FINALLLYY PLASTICSS, Advice? Stories? Successes?

[fourmonthspreop 522]

Long post alert, just venting and catching up after so much time away... TLDR, I'm getting an arm lift. I want to hear from other people who got it and how it changed their body/body image, recovery, success stories, and whatever else you want to share!

Wow, I haven't posted in a while. This forum got me through some dark times when I had my gastric bypass both before and after.

I am posting today because I am FINALLY getting some plastics done. I have been waiting a while because I wanted to maintain my weight. I just turned 30, I'm not getting any younger and I've been doing excellent maintaining my weight loss so I finally scheduled a brachioplasty to start.

I am getting an arm lift in other words. I included a pic of my arm and the skin hang-age. This is my before. Disclaimer, this pic is from a couple months ago it's the one I had handy on my desktop but I've been doing a lot of weight training and have built up my bicep a bit more.

I would like to do a Tummy Tuck too (I have A LOT of loose skin in an apron belly shape and my boobs sag down to my ribs 😕 ) but I am okay with not getting it for now. I can't afford both and don't really have the time to recover from all that surgery.

I am starting with just the brachio for now. I have spent my whole life hiding my body and after losing all this weight, I found I am concealing it even MORE because of how droopy and flappy everything has gotten. I am fed up of feeling uncomfortable in my own skin after all the hard work I put in. I'm sure a lot of people who get plastic surgery post-major weight loss can relate to this. At this point it feels like a necessity. My bat wing arms also smack against my body like crazy, I can't wear short sleeves without this happening and tops do not fit me right because of my wonky proportions. My bicep has very little fat on it and all the bulk on my arm is hanging under it so it's very uncomfortable. I've been holding off because of how expensive it is as well. I am paying out of pocket 15k and it's a chunk of my savings but I'd rather have this than a payment plan and I can start ASAP to recoup my savings.

I have a lot of body image issues as one does from being morbidly obese their whole life... so honestly I am almost 100% sure this surgery is NOT going to fix the way I see myself. I am more looking at it as a way to feel more comfortable on a day-to-day basis whether I am exercising or just trying to wear a short sleeve outfit in this very hot state I live in.

So that's basically my update. I have been doing well, maintaining my weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. Gastric bypass has completely changed my life and made it so much easier to make better choices for my body and my longevity. I am ready for the arm lift and I am so scared but also excited to see how this all goes. I want to hear from other people who got an arm lift or any loose skin removal and how the recovery went for you and how it helped you and your confidence.

Thanks and you're all wonderful people!

[AmberFL 1,068]

So I have not gotten skin removal YET but I did get a breast augmentation 3 weeks before I hit a year P.O. I lost a lot of weight, work out really hard but my boobs were gonners, between losing and gaining for years, breast feeding two children for 13m each I had skin sacs. I can honestly say that my confidence has sky rocketed- I enjoy wearing cute clothes, I feel better but body dysmorphia is a summa bi&^%, I still see myself at 300lbs, think that I look "fat" and not attractive.

I do think once you see your lean fit arms without the extra skin your going to be showing them off as you should! Cant wait to see your "after" pic!

[GreenTealael 25,590]

Can you post more pics? This doesn’t look severe but it could be the angle. IMHO this would be a lot of recovery and money for so little change. But I could absolutely be wrong. Either way congratulations and good luck!

BTW I didn’t get a Brachio

I got a TT with Lipo & muscle repair at the same time as a breast lift, then went back for a lower back lift and BBL. Recovery was as described by reviews across the internet and completely doable. It was exactly what I needed. I could always use a Brachio (my arms are way worse than yours) but I don’t think I will get it done, I feel really satisfied by the other changes.

Edited April 4 by GreenTealael

[Lilia_90 612]

On 4/4/2025 at 11:13 PM, GreenTealael said:

I got a TT with Lipo & muscle repair at the same time as a breast lift, then went back for a lower back lift and BBL.

May I ask how your BBL recovery was? How long were you not able to sit down, sleep ...etc.?

