As you lose the weight? I'm on the line (BMI of 34.9) and have really good skin. No stretch marks but lots of lipo on my thighs. Since lap band is a slower process does your skin have time to adjust or what?

With a BMI of 34.9 I do not think you have anything to wrry about. I had a BMI of 44.1 and now have a BMI of 30.8 and I am not even concerned with my loose skin it is minimal and I have stretch marks galore but I dont have much hanging sagging skin, atleast not enough to have plastic surgery for..

You're young, too, Tropicana, so you'll have a much easier time of it than many people. My BMI was 47 when I started and while I certainly have some extra skin it's not enough to call a surgeon about.

Jack...from what I've read over the years, they don't want it...

With a BMI of 34.9 I do not think you have anything to wrry about. I had a BMI of 44.1 and now have a BMI of 30.8 and I am not even concerned with my loose skin it is minimal and I have stretch marks galore but I dont have much hanging sagging skin, atleast not enough to have plastic surgery for..

I saw a picture of some woman on here with her before and after tummy tuck (the after was amazing!) so i was wondering if that was normal or not.

Tropicana~ I think it just depends on age /how muchweight you need to lose/I also think if you lose it slower it helps give your skin time to adjust./ I've also heard drinking lots of water helps keep your skin from sagging as much/ Also eating alot of protein instead of fatty stuff will help you lose fat and not muscle which will help keep from sagging . I'm no expert I haven't even got my band yet. I just thought I'd give you some of my thought on the subject.

With all that extra skin we all will have, we could most likely make 5 extra people. LOLOLOL!!!!!

*I came on here just to see what Penni had to say... knew it was something good*

Penni - You are probably right, but take a look at that thread on how much weight have you lost, it might even make more! I get goose bumps everytime I see a new name added on!

Well I am always willing to volunteer myself to the plastic surgeon community of America for any experimental procedures. My son had some hemangiomas that were removed by a very famous plastic surgeon in Miami and I am always and always asking him to use me as a gunie pig (is that how you spell it?) He just laughs at me, man oh man you should see the beautiful women that come through his office and his surgery coordinator, has had some serious work done on her, never seen such perfect breasts in my life. But seriously, I will be getting a tummy tuck, I only have three children, but I have been pregnant five times and the skin is really stretched out on my lower abs, my personal trainer says that because my skin is so stretched out it won't reduce in size. And I have consulted a plastic surgeon for lipo of the abs but lipo won't work because there is excess skin, so a tummy tuck is necessary. The surgeon that did by band is a plastic surgeon and he is doing a tummy tuck and an entire body liposculpture on me (lipo of the thighs, inner and outer, back and hip area too remove the patches of fat that don't normally go away with weightloss, as soon as I reach my goal weight, plastic surgeon here I come. I have already started putting money aside for this purpose. I have also thought of auctioning off my fat on ebay and maybe some rich lady will offer to have all my fat sucked out of me so that she can use it for her wrinkles, LOL who knows it could happen!!!! I wish. But don't none of you go stealing my idea, I'll have to patent it now.

Hi,

The determining factors are genetics, how much weight you have lost, whether you exercise or not or have ever. No one can tell you what you will look like or how much excess you will have until you get to goal. My plastic surgeon said that I have about 12 pounds of excess skin and fat distributed on the thighs and stomach. But I was 170 pounds overweight when I started my journey with a BMI of 53.9. Now it is 29.5. So I dont know what to tell ya!!! You probably wont have too much of a problem though based on age and lower BMI.

Babs in TX

334/183/170

-151

6/23/03

WINK WINK Paula. I will not let you down. WINK WINK!!

Estela, how much would all of that plastic surgery run? That would be something I would treat myself to after staying at goal weight for a certain amount of time....(and it would probably take me years to save for it!)

Can they do all of those procedures at once? I bet you will be off your feet for quite some time....but a supermodel once you heal!

I spoke to him about having these procedures in January and he quoted me $2000 for the tummy tuck and $3500 for the body liposculpture. He did tell me to expect about an increase of about $100 per month, (the hospital and anethesiologists fees increase at about that rate is what he said) He told me that the surgerys could be done at the same time and that the hospital stay was about 2-3 days. I would however be required to stay down there about 15 days for follow up and for the removal of the drain w/ the tt and the removal of stitches or staples ( I don't know what they use). I have contacted a plastic surgeon locally that will do any follow up or aftercare that I need. Luckily my mom lives in McAllen and has offered to care for me and my kids while I have this done and I won't have an expense on staying at a hotel because I can stay at her home. I don't know if his quotes remain the same or if he has gone up, I do know that he is a good doctor. He did my band, and at the time I had my band surgery I wanted to get my tummy tuck and the lipo and had the money in hand and offered it to him and he refused to do it. He said that there were to many risks involved in doing the band surgery with the plastic surgery at the same time. He suggested I take time to get to my goal weight and then go and and have these surgerys done. That to me speaks highly of him, I had all that money right in his face and he could have so easily taken it and not cared for my health. And afer my banding I had problems and every call I made to his office he answered me if available, or he would call me that evening and would stay on the phone long amounts of time with me and never rushed me through any of my questions or concerns. He has a website if you would like to visit it here it is.

http://www.silhouettecirugiaestetica.com

Hope this info helps you. Also, please don't contact them and say what I was quoted, I have had people that I've told his quote to me, call and tell him ---well that's not what you quoted Estela. I'm sure there are a lot of things that go into consideration for a doctor in what he charges and I sure don't want to upset him. Maybe he quoted me a little less since I did have my band surgery with him (who knows) -- I need to stay on his good side since I do plan on continue my care for my band with him and then using him for my plastic surgery. Do you know what I mean??

Estela,

Thanks for the info....definitely alot less expensive than here in the States! I'm going to have to brush up on my Spanish to understand the website. Thanks again and good luck!