Excess Skin

[CountryBumkin 4]

Hi all,

Im new here and Im slowly ploughing through all the topics and discussions trying to get a better insght of WLS.

I have been referred by my doctor and have my first appointment in March for an assessment, so Im researching as much as I can in the meantime!

I joined the gym last week (also via the doctor) and gone on a diet (again) to try to lose weight in the meantime, hence why Ive already started a ticker bar !!!!!

From what Ive read so far on this forum, the general consensus is that the end results of WLS are worth all the pain, problems and lifestyle transformation one has to go through to get there. But Im interested to hear of your experiences, thoughts and comments regarding excess skin after weight loss. How bothersome is it? Can it be minimised by serious workouts at the gym every day during weight loss? I assume the more weight you lose, the more excess skin there will be? Has anybody managed to avoid it completely?

My philosophy is that it cant be worse than the excess weight Im already carrying about.....?????? Is that about right???

Looking forward to getting to know you all better

[amponder 396]

I'm nearly at 100lb weight loss and can tell I'm going to have excess skin. I feel so much better though. I'm hoping my insurance will cover skin surgery when I get to that point, but I think it might for me have to be one more thing that is just worth it. From what I understand, the younger you are, the slower and steadier the weight loss the better this issue is. I'm 38 and was pretty big so I know I'm going to have this issue.

[donna450 130]

I have a lot of upfront...midriff and allover down below ..except skinny legs thighs and hips butt. I started at 215. Banded Aug '13 and have lost 60lbs..I take 12+ different meds a day...many chronic conditions. I went from s size 16...now in size 10 maybe another month an 8. I feel terrific..I am 64...showing the wrinkles and thinning hair. But hopefully I will be able to fix that. I will have to have surgery to remove excess and the last time I checked for me it would be 10k. So that's a no go for right now..but wouldn't trade the feelings of today. The journey is ongoing and will continue as long as I have the band. I feel so much better km mowing I have overcome the obstacles that beginning handers will have to work through themselves. So if insurance might cover it I will certainly look I not that. You're all amazing...giving yourselves the gift of health and well being. Thx

[CheleLynn45 615]

I started this journey above 300lbs so I knew no matter what I did I would have extra skin at some point.

I am down 63lbs so far and am 12wks post op. I work out regularly but have recently in the last month or so added in some strength training. I am trying to do what I can so we will see what happens as I lose more weight.

The one thing that is bugging me now is my ventral hernia which is on my right side lower abdomen. Now that I have lost some weight it is showing way more than before. You can actually see the bulge I will be having that removed probably sometime this summer I am thinking. My surgeon couldn't remove it when he did my sleeve surgery like they can a hiatal hernia.

Last time in my lost almost 100lbs it took over a year and a half, I was 15yrs younger and I didn't have any excess skin.

Excess skin was something I was really worried about before surgery but now I am just happy that I had no complications, a very easy recovery and (knock on wood) no stalls to date!

[Healthy_life2 8,319]

@@CountryBumkin

From a size 22 jeans to a size 3. I have worked out regularly after surgery(cardio and weight training)...... I still have the skin situation

I am beyond happy with my WLS results. I have body issues to begin with form years of being obese. . It would help me be less self conscious to have plastics. The skin situation is really not as bad as I thought it would be. Body sharpers do help for now.

[IcanMakeit 1,318]

@@CountryBumkin

I am 61 years old and was more than 100 lbs overweight and I definitely have a loose skin problem. I carried my weight mostly in my belly and bosom, so those are the areas that ended up with the most loose skin. I had breast reduction surgery last month. That took care of the bosom situation, but my belly is very jiggly and saggy. However, even if I decide that I can't afford or don't want to deal with the recovery period after abdominoplasty, I am beyond thrilled with my new body -- loose skin and all! I'll just have to invest in good Shapewear if I don't want or can't afford more plastics.

[gowalking 10,790]

I'm 56 and lost 150 lbs. so I for sure have loose skin. I am considering surgery but if I do move forward with that, I'll have to pay out of pocket...no issues with rashes or skin breakdown. But as others have said, body shapers and clothes in general hide a multitude of sins so to speak.

For now, it's good enough. This journey was about health and mobility first and I'm reveling in being able to move again and have fewer co-morbidities so what my skin looks like was always a minor consideration.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I started 308# and lost down to 140 at my lowest. I am in the 150s right now. I exercised alot. I did not do wraps or any of that. Skin does rebound/tighted somewhat with time, but it gets really stretched out when you are that much overweight. The really sad thing is some of the skin actually becomes poor quality... thin. This was true for me in a few areas.

