Facial difference

[Tamika James 62]

How much weight did you guys lose before you started to notice a difference in your face.

[brandycsiz 49]

I am down 35 pounds since surgery and people already tell me they see a difference in my face, I am starting to notice it now.

[BlondePatriotInCDA 588]

I noticed at around 35-40 lbs. They say you lose weight first the last place you put it on. For me it was my face.

[NickelChip 1,358]

No surgery experience yet, but I can tell you from a few years ago when I was able to drop 40lbs through working with my nutritionist (and then gained it back...which is why I'm here now) that it did really show on my face in a good way at about that point, maybe by 30lbs lost. I look back at older pictures and ones now and I'm sad at how round my face is again.

If you want to see it happen rapidly in real life, check out some YouTube channels of folks who are a year or more out from surgery and did weekly or monthly vlog posts. Two that I've watched recently and really enjoyed (and who are still producing new content) are https://www.youtube.com/@nicoleislosingit and https://www.youtube.com/@kakisrnyjourney5376. The facial changes when you go from episode one to the most recent episodes are truly striking.

[KathyLev 286]

I had my surgery in May ........... I looked in the mirror yesterday and noticed I HAD CHEEKBONES !!!! Holy cow - I don't remember ever seeing that !

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,680]

Pic 1 - 388 pounds

Pic 2 - 330 pounds

Pic 3 - 290 pounds

Pic 4 - 255 pounds

Pic 5 - 230 pounds

Pic 6 - 222 pounds (this week at work)

Edited January 11, 2024 by SleeveToBypass2023

[Arabesque 7,573]

I can’t recall but I will say it’s exciting to see your jawline again. And cheekbones. And your neck gets thinner & looks longer. Even my hooded eyelids greatly reduced.

A little warning though. You can start to look drawn & tired especially when you near your final weight. Your body needs time to resettle itself. Then you’ll be your gorgeous self. Think it took a month or two for me. You may have some saggy skin though too which doesn’t go - waaah!

Oh, and there have been a few amusing stories here about people whose phone’s facial recognition didn’t recognize them anymore. A tip might be to keep updating it every month.

Edited January 11, 2024 by Arabesque

[BlondePatriotInCDA 588]

13 hours ago, Arabesque said:

I can’t recall but I will say it’s exciting to see your jawline again. And cheekbones. And your neck gets thinner & looks longer. Even my hooded eyelids greatly reduced.

A little warning though. You can start to look drawn & tired especially when you near your final weight. Your body needs time to resettle itself. Then you’ll be your gorgeous self. Think it took a month or two for me. You may have some saggy skin though too which doesn’t go - waaah!

Oh, and there have been a few amusing stories here about people whose phone’s facial recognition didn’t recognize them anymore. A tip might be to keep updating it every month.

Thanks for posting the tip, I never thought about that. I've held off getting my new Star card and passport after hearing about ppl who had surgery, lost weight and then not being allowed to enter a country because they didn't look like their pictures - just one more thing to add to my list (A good thing)!

[ms.sss 15,808]

i noticed my face slimmer after just 10-15 lost lbs. but this makes/made sense to me because, historically, if i gained 10-ish pounds, i saw the change in in my lower cheeks.

ive updated all my picture id to look what i look like now except my passport. i had just got one of those 10-yr validity passports a couple months before surgery and today i still have another 5 yrs left on it. it does often cause a delay when i cross borders as the agents always do double takes, ugh. sometimes they comment or ask about the weight loss, and once an agent actually called over another agent to show them my passport and they both looked me over incredulously. that was awkward. but i've never been denied entry.

Edited January 15, 2024 by ms.sss

[GMaJen 82]

I don't remember the weight when my face got smaller, but I will say that I look 12 years older. I'm 59 and never looked my age. Getting bigger and bigger kept the wrinkles filled in. It bothers me because I'm not used to it. I have to look at other people my age and tell myself I don't look old, I just look my age.

[BlondePatriotInCDA 588]

1 hour ago, GMaJen said:

I don't remember the weight when my face got smaller, but I will say that I look 12 years older. I'm 59 and never looked my age. Getting bigger and bigger kept the wrinkles filled in. It bothers me because I'm not used to it. I have to look at other people my age and tell myself I don't look old, I just look my age.

We're the same age, I worried about the old age wrinkles setting in when I first thought about WLS. I told my husband " you get a fat younger looking wife with breasts, or thin wrinkled old lady with sagging smaller breasts but healthier!"

Either way the choices suck. So far I only have the turkey neck..my face still has no wrinkles.. Its like waiting for the other shoe to drop. So, I completely understand it bothering you, it bothers me. I knew from looking at other WLS patients - they all look older/old (even young WLS patients) that it would happen 😔 my only saving grace is I've been on Retain A for awhile...its just a matter of time... ..literally.

[AmberFL 1,045]

I am 26lbs since surgery and I can definitely tell! my double chin is almost gone hahah!