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I can lose belly weight it’ll just be my loose skin from having my kids that’ll need to be removed. Actually that pouch isn’t really big nor hanging a lot.

Yeah exactly what I was thinking! I think binge eating and snacking is one of my biggest downfalls, so I want to tackle that head-on. I am 3 days down without eating crisps and masses of chocolate and sweets! I'll definitely let it stabalise - I imagine although I am 27, I will definitely have loose skin. I have always been a bigger girl. Been at my heaviest weight for a year or two now I think, but I have always had a belly so that's gonna be the area for me! I will say though, with all the moisturising I have been doing, especially on my tummy, it has made me not hate it as much, but just to kind of accept it as part of me. I usually don't look at myself in the mirror, I won't even touch my tummy, so to have to be gentle and care for it in a way has been a bit cathartic. So, if anything, that is helping haha. That is amazing you have been so fortunate with your loose skin, I am so happy for you!

This is a really great place to start. Start making small changes which are much easier to adopt & adapt to. And yes the head work is incredibly important & it is also the hardest thing so starting now is a good idea too. If you do decide to go down the skin removal path, waiting until you’ve stabilised your weight for a few months is a good idea. I haven’t gone that route as I don’t have a lot of loose skin - two finger pinches so not worth the surgery. It doesn’t limit me in any way & like @catwoman7 I can hide it easily under clothes. I even wear body con clothes without shape wear. I was fortunate as I hadn’t carried my highest weight for long & didn’t have as much to lose comparatively. I certainly had my age against me but maybe good genes helped too 😉.

Yes, do it!! I love kayaking. Well, I did it once almost 20 years ago. But have been dreaming about it since. Once I'm able to sit on the floor again, I will definitely be trying it too! One NSV is that I am starting to see loose, wrinkly skin on my stomach and butt. It's not pretty, but it's a symbol of my hard work! Looking forward to having a jawline someday, not there yet~ A weird thing is that I weigh less now than I did 20 years ago (in my 20s), but I'm bigger than I was then. My low-hanging apron and jawline/neck, specifically. I guess body fat to muscle ratio? Plus just ageing, I suppose. It'll be a huge NSV for me when (if) I have my panniculectomy~

I started taking my bariatric vitamins back when I got my original surgery date, in October, I think. I take the Celebrate One 45 chewable bariatric vitamin and 3 Celebrate calcium chews (fruit flavored, delicious!) per days, as well as lutein and omega 3 supplements that were recommended by my eye doctor (not weight related), and half a biotin chew because it can't hurt, right? I started early strictly to get into the routine. My memory is shite and I wanted to have it be second nature by the time I truly needed it. I do also add a scoop of collagen powder to my tea in the morning and I use retinol body and face creams, but that's more an anti-aging thing as opposed to loose skin prevention. As everyone has said, the loose skin and hair shedding is kind of unavoidable. The supplements, at best, are hopefully to ensure the new hair growth is as healthy as can be. I wouldn't go with expensive "miracle" products because they probably won't live up to the hype or the cost, but if it's in the budget to get a few things that make you feel better, it also can't hurt. I mean, peppermint and rosemary just sounds lovely. Even if it doesn't do a lot, it smells like heaven!

Thank you for your comment You look great! And well done on such an amazing journey! I do fully expect hair loss & loose skin - I am prepared for that, I just wondered if anyone had any experiences with trying to help the body along the way! But it does seem that it isn't needed haha!

for some reason this wanted to insert itself in the middle of my paragraph (above), so I had to post it separately. Anyway, here I am before my first plastic surgery. I had a lower body lift first, then a breast and arm lift, and lastly, a face and neck lift. But as you can see, no one would have been able to tell that I had a ton of loose skin under those clothes. And I did! My abdomen skin was especially awful.

I agree with everyone else. Some hair loss and loss skin is pretty much part and parcel with weight loss surgery, especially if you have a lot to lose. Fortunately, for many of us, we're the only ones who really notice it. I had minimal hair loss so I'm sure no one besides me noticed it - and my loose skin was easy to hide in clothes. I eventually had it removed because it was driving me nuts, but here I am before I had it removed. I can assure you that I had a TON of loose skin, but no one knew It was there except me and my husband.

