Lost 200 Lbs but Look Horribile Naked!

CajunDragon

I recently lost almost 200 lbs and am going to need the surgery to tighten loose skin. I'm not sure where to start. I've never had surgery in my life. My body fat meter says I'm at 15% body fat now. Should I get to 10% before doing the surgery? What is the procedure called? What should I be looking for? Whats the average cost? Just crack open the yellow pages? I'm stressing out about it all and getting depressed.

I'm happy to have lost the weight but I thought I'd look a lot better then I do. The weight had caused me to be alone most of my life but now it's hard to have any intimate relationship. I always have to think about how I will explain the certain part of my body that are lacking. I'm so reluctant to start any relationships or date.

Any advice on where to go next would be awesome. Thanks guys. I still use the app to track daily calories and what not.

lighteningjeanne855

Congratulations upon reaching your GOAL WEIGHT!!!
If you achieved GOAL recently, an ethical plastic surgeon would advise you
to give your skin 18 months-2 years to adjust.
Find a good skin cream with collagen, or simply use cocoa butter,
to help tighten up and reduce stretch marks.
Personally, I'm starting to use a good skin cream now, after losing 44 pounds,
with about 120 more to goal.

My guess is that you can still aim for 10% body fat,
and you should build Lean Body Mass by lifting weights, too.

Best wishes!

reddaddie

Dude, that is awesome. You should give it some time. My wife, quite a bit older than you, lost 115 and had massive skin, and now several months later there is less than half still there. if you don't see the progress you want then find a good plastic surgeon, this procedure can be tricky.

once again, Congrats

Qski

First Up! You are totally Awesome! Congratulations!

Ed has an awesome story like you do, and he posted about his surgery on his blog - and I have seen him be very supportive of others here, so I am sure if you have specific questions he would be happy to help you.

This is his thread, it is a sticky in this forum
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1103164-3-yrs-312lbs-lost-1yr-from-bodylift-and-maintenance

Kookyk9s

Search this sight for "tummy tuck" . Lots of good information there and links to sites for additional information. Serious decision to make and as with all serious decisions should not be made in haste.

Congratulations on your success so far - do not get discouraged. You know that Rome was not made in a day and your new body is still a work in progress. Take your time to explore your options. I am sure that you can make the right decision - look at how much healthier and fitter you are now and you were before. PATIENCE is in fact a four letter word. Acts a lot like it.

Railr0aderTony

First Up! You are totally Awesome! Congratulations!

Ed has an awesome story like you do, and he posted about his surgery on his blog - and I have seen him be very supportive of others here, so I am sure if you have specific questions he would be happy to help you.

This is his thread, it is a sticky in this forum
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1103164-3-yrs-312lbs-lost-1yr-from-bodylift-and-maintenance

100% this. Ed is the Man to talk to

christianladybug

Depends on what parts of your body need th surgery. There is the tummy tuck but if you need upper thigh, back, and arms along with the tummy that is called a full body lift. Prices all depend on what part of the country you are in. A good surgery will ask you to stay at or below your goal weight for six months to a year before they will do the surgery.

You should see Eat, Pray, Love when you have a chance. Liz(Julia Roberts) has a wonderful line in there about muffin tops.

You look amazing. Good luck to you.

Rai007

you are awesome!!

Mcgrawhaha

nice work! i agree with waiting atleast 12-18 months from when you completed your weight loss. i only lost half of what you did, so, i cant speak for you, but i notice my skin tightening up ALOT just in the few months since i reached my goal. i was considering a tummy tuck (5 pregnancies and 100 pound weight loss) since i had a flab that hung down when i was overweight, but now, its actually flat enough to the point that i wouldnt even waste my money. you may always have some extra skin and some stretch marks, but i can assure you, if you give it time, your skin will do what its supposed to do... not completely, but to a point. see what point it takes you before considering such a pricey surgery! in the mean time, a nice low cost effective skin treatment is cocunut oil! slab it on, and smell like a pina colada all day!

nicolen160

I have the same problem, I am gonna need a breast lift when I am done! They are sagging way toooooo much and I hate the way they look, I would give anything to have perky little c cups !! LOL

BenjaminMFP88

congrats on your goal dude!!! I would highly recommend waiting some time before debating surgary. Get some good skin creams and drink plenty of water. Your skin will adjust some over the coming months. If in a year or so it's not where you want it to be, then maybe consider surgary, but I'd recommend waiting and saving your hard earned $$ elsewhere.

