Saggy Skin Blues...

[PartOfMyCharm 23]

So...I'm about 6 weeks post op and while I don't have any BIG issues with saggy skin I do notice some differences:

1. The weight is leaving my belly from the top down, so the top is virtually flat but now I have a bit more "extraness" at the bottom that bothers me. It actually seems to make my back hurt...like it's pulling down on it or something.

2. My thighs...good lord my thighs are a travesty! I was on bedrest with my daughter years ago and before then my legs were toned...afterwards they weren't so now all the weight loss seems to be making the skin there look...strange.

I'm just wondering what everyone else's experience with saggy skin has been and if any of the long term sleevers have found any tips to dealing with it besides surgery.

And while I appreciate and love all of you who DON'T have skin...I'd rather you not respond with "My skin snapped right back! I don't have to deal with saggy skin thank God! lol

Thanks!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I lost over 160#, so yes I had excess skin! It does improve some with time. If you are younger, you will likely have less of an issue.

I have seen people using wraps etc and maybe that works if you don't have much, but if you have lots of excess skin, the solution is learning to accept it and possibly plastics.

I will add we are much harsher on ourselves that others judge us. Lets be honest, alot of people out there don't have supermodel bodies!

[erp 2,016]

I am almost two years out and my loose skin continues to improve as I reached goal in 13 months but I will tell you straight- you are early out, it will probably get worse until your weight loss starts to level off. Then it will start to get better but ultimately most of us could use a nip and tuck.

[HaddocksEyes 205]

"....And while I appreciate and love all of you who DON'T have skin...I'd rather you not respond with "My skin snapped right back! I don't have to deal with saggy skin thank God! lol

Thanks!

LOL! I WISH I could say I don't have saggy skin - I'm right there with you on things looking funky.

My thighs too are a disaster and my lower midsection is the worst because of my two pregnancies. It's weird how the back of my upper thighs and back end were more firm pre-weight loss - now, they both feel "mushy". That's the best way to describe them.

I'm wondering if one can recover from just "mushy" as opposed to "sagging".

[BellaLuce4 261]

I have developed "Bat Wings" amongst a host of what everyone mentioned in just 8 short weeks , anyone want to go flying?? Lol

[Bandora 136]

I am still 24+ lbs from my goal and the saggy skin is a downer. I have lost slow and steady and have really worked on toning and cardio. Sadly I am not going to bounce back like a younger person might. I am 45 years old and when I am in clothes I look pretty good. My belly is like a deflated balloon and my upper thighs are a little droopy. Upper arms are a mess. I feel great and I am confident when I am in my clothes. I know I still have a lot of body fat and I will keep working on my diet & fitness to fix what I can. A few months ago I became really obsessed with the Quest for plastics. Trying to calculate my costs and fees and how I could swing it. Unfortunately I just do not see a way ( minus winning the lottery) So I am going to plug along, lower my body fat and work hard as I can. It has really been a struggle to appear to be so vain ( when I am not in the least) I get mad at myself for feeling as if looks are everything. Every day I have to remind myself how lucky I am that I can walk and hike and I do not have mobility issues. I am fortunate to have a body that may not be picture perfect but it is healthy and strong. Always remember that no one is perfect and that we all have body issues at one time in the WLS journey.

[kimpossible67 608]

My thighs! My poor thighs! They've boughten the farm! My belly is just as I expected it to be, loosey goosey but my thighs are a bit scary, all these little wrinkled folds. I totally expected my overly huge upper arms to fall victim but they surprisingly are doing well. Oh well, I knew going in I'd have this issue. I'd rather see loose skin than fat any day.

[ChronicJam 40]

Did any of y'all use any sort of "firming" lotion before or after? I'm pre-op, but I've started using Nivea Firming with coq10 or some such. I'm just wondering if it's an exercise in futility? ????

[1Sleevecomingup 185]

Lord help!!!???? Im 6 weeks post op.. after 3rd week i lost 33pds.. now Im down 50pds..I have bat wings ,breast are flat ,thighs are horrible,but went down...smh...

[Forsythia 882]

I'm terribly saggy. And I am not too old (37). But I've been fat most all my life. I just lotion the hell out of my entire body to keep the skin pliant and hope some of it will snap back a bit once I am done losing. But naked It's a hot mess right now. My thighs and arms and sides right by my breasts look horrible. Also, my booty hump is literally sliding downward. But considering that I spend most of my time clothed I just encase it all in super awesome clothes. I also do lots of squats and lunges, try to work the muscles in my butt and thighs to make up for the droop!

[JCP 619]

I'm 57, 9 weeks out, 47 lost. I'm so glad to be losing but am not looking forward to what is going to continue happen to my skin. My boobs are deflating, my tummy droops, my thighs are squishy, my arms sag, and worst of all, I am getting a turkey neck. I am working out with a trainer so maybe in time it will help. But if not, it's for sure better than being disabled by obesity.

[Lani789 128]

Ditto to all of this, but on the plus side my feet look fabulous!

[kimpossible67 608]

I'm pretty sure the turkey neck is temporary. My ex had bypass in 2007 and it's no longer noticeable. He was a big guy, 405 at surgery and in his late forties. I'm just really happy to see that dowagers hump under the back of my head and neck is disappearing!!! That's as bad as triple chins! This may sound odd but I like my turkey neck, lol.

[able2cope 193]

I'm 57, 9 weeks out, 47 lost. I'm so glad to be losing but am not looking forward to what is going to continue happen to my skin. My boobs are deflating, my tummy droops, my thighs are squishy, my arms sag, and worst of all, I am getting a turkey neck. I am working out with a trainer so maybe in time it will help. But if not, it's for sure better than being disabled by obesity.

I agree with the Kimpossible - try not to worry about the turkey neck - I had that too, but about 6 months ago (I'm 2 years out) it started to go and not noticeable at all now. I massage throat cream in to it each night - not sure if that helped or not.. but try not to be too concerned x

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I really wouldn't judge how you look at 6 weeks post-op to predict how you're going to look when you're "done."

Everything changes as we lose this weight. And it keeps changing.

Plastic surgeons and those who do botox / fillers tell me I should wait at least a year until I've stopped losing weight before having any plastics or other procedures done -- because I will KEEP changing even after I lose all the weight.

Be patient. It's all going to change -- and maybe for the better.

Edited November 16, 2014 by VSGAnn2014