Hello, everyone. I'm a VSG baby, meaning i just recently had my surgery on the 10th. Almost a week now? I'm currently on phase 2 of my post- op. I've been trying to rest as much as I can. I've just been a bit ancy, which it strange, because I'm a writer and have every opportunity to do that or binge watch television, lol. Yet, I want to move around and I get the urge to clean and move around more and faster that I should, that on top of my daughter and step-daughter running around, my grandbaby coming over and having an energetic chihuahua feeling the need to have me chase him around the house because he wants to play. My SO has been getting aggravated because I've been a little stubborn, and I can't blame him honestly. I am stubborn, lol. But I think my stubbornness might have bit me a little this time, I've never had major surgery like this before so it is very new to me. I feel like I might have over done it. As of right now, the only pain I feel usually is on my left side. Some times she I try to turn that way or stretch a little, It hurts like someone is trying to stretch my skin, also it stings a little a burning cramp sensation. It's usually subtle unless I move around too much. This morning, my daughter threw up and her dad had already gone to work, so I worked on cleaning it up, mopping a little, running up and down the stairs, threw some towels in the washer and got her situated. After I was done, my left side started hurting again, except it hurt a little to walk and it was tender when I touched it. I took a few deep breaths and walked over to the couch to sit down and took some Tylenol. It feels better a little better now. It's strange, because that pain feels very familiar when I was pregnant with my daughter and she was pushing against my fibroids that had grown in size because of the hormones. Except that pain was so excruciating I could barely walk. I didn't know if i was going into labor or not. So, after that loooooong intro. I'd like some advice. Is this something I should worry about and talk to my doctor about. Or should I just make myself take it easy and not over do it so much? Thankyou so much;.

I had my surgery in the Uk. My package came with 2 years support. They told me to get a B12 injection every 3 months at my local doctors. I get dobbing big Calci- D tablets on prescription and take one a day. I also get full strength multivitamin Gummies from Amazon, my team said to take two a day. Every team has different recommendations. Once a year I have nutritional blood tests to see if my levels are ok, they have been. Like @Arabesque, I did not bother with any supplements for my skin or hair. At my age It just would have been a waste of money.

Ooh okay this is so interesting to read, actually! It is nice to hear it from an honest and upfront perspective, so thank you for sharing your experiences I definitely know that surgery will be the only way to actually get rid of any potential loose skin, and I am already saving up for that eventuality, as I know you shouldn't really get surgery to remove that skin until your weight has plateaued, so probably around 2 years I imagine! I think one of the main things for me at the moment is just preparing myself mentally too - I am trying to cut down on the amount of snacks I am eating, upping my water and protein intake, and making healthier choices. I just want my body and mind to be a bit more prepared for being hungry and healthy!

Some things I’ve learnt. I am cynical so be warned. Save your money on any supplements or creams to save your hair or tone your skin or reduce skin laxity. Of course any general body care & self care is always a good thing. My cynical self says just don’t put your faith & heart into believing all the miracle cure alls. The hair you lose is hair that you would have shed anyway - your natural shedding cycle is just accelerated for a couple of months. It’s dead hair & you can’t save that no matter how many supplements you take. Those that say it helped don’t know how much hair they would have lost & they still lose for the same 3 or so months as those who didn’t take anything or use special shampoo. Remember too your new growth hair is still growing just at it’s a usual rate. You & your stylist are probably the only ones who’ll notice your loss & in a year or so it will be as it was. How much loose skin you end up with depends on many factors - age, how long you were at your highest weight, how long you carried weight, how much weight you lose, genetics. The loose skin is skin that has been stretched too far & can’t retract any more like elastic in old knickers or an old well used hair band. Only way to get rid of it is through surgery. I’ll be honest. I weakened & bowed to social media & bought that Maey’s B cream range: see results in a month. Well 6 months later & no change. My skin was softer but any cream would have done that. Still had sagging skin & cellulite. Should have saved the $200+. Also did collagen powder & silica for months too. Any change? Nope. Best thing I did for my facial laxity was micro needling/RF. Not a miracle cure but I can see improvement. Did 4 monthly sessions a year ago & two maintenance sessions for this year. (Lipstick bleeding almost gone, acne scarring more shallow, jowls tighter, more defined jawline in general, don’t have to distort my face to see my cheekbones, skin velvet soft, …) See there are things I believe in - LOL!!! As for general vitamins before surgery, have a blood test first & find out what nutrients you may be lacking in & supplement those so you are in a healthier place before surgery. No point taking vitamins you don’t need yet. Many of them you simply pee out what your body doesn’t need. The better, more nutrient dense, balanced diet, being generally healthier, probably did me the most good. My skin isn’t dry anymore (even my feet), don’t have those little bumps on my arms, my nails aren’t as ridged, sleep better, etc. All the best - exciting times ahead for you,

