Post Op Skin Care - How do I minimize skin issues?

[Nadae 3]

Hello everyone!

I’ve just had my sleeve surgery on January 8th of this year and if it helps, I’m 32 years old. I’m less than one week post op and I can already see my skin changing and getting flaky from dehydration. My Fluid intake is improving so all is well. What I would really love to know is how can I take care of my skin to minimize dry Patches, loss skin, stretch marks, …etc. I think the early I tackle this, the better 😂

Your advice and experience will help me so much - please share any products, habits, Vitamins, supplements, exercises…etc. that help you keep your skin healthy

[Smanky 743]

I kept my skin in the best condition I could with collagen support supplements, Biotin, hydration and body lotions with actives like retinol in it. Oh and a daily and pedantic application of 50+ SPF.

I still have a lot of loose skin (I'm 51, so it's not gonna bounce back much), but the scars are almost gone and my skin is as happy as it can be. There's no escaping at least some loose skin with big weight loss, and unless plastics are an option down the track, leaning to love it is all you can do!

[Arabesque 6,424]

Some of what are you are experiencing could be a post surgical effect &/or from the anaesthetic (it’s renown for causing skin & hair dryness). Also there could be some hormonal issues at play too. Slather on a good body lotion & as you start to eat a wider variety of food you may find it decreases.

As for loose skin & stretch marks nothing can stop that happening. How much you end up with depends on many factors like age, how long you’ve carried your weight, how long you’ve been at your highest weight & genetics. Think of your skin as a hair band that has been well used & stretched out - ain’t nothing going to make that go back to how it was when it was new. Same with your skin regardless of how many Vitamins you take.

I’m using a ‘wonder’ cream at the moment that’s supposed to reduce stretch marks. ‘See results in two weeks.’ Well it’s been more than a month & there’s been no change. My skin is a little softer so I guess that’s a win. Won’t be buying it again.

Find a good facial oil, with or without collagen. (I love Drunk Elephant’s Marula oil & Charlotte Tilbury’s Collagen superfusion facial oil - wish I could bathe in it.) At the very least you’ll notice a change in the tone & texture of your skin. Then you can join those of us who’ve tried UV, RF & derma needling treatments to help with facial skin laxity. (The treatments have become my new addiction 😁.)

[Nadae 3]

Thank you so much @Smankyand @Arabesque. This really helps a lot, I know I can’t avoid the stretch marks or the loose skin, but it’s comforting to know I can keep my skin healthy with some products. Thanks again lovelies 💕

[NP_WIP 273]

I also experienced extra dry skin and scalp the week after surgery, I started using coconut oil in my scalp and that helped.

Once I was allowed to wash the incision I started using dove body scrub, olay body wash, olay rinse off body moisturizer and the regular lotion all with hyalunoric acid, so far so good, can be doing better but concentrating on exercising this month

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using BariatricPal mobile app

[Kilberandy 0]

Hey there! Congratulations on your sleeve surgery! I had a similar experience, and I found that drinking a lot of Water and using a gentle moisturizer helped me a lot. I also started using Vitamin E oil on my skin, and it really made a difference. Another tip is to incorporate some light exercises like yoga or to walk to keep your skin firm. You might want to check out the Cheap aesthetic clinic in Singapore, as they have great products and treatments that could help with skin issues. I'm actually planning to try them out myself! Best of luck to you on your journey!

Edited March 7, 2023 by Kilberandy