Loose skin in 40’s

[ShoppGirl 3,397]

I am five weeks post op and starting to dread the possibility of excess skin. Just wondering if any veterans out there can comment on excess skin in early forties?

Edited April 16, 2021 by ShoppGirl

[lizonaplane 1,605]

I think a lot of it is totally variable, independent of age. Some people's skin will snap back into place and some people's won't. I've heard that it can depend on how long you've been obese. If it really bothers you, once you're totally sure your weight is stable you can have plastic surgery, but that is much harder surgery than the WLS in terms of pain during recovery.

Sometimes insurance will pay for the abdominal or br***t surgery if you have infections from the rubbing, but you will need a lot of documentation and photos to get that, and it will depend on insurance, of course.

[ShoppGirl 3,397]

Just now, lizonaplane said:

I think a lot of it is totally variable, independent of age. Some people's skin will snap back into place and some people's won't. I've heard that it can depend on how long you've been obese. If it really bothers you, once you're totally sure your weight is stable you can have plastic surgery, but that is much harder surgery than the WLS in terms of pain during recovery.

Sometimes insurance will pay for the abdominal or br***t surgery if you have infections from the rubbing, but you will need a lot of documentation and photos to get that, and it will depend on insurance, of course.

Yea since I am lower BMI, the NP said I will not likely have enough excess skin to qualify for insurance to pay. I did lose most of my weight six years ago and had absolutely no excess skin but I was in my 30’s and lost it slower so I am just nervous about it. Obviously I already had surgery do whatever happens, happens but I am a worry wart.

[lizonaplane 1,605]

Just now, ShoppGirl said:

Yea since I am lower BMI, the NP said I will not likely have enough excess skin to qualify for insurance to pay. I did lose most of my weight six years ago and had absolutely no excess skin but I was in my 30’s and lost it slower so I am just nervous about it. Obviously I already had surgery do whatever happens, happens but I am a worry wart.

When I was about 34-35 I lost about 100lbs and I didn't have any excess skin that I noticed. Of course, I still had more fat to go when I started gaining the weight back, so who knows?

[ShoppGirl 3,397]

4 minutes ago, lizonaplane said:

When I was about 34-35 I lost about 100lbs and I didn't have any excess skin that I noticed. Of course, I still had more fat to go when I started gaining the weight back, so who knows?

Yea I have heard that we really start to lose skin elasticity at 40. The nurse practitioner said to use cocoa butter before AND after surgery and that will helP some if you are concerned as well.

[blackcatsandbaddecisions 844]

Well, I’m about your age and I’m getting close to finding out. I started off at 340 and I’m currently 217. I have about 50 lbs to go to goal. So far I don’t have any loose skin, so it was encouraging that I could lose over 100 lbs without that. In the end it’s always removable, or more likely I’ll just live with it. At this point in my life I don’t really care about swimsuits and flat stomachs.

[ShoppGirl 3,397]

3 minutes ago, blackcatsandbaddecisions said:

Well, I’m about your age and I’m getting close to finding out. I started off at 340 and I’m currently 217. I have about 50 lbs to go to goal. So far I don’t have any loose skin, so it was encouraging that I could lose over 100 lbs without that. In the end it’s always removable, or more likely I’ll just live with it. At this point in my life I don’t really care about swimsuits and flat stomachs.

Yea I don’t care so much about swim suits or crop tops but I think it will bother me if it slaps while exercising or if it makes clothes fit funny. I don’t THINK I will have that much but I guess only time will tell.

[ruthpets 77]

I lost about 75 pounds 10 years ago in my 40's and unfortunately did have loose skin I was a mess and I ultimately got a TT and breast lift. But that doesn't mean it will be the same in your case!!!

[ms.sss 14,704]

Another thing to keep in mind is that it may also depend on how much weight you lose, and what your final weight will be.

I had my surgery when I was 45 yrs old.

I started at 235. When I got to 170-ish, yeah it started to look a little less firm, but I still had some fat under there so it was still filled out. At 135-ish, I think this was probably when I hated it the most. I had less fat, but still enough to make the skin look folded over, like rolls (think: shar-pei). BUT THEN when I got to 120 and below, and the underlying fat was reduced enough that my skin just looked wrinkled/crepey so it didn't look as "flappy" (think: the skin that forms over cooled down warm milk...and it was basically just on my stomach around the belly button and my upper arms) The overall look was much, much better though IMO.

Other details: I didn't put on any special lotions, I didn't take any skin enhancing supplements, but I did exercise pretty regularly (not sure if had any effect on the actual skin, but it probably had an effect on the underlying fat and muscle). I also got plastics (arm lift, breast lift, tummy tuck) over a year ago so that took care of that. LOL. My butt however, is still on the flappy side, but I can live with it (for now!).

Edited April 16, 2021 by ms.sss

[ShoppGirl 3,397]

1 hour ago, ms.sss said:

Another thing to keep in mind is that it may also depend on how much weight you lose, and what your final weight will be.

I had my surgery when I was 45 yrs old.

I started at 235. When I got to 170-ish, yeah it started to look a little less firm, but I still had some fat under there so it was still filled out. At 135-ish, I think this was probably when I hated it the most. I had less fat, but still enough to make the skin look folded over, like rolls (think: shar-pei). BUT THEN when I got to 120 and below, and the underlying fat was reduced enough that my skin just looked wrinkled/crepey so it didn't look as "flappy" (think: the skin that forms over cooled down warm milk...and it was basically just on my stomach around the belly button and my upper arms) The overall look was much, much better though IMO.

Other details: I didn't put on any special lotions, I didn't take any skin enhancing supplements, but I did exercise pretty regularly (not sure if had any effect on the actual skin, but it probably had an effect on the underlying fat and muscle). I also got plastics (arm lift, breast lift, tummy tuck) over a year ago so that took care of that. LOL. My butt however, is still on the flappy side, but I can live with it (for now!).

I am not really sure how much I have to lose. My HW was 234, SW was 220 and idk what my goal weight is because idk which model to use for my ideal weight to predict it. I honestly can’t even remember what my weight was In like high school or anything because I never had to pay any attention to my weight until I was about 25 and bipolar symptoms started. The depression and the medication are what packed on the pounds for me. Otherwise I don’t think I would have ever struggled with my weight.

Edited April 16, 2021 by ShoppGirl

[DoodlesMom 98]

On 4/16/2021 at 6:22 AM, ShoppGirl said:

I am five weeks post op and starting to dread the possibility of excess skin. Just wondering if any veterans out there can comment on excess skin in early forties?

I'm so glad you asked this question. Loose skin isn't something I thought I'd worry about but now that surgery is moving closer...

I'm in my 40s too. I've lost 60-80 pounds a few times in my 30s and I didn't end up with extra skin but did have some pretty bad stretch marks. Being older now, and much heavier, I worry about the apron belly and pancake boobies that will cause clothes to fit awkwardly and I don't want rashes and rubbing.

Edited April 19, 2021 by DoodlesMom