Really enjoyed reading your update. This is quite the learning curve isn’t it. All this AND snowy adventures 😅. It has started snowing here in Scotland too, hopefully no power cuts for me. Distinguishing when I am actually hungry has become a bit of a thing for me too. Unfamiliar territory for sure. I am now 6 days post op and it’s been remarkably smooth for me, initially felt cheated as I fully expected to suffer and was adrift when I did not suffer beyond a few reminders now and then I had actually had surgery. No particular desire to suffer but at least I know how to cope with that… (endometriosis has dominated my life for years). Last night I spent several hours ruminating over putting back on weight I have yet to loose. 🙈. The mantra for today is one day at a time 😂. No cravings per se, I am instead having soups, protein shakes, I had a soft scrambled egg which was delicious, soft cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais. Today has been busy and I did not eat until 6pm, (1x 500ml protein shake and 800ml of water though) when I had a vague feeling of my stomach being empty. Tomorrow I was nourish myself better issues I have encountered, a favourite yoghurt is no longer a favourite, eating jelly is not for me, eating slowly is better. Best wishes to everyone. Lily2024 hope your power is back on soon xx

I had a thick head of hair, thankfully, however I've been shedding like mad for the past 6 weeks. (Surgery was mid August). I've been taking all my vitamins and one for hair skin and nails but sure doesn't seem to be working. My dietitian suggested to start taking collagen, she also said my hair loss should stop around 8 months. Unflavored beef gelatin is all collagen so I came up with a recipe for jello cubes and just started that. I'm down 87 lbs. My face has been breaking out something awful and I'm nearly 67. Wondering if anyone else has had this issue. I wish everyone great success.

I had both and got the bypass. I was post menopausal so I can’t say it helped with most PCOS issues. I swung the other way 2 years post op and got hyperthyroidism! So my team figured it’s a vitamin imbalance and I’m monitored more closely. (Lower vitamin D can increase thyroid levels). PPI can interfere with vitamin absorption, so does caffeine, so planning your vitamin times counts too. Talk with your team about best practices for your vitamins. I have found that I need extra iron with vitamin C at lunchtime and I can be consistent with it. That extra iron is just because my iron levels tend to be low, most people don’t have that issue. I take calcium, vitamin D and magnesium at night, B vitamins and Flintstones with iron in the morning with decaf coffee in my pea protein shake. If I stay really consistent with my water intake I can avoid PPI s for now. For me, it’s really a balance and worth the shock of being a little hyperthyroid for a month! Great luck to you both! May you have good skin, lovely hair and surprising energy you deserve!

yep, i had a tummy tuck, arm lift and breast lift back in 2019. since i didn't get implants (just a lift) i didn't really go up a bra size, i pretty much stayed the same, so clothing wise, no change....BUT i did buy new bras anyway because my boobs fit bra's differently...for instance, i used to spill out of demi-cup bras pre-surgery cuz of all the loose skin, but afterwards i looked much better in them, an no longer needed "full coverage" bras to hold all my boob material in, haha. Further, since after the breast lift, i go commando more often than not because the boobs stay up on their own now lol (which btw, is a total bonus for wearing those triangle bikini tops )

I think it depends a lot on your budget. If you can afford to buy things you may not wear more than once, go for it! But I would wait on making a major investment until you feel confident you're at the size where you're likely to stay. Personally, I'm thinking it will be Walmart and thrift shops in the beginning, and letting myself loose in the shops I never got to shop in because they don't carry plus size once I reach a point where those clothes will be with me for a while. I don't really have skinny clothes in a stash because I purged my closet before a move a few years ago, although I do have some things that will work at lower weights. Now to see about the seasons. I feel like when I was shopping for my babies and had to guess whether a size 6mo would fit them in cold weather or warm!

