Hi everyone,

I am scheduled to get my sleeve gastrectomy in the next couple of months. An exciting time for sure! I am in my mid-20's and have a BMI of about 32-33.

I was wondering if because I had a lower BMI, would I be less prone to excess skin as I lose weight? Or is it that I will be losing weight so rapidly that is it bound to happen even if I am on the lower BMI spectrum for the surgery?

I was hoping that someone could shed some light! Perhaps someone who was around my BMI and had the sleeve performed and what effect the surgery had on their skin!

(I know exercise can help the appearance of excess skin as you build muscle underneath so working out helps).

Thanks!!

I would think with a lower BMI that it will more likely come down to genetics, but staying hydrated, exercise, good fat intake will help with it. It can take a while for excess skin to reduce anywhere up to one or two years. Oh and being a little younger will very likely be in your favour.

Edited May 8, 20188 yr by 2shea

The answer is that it depends, some people who lose 200 pounds will wind up with little loose skin while others that lose 50 will need/want surgery. Everyone's skin elasticity is different. The only general rule is that the younger you are the more elastic you skin is.

Part of the problem with answering this question is that you don't really wind up with loose skin you wind up with skin that is being stretched by your remaining fat the problem is its not really possible to get rid of all of your fat.

The closest analogy I would have is that of a water balloon. While you can drain 50% of the water out of the balloon the remaining 50% will keep the balloon from going back to its original shape. The issue is that some people have skin that is able to shrink to encompass the remaining water only while others the weight of the water will pull on the skin effectively leaving space.

3 hours ago, rmm345 said:

Hi everyone,

I am scheduled to get my sleeve gastrectomy in the next couple of months. An exciting time for sure! I am in my mid-20's and have a BMI of about 32-33.

I was wondering if because I had a lower BMI, would I be less prone to excess skin as I lose weight? Or is it that I will be losing weight so rapidly that is it bound to happen even if I am on the lower BMI spectrum for the surgery?

I was hoping that someone could shed some light! Perhaps someone who was around my BMI and had the sleeve performed and what effect the surgery had on their skin!

(I know exercise can help the appearance of excess skin as you build muscle underneath so working out helps).

Thanks!!

the lower bmi and your age will work in your favor. If you carry most of the weight around middle then that will work against you to some degree but if you carry it all over then it will be easier to avoid to much loose skin.

Hi everyone,
I am scheduled to get my sleeve gastrectomy in the next couple of months. An exciting time for sure! I am in my mid-20's and have a BMI of about 32-33.
I was wondering if because I had a lower BMI, would I be less prone to excess skin as I lose weight? Or is it that I will be losing weight so rapidly that is it bound to happen even if I am on the lower BMI spectrum for the surgery?
I was hoping that someone could shed some light! Perhaps someone who was around my BMI and had the sleeve performed and what effect the surgery had on their skin!
(I know exercise can help the appearance of excess skin as you build muscle underneath so working out helps).
Thanks!!

Hello rmm345,

How did the surgery go? I am like you, low BMI, in my 20s and getting surgery in January 2021. I'm also a bit concerned about the loose skin..

Did you loose weight fast? Slow? How did it go?



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