I was watching a plastic surgery show the other day. This guy had lost almost 200 lbs by gastric bypass, in 1 year 7 months. He went for a full body lift. When he was done, there were scars everywhere!! I couldnt believe it. I was thinking that I don't know which would be worse, the extra skin or the scars.

I also want to lose 200 lbs, but this guy was pretty young, I've been over weight for twenty years. I'm almost scared to see what I'll look like after. (I'm not saying I don't want to lose).

My scar on my tummy is still pretty red, I think. I cant imagine them all over my body.

How long does it take for a scar to fade?

What is everyones opinion on plastic surgery?

Is any fellow Canadian thinking this could be in there future?

It's a good topic of discussion Cloe. I have very strong opinions on this FOR ME (disclaimer: my opinions apply directly to me and me only...not anyone else....).

For me, I will never have PS....ever. It is just something I'm not into. I know I will have a bit of loose skin in my belly area but it looks fine under clothes and I have nobody to impress when I'm naked...Mr Yoda already loves me for who I am, inside and out. Granted, I've never had kids, so I don't have those added belly issues. I do a lot of ab exercises so I know that will also help. All in all, I'm really not that vain and even the surgery I did for health reasons, not vanity. Though, of course, I'm pleased with the way it is making me look and feel about myself but to me that is merely a bonus that I happily accept.

As for the scar issues....everyone will heal differently and people also "scar" very differently. (it is always ironic to me how the supporters of PS - especially in the field - focus on the "good scars" and say very little if nothing at all about the possiblity of horrible scarring).

For me....I already know that I do not heal well and that I scar very badly. I'm not surprised...as I am very very very fair skinned and I bruise in an instant and even at the slightest bump (trust me, my mom was often "watched" thinking she abused me...with all the bruises on my body!). I know this first hand from different accidents/surgeries etc. Even cuts tend to scar up on me. A long time ago, I had a breast reduction and the scars are still quite messy (nothing to do with the surgeon...just my body and the way it heals). I had a mole removed on my shoulder...just a small incision and the scar is quite bad. My ankle is the worst...I had two surgeries on my ankle (one of them an emergency surgery) and omigawd, even now (4 yrs later) I can't begin to tell you how terrible those scars are (both sides of my ankle).

The scars from my lapband surgery are also not what you would expect. They are very red, large, raised and have widened. It actually looks like I have a couple of leeches on my stomach. They actually look worse now than they did right after they healed. But, I expected that. Dr. Y. had a medical word for it last week when I saw him (I forget the word)...describes people who heal/scar like that. He told me that if it bothered me, I could have cortisone shots in it to "shrink" it (no thanks!) and/or PS to fix the scars. HAHAHAHAHA...ummmm...no!

All in all, FOR ME, PS is not something I have ever (or ever would) consider. For two reasons: I'm "ok" with the way I look and know I'll be "ok" with it as the weight comes off, I don't have any vanity issues, and I know that the scarring would likely be worse for me than average and so why trade one "problem" for another?

"Fixing" the "outside" for health reasons is good, but too often people think that "fixing" the outside will "fix" them inside and it certainly won't.

But, as I said....I don't judge...I only know what is good for me....everyone has to do what they think is right for them and works for them and what will make them happy. (I'm trying to be careful what I say because I don't want anyone who has had PS or who is considering it to take my words in the wrong way)....remember, this is my opinion as it relates to ME!

If I am able to lose the weight and feel it is necessary, then I may have a tummy tuck. Who knows, I do know it is a pretty big incision !

I probably would have a body contour. I have alot of saggy skin and i have 70 lbs to go.

I would not be surprised if I get a body lift in the future, but it depends on how saggy I get. I already want at least a breast lift and probably a tummy tuck.

It's a good topic of discussion Cloe. I have very strong opinions on this FOR ME (disclaimer: my opinions apply directly to me and me only...not anyone else....).