Anyway, exercising makes you look better and be healthier but it does not remove excess skin. Time does help some, but if you have alot of extra skin it won't rebound completely... or even mostly. Spanx or other Shapewear helps very much - without it i always had a skin muffin top until I had plastic reconstructive surgery which made a huge difference. However, I didn't have surgery head to toe so I still have excess skin on my back but it isn't bad enough for me to try to address. I just avoid tight bra bands etc.

I attached a photo. The two on the left are post reconstructive plastics. The bottom right, I was at goal but not wearing any spanx. So, yes, I had a bit of a melted snowman effect but I for sure looked way way way better than my before picture! Wearing spanx, I could hide all that skin except for the arms.

[JustWatchMe 7,117]

@@CowgirlJane , you look beautiful! And so youthful !! Congratulations!

[joatsaint 2,814]

It's all been worth it for me. I'd do it all over again in a New York minute (currently clocked at 32 seconds ).

Here's my body shot showing off my loose skin - 2 years post-op.

[JustWatchMe 7,117]

It's all been worth it for me. I'd do it all over again in a New York minute (currently clocked at 32 seconds ).

Here's my body shot showing off my loose skin - 2 years post-op.

http://youtu.be/doMETN3fTfQ

Congratulations on your success!

[Julie norton 2,850]

Great pictures. Really inspires others to think about plastics.

I decided Tummy Tuck and moving nipples up and a bit of Lipo. All done at once. Sooo I have surgery scheduled early march. Happy to get rid of the dreaded overhang

[CountryBumkin 4]

Thankyou all for your replies ......... you have all done amazingly well, congratulations!

Its very encouraging to hear from people who have gone through surgery and are very happy with the results, regardless of any complications. Its also reassuring to know that the excess skin has not made anyone wish they'd not had WLS (which was one of my worries). As you are more than aware, WLS is a scarey decision to make, a BIG decision to make, yet not one of you on this very busy forum have regretted doing it!!! (well, that's a lie actually, I did read one person who regretted it but one in how many....????) And I love how supportive everyone is to each other here

@@CheleLynn45 : "....just happy that I had no complications..." Great philosophy and well done!

@@gowalking : "Nothing tastes as good as being normal sized feels" ......... Brilliant, just brilliant

@@CowgirlJane : Im loving the before & after photos You look amazing!!!

@@joatsaint : Thanks for the video, I shall follow your link and read your blog later. I read another persons blog last week and her journey was fascinating. She encountered a couple of complications along the way but still came out happy with her decision. So encouraging to read other peoples experiences, especially when they have a happy ending!! Im thinking about doing my own journal......

@@Julie norton : The best of luck for your surgery in March.... Wish you well. Keep us posted on how you get on

To the rest of you, thanks again for all your replies. This forum is so supportive and encouraging, Im almost beginning to feel excited at the thought of WLS...... well, not the surgery itself or the recovery process, but certainly the thought of finally hitting my goal weight and being free from obesity for the first time in my life, being able to buy any clothes I like instead of picking the best from the Outsize Range (that cost a fortune), being free from embarrassment/anxiety next time Im trying to fit the seatbelt on the plane, actually LIKING myself in photos..... oh the list is endless

Edited January 23, 2015 by CountryBumkin

[iamsoworthit 430]

I would do it again in a heartbeat! I am 42 years old and my highest weight was 267. I got to 123 and in November had a lower body lift for the excess skin. At 123 I was in a 6 or 8 petite and everyone said I was small but I didn't see it because of my pannus. My plastic surgeon took 7 lbs of skin and I am now a zero or two petite. I feel like me and am thrilled with the results! If I hadn't done the plastics I still would believe it was worth it. This just gave me the final push! In terms of health and co-morbities alone, the benefits far outweighed the risks for me. It has been life changing!

[sassy14 178]

I started at 291 in Feb 2013. Down to 157, which is good (I'm 5'6"). I had a ventral hernia repair, abdominal wall reconstruction and a panniculectomy. I wore a 12-14 before surgery, a 10-12 now. I have lots of skin on my thighs/arms, but I'm 58 and good

clothing covers a lot. I have been obese since I was a teen, so that skin has been there a long time. Hopefully I uploaded a pix of me in skinny jeans (wearing my abdominal binder).

But, all in all, even if I still had the skin, it would have been worth it.