I'm just starting my journey and trying to read as many horror stories as possible (maybe that's bad, but I KNOW the positives; it's the negatives I'm trying to wrap my mind around!) like understanding how hard the pre-op and post-op diets are... but if I can't do that then I can't make the change necessary to live with the sleeve, right? Because it's not like you go back to eating "normally" (normal for an overweight person I guess I should say...), right?

My new fear is the loose skin after the weight loss is complete. I'm not against having cosmetic surgery on one spot, but am I really going to have saggy thighs, saggy arms and a saggy belly??!! I'm 5' 4" and 228 lbs.

Thanks everyone; just a little scared!

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Thanks friends. Really.

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As someone who started at a high start weight (688), I have a lot of excess skin. I am currently 379, and plastic surgeon says he can start skin removal at 280, and get my in my goal weight range of 200-225. He estimates about 65-80 pounds of skin in totality. Now if only I could find 100K somewhere....

Best of luck to you @staceface.

@@SalOdyssey

Thanks for the wishes.

And holy cow, what an impressive weight loss! Congrats to YOU!

And honestly, I guess I'm understanding that a secondary surgery is a very likely possibility. I can handle that if it means getting healthy and where I really should be.

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@@SalOdyssey

Thanks for the wishes.

And holy cow, what an impressive weight loss! Congrats to YOU!

And honestly, I guess I'm understanding that a secondary surgery is a very likely possibility. I can handle that if it means getting healthy and where I really should be.

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Thank you!!

Thank you ladies!

@@candygirl that helps A LOT, thank you. Sometimes I don't know where to start, so I DON'T, and sometimes I am TOO enthusiastic and that's not good either.

And @@AvaFern you're right and I completely agree that the fear of a saggy, baggy body shouldn't be a deterrent...it certainly won't be worse than the way I feel right now! And I am not against having secondary surgeries, I'd just like to do ALL that I CAN to minimize the need. ...

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So I havent found the "perfect moisturizer" yet But currently I use whatever the situation calls for. I use Bag o' Balm for my feet. I pumice them in the shower and use the balm to keep them moisturized. For my body while im still damp I use Bio Oil and just massage it in all over. I also have a body scrub by Bliss that I use once a week. I switch up moisturizers for my face but I love Aveeno positively radiant most days. I also love Clinique daily moisturizer-- cant think of the name but its yellow. If my skin is really dry-- I use Eucerin cream.

I still use bath and body works UltraShea body cream/lotion. Cucumber melon is my fav. Glad they brought it back.

I'm just starting my journey and trying to read as many horror stories as possible (maybe that's bad, but I KNOW the positives; it's the negatives I'm trying to wrap my mind around!) like understanding how hard the pre-op and post-op diets are... but if I can't do that then I can't make the change necessary to live with the sleeve, right? Because it's not like you go back to eating "normally" (normal for an overweight person I guess I should say...), right?

My new fear is the loose skin after the weight loss is complete. I'm not against having cosmetic surgery on one spot, but am I really going to have saggy thighs, saggy arms and a saggy belly??!! I'm 5' 4" and 228 lbs.

Thanks everyone; just a little scared!

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SO everyone as I'm sure you know by now is different. Not sure where you are in your journey but sounds like you are a pre op lower BMI. If I were you I would start working on strengthening and toning exercises now. Resistance bands, light dumbells, push ups, planks etc all pre op. I'm not having issues with saggy skin just yet BUT I'm sure I will. I am 13 weeks post op today annnnnnd I workout on average of 4 days a week. I do strengthening and toning during every workout coupled with about 30 min cardio. Now that my abs are stronger I do at least 300 crunches each workout, 30 min cardio and I work on 2 other areas like legs and butt, or arms and back. I'm a pear so I carry mostly in my hips and thighs but finally started gaining in my arms when the fat had nowhere else to go.

There will be saggy skin in my thighs but I think my arms and belly will be ok. I'm in the low 200's and my stomach is almost flat. There's a little pooch but I think once I get to goal I can live with any remaining skin there. My arms appear to be toning, I've increased my weights during exercise but not sure that I will be able to tone them enough not to end up with "wings" but I won't worry about it. Now my thighs-- that's another issue. When I lift one leg up to put on lotion, my inner thigh has some drooping that resembles those you tube videos of saggy skin. Like you I'm willing to get cosmetic surgery on 1 or 2 areas my plan is for breast lift and a repair of my worse area (thighs or arms or belly).

How long after surgery were you allowed to start working out?

workout as much as you want PRE OP. Post op I was cleared for basic exercise like walking or biking. at 4 weeks I was cleared to resume a regular workout regimen as tolerated meaning-- pace yourself.

Edited October 3, 20169 yr by Candygyrl

I started at 294 and I am now 121. I am 39 years old. I started working out 3 weeks after surgery. My loose skin is extremely minimal. There is really no way to determine how much saggy skin you will have. My recommendation is to start working after as soon as you can after surgery with a combination of weight training and cardio.

Starting weight was 294, 255 on day of surgery, and 121 now. I am 39. I started working out 3 weeks after surgery. My doctor tells me that I have very minimal excess skin. It really just depends on where you store the weight, genetics, age, etc. Working out (weights and cardio). My workout routine now is: run 25 miles a week, walk 5 miles per week (this is exercise walk not just walking), zumba once a week for an hour, and 2 hours of weight training a week.

As someone who started at a high start weight (688), I have a lot of excess skin. I am currently 379, and plastic surgeon says he can start skin removal at 280, and get my in my goal weight range of 200-225. He estimates about 65-80 pounds of skin in totality. Now if only I could find 100K somewhere....

Best of luck to you @staceface.

Maybe start a Gofundme and post here. I know I would donate, and a little here and friends, and friends sharing it can help. That's a lot loss, good for you.

As someone who started at a high start weight (688), I have a lot of excess skin. I am currently 379, and plastic surgeon says he can start skin removal at 280, and get my in my goal weight range of 200-225. He estimates about 65-80 pounds of skin in totality. Now if only I could find 100K somewhere....

Best of luck to you @staceface.

Maybe start a Gofundme and post here. I know I would donate, and a little here and friends, and friends sharing it can help. That's a lot loss, good for you.

@Ginsin007

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/378851-help-me-excess-skin/

Thank you!

i'm 25 5"7 255(HW) do you think i'll have extreme loose skin? i'm only 2 weeks out, so hard for me to tell. i'm hoping my youth will help some but i guess i won't know for sure until i'm at goal.

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i don't care about ever showing my belly in public lol stretch marks and 2 surgery scars and one baby wrecked that. but i would love to be able to wear shorts one day lol

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I don't think you'll have saggy legs unless all your weight is in your legs.

I don't think you'll have saggy legs unless all your weight is in your legs.

no i do have a big belly but that can be hidden lol i think all of us have big bellies though. guess in a year i can update lol

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I guess you're right. I'm 37, so I don't know if that's old or young for this surgery. And I know me; I'll try every cream and scrub that claims to help... ugh. I want to lose this weight, so I guess what does it matter if there's loose skin? Which do I hate more?!
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Hey! I just wanted to tell you my moms story since she did it at 37. She did lap band 8 years ago and has kept off 120 lbs. when she started though she she weighed 300 lbs. 5'7. She was super worried about her skin and I have go say her skin looks really great I think. It's not perfect but it's really not bad. I 100% would not get a tummy tuck if my skin turns out anything like hers.