Hi all

its been long time since I posted (I think I'll give an updat on another forum)

anyway... I thought I'd let you know I'm doing a laser skin tightening procedure called Velasmooth (I saw an add for velashape in the upper corner...same thing)

Anyway...my upper arms are pretty bad... I have all these elephant looking folds around the inside of my elbow and the inner soft skin looks like I'm 105 all the way from elbow to arm pit...

I lift weights 4x per week, vocusing heavily on that area. That being said, I'm 45 years old with a super fair complextion (red hair and freckels). I went to see a surgeon and he said that was the absolute worst skin type for this type of thing and I shouldnt expect a lot of improvement without intervention. Of course he wanted to do surgery and leave a big scar.

I am trying the new laser skin tightening treatments. I just started last week. I am doing 15 treatments over 15 weeks. They use this suction vaccume thingy and it gets everything really hot... they check to make sure my skin temp is at least 104 before moving to another area. It doesn't hurt... just feels kinka weird.

I'm paying $3000 dollars. The company (american laser) has their own financing company so I'm paying interest free over 2 years. I'm a little scared because I don't have a lot of money and I am really going to feel that $125 a month. If It works it will be so worth it to not have to wear half sleeves in the 100 degree heat this summer. If it doesn't I'm going to be sooooooo disapointed.

They say it will definately get my loose skin and will probably tighten the second wave webbing under my arm. They threw in my abs for free since I have a little crepe papery area under my navel.

I will keep you guys posted

My fingers are crossed

Stacey

Yeah I can tone and tighten my skin with exercise, but only to a certain extent. Skin is elastic, just like a rubber band. If applying tension to it, it will stretch. I am looking for the some other product for it.

skin tightening

Yeah I can tone and tighten my skin with exercise, but only to a certain extent. Skin is elastic, just like a rubber band. If applying tension to it, it will stretch. I am looking for the some other product for it.

skin tightening

...sell much?

I was just in for my 3 mo checkup and my doctor suggested this Galvanic Spa ultraviolet for me! The results look amazing!

Will you email me Llopezh@aol.com I would love to know if it helps my arms are bad too!

Well guys.... I was going to wait until I finished my treatments (I bought a pkg of 15) before I gave my final verdict, but, unless a miracle happens in my last 3 treatments I am going to go with a big fat thumbs down on this procedure. I have had 12 treatments and NO results. UGH.... what a waste of money.... Well... hopefully none of you will get sucked in now... its so alluring to believe that you can rid yourself of excess skin with just a few laser treatemnts.... don't buy the hype.

I guess its back to Tijuana for surgery.

take care all

stacey

Well guys.... I was going to wait until I finished my treatments (I bought a pkg of 15) before I gave my final verdict, but, unless a miracle happens in my last 3 treatments I am going to go with a big fat thumbs down on this procedure. I have had 12 treatments and NO results. UGH.... what a waste of money.... Well... hopefully none of you will get sucked in now... its so alluring to believe that you can rid yourself of excess skin with just a few laser treatemnts.... don't buy the hype.

I guess its back to Tijuana for surgery.

take care all

stacey

Thank you for sharing about this program being a dud. Too bad you had to take a loss. I was hoping this was legit.

Well guys.... I was going to wait until I finished my treatments (I bought a pkg of 15) before I gave my final verdict, but, unless a miracle happens in my last 3 treatments I am going to go with a big fat thumbs down on this procedure. I have had 12 treatments and NO results. UGH.... what a waste of money.... Well... hopefully none of you will get sucked in now... its so alluring to believe that you can rid yourself of excess skin with just a few laser treatemnts.... don't buy the hype.

I guess its back to Tijuana for surgery.

take care all

stacey

I think I can identify with how disappointed you must feel. Doesn't it make you mad that companies can claim success and suck you in? And it's not concerning something insignificant! This is money you spent hoping to feel a little better inside your skin (I think that's a pun intended), and then they end up taking what little money you had! I'm mad FOR you!

thanks breezy

It is pretty maddening.... its not like there was a little it of progress... just not enough...

there was NO progress. Geeze... an arm lift in TJ is $3800.00... what was I thinking.

ARGH

Hopefully I've learned my lesson about impulse buying. I'm the worst when it comes to this.

take care

stacey

That sucks! I'm trying this Velashape thing starting tomorrow, on my inner thighs (the only area it's been tested on, with results for 70% of pts). We'll see how it goes. I got it practically for free, and I've already received so many "if you don't do this just right, it won't work" warnings from the stupid office, that I honestly don't expect any results, but given that it cost me less than a drop-in gym fee per session, I decided to just give it a shot. I'll keep you guys updated.

That sucks! I'm trying this Velashape thing starting tomorrow, on my inner thighs (the only area it's been tested on, with results for 70% of pts). We'll see how it goes. I got it practically for free, and I've already received so many "if you don't do this just right, it won't work" warnings from the stupid office, that I honestly don't expect any results, but given that it cost me less than a drop-in gym fee per session, I decided to just give it a shot. I'll keep you guys updated.

Perhaps I should start a new topic for this, but I have approached Dr. Aceves in Mexicali for a recommendation to a plastic surgeon. He gave me a name of the only doctor he recommends & I've made first contact with the plastic surgery doctor a couple of days ago. He wants me to send nude picture (with my face blacked out) so he can see the areas that I'm concerned about. I laughed & said I'd never done anything like that before and my husband would have to be in the shots (then I pictured my hubby making a threatening gesture to the camera like 'this is MY wife dammit!').