For me, I will never have PS....ever. It is just something I'm not into. I know I will have a bit of loose skin in my belly area but it looks fine under clothes and I have nobody to impress when I'm naked...Mr Yoda already loves me for who I am, inside and out. Granted, I've never had kids, so I don't have those added belly issues. I do a lot of ab exercises so I know that will also help. All in all, I'm really not that vain and even the surgery I did for health reasons, not vanity. Though, of course, I'm pleased with the way it is making me look and feel about myself but to me that is merely a bonus that I happily accept.

As for the scar issues....everyone will heal differently and people also "scar" very differently. (it is always ironic to me how the supporters of PS - especially in the field - focus on the "good scars" and say very little if nothing at all about the possiblity of horrible scarring).

For me....I already know that I do not heal well and that I scar very badly. I'm not surprised...as I am very very very fair skinned and I bruise in an instant and even at the slightest bump (trust me, my mom was often "watched" thinking she abused me...with all the bruises on my body!). I know this first hand from different accidents/surgeries etc. Even cuts tend to scar up on me. A long time ago, I had a breast reduction and the scars are still quite messy (nothing to do with the surgeon...just my body and the way it heals). I had a mole removed on my shoulder...just a small incision and the scar is quite bad. My ankle is the worst...I had two surgeries on my ankle (one of them an emergency surgery) and omigawd, even now (4 yrs later) I can't begin to tell you how terrible those scars are (both sides of my ankle).

The scars from my lapband surgery are also not what you would expect. They are very red, large, raised and have widened. It actually looks like I have a couple of leeches on my stomach. They actually look worse now than they did right after they healed. But, I expected that. Dr. Y. had a medical word for it last week when I saw him (I forget the word)...describes people who heal/scar like that. He told me that if it bothered me, I could have cortisone shots in it to "shrink" it (no thanks!) and/or PS to fix the scars. HAHAHAHAHA...ummmm...no!

All in all, FOR ME, PS is not something I have ever (or ever would) consider. For two reasons: I'm "ok" with the way I look and know I'll be "ok" with it as the weight comes off, I don't have any vanity issues, and I know that the scarring would likely be worse for me than average and so why trade one "problem" for another?

"Fixing" the "outside" for health reasons is good, but too often people think that "fixing" the outside will "fix" them inside and it certainly won't.

But, as I said....I don't judge...I only know what is good for me....everyone has to do what they think is right for them and works for them and what will make them happy. (I'm trying to be careful what I say because I don't want anyone who has had PS or who is considering it to take my words in the wrong way)....remember, this is my opinion as it relates to ME!

Yoda, I was wondering if you had something to say?????? :)

I'm just kidding!!!!

My, I must be feeling better.

I am not Canadian, but I will weigh in on this one, as the topic is becoming more and more of an importance to me as I slowly melt away:) I always thought at the beginning of this journey....I'll never have PS. After all, I'm not a vain person. I just wanted to feel good about myself and look good in my clothes. However, now that I have lost almost 170 pounds...it was foolish of me to think that I could ever look good with all this extra skin. Just think about it....I don't mean to be gross, but this is the way I look at it. If you think of a 170 pound person and think of all the skin they have on their body....then take away their entire body away besides their skin....that is a massive about of skin.

People, just think about it....skin doesn't just go away. Yes some shrinking MAY occur, but not with most. The problem now is that I am so proud of myself for the huge accomplishment. But I have this overwhelming desire to "FINISH" the job I started. I feel like I won't be completely there until I have some major work. I literally have 7 inches of skin hanging on each arm when I stick my arms out straight....and on my abdomen, it looks like I am a skinny person wearing an innertube underneath my clothes around my lower abdomen. I have lost a lot of weight, but the skin is hanging 6+ inches. And mind you I'm a very healthy 32 year old person....I just grew a ton of skin being so overweight all those years, and now there is no where for it to go.

Do I look better? YES, of course. Do I feel better, ABSOLUTELY! Do I want PS? NO! I'm scared to death of it....but do I need it? Without a doubt yes! Not only for aesthetic reasons....but to finish out the race that I started on 18 months ago. Just my 2 cents;)

Cloe, if I'm able to afford it, or at least swing it somehow, I think I would definitely do it. I don't know how different a full body lift is from a lower body lift, but that's what *I* was thinking of and had looked into a little in the past. Also, depending on how much more boobage I lose, I'd like to breast LIFT, with the possibility of a small implant (but then again, that's depending on how much more boob I lose!)