[FifiLux 565]

On 4/4/2025 at 4:20 PM, fourmonthspreop said:

Long post alert, just venting and catching up after so much time away... TLDR, I'm getting an arm lift. I want to hear from other people who got it and how it changed their body/body image, recovery, success stories, and whatever else you want to share!

Wow, I haven't posted in a while. This forum got me through some dark times when I had my gastric bypass both before and after.

I am posting today because I am FINALLY getting some plastics done. I have been waiting a while because I wanted to maintain my weight. I just turned 30, I'm not getting any younger and I've been doing excellent maintaining my weight loss so I finally scheduled a brachioplasty to start.

I am getting an arm lift in other words. I included a pic of my arm and the skin hang-age. This is my before. Disclaimer, this pic is from a couple months ago it's the one I had handy on my desktop but I've been doing a lot of weight training and have built up my bicep a bit more.

I would like to do a Tummy Tuck too (I have A LOT of loose skin in an apron belly shape and my boobs sag down to my ribs 😕 ) but I am okay with not getting it for now. I can't afford both and don't really have the time to recover from all that surgery.

I am starting with just the brachio for now. I have spent my whole life hiding my body and after losing all this weight, I found I am concealing it even MORE because of how droopy and flappy everything has gotten. I am fed up of feeling uncomfortable in my own skin after all the hard work I put in. I'm sure a lot of people who get plastic surgery post-major weight loss can relate to this. At this point it feels like a necessity. My bat wing arms also smack against my body like crazy, I can't wear short sleeves without this happening and tops do not fit me right because of my wonky proportions. My bicep has very little fat on it and all the bulk on my arm is hanging under it so it's very uncomfortable. I've been holding off because of how expensive it is as well. I am paying out of pocket 15k and it's a chunk of my savings but I'd rather have this than a payment plan and I can start ASAP to recoup my savings.

I have a lot of body image issues as one does from being morbidly obese their whole life... so honestly I am almost 100% sure this surgery is NOT going to fix the way I see myself. I am more looking at it as a way to feel more comfortable on a day-to-day basis whether I am exercising or just trying to wear a short sleeve outfit in this very hot state I live in.

So that's basically my update. I have been doing well, maintaining my weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. Gastric bypass has completely changed my life and made it so much easier to make better choices for my body and my longevity. I am ready for the arm lift and I am so scared but also excited to see how this all goes. I want to hear from other people who got an arm lift or any loose skin removal and how the recovery went for you and how it helped you and your confidence.

Thanks and you're all wonderful people!

I am in the same saggy boat. It is depressing isn't it to go through all this weight loss, still not be comfortable in our own bodies and just wearing smaller size clothes but still hiding the same areas? For me, I have bad lipoedema so from the knees down is horrible and nothing can be done really unless I want to go down the Lipo route and then wear compression gear for life and even then no guarantees.

Where I live in Europe, if you can prove justifiable reasons such as saggy skin interfering with your life and mental health following weight loss the national healthy insurance will pay 80% of the costs. I got approved last week for an arm lift so I am just waiting to hear back from the surgeon with a date. When I had my initial consultation with him he said he had a six month wait list so I have asked if possible to be fit in during October or else wait until January as I don't want any impact on my Christmas travel plans etc.

I have not told my family yet as I live overseas and they got upset at just the thought of me doing something elective as I had such a bad post-op sleeve experience. My Mum actually broke down in tears when I told her I was going to schedule an initial consultation so not sure how or when I will say anything but will cross that bridge when I have an op date.

[summerseeker 2,388]

In my opinion [ and I am not you or your age ] your arms are great.

The brachio surgery is brutal. We use our arms so much, its difficult to imagine how you can manage a week or more without use of them. The scar is big and the main thing that puts me off besides not being able to clean myself. Good luck in everything you decide x

[catwoman7 11,279]

On 4/4/2025 at 2:13 PM, GreenTealael said:

Can you post more pics? This doesn’t look severe but it could be the angle. IMHO this would be a lot of recovery and money for so little change. But I could absolutely be wrong. Either way congratulations and good luck!