I guess I'll go ahead and do it. Take the pictures I mean. Then he is going to tell me exactly what my choices would be and how much it would cost. I've got to admit that I don't know where I'd get the money. There are many more important things on our list that I need to find the money for -- like a blood panel to see how my nutritional levels are doing; getting a cavity taken care of; a falling down, rotting, back porch....

But I figure I'm just getting informed about my choices and the costs. Maybe down the road.....

That sucks! I'm trying this Velashape thing starting tomorrow, on my inner thighs (the only area it's been tested on, with results for 70% of pts). We'll see how it goes. I got it practically for free, and I've already received so many "if you don't do this just right, it won't work" warnings from the stupid office, that I honestly don't expect any results, but given that it cost me less than a drop-in gym fee per session, I decided to just give it a shot. I'll keep you guys updated.

Vela shape is what I was doing. I did hear that it was approved for inner thighs and the tecs that worked with me said that is where they have seen the best results. I think I have to revise my thumbs down evaluation. The procedure has done absolutly nothing for my loose skin.... but..... I did loose an inch in my arms at a time when I'm not really loosing any more and I havent lost any inches anywhere else. So... I guess for actual reduction I have seen some movement.... its just the excess skin thing. I hope yours works.... It sounds like your not out much if it doesnt'

good luck

Perhaps I should start a new topic for this, but I have approached Dr. Aceves in Mexicali for a recommendation to a plastic surgeon. He gave me a name of the only doctor he recommends & I've made first contact with the plastic surgery doctor a couple of days ago. He wants me to send nude picture (with my face blacked out) so he can see the areas that I'm concerned about. I laughed & said I'd never done anything like that before and my husband would have to be in the shots (then I pictured my hubby making a threatening gesture to the camera like 'this is MY wife dammit!').

I guess I'll go ahead and do it. Take the pictures I mean. Then he is going to tell me exactly what my choices would be and how much it would cost. I've got to admit that I don't know where I'd get the money. There are many more important things on our list that I need to find the money for -- like a blood panel to see how my nutritional levels are doing; getting a cavity taken care of; a falling down, rotting, back porch....

But I figure I'm just getting informed about my choices and the costs. Maybe down the road.....

I am booked with Dr Gutierrez.... full arm lift for 3800. He said not only do I have to have the full scar (elbow to arm pit) but because of the excess skin I will have to have a 3-4 inch T at the bottom (the full arm lift is 3800 and he's throwing in the extra incision). I am doing a virtual consult with one more surgeon just to make sure he says the same thing. Here's my pics..... after 12 laser treatments (pics are no different from "before" pics

Vela shape is what I was doing. I did hear that it was approved for inner thighs and the tecs that worked with me said that is where they have seen the best results. I think I have to revise my thumbs down evaluation. The procedure has done absolutly nothing for my loose skin.... but..... I did loose an inch in my arms at a time when I'm not really loosing any more and I havent lost any inches anywhere else. So... I guess for actual reduction I have seen some movement.... its just the excess skin thing. I hope yours works.... It sounds like your not out much if it doesnt'

good luck

Oh, interesting! I also wonder if we'll have the same results. I honestly don't know how much of my inner thigh flab is fat and how much is skin - but I know that at least SOME of it is fat for sure.

So far, after my first session I had a small 1st degree burn and a small 2nd degree burn! I've never had a 2nd degree burn in my life, not counting an unfortunate episode of stroking the electric stove burners at the age of 2 (but who hasn't done that!). The burns are the size of my fingernail, so not very big, but getting a 2nd degree was definitely an off-putting experience. Interestingly, it didn't hurt very much during the procedure, just some light stinging, so I was shocked to discover a blister half an hour later. This better work!

Stacey, I am grateful to you for posting this because I was considering Final Inches. Your arm pictures could be mine I have the tiniest of turkey neck and my thighs especially above the knees flap side to side when I walk fast maybe if I can crawl into the dryer I can maybe make it shrink.

Perhaps I should start a new topic for this, but I have approached Dr. Aceves in Mexicali for a recommendation to a plastic surgeon. He gave me a name of the only doctor he recommends & I've made first contact with the plastic surgery doctor a couple of days ago. He wants me to send nude picture (with my face blacked out) so he can see the areas that I'm concerned about. I laughed & said I'd never done anything like that before and my husband would have to be in the shots (then I pictured my hubby making a threatening gesture to the camera like 'this is MY wife dammit!').

I guess I'll go ahead and do it. Take the pictures I mean. Then he is going to tell me exactly what my choices would be and how much it would cost. I've got to admit that I don't know where I'd get the money. There are many more important things on our list that I need to find the money for -- like a blood panel to see how my nutritional levels are doing; getting a cavity taken care of; a falling down, rotting, back porch....

But I figure I'm just getting informed about my choices and the costs. Maybe down the road.....

I've thought about plastics, but my situation is not so bad that I'd risk getting operated on - and the scars aren't gonna be much more esthetically appealing than the loose skin. Plus just like in your case, I just don't have the $! I know which Dr. you're talking about - I got a quote from him for a friend who was considering a tummy tuck after losing about 80 lbs the diet/exercise way. It ended up costing almost the same as doing it locally in Toronto, and when you factor in the cost of the flight, it's definitely the same - if not more. Plus I don't know about other procedures, but for the TT he said he likes to keep people at the hospital for 6-7 days before discharging them - this is probably the reason why it isn't much cheaper than here in Canada. 7 days in a hospital away from friends/family would be rough - I was bored outta my skull by day 3!