I am currently talking with a surgeon about having the sleeve done. I have been approved to have surgery as soon as I am ready to schedule it. I am a little concerned about loose skin and losing muscle? I am a pretty muscular guy, with a belly and a "winter coat" that doesn't go away in the summer :-/

What is the reality of loose skin, how long does it last, and what can be done to prevent it/get rid of it. I realize there will be some with weight loss, but am I looking at a year or two before I can take my shirt off at the beach??? Also, how much muscle do you lose?

Thanks for your input!

-p

It all depends. How old are you? How much weight do you have to lose? If you have a large amount of weight to lose, even being young may not "save you" from needing to have plastics when it is all said and done. Also, the length of time you have been obese will come into play.

I did not have a lot of loose skin. Before surgery i did some weight training And maybe it helped. After surgery i did not exercise to lose the weight. I lost all my excess weight in 11 months.

So much of the skin has to do with genetics, weight history, etc. it's very hard to predict! I'm only down 50ish lbs and my arms are wobbly :/ I've tried dry brushing, I exercise, and all the junk that's recommended. Plastics may be in my future but the loose skin is worth the new level of good health

I haven't, however, tried taking collagen supplements. This thought came to me when driving to the dentist earlier. I have no idea if it would help, but worth looking into

I'm sitting at 328 a d have been around 300+ for about 6 years. I am 29 years old and very active. I go to the gym a few times a week as well as swim a mile almost everyday. My weight issues come from over eating, over drinking and who wants a salad when they're drunk/hung over??? Yep I can do some damage on a dollar menu.

Also I work in oil refineries all over the country. I spend about 6 months a year staying in hotels, eating out or drive thru. I eat really healthy during the day, but then I feel starved and over eat at dinner time. Also I barely work out when I'm on the job, because my job is physically demanding and I'm usually sore or tired after work. It's getting worse too as I get heavier.

It does depend on the person but since you are so active you should be good! I weighed 308 the day of my surgery and have lost 128 lbs in 10 months. I barely have any flabby skin and I'm confident enough to wear a bikini this summer! Just keep up the working out after your surgery to tone as you are losing!!

Exercise is VERY important to keep the flabby skin at bay. Tone tone tone!