Extra skin?

[Jess5]

So one worry that I have before surgery is extra skin? So many before and after picture look great, but I am sure there are people that have issues with extra skin. Any advice from those who have been there? Jess

[ACE]

Excess skin is something almost all of us deal. I have lost over 300 lbs and as nice as I look in clothing the skin hangs and the boobs have migrated way south. You have to learn to be comfortable in your own skin and love yourself no matter what or you will never truly be happy with this journey. There are some insurances that will help to remove some of the skin mostly the tummy tuck area below the belly button but you have to have your primary doctor document that a lot and many times that isn't all the surgery you need. For me with insurance helping to cover the tummy tuck portion it would still cost me over $14,000 to get the skin fixed just on my stomach and boobs. I would still have hanging skin on my thighs and arms so in my thoughts its not worth the extra pain to have plastic surgery. But I can say that to me living with excess skin is WAY better than living with 300lbs of excess fat.

[ACE]

Also binders like spanx are my best friend for helping the skin not only to stay looking nice under my clothes but also it helps gravity not pulling on it so it does shrink over time. I am 5 years out and the skin is still shrinking slowly its not going to all go away but it will get better and better with each year

[jamma]

You are an inspiration! Yup, a little hanging skin is no big deal compared to over 300 pounds!

[Christie13]

I think it depends on genetics, age, how quickly you lose, and how much you lost. I know my sister lost 120 and she only has some minor hangy skin on her belly and her upper arms. Very minor. She was also 31 at the time. I am almost 44. So far my skin doesn't look too bad. I've noticed some sag in my upper thighs and upper arms. So far the rest is not bad. My boobs already hung and