Extra skin after loosing weight
ReginaKeat
Posts: 43 Member
I have questions about what others have experienced after surgery. I am still over 4 months out from my surgery and have lost 40 lbs. With further loss before surgery and even more after what should I expect about "Skin Flab"? I do not know what else to call it. My stomach is starting to droop already. With more weight loss it will be down below my knees.
Is there hope of getting things back to normal without surgery to reduce the flab?
Is there hope of getting things back to normal without surgery to reduce the flab?
0
Replies
-
I was told at my surgeon's office that your skin only has a certain amount of elasticity, and that past a certain point of weight loss (I think they said 80 lbs), your skin won't just bounce back on it's own. That said, a lot of things factor in, such as age, protein and water intake, and exercise. Those things will help but they might not solve all your issues with excess skin. I have lost 145lbs and I have probably 80 more to go, and I am already dealing with a lot of loose skin. I am sure I will have to have surgery in the future to nip, tuck, and refill!0
-
Everyone will experience this differently but getting plenty of water and protein PLUS working out (strength training) will give you the best possible result for you. I have lost over 100 lbs and have a small amount of loose skin on the abdomin that is not really a problem - even with my shirt off. I will see how this goes in a year before making any decisions.
Increasing muscle mass in the chest and on the arms will help stretch the skin back out in a good way. Have to work out.0 -
If you lose everything you need to lose, you will have extra skin. The body reabsorbs the fat, but won't reabsorb the skin. I have extra skin under my chin, on my arms, chest, abdomen, and thighs. I don't worry about it to much when I have clothes on as you can't really tell them.
As for helping out with it, the only thing you can do is exercise so that you build muscle that will take up that extra space. That's the only natural way to get rid of it. The only other way would be contouring (plastic) surgery. I've heard that costs in the range of something like 15 grand unless you can get insurance to pay for it.0 -
Every body is different... but most likely you will have some, possibly a lot. I have a lot mostly around torso especially lower waist. Some on thighs and a very small amount on arms which I am trying really hard to make go away by increasing muscle size on my arms and it seems to be working. I have another 20 pounds to lose before I get into the surgery stuff, but hopefully by the end of this year.0
-
I have loose skin all ready. I really don't like the flaps under my arms at all! My belly does droop. My chest droopy and my legs too.
Being a realist, I have looked at lots of online videos and information and am pretty certain I will have to have skin removal surgery. A friend that went through this had her chest done first and now regrets that and wishes it would have been her arms... as she said... you can wear a push up bra... but it is hard to cover turkey wing arms.
I wear compression clothing to keep the droopy belly in check so it isn't hampering my exercise for now... can't wait to have the sucker tightened up!0 -
There's nothing you can do for it. Men try to lift weights, women buy creams and lotions. It comes down to genetics, age, and how long you were obese. I've done better than most, and you can't tell while I'm clothed, but it's still there. I know some whose skin will literally hang to their knees.
Sometimes insurance will pay, but it has to be deemed a medical necessity, not just cosmetic. Every issue should be seen by a doctor and documented if there is any hope for insurance. But there are still policies that will not pay, no matter what.
But please, don't let this keep you from getting WLS. Being morbidly obese is far worse than losing a ton of weight and having some excess skin. Far, far better.0 -
From my many years in the bariatric community, I'd say 80% of us have enough loose skin to warrant plastic surgery. Nothing you can do to prevent it. If it bothers you, save up for plastics and/or make sure your credit score is good so you can get a loan. I had to get the skin removed for my mental health. Many learn to live with it.0
-
Some can live with the loose skin. I can live with my flappy wings as I do not like sleeveless. I would like to have my thighs n but done, but can not see the expense and time.. Had stomach skin removed in Sept and it is a terrific improvement. In my ability to wear nice clothes and exercise and feel confident
I waited 3 years after my weight loss. Needed to save up the $$$.0 -
I have two hernias, one above and one below my waist. They were not fixed when I had my sleeve done because my surgeon said that they were not a danger and getting them fixed after I'm done losing will cause an automatic tummy tuck. The upper arms and thighs will be on my dime most likely as at this point I am not have any "health related" issues with these areas.
I'm not done losing yet, but have gone from a size 34 to an 18 so far. The more weight I lose and the smaller the sizes the more of a challenge it is to find clothes. A good example of what I mean is pants. Size 16-18 waist, size 24 thighs. So either the pants have to be a stretch material in a "relaxed" fit or wide leg style. I found an awesome leather jacket at more than 50% off size XL. The upper arms were so tight I could barely get it on. It zipped up so nice and my husband said it really accented how thin I was getting, but I knew I would never wear it because the upper arm was so tight. I guess my point is, I feel that getting the excess skin removed is a necessity both from an emotional well being standpoint but also from a clothing standpoint. As I continue to lose, it's will get more and more challenging to find clothing that fits as I will just get more and more disproportinate.0
