A lot of questions about SKIN

[Shrinking_Shamrock 33]

Ok, so I know most of us have questions, answers and issues about excess skin and the removal of it, so I'm going to ask a few and hope for some advice/info/suggestions.

Let me start by telling you that my VSG was paid for by the state (Rhode Island) and Medicare., I had my surgery on April 18, 2016. I had been overweight/obese for too long, started gaining weight when I was 8/9 and am currently 43.., (being classified as obese for one day is too long),

My doctor told me not long ago that having my apron removed would be covered by my insurance but nothing else would be, am not sure if they are incorrect about nothing else being covered but am definitely wondering if I were to save for it out of pocket, how much would it cost typically (I know that the cost vary state-to-state and doctor to doctor)to have my thighs and arms done. Am wondering what kind of expenses anyone may have had for such treatments/surgeries/removals and how everyone healed (big scars,no scars?), How everyone feels after the removal etc etc.

Now, I'm still a few months away from talking to my doctors about Plastics but I'm trying to get some advice and info ahead of time so I know what I'm looking at down the line., Any and all advice would be so greatly appreciated. Thank you all for taking the time to read this and​ Congratulations on all of your​successes! [emoji3][emoji256]

anything worth doing is Never easy [emoji3]

[nursejenny07 401]

Great questions! I saw 3 different plastic surgeons in regards to my surgery. I'm going in for a lower body lift and liposuction to my thighs. The quotes I got varied widely. The quotes ranged from just over $20k to about $34k. That included the surgeon's fee, operating room, hospital stay, anesthesia, surgical assist, preop and postop visits... The most expensive quote didn't include the garment but the others did. I think a lot depends on geographical area as well as the practice. Some more well known surgeons can get away with charging more. The surgeon I went with, is a top surgeon in the Denver area, but not the most expensive. The most expensive surgeon I met with was amazing, but works for a practice associated with Hollywood celebrities, and part of what you pay is for those bragging rights, I guess.

Paying out of pocket is rough, but at the same time allows you the freedom to chose the surgeon you are most comfortable with, and who you feel is going to do the best job for you.

It took us about 2.5 years to save the money to do the surgery, but so worth it. We didn't want to put it on credit cards or go into debt because of it, so we made the sacrifice to save up the cash. In the end we ARE putting it on cards to earn points/miles, lol, but we'll pay them right off with the money we saved. Might as well get a bonus for a vacation later, haha!

I have been told by every surgeon I have met that surgery will cover nothing other than a paniculectomy (and the panus needs to hang pretty dang low) or a breast reduction. Everything else is out of pocket. I have heard from others on this site, though, that their insurance helped cover a Tummy Tuck. I guess it just depends on the insurance plan and your medical history...but it's worth looking into! Insurance companies can be a nightmare, they aren't very helpful unless you speak the lingo, and have diagnosis and procedure codes to give them. Even then, they'll never guarantee you 100% that something will be covered. There will always be a "catch" and even if you meet all the criteria, there is that tiny piece of you that wonders if everything will go through. So stressful.

Paying out of pocket is expensive, but I know what I'm getting, and it is worth it

Good luck to you, and I hope you get some more answers that help you decide what to do!!

Jen

[Jadeskys 13]

Have you ladies found that where are your skin touches you get rashes? I have started to notice for example that under my breast where they touch my skin has started to get red and itchy also where I'm having sagging skin in the groin area is doing the same thing and I have to use a lot of baby powder. I am in the beginning of all this weight loss journey is this something I can expect to continue until I reach my goals and can have plastic surgery?

[Berry78 4,259]

Those rashes are the pits. I haven't had them myself yet (touch wood), but my mil did. They can get awful. She got a panniculectomy because of them.

Baby powder and compression wear... would be interested to know if there are other solutions...