Hi all I am 3.5 years out from a gastric sleeve. I lost 75 pounds and am happy with how things have gone, and am grateful to have my sleeve as a tool for my health. I don’t have any major skin folds or lots of sagging besides what would be expected of a 40 year old mother. I have a boyfriend whom I have been seeing for 2 years now and I have never told him about my WLS. I never really intended to as I feel it is private and not something I really want to share. He loves my body (maybe more than I do), and is a great partner in many ways. He comes from a large family who eats gigantic food portions and he was always taught to clear his plate. He is constantly making comments about my food and how much or how little I may eat, how I don’t drink my water during dinner, or if I don’t finish my food and save it for later. It honestly drives me crazy and I have communicated this to him. Part of me wonders if he would better understand if I share about my WLS, but another part of me things he would be horrified and not understand at all. What do you think? Should I tell him? I don’t understand why other people have to focus so much on my plate. I honestly can eat normal portions of food if it’s the right food (veggies go down very easily, but things like rice or potatoes are quick fillers). Thanks for your advice.

FullSizeRender.MOV Hey loves checking back in! My surgery was 12/18! Today im down 20lbs im feeling excited about this upcoming month and hope to get down. I downloaded an app thats been very helpful with keeping realistic goals. I been walking and dancing as my workouts. Yesterday was my birthday and I was able to go out fine and order food obviously couldnt eat much and focused more on the meat than anything else but it felt amazing to just feel normal somehow. I do feel like im loosing weight so slowly but im trusting the process and I know iM eating dramatically less than before. Little by little. I want to do some lifting weights but I’m waiting til my month appointment to ask. I’m feeling so much better and almost back to normal. Before surgery 240 12/18 220 as of 1/11 still have one more week til im exactly one month post op.

I can’t recall but I will say it’s exciting to see your jawline again. And cheekbones. And your neck gets thinner & looks longer. Even my hooded eyelids greatly reduced. A little warning though. You can start to look drawn & tired especially when you near your final weight. Your body needs time to resettle itself. Then you’ll be your gorgeous self. Think it took a month or two for me. You may have some saggy skin though too which doesn’t go - waaah! Oh, and there have been a few amusing stories here about people whose phone’s facial recognition didn’t recognize them anymore. A tip might be to keep updating it every month.

That makes a lot of sense People have already tried to talk me out of it, as if there are other options that I haven't tried! I always like to remind them that I have been big for my entire adult life now, and if I continue, the chances of my obesity killing me are far greater than this surgical procedure. OR they say things like: "but won't you miss the food?" to which I state: 1) I'll be able to eat still, 2) food is what got me here in the first place, so no, I won't miss it haha. Unfortunately us bigger people become punching bags for others who are fatphobic, even without realising it. We are often what they fear! I cannot wait for the day that I feel comfortable in my own skin, even if that skin is loose! I also can't wait for my asthma to be better haha!

I've always bruised easily, but upon asking my doctor causes he said: heredity, anemia (low blood iron) and getting older i.e. thinner skin - less fat padding. Perhaps if this is new to you the last two?

Hi Angela, I had gastric sleeve in Aug 2023, and had an itchy rash on my chest and stomach about 3 weeks later. I consulted my surgeon’s office, and they thought it was hives or a reaction to medication. They recommended I stop taking my new multivitamin. After two weeks of itching, I had some prescription antifungal cream and applied it just trying to get some relief. It went away immediately. Just had some sort of skin fungal infection. I’ve never had that before…just althlete’s foot. But I’m guessing our bodies go through some trauma after surgery and have a weakened immune system. I’m sure your doc can write you a script. Worth trying. Oh, and since others are updating, I am down 70 lbs. I need to exercise more than the occasional walk. Honestly this has been pretty easy for me, I’ve been able to tolerate a wide variety of food and adjusted well.

Having worked in a dermatology clinic...(although I'm not a doctor) I heard this complaint a lot. Keep the stretch marks moisturized, Cereve is what was recommended. But if it gets to itchy..corticosteroid cream can help with the itch... If it gets to bad..see a dermatologist. This occurs because your skin is attempting to heal itself, the nerves transmit the itch feeling as part of it healing.

Anyone experiencing itchy skin? My stomach and back itches very badly, no rashes or dry skin is the issue. It itches along my stretch marks. I had Gastric Bypass on 8/16/24, I am down 63lbs. Any solutions or similar experiences?