I haven't got a clue how much things like this cost in Canada, but I'm imagining they're pretty steep. Perhaps we could go to Mexico together and get some work done !?

Yoda, I was wondering if you had something to say?????? :)

I'm just kidding!!!!

My, I must be feeling better.

:)

We were discussing this on another board, my opinion of plastic surgery is probably that the scars arent worth it but then I havent been left with sagging skin, so that makes a huge difference.

If I had an apron and my thighs looked like they were melting, I would want plastic surgery, so I'm not against it in any way.

But for me, I dont want to give the impression that I have this awesome body, lol, but I dont particularly look like I was once much fatter, I look like an ordinary 40 year old who has had 3 babies - the boobs are a bit saggy, my stomach is flat but not firm, and I have a bit of cellulite on my thighs. I can look great dressed and not many people see me starkers, so personally, there's no way I'd swap all that scarring - it wouldnt improve things one bit for me, it would just swap one thing for another.

My boobs could use and might get a bit of work though, they're still Ecups after all this weight loss and I'd like a nice D. They need a lift also, so I very well may do that in a year or two when I finally get back into the workforce.

I think PS is a godsend for people who need it, but I think the scarring is not insignificant and its major surgery and it does concern me how free and easy people are with it these days - obviously on a weight loss board there are many many people who would really benefit, I"m talking about 16 year olds having breast implants.

Dr. Y. had a medical word for it last week when I saw him (I forget the word)...describes people who heal/scar like that.

I believe that it's called keloid scars. I'm sure I did'nt spell it right. My brother is a keloid healer and yes he has very bad scars from injuries and surgeries. He happened to be accident prone as a kid. Go figure.

ahh! I was gonna say keloid, but got sidetracked! I was also going to ask if it was hypertrophic, maybe?

(hey Wheezy! :wave: )

aha!! Yes, "keloid" (sp?) sounds right....tks guys!

I had a lower body lift last Friday and I'd pick it over the saggy tummy/butt/thigh skin any day, even WITH the scars! Listen, your scars are hidden, even with a bikini on. I know that my man was incredibly turned off by my excess skin, and he may have been by my scars, too (I say may have been because he's now out of the picture), but at least I can look 'normal' in clothes now. I went out to dinner last night with friends and they were like "WHOA! YOU ARE SO SKINNY!!!!" And all I'd lost was that abdominal part of me. Clothes can finally fit like a normal person now. The doc told me that this is his favorite procedure to do because everyone that has it is instantly changed by it. He says when he follows up with them 6 months later, their self-esteem has boosted, they become more active, they're healthier, and their lives have changed for the better, BESIDES the physical appearance. I'm really looking forward to healing from all this!

There are few docs in Canada who do the Beltline Liptectomy (body lift) it has a huge complication rate even for plastic sugery. It has about a 50% complication rate. There are a few people who have had it that I know of but all of them have scarring.

I had a breast life/reduction and tummy tuck, I love the results. It doesn't change how you feel about your body in some ways, but in other ways it does. It made me more comfy, I lost about 150 lbs so I had a lot of hanging skin on my stomach and now I feel more comfy.

I think it is really individual and you need to be generally happy with your body and really happy with your mental state before you will be happy with plastic surgery.

There are few docs in Canada who do the Beltline Liptectomy (body lift) it has a huge complication rate even for plastic sugery. It has about a 50% complication rate. There are a few people who have had it that I know of but all of them have scarring.

I had the Belt Lipectomy and I can't see how there would be no scarring. They cut you in half! OF COURSE there's a scar when you're done. Are you talking about a different kind of scarring?

Also, the butt part of the belt lipectomy is no big deal whatsoever. It's actually sort of minimal. It's the tummy tuck part of it that's the big deal.