Sorry, not many men around here to begin with. It might be something I'd consider at some point, but I would have to win the powerball first.

I certainly have extra skin, but it isn't anything I stay awake at night thinking about. My bikini wearing days are over.

I have read somewhere that surgerons will not perform cosmetic surgery on weight loss patients until you are at least 18 months past surgery.

Nope, not true.

Surgeons want your weight to be stable but they all have different guidelines for when that is and most don't go by when you had surgery but by how many months your weight has been stable. Many plastic surgeons will operate on you almost the second you get to goal, it seems to me! :laugh:

There have been a lot of plastic surgeon coming to my bariatric surgeon's support group over the years plus I've been to some presentations at conferences. I've heard from maybe 7 PS at this point. The earliest I've heard is 3 months of weight stability and the longest is 6 months.

That said, personally *I* would wait until you are 1 year out from goal. My experience and the experience of so many of my friends is that the weight redistributes and the skin continues to shrink and that you can't really know what your final result will be until then. I know that I was dead set on getting PS right when I got to goal but, for various reasons that wasn't practical and now that I'm farther out, had a bit of bounce back (thank goodness), I am a lot less interested in it.

So I'm glad I waited

At 9 months out from RNY, I have lost 100% of my excess weight--hit the "healthy" range at 7 months post op. I still want to drop about 12 more pounds to be in the lower end of "healthy," as I am a type I diabetic on an insulin pump. My problem is not knowing what is still "fat" and what is actually skin. My surgeon seems to think it's mostly skin, and we've already talked about the fact that my insurance absolutely won't pay for any cosmetic surgery and that we'd be looking at $16,000+ to have any work done. How can I tell what is still fat and what is actually skin? How do I know? And when do I know that enough is enough where the weight loss is concerned? I see so many people who have had wls reach a size 2 or 4 and, though I was that size when I was younger, I just don't see the possibility of getting that small without some kind of surgery. ???

Plastic surgery prices: This is the list of prices for the procedures at the Bari Plastics program in my town if you are a WLS patient and have been referred to that program
Bilateral Mastopexy (2 breast lifts) $6692
Bilateral Agumentation Mammoplasty/Mastopexy with implants $12,098
Bilateral Augmentation Mamoplasty with implants $6566
Barchioplasty (Bilateral Arms) $6232
Body Contouring:
Abdomnioplasty: $8052
Thigh lift: $6892
Hip/buttock lift: $6292

Mini face lift $6327
Full face lift $9389

The above prices are estimates and could change. The price includes the surgery fees for the surgeon, anesthesia and hospital charges (including 23 hour observation stay if needed). If a hospital stay is longer than 23 hours there is an additional $450 charge per night for this. What do you think of these prices? I know you can get it done cheaper in Mexcio doing medical tourism but that stuff kinda scares me. This program is familar with WLS people and their skin and are experienced at working with them on plastic surgery.

I added up if had my upper arms, boobs, tummy, upper thighs and hip/butt done and it would cost me $34,034! UGH! They will combine procedures up to 2 as long as you arent' knocked out for longer than 7 hours also. I would be self pay as my insurance wouldn't pay for any plastics. I have to get a hernia repaired that they found along with the hital hernia they did repair when they did my sleeve so I would have the hernia repaired too if I did have any plastics done. This might save me some $, maybe!

Residency programs are often about half the cost. Look in your area for programs. I know here in Houston the Baylor residency program gets rave reviews.

Residency programs are often about half the cost. Look in your area for programs. I know here in Houston the Baylor residency program gets rave reviews.

Thanks! I'll see if my surgeon can get me info on that. If not, I'll check into it myself. I was told that Galveston burn unit does skin removal at very small cost if you want to donate it to the burn unit there. Donating the skin would be a great idea.

Here are my notes I took from my Plastic surgery consult appointment yesterday. Sorry it's long but I had alot of quesitons!

Plastic Surgeon Consultation 7/29/13 3-4:15pm

Plastic surgery prices: This is the list of prices for the procedures at the Bari Plastics program in my town if you are a WLS patient and have been referred to that program
Bilateral Mastopexy (2 breast lifts) $6692
Bilateral Augmentation Mammoplasty/Mastopexy with implants $12,098
Bilateral Augmentation Mamoplasty with implants $6566
Barchioplasty (Bilateral Arms) $6232
Body Contouring:
Abdomnioplasty: $8052
Thigh lift: $6892
Hip/buttock lift: $6292
Mini face lift $6327
Full face lift $9389
The price includes the surgery fees for the surgeon, anesthesia and hospital charges (including 23 hour observation stay if needed). If a hospital stay is longer than 23 hours there is an additional $450 charge per night for this.


