal and natural. My right is coming along more slowly, but making progress, coming down little by little. In not so positive news ... the healing issue w my crack continues. I've had some conversatios w my surgeon about it, plus a lot of Googling. The issue is a healing tissue called slough has covered part of the wound, and it now impeding it from closing. The tissue needs to be debrided, but it's just an issue of how. My surgeon has directed me to soak in a bathtub/hot tub and use open weave gauze, to soften the slough and then pull it off when it sticks to the gauze. That's a pretty conservative approach, plus there is also the issue of getting the gauze in a tight area in order to stay and stick. I'm really interested in a more aggressive approach. I want to talk to my surgeon about coming in to see him, and if he will do some form of debridement in his office. There is the issue of if he will agree to, and finding the time to get there. The other option is going to wound management locally. But there don't appear to be any wound care centers "in network" close by. I'm also afraid of playing insurance roulette in case it's not covered because it stems from cosmetic surgery. To be continued ... Positive side benefit of my prescribed hydro therapy, I'm using the time in the hot tub to massage my scar tissue and my non compliant right breast when the tissues are warm and soft. Because of getting in the hot tub regularly I'm not using scar tape yet. Still using Bio Oil, if nothing else it's soothing when my skin gets itchy. In other vanity news ... Eyelash Extensions - Have a love/hate with these. I LOVE the way they look. Like 😍😍😍! But they are already coming out, especially on one eye. I'm not sure if I'm too rough on them, or they weren't applied correctly, or if this is normal. I also have naturally really oily eyelids (weird, huh?), so maybe that plays a part. So if I want to keep them up keep is going to be a b*tch. I already get my nails one every two weeks. Do I want to add the time and expense of eyelashes too? Filler - OMG, this has been a huge success. Results are drastic but subtle at the same time. I just look a little younger, but not "done". It was a bit of a roller coaster, first I was swollen and really bruised, then just swollen so I looked unnatural, then everything settled down and it looks perfect. I'll have to see how long it lasts. I got Radiesse, that is supposed to be the longest lasting. Botox - I like it, but isn't a huge difference. I went a little light with 20 units. Next time I'll go with 40 and do my 11's as well. It is cheap enough I'll experiment a little. PCA Chemical Peel - This was the biggest surprise for me. I didn't think much of it becuse it was a really cheap Groupon. I mean what can $37 get me? Well it really worked! I burned going on, and then I started o peel, I peeled for days! But at the end my skin is brighter and looks refreshed. Again, subtle, but positive. With all of the above it makes me feel a lot more confident to go about my day, anything but work, wearing little to no make up. Couple of pics ... First my tummy, I am soo happy! And then this is the filler, before and after

He put it in as having skin issues under my hanging belly. Even though I didn't 🙂

I have a long work day today - I’ll be teaching screen printing tonight. Which, it’s not my medium of choice, but I do know how, so it will be fine. Ok, I’m looking forward to it. I haven’t taught in a while, and love it. So, today’s outfit is comfy, but still professional-ish. The silk shirt I found second hand (like most of my clothes). It drapes great, though, and I did some small modifications to it to make the fit a bit better. Really I just hemmed it because it was having trouble with my hips and my butt, really due to my being short. It’s loose everywhere else.

Hi, I am losing at the same rate as you, roughly 14 ish pounds a month. You know something? On my own I could never maintain a constant loss of weight each month. That is what helps keep me going. It may be slow, but slow is better for weight loss. You will keep it off longer, you won't have as much loose skin! Keep up the hard work, and you will be rewarded!

Marena compression garments are used after liposuction to reduce swelling and helped my daughter after her 150 pound weight loss after RNY. She has very little excess skin, even on her belly where she carried all of her weight. They’re not cheap, but you only need a couple of full body garments. I’m wearing them now after my vsg and they really do help A LOT!!

Congratulations! I had mine on mid December. I've been very happy with mine. I haven't noticed much extra skin being left but maybe my perception is just different. Certainly ask your Doctor when you see him next.

I just had my arm lift last Wednesday. The pain has not been to bad at all. I’ve just been taking Tylenol. I was able to shower two days after and I was kind of surprised when I took the bandages off, how much skin was left. I’m really, really hoping once the swelling goes down they will look better. Did this happen to anyone else after their arm lift? I have my follow up on Wednesday with my dr. I’m going to ask him. I was realistic going in that I wasn’t going to have the arms of an athlete. I just wanted to be comfortable wearing sleeveless tops. I hope this wasn’t a waste of money! Fingers crossed it gets better.

