How did you decide plastics was right for you?

[LaLaDee 519]

I’m really torn about whether I need plastics as part of my journey. I can’t look at myself without clothes. It’s miserable. I’m single and can’t even contemplate dating. How would I explain? I look like a monster!

My family don’t get it. They think it’s not needed. They say I look great (although I’ve never shown them the loose skin).

I also don’t know if I can put myself through the pain of surgery. I think I have a low pain threshold or something. I don’t react well to anathesia. I’m squeamish. Morphine makes me nauseated.

Then there’s the cost of plastics. I’m not exactly loaded. I don’t even know where it would end. My stomach, breasts and arms look terrible. That’s a lot of surgery.

how did you guys make the decision? Anyone regret their choice? Is there something I’m missing here?

[newmebithebypass 713]

Honestly I'm pre op so take with a grain of salt but I know plastics are in my future I'm not going thru this whole process and not look good naked so hon get what you need your family isn't you they are not on your journey and while they can mean well sometimes they can just be Down right negative

Sent from my SM-T380 using BariatricPal mobile app

[GreenTealael 24,855]

For me, I've lived with the same set of issues for a while having children, I don't look bad but its not ideal. I was talking with my niece a few weeks ago, and we were comparing body stories (we are similar in age and now in body type and life experience) and she wants plastics too. We discussed breast lifts/augmentation, Lipo of back/stomach, BBL, TT, arm lifts and thigh lifts. She was only concerned about the scaring on the arms. We both want only one surgery and decided to seriously start looking into it when we hit our lowest weights highest funds. I'm thinking Mexico. So I a lot of people are thinking about it (who have not even had WLS) and for us the deciding factor is how what we can safely get done for the best price in one surgery.

[Scamp 207]

The way I knew I had to do plastics is because - I thought when I lost the weight I would be 'normal' and no longer be an alien in this body hiding it as much as possible in clothes....

But -When I lost the weight I found that I was having to hide all over again - Hiding the skin. - I had become a whole different sort of alien - And I was more unhappy than before...

My Mum was worried about me having plastics - But the day she helped me to try on my compression garment - And she and I were tucking the skin in to this garment - She fully understood how much skin I had been hiding and how hard it was to deal with.

I think that you just know inside if you can get by without plastics emotionally not just physically...

Now I am on the other side of plastics - I know it (For me - And I am a right wuss with pain) I know I would do it all again ten times over - Even the worst bits which were ouchy - The worst part for me was the first time I was upright and moving after the inner thigh lift - That was harshhhhhhhhhh!!! - But the moment I was in the compression garment from Design Veronique that was provided for me - It was like the armour was on and I was protected from everything and the pain left.....

I know that I would not hesitate for a second if I had to do it all again - As long as I had the same Doctor though - His work is amazing! I am so happy with my results. They are not 100% perfect - But we could all get really picky if we wanted to - But I know that if he was there again and I was starting all over again - I would happily do it - As thanks to this one doctor - For the first time in my life - I do not hate everything about me. - There are bits I still dislike..... But - I don't hate me - I am comfortable in my skin I guess..... :-)

I hope you find a way to be comfortable in your skin - Whatever road you choose :-)

Edited August 16, 2018 by Scamp

[sillykitty 10,704]

I haven't had plastics yet, but I when I made the decision to have WLS, I knew that I would need/want plastics as well.

As @newmebithebypass said "I'm not going thru this whole process and not look good naked". I am also single. Although I am dating now with my deflated boobs and wrinkly tummy, it is not ideal, obviously.

3 hours ago, LaLaDee said:

My family don’t get it. They think it’s not needed. They say I look great (although I’ve never shown them the loose skin).

This I don't get at all. Why does your family even get to have an opinion on this? You're an adult, this is your decision, period.

[GreenTealael 24,855]

@sillykitty Yeah...my family hasn't had a say in my life decisions in decades... Sometimes i brief them sometimes i dont.

But that may be individual, cultural and generational.

Edited August 16, 2018 by GreenTealael

[LaLaDee 519]

2 hours ago, sillykitty said:

I haven't had plastics yet, but I when I made the decision to have WLS, I knew that I would need/want plastics as well.

As @newmebithebypass said "I'm not going thru this whole process and not look good naked". I am also single. Although I am dating now with my deflated boobs and wrinkly tummy, it is not ideal, obviously.

This I don't get at all. Why does your family even get to have an opinion on this? You're an adult, this is your decision, period.

You're totally right - it's not up to anyone but me. It's just that I've put my family through a lot. I've been in and out of hospital since my WLS with a weird autoimmune disease that was maybe triggered by my WLS, or the subsequent shock to my body. I ended up with all kinds of medical problems and they had to take care of me. I feel guilty about that - and also concerned that I would put my body through something even worse with plastics. It's not their decision but they are very much trying to talk me out of it and I guess I'm weighing up everything in my decision.