How many times have you done plastic surgery on former WLS patients?-10-15 people a year
How many years?-11 plus years

Ask to see before/after pics of patients of my size/frame that lost the amount of weight I have to see results?
Go to Springfield Clinic of Plastic Surgery to see pics.

How long should I wait till I have first procedure? 12-18 months after reaching my personal weight loss goal since weight/fat move around still that long after reaching my goal?
As long as I am at my weight I am happy with and have maintained that weight for 3 months plastic surgery can be done now.

Does abdominoplasty include paniculumectomy?-Yes

Panniculectomy vs tummy tuck vs. fleur de lis Tummy Tuck what is the difference and do they offer all these here?-Yes all offered here but tummy tuck or fleur de lis Tummy Tuck would be best for me. Dr. thinks the fleur de lis might be done for better results. Might do a circumferential tummy lift.

What is the difference between a Bilateral Mastopexy (2 breast lifts) $6692 Just a lift
Bilateral Agumentation Mammoplasty/Mastopexy with implants $12,098 Lift with Implants
Bilateral Augmentation Mamoplasty with implants $6566 Implants only, no lift
He thinks I need both, would do lift first and later do the implants.

Complications and rate of complications?-Not a smooth incision line when healed, Unfavorable scaring, fluid collection, wound opening up, dog ears-These don’t happen a lot but can happen. It won’t be perfect, they try to make it look perfect but there will still be unsmooth lines with the scaring.


Proposed results? Where would incisions be on these procedures?-upper arm-This could be done in combo first surgery since it bothers me the most. Incision would be in inner arm. Would be able to take all loose skin off from under armpit to right at elbow area.

Boobs-This could be done with upper arm surgery in combo surgery. Would just do a breast lift now and do implants later. Incision might be above breast or at nipple and down the center of breast.
Tummy- fleur de lis Tummy Tuck might be best for me or he could do just tummy tuck but would make sure to tighten up ab muscles under tummy or he might do a circumferential tummy lift. Part of surgery combo 2 with hip butt lift. If does a circumferential tummy lift would also lift upper back area too. Incision would be on bikini line and possible an incision up and down too if fleur de lis was done.
hip/butt-Butt would still be flat but wouldn’t be wrinkled would be done with surgery combo with tummy surgery. This would also help with loose skin around lower back area by waist line also. Incision would be along waist line.
upper thighs-Incision would be at leg line would be part of surgery combo 3 with breast implant surgery.
Implants-Would be done separately from breast lift and part of surgery combo 3 with upper thigh surgery. Incision would be along nipple and down center of breast

Will you need liposuction in addition to the skin tightening? Surgeon didn’t think it would help me any so no lipo would be done. It usually doesn’t last that long is why he doesn’t see at as doing it on me.

Drains how many/how long in?
upper arms-2 in each arm/1-2 weeks left in
boobs-no drains for lift or implant surgeries
tummy-2 drains/1-2 weeks left in
upper thighs-2 drains in each leg/1-2 weeks left in
hip/butt-Forgot to ask but probably 2 drains and left in 1-2 weeks

Recovery time? I have a desk job how much time would I have to take off for diff procedures?
Boobs, tummy, upper thighs, hip/butt-Since I have a desk job probably 2 ½ weeks. Have surgery on a Wed and then go back to work in 2 ½ weeks.

Is a pain ball an option for post-op pain? No not usually with his practice or at Memorial Hospital

How many lbs of skin does he think he can remove?-Not as much as you would think, maybe a total of 5 pounds if all procedures were done. Tummy 3 lbs, Back 1 lb, arms 2 lbs, just estimation.

Does he recommend compression garments? If so, do they provide them to you in cost work up or do you have to pay for them? Special wraps/binders/Vest/sleeves are given to the person after surgery is done and you were those home and keep wearing them and are part of the cost work out. Eventually he would send me to Macy to buy Spanx or that type of compression garments to wear for 6-8 weeks after different areas of surgery that I would have to purchase on my own.
Very important question is to ask about revisions. Sometimes things don't go as planned and you may need a revision-ask if it's covered by him/her or if you'll have to pay. What if I lose weight after Plastics will revision need to be done? How often do revisions occur with your patients? If revision is done he usually will do it when he is doing another combo surgery of mine. Sometimes an additional cost but it depends. Revisions sometimes happen. Depends on the person and their skin and how it heals up.