Trying to decide between these 2 surgeries. I have had a failed lap band and need to loose 115 lbs

I also posted this in my bio... I just needed to vent and blog a bit. Here's my not quite elevator speech. I've always been the big guy. Chris Farley like, but not as funny. Fat and kinda slapstick, and willing to use my body to get a joke. I make the fat jokes on me before others can. That being said, I always said I was "fat and happy". There was a time when I wasn't fat and happy. I was fat. And I didn't like it, But I didn't do anything about it either because I was lazy. Eventually I just accepted myself, and that was good on paper at least. The lab results over years though were telling a different story. High blood pressure. High cholesterol. Borderline pre-diabetic. I probably have sleep apnea. Winded while walking any minority substantial distance. Running, not on your life. I also suffer from ostrich syndrome: If you don't admit that it is there, it's not there. Just stick your head back in the sand. Oh did I mention smoking? Quitting is easy, but not starting again is a b***h. For 20 years off and on. Poorly hiding it at times, too. Some how I was able to meet a great wife. Seriously the bee's knees. We have 4 boys together. I love them all dearly; they really are my life. I'm starting to see signs in a couple of them of developing bad habits. Eating way too much. Sitting around not doing much activity. It's scary. My wife is a bigger gal, too. And short. I never saw her as fat, though. However, I know she did. When she was in her late teens she struggled with anorexia. She worked through it. After our last child was born she couldn't loose the weight. She would work out, she would diet. She'd lose 60 lbs. Yay! My passive "fat and happy" ass would just be that passive and not support her like I should. Something about late night Taco Bell runs that would destroy that ****. She started exploring Bariatric Surgery last summer. I was pretty passive about it. I thought she's talk her self out of it. She didn't. She plowed ahead full steam. I went to her surgery consult, and it actually made me feel better. She'd go to her education classes. Mention things out of the little handbook they give you. I'd smile and nod. I wasn't listening. Then her surgery was approved. She asked me to go to her pre-op surgery class. She got in early so I could go, and I totally missed her asking if I would go with her. I knew it was happening, and she wanted to do it while I was in town (I travel for work). Missed the whole YOU NEED TO BE THERE thing. So she asks the night before if I'm going, and I was like WTF, yeah sure what ever. Turns out this class is the one, single most important class of this process.. The one they review all that **** you've been learning over the months (or years) on your journey. I go in to this class with the very minimal information. Like its happening and I know where but that's it. This class scared the everlasting f**k out of me. But I watched. I listened. And man... I was scared. You know how I said I didn't read much. The stuff I did read was about the sky high divorce rate of couples who involve Bariatric Surgery. I read one place as high as 85% after 3 years. My parents? Yeah, they divorced about 18 months post-op. Why would my wife who I love want to risk our marriage with those odds? The next two weeks I spent trying to convince my wife she didn't need the surgery. I took her to a fancy dinner. Promised to go on a regular diet and start exercising with her. She stood her ground. So then I told her I didn't want it to happen point blank. We screamed at each other. She stood her ground. Hours, minutes, I don't know what exactly... It was in the heat of battle, but she said she would't have the surgery and just blame me for her unhappiness for the rest of her life. OUCH. I almost said good and fine. But I couldn't do that. It was obvious this was important to her. She wanted my support and blessing. Not my ridicule or being told she can't do something. Did I mention this was happening on the one anniversary of her dad passing? God I'm an ass. She's my world... I can't have her unhappy. I left that match ugly crying. I was convinced my marriage just ended right then and there. 15 years. Good run, but nothing lasts forever. Who's side would people be on? Hers. I'm kinda a prick... Hell, even my step mom I bet would choose her. I was sitting in a parking lot smoking and thinking. The tears had stopped. Why was I against it? What was my problem? Self reflection can be painful. I realized I wasn't as fat and happy as I thought I was. I had an epiphany. I needed to change, too. So I scheduled a consult. Quit smoking as of 1/20. I did have one cheater on 1/21. As of 1/20 I weigh 327 lbs. I have a BMI of 44.5. I need to loose about 100 lbs. They fit me in an unorthodox manner to get me going sooner on the program because of my wife. I'm trying a sympathy diet as she's full liquid pre op at the moment. I'm still eating regular food, but for the most part not around her. It f**king sucks for me, and I can't imagine what it is for her. I was averaging about 3500 calories a day before I started this sympathy diet. Most the week I've been below 2000. I have 24 weeks to go before I will likely look at getting me approved. for a similar procedure.. She'll be at regular foods again by then (there is this whole diet progression thing). When I anticipated doing this I was thinking I could delay her so our timing was more together. Like some sort of fucked up couples massage. It didn't work out that way. She's going forward on Tuesday. I don't know if I can do this. The anxiety is suffocating. On top of all of this work has been bad. It's been kinda slow. They have me learning something new and I'm too distracted with this going on to give it the attention it deserves. People are noticing my heads not in the game. I cleaned out my desk yesterday because I thought I was going to get fired. I didn't. So now it just looks like I'm quitting because I don't have **** there. Well f**k.