BTW I didn’t get a Brachio

I got a TT with Lipo & muscle repair at the same time as a breast lift, then went back for a lower back lift and BBL. Recovery was as described by reviews across the internet and completely doable. It was exactly what I needed. I could always use a Brachio (my arms are way worse than yours) but I don’t think I will get it done, I feel really satisfied by the other changes.

LOL - I was just thinking that the OP's "before" brachioplasty pic looks a lot like my "after" brachioplasty pic! (of course I had major batwings - much worse than the OP's)

[GreenTealael 25,590]

13 hours ago, Lilia_90 said:

May I ask how your BBL recovery was? How long were you not able to sit down, sleep ...etc.?

It was so long ago I barely remember now but I don’t remember being terribly inconvenienced. I believe I followed directions almost perfectly, the plane ride home being the exception . I sat using a foam block (booty pillows 😝) or a lot if pillows under my thighs while in the car or a regular chair. I modified a zero gravity chair to have my rear hang out. So for 2 months my backside didn’t touch a hard surface except the loo. I slept on my stomach or sides. Are you considering a BBL?

[GreenTealael 25,590]

1 hour ago, catwoman7 said:

LOL - I was just thinking that the OP's "before" brachioplasty pic looks a lot like my "after" brachioplasty pic! (of course I had major batwings - much worse than the OP's)

Ok so it’s not just me, I thought I missed something or the perspective was off.

[fourmonthspreop 522]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I am hoping it'll be a smooth recovery but I understand it's a huge procedure and costly, it's still something I believe will help me along my journey. I just feel so uncomfortable with my arms, way more than the loose skin on my belly and legs.

I understand it might not be as drastic as some other cases on here and in no way did I mean to compare myself to anyone else's struggles. It's just something personally I have had trouble with and wanted to know how the recovery process is and how you view yourself after.

My surgeon said there's two people that usually come into his office. The first one is someone who doesn't have enough loose skin and doesn't really qualify for a brachio (they are more looking at Lipo and skin tightening procedures).

The other patient is someone who has huge amounts of excess skin (people who've lost between 150/200 lbs with poorer skin elasticity) and have no other options except a brachio (less invasive procedures would not make a difference).

He said I sit right on the cusp of absolutely needed a brachio to see the results I want. He said my skin elasticity is good but it won't ever bounce back to a normal size without skin removal. He said I could do skin tightening I believe they call is morpheous body but it won't get rid of the flap of skin under my arm. He suggests it to his patients who qualify who are more concerned about scarring. I personally don't care about scars. He also noticed I have a lot of loose skin folded over on my bra line so he is recommends the brachio with the bra line skin removal procedure for me. Of course I want brachio, but I am going with what my surgeon thinks is best and that is the removal of the skin.

I included some other pics, sorry I don't take the best pictures but hopefully, you can see my arms a bit more if you were curious what my situation is. Again, I am in no way comparing my physical shape to anyone else. We all have different circumstances, bodies, elasticity, goals, etc.

I don't have the photos from my surgeon yet (the before, clearest photos) but you can see more of my arm hangage here in these photos. No, it doesn't look super obvious when I wear long sleeves pic for reference (I am always wearing long sleeves) however I personally would like to have a brachio to feel confident in t-shirts without that arm flap wacking against my side.   

[WendyJane 55]

Well, I would like to say, you do you! This is your journey, your body and your body image that you need to take care of. If you feel you need to rid yourself of bat-wings, then you do what you and your physician decide. I'm tired of insurance companies telling patients and doctors how to doctor and care for patients, I'm not going to let others tell you what their opinion is about your surgery that will hopefully make you happier with your body. Remember this is your journey, enjoy it for as long as you are able to! Do what you think is best. I'm still pre-op, so I have no opinion about doing the plastic surgery or know about recovery, I just felt the need to share my thoughts. I think you look pretty darn good, you have lost a lot apparently and have a good figure. I hope you are happy with the rest of yourself. God Bless!

[Arabesque 7,595]

I thought it was an after pxt too @catwoman7 & @GreenTealael & I went back and reread the post too.