BenjaminMFP88

I have the same problem, I am gonna need a breast lift when I am done! They are sagging way toooooo much and I hate the way they look, I would give anything to have perky little c cups !! LOL

Lol, my wife was the same way. She started getting real fit, lost some weight, then got pregnant. 3 years later after she started up her fitness again she's pregnant again... Needless to say she's been wanting the same thing as you.

And if she ever found out I said this, she would destroy me...

jennicole4

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS! Your hard work has paid off! I'm sorry that you're having issues with your looks right now. I agree with PPs who say to give it a little time and see where you're at. A good resource is www.realself.com. You can find procedures, board certified doctors in your area, and read personal accounts from individuals who have actually gone through the procedure. There's even a feature to post a picture and have plastic surgeons give you feedback on what procedures they'd recommend and the types of results you could expect. It's a female-dominated site for sure, but there is a wealth of information there.

As far as the self-esteem goes, I struggle in this area too. It's all about changing your thought process - and I certainly haven't mastered it, but I try to step out of myself for a moment and think about how I would feel if I were talking to a friend. For example, if you're feeling undesirable because of loose skin, what would you say to a friend who had just lost 200 pounds? You would probably be really happy for them and in awe of their accomplishment. You certainly wouldn't tell them they're undeserving of happiness in a relationship because now they have loose skin, right? Don't do it to yourself. Those negative thoughts will continue to happen, but if you acknowledge them and then dismiss them, they begin to lose their power. :flowerforyou:

Again, congratulations and I wish you the best of luck and happiness in the future!

Losingthedamnweight

Congratulations upon reaching your GOAL WEIGHT!!!
If you achieved GOAL recently, an ethical plastic surgeon would advise you
to give your skin 18 months-2 years to adjust.
Find a good skin cream with collagen, or simply use cocoa butter,
to help tighten up and reduce stretch marks.
!

This is what confused me about that extreme weight loss show with Chris Powell. People just lost like 150 lbs in 6 months and they go to the doctor to talk about skin removal surgery even though a) they aren't even done with their weight loss yet and still have as much as 50lbs to go and b) they didn't give the skin time to shrink!

I think these shows are so freaking staged it's scary. Normal people can get the wrong idea

Gearjammer71

Congratulations on all your success OP, and thanks for creating a great thread. I've learned a lot from this myself, as this is something that I've realized is sort of a problem lately. Not just for the fact that my belly looks like a chewed piece of bubble gum, but all the flappin' around I do when I run. It's to the point now where I have to start wearing a really small shirt underneath my clothes to keep control. I am far too much of a candy *kitten* to get it chopped off though, so I am relieved to learn that it will shrink some.

xiamjackie

As far as an intimate relationship goes, I dated a guy once that lost 100 pounds. He looked absolutely fantastic, but was very self-conscious about how he looked without clothes on. Before we started to get too *intimate* he told me that he had a lot of loose skin and how he was worried how I'd feel about it, etc. I didn't care one bit and was able to ease his insecurities after he told me. Any girl worth dating is going to me more interested in your personality than some loose skin.

Will210

Great advice on this thread. My advice will be to wait as well. Give your skin a chance to respond to your new frame. In regards to the 15% - maybe consider a bulking routine? Stay at that 15% but add some muscle. The 10% will be more difficult to maintain and will only make the skin look more loose (I think).

sydneyplainjane

in the mean time, a nice low cost effective skin treatment is cocunut oil! slab it on, and smell like a pina colada all day!

I agree about the coconut oil, and I discovered it by accident. I was using it on my hair for a while, and I would rub the excess coconut oil left on my hands onto my belly. After a few weeks, I noticed how the skin on my belly started to feel smoother and more supple (didn't just hang there). So, yeah, definitely give it a try. It can't hurt!