My family aren't anti-plastic surgery in general. My Mum had a breast reduction and my sister had her ears pinned back. They just seem to think I don't need plastic surgery. I get accused of having body dysmorphia, like I've lost weight, so I should be happy now. They think the skin thing is trivial.

I have read somewhere (can't remember where) that if you have plastics, you are more likely to successfully maintain your weight. Maybe people who get plastics are just more determined, or more likely to have reached their goal weight in the first place in order to have surgery so they're more successful at maintenance. Maybe it's going through the additional expense - that's got to be a kick in the pants for motivation to stay on track!

@Scamp I loved reading your post. Thank you so much. I'm so glad you've been so happy with your plastics.

Sorry - lots of scattered thoughts here. This is just weighing heavily on me at the moment.

[TheRealMeIsHere! 863]

Then there’s the cost of plastics. I’m not exactly loaded. I don’t even know where it would end. My stomach, breasts and arms look terrible. That’s a lot of surgery.

Insurance may cover some. Mine paid in full, for TT/panni.

If you have any rashes, skin causing exercise limitations or pain, etc....

Go on your ins website and look up criteria for panniculectomy. Print & take to any doctors that have records of pain, rashes, etc.....

Best of luck!

Edited August 17, 2018 by TheRealMeIsHere!

[forgetmenot 27]

I had my sleeve done Jan '17 and then a Tummy Tuck exactly a year later. At that time, I was also considering a breast lift, inner thigh lift and an arm lift (with the skin tightening extending down to the arm pits). For the most part my feelings are mixed.

The stomach area looks great and I have been able to squeeze into size 00 pants. I get plenty of compliments about my figure when wearing a figure hugging outfit. Having said that, there were some complications with the surgery with a somewhat disfigured belly button so I don't usually wear bikini/crop tops. There is another aspect that I didn't anticipate. When you are overweight and/or you have extra skin, an extra inch doesn't make too much difference. Now that I have a tiny 24'' waist, a "little" extra, whether it's from just bloating or a ever-so-slight relaxation of my diet, will eliminate the possibility of wearing something that clings to that area. Finally, the surgery and ensuing complications took me out of commission exercise-wise for at least three months and even now I still do not have much core strength at least relative to my other muscles.

As for the other areas that I did not get surgery on, a diligent weight routine combined with intermittent fasting has helped. There is still loose skin in the upper arms but muscle has filled out most of the space such that when I wear sleeveless tops it looks comparable to an "average" female. The part of the legs that would show past a skirt or shorts are very toned with no trace of loose skin. For both the arms and legs, I would say that it would not be worthwhile to get the additional aesthetic benefits from the surgery when you consider the resulting scars. The only problematic area remains the under arms. If I raise my arms above my head, you can see the muscle definition (again from doing a high amount of resistance training on the back muscles) but in a normal position the loose skin bunches. As a result, I still don't wear anything that reveals the area like spaghetti strap or strapless tops.

[LaLaDee 519]

On 23/08/2018 at 3:44 AM, forgetmenot said:

I had my sleeve done Jan '17 and then a Tummy Tuck exactly a year later. At that time, I was also considering a breast lift, inner thigh lift and an arm lift (with the skin tightening extending down to the arm pits). For the most part my feelings are mixed.

The stomach area looks great and I have been able to squeeze into size 00 pants. I get plenty of compliments about my figure when wearing a figure hugging outfit. Having said that, there were some complications with the surgery with a somewhat disfigured belly button so I don't usually wear bikini/crop tops. There is another aspect that I didn't anticipate. When you are overweight and/or you have extra skin, an extra inch doesn't make too much difference. Now that I have a tiny 24'' waist, a "little" extra, whether it's from just bloating or a ever-so-slight relaxation of my diet, will eliminate the possibility of wearing something that clings to that area. Finally, the surgery and ensuing complications took me out of commission exercise-wise for at least three months and even now I still do not have much core strength at least relative to my other muscles.

As for the other areas that I did not get surgery on, a diligent weight routine combined with intermittent fasting has helped. There is still loose skin in the upper arms but muscle has filled out most of the space such that when I wear sleeveless tops it looks comparable to an "average" female. The part of the legs that would show past a skirt or shorts are very toned with no trace of loose skin. For both the arms and legs, I would say that it would not be worthwhile to get the additional aesthetic benefits from the surgery when you consider the resulting scars. The only problematic area remains the under arms. If I raise my arms above my head, you can see the muscle definition (again from doing a high amount of resistance training on the back muscles) but in a normal position the loose skin bunches. As a result, I still don't wear anything that reveals the area like spaghetti strap or strapless tops.

Thanks! That’s really helpful!

The loose skin on my arms is so bad that it’s hard for me to wear anything less than a half or 3/4 length sleeve. Although, I might be equally self conscious about a scar.

I cant believe how long you had to take off from exercising! That gives me a bit of anxiety. At this point I’m more worried about the recovery time than even figuring out how I would pay for my plastics!

24inch waist! You’re so tiny!! Sounds like you’ve had some amazing results!