Yes, to have plastics or not is a very personal decision. I’m one who decided not to because I didn’t have a lot just a little all over (though I think it has got more noticeable as the years have passed & I’ve got older) and I tend to scar. I’m not one for a bikini, short shorts or waving my arms around so none really sees mine. My clothes cover it well even in body con dresses and skinny legging like pants.

The only thing I’d suggest is to avoid Lipo. You’re only removing more fat so you’ll have more loose skin. Oh and all those skin tightening treatments your local beauty clinic says will help, they won’t so save your money on those and maybe put it towards plastics if that’s what you decide to do.

Edited April 7 by Arabesque

[Lilia_90 612]

8 hours ago, GreenTealael said:

It was so long ago I barely remember now but I don’t remember being terribly inconvenienced. I believe I followed directions almost perfectly, the plane ride home being the exception . I sat using a foam block (booty pillows 😝) or a lot if pillows under my thighs while in the car or a regular chair. I modified a zero gravity chair to have my rear hang out. So for 2 months my backside didn’t touch a hard surface except the loo. I slept on my stomach or sides. Are you considering a BBL?

To be honest, I wasn't up until now. I don't have loose skin or any sagging but my butt has deflated. No amount of weight lifting seems to help as I'm still losing weight.

My concern is time off work, I can't be away for two months 😭. Did you need to take two months off?

[GreenTealael 25,590]

16 hours ago, fourmonthspreop said:

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I am hoping it'll be a smooth recovery but I understand it's a huge procedure and costly, it's still something I believe will help me along my journey. I just feel so uncomfortable with my arms, way more than the loose skin on my belly and legs.

I understand it might not be as drastic as some other cases on here and in no way did I mean to compare myself to anyone else's struggles. It's just something personally I have had trouble with and wanted to know how the recovery process is and how you view yourself after.

My surgeon said there's two people that usually come into his office. The first one is someone who doesn't have enough loose skin and doesn't really qualify for a brachio (they are more looking at Lipo and skin tightening procedures).

The other patient is someone who has huge amounts of excess skin (people who've lost between 150/200 lbs with poorer skin elasticity) and have no other options except a brachio (less invasive procedures would not make a difference).

He said I sit right on the cusp of absolutely needed a brachio to see the results I want. He said my skin elasticity is good but it won't ever bounce back to a normal size without skin removal. He said I could do skin tightening I believe they call is morpheous body but it won't get rid of the flap of skin under my arm. He suggests it to his patients who qualify who are more concerned about scarring. I personally don't care about scars. He also noticed I have a lot of loose skin folded over on my bra line so he is recommends the brachio with the bra line skin removal procedure for me. Of course I want brachio, but I am going with what my surgeon thinks is best and that is the removal of the skin.

I included some other pics, sorry I don't take the best pictures but hopefully, you can see my arms a bit more if you were curious what my situation is. Again, I am in no way comparing my physical shape to anyone else. We all have different circumstances, bodies, elasticity, goals, etc.

I don't have the photos from my surgeon yet (the before, clearest photos) but you can see more of my arm hangage here in these photos. No, it doesn't look super obvious when I wear long sleeves pic for reference (I am always wearing long sleeves) however I personally would like to have a brachio to feel confident in t-shirts without that arm flap wacking against my side.

These pics definitely add more context. Good luck and keep us updated!

[GreenTealael 25,590]

8 hours ago, Lilia_90 said:

To be honest, I wasn't up until now. I don't have loose skin or any sagging but my butt has deflated. No amount of weight lifting seems to help as I'm still losing weight.

My concern is time off work, I can't be away for two months 😭. Did you need to take two months off?

No one takes 2 months off maybe 2 weeks. It’s really just the Lipo harvesting and fat grafting so no huge incisions to heal. But that being said, you really need to have a viable source of fat to harvest. And it needs to survive so you can’t be in a caloric deficit or actively losing weight. If you’re really lean I believe they still recommend implants instead although I think that’s falling out of fashion too.

If you’re really really into fitness, I would suggest transitioning to fitbody/bikini modeling workouts. Those transformations are amazing.