Lifting restrictions/working out restrictions, how long?-6-8 weeks for most surgeries. Walking can begin right away but weight lifting and stuff like that has to wait till 8 weeks. Water exercise could start in 3 weeks depending on the activity level.
I have a hernia that needs repaired could this be done at same time and save money if my insurance would pay for that part of it?-Yes it could either Hammer/Icazza could do it or even he could do it when the tummy area is worked on.

How do they go about that with the bill? -My insurance would be billed surgeons time on the bill that would go to my insurance co.

Does your office take care credit?-No
financing options?-At this time, none but they are working on some. He doesn’t know what Memorial Bari Plastics programs offers for financing options so I would need to call them to see if they have any.

Is excess skin donated to Memorial Burn Unit? Discounted cost for this?-No, they use cadaver skin. No most hospitals don’t do this anymore. No discounts either.

23 hour observation stay also included in cost so do you usually go in and stay overnight or come in early in the morning have surgery and leave that night?-The observation stay time doesn’t start till after the surgery has occurred and you are admitted to the hospital

Can your office check to see if my insurance would cover any plastic procedures? I have tried to look it up but gotten no luck since it’s a new insurance is why I ask. -In his experience, most if not all insurance companies will not cover these procedures I am thinking about because it is cosmetic type surgery with no medical advantage to having them done.

Lab work, EKG, Chest xray are all include in Memorial Bari Plastics Quotes also so price is all inclusive unless have to stay longer in hospital.

Complications and costs-many times they have been able to get the person health insurance to pay for the cost of bills if complications. He said to not quote him on this but usually they can get insurance to pay for this.

Surgery 1:
Bilateral Mastopexy (2 breast lifts) $6692
Barchioplasty (Bilateral Arms) $6232
Estimated cost total $12,924

Surgery 2:
Abdomnioplasty $8052
Hip/buttock lift $6292
Estimated cost total $14,344

Surgery 3:
Thigh lift $6892
Bilateral Augmentation Mamoplasty with implants $6566
Estimated cost total $13,458

Total cost of all surgeries $40,726

Right now I am waiting to hear from the Bari Plastics group to get the "firm" prices since these are just estimates. Last night I got to thinking and was thinking of having my upper arms done and tummy done first. Those two areas bother me the most so if I only had one combo surgery that would be it, if they would combo those two areas.
Has anyone had upper arms and tummy done at same time?

I so agree they are 1000 times better now, no big deal a faded scar...

Well for me my health insurance won't pay for any type of skin removal so its self pay and unless I win the lottery it won't be getting done anytime soon! I don't even play the lottery either! I think my bat wings aren't as bad now due to workouts but maybe I am just getting used to the flabby skin now!
I am scared of the pain and drains too so not in any hurry to have it done.
Maybe someday!

I have already lost 111 pounds and need to drop another 60. I see alrady that I need surgery for my arms; can anyone tell me how much does an arm lift cost?
Thank you,

I would so love to have my arms, inner thighs and stomach done. A breast lift and butt lift would be great too, but my arms, legs and stomach are the worst. I have horrible bat wings, my stomach looks like I have a deflated tire just above my waist and upper thighs are saggy and hanging.
I look pretty good with clothes on and don't let even the batwings stop me from wearing tank tops or sleeveless shirts, but I still want them fixed. I wear long shorts or capris to cover the saggy thighs. The stomach is just what it is. Nothing except spanks can hide it and it's entirely too hot for spanks now. lol So I just deal with it. It doesn't bother me too bad, but I still want it gone.
My butt is virtually no existant, so a belt is necessary or my pants slide and show my crack when I'm stooping or bending. lol My boobs are a little saggy, but not bad. Nothing a good bra can't correct although if I was getting the rest of it done, I would go ahead and have a breast lift too.
My insurance will not pay for any of the surgery as it is all cosmetic and since I was forced to take a job that pays just about 1/2 of what I use to make, right not self paying is not an option.
So for now, I will just live with the excess skin.

I feel so blessed. I am 6 years post up in June. Lost 200 lbs. (way too much). Have had a fight to put weight back on. I was approved for the lift and the batwings in 2011. But I was chicken to do it and cancelled. I'm back in the loop...mentally ready for this step. I'm nervous. I have my first plastics appt in 4 weeks...then we schedule the date for the lift first....then the batwings following.

Thank you so much for creating this thread. I need all the education I can get on this. Knowledge is what calms me down. The uncertain drives me batty (no pun intended).

Please feel free to add me as a friend. I could use as many as I can find on here.

Looking forward to reading more on the issue.

Thanks again, everyone, for posting.