I haven’t had GERD since before surgery. The problem with tomatoes is the skin and texture. Those two combined make it impossible to pass through my band.

Oh, I get sick from ice cream too...I still have it though. Its the price I am willing to pay sometimes! So long as I keep it in small amounts, I can handle a little bit of stomach gurgling and loose poop. But there are times I go a liiiiiittle too far.... P.S. I'm the same way when I inch closer to my upper limit. I start to say "HEY!" and buckle down a bit (like just last week!).

My thighs are so wrinkly and loose ick! I hope they tighten over time!

With liquid diet, then soft foods diet, etc., how did you not lose wt? We're not even allowed bread or beans or fruit with skins or rice until afterc4 mos. The average is to lose 30 lbs in the first 6 wks. Having sugar and eating everytime there's room in your banana stomach will stop wt loss. You need to wat 2-3 hrs between meals. Log your 1/4 cup meals with MyFitnessPal app. Sent from my LM-Q720 using BariatricPal mobile app

Yes boil the skin and the fruit! That’s what she does! It’s delicious 😋

There are certain vitamins that can’t be absorbed through the skin. I personally would not use the patches.

Great topic! Call me whatever you want to call me, but I'm slightly more worried about my appearance than the actual change in diet - the hair loss, how to keep my skin as good as it can get, yes I know it'll be flabby but if I can do anything to help that out, I will! Maybe it's because I've had lapband prior and I'm converting to RNY as soon as insurance approves. Maybe it's just me.

Oh my! Thank you for all the information, @MsMocie! I see a dermatologist pretty often for my psoriasis. I will ask them for advice on my next visit to see what they think is best for my skin. I have a few products, but I don't have a regular regime set up at all! I really want to get focus on my skin more, especially as my psoriasis begins to clear up more.

I am checking out their website now! Do you have a specific list you would care to share? I am around your starting weight, but a bit taller - that gives me hope for my tummy's sake! I'm willing to give anything a try! I have also heard that derma rollers would help with the saggy skin. Maybe using that with some of the products you use now would be even more effective! Good call! I mainly wear dresses and leggings right now, but I think I may try to pick up sewing to see if I can make the dresses into smaller sizes - I just need to learn how to go about it first! Otherwise, I will probably stick to ole' reliable leggings and tank tops along the way. 😎 Easier said than done, friend! I weigh myself every morning and my mood ends up being dependent on it. Today it said I gained 500g and I am pretty sad about that, even though its probably just water weight since I went over my carbs limit yesterday. Though, when the scale shows I've gained instead of lost, I try to do better for that day. No bread/pasta for me today.. 😅

<!-- DEEP. THOUGHTS. BEGIN. --> I put on a (new) bikini yesterday to take a picture of myself for this 6 week post op milestone. When I was cropping my head out of the picture on my phone, I was taken aback a little (okay alot) at how my body looks now. For some reason, I never noticed until yesterday how my abdominal muscles are so much more noticeable these days. I knew I had them (I could feel them under my skin), they just never stuck out they way they do now. And my new lifted arms look nice and trim and toned. My arms have NEVER been trim nor toned. I look at this picture and find it hard to believe that its me. I have never looked like this in my life. Even when I was a thin, 105 lb teenager, my body never looked as fit as it does now at 47 years old. Crazy. Thanks WLS. Thanks Plastics. Thanks ME. I am forever grateful and only wish I did more sooner. <!-- DEEP. THOUGHTS. END. --> Anyway, some 6 week post-op highlights/updates: SWELLING & PAIN My waist has returned to pre-op measurements (thank goodness). My lower abdomen and upper thighs are still bigger than post op. So my pants remain tight in these areas, but at least I can button them up now without feeling like I'm going to bust out of them. My right boob is comparatively hard and swollen (vs my left boob) and I have taken to applying ice packs to relieve the achiness. Of all my PS areas, my boobs cause me the most pain (which is fitting since they were the least of my worries in the first weeks after surgery) There are distinct areas on my various incisions that are causing some pain due to the sutures being expelled and breaking the skin when rubbed against. These areas don't bleed, but they ooze. I went for a run this morning and had to stop due to pain. Turns out a spot on the incision of my right side boob split open and bled quite a bit. I had to steri-strip it closed and put a large bandage on it. I still cannot raise my arms to its full extension. There is no pain, just tightness. I need to practice raising them more often. SCARS & SILICONE TAPE I have been using silicone tape for almost 2 weeks now. I take them off to shower and put them back on when I'm dried off. I prefer having silicone tape on my incisions than none. My incisions feel less "tight" (especially in my armpits); the tape holds down any wayward sutures, as well as protects them from any rubbing from my clothes. I don't put tape on any areas where the skin is broken. I put some tape on a couple old WLS keloid scars and I swear they are flatter! They are still dark, but they are not as raised as they were. I guess this stuff works. The areas that have not split nor rubbed raw are healing nicely (no keloids!). There are no raised areas except for one end of my tummy incision, at the exact spot where one of my drains were. And this was the drain that I had accidentally pulled on a and caused bleeding (and PAIN!) while I was still in hospital. FOLLOW-UP APPT with DOC Pleased with my healing, told me that the aches and pain and wounds and oozing is normal. Just keep washing my incisions with soap and water everyday. He applied some silver on all the areas where the skin was broken and it STUNG. But then he applied some silver on the part that I split open during my run and OH MY GOD it HURT. I cried. It's been 5 hours already since he put it on me and it STILL HURTS. I even took a pain killer and I still have to hold the area whenever I move. Told me not to wear the silicone tape all the time, and that I should have about half the day when they are uncovered. No need to wear compression garments anymore...told him I like them, and he said I can wear if I want to, but to have some time (half the day) not wearing them. I am cleared for all "controlled" exercise (lifting, yoga, running, etc). I am not to participate in any contact sports or activities with sudden movements (for some reason zumba falls under this category, lol). Apparently I have not been massaging myself with the correct degree of "firmness". He showed me how hard I should be applying pressure and OH MY GOD, the amount of pressure he applied HURT. I was not massaging anywhere close to that level. I don't even think I can! Speaking of massages, he said I can go get regular ones with my masseuse, no adjustments necessary. Told me I MUST stretch my arms more, as he was not too happy about how far I could raise my arms without feeling tightness. Told me I was in no danger whatsoever of undoing any stitches so I need to aim to stretch further and further and would like to see me have full range of motion by our next appointment in 1 month. Guess i have some work to do! The no swimming, nor submersing in water ban continues. That's all for now. Oh, and here is a side-by-side body comparison pic:

I do wish I had been prepared for the saggy skin, particularly on my neck (which can't really be disguised). The other big thing for which I was not prepared was the how much of my social life revolved around eating and drinking. It is still awkward to go out to dinner with people and only order an appetizer, with people constantly urging, "Oh, come on--one piece of cheesecake isn't going to make a difference--you are so thin!" I've also given up alcohol completely, and since we can't do carbonated beverages, that basically leaves tap water as my drink of choice when everyone else is having wine or champagne. I don't mind, but I get tired of telling people I really don't want anything else, particularly when they don't know I've had the surgery.

I truly understand!! I had my sleeve 8/16/17 and I’ve lost 90lbs total and gained 10 in the last year! I’m comfortable weight wise but I’m with you about this face!! I loved my face 50-60lbs in but now I’m trying to find collagen supplements and or skin care products to help with the sagging 😳 Ughhhh!! Lol!

Your skin is beautiful here. Porcelain like against the black. May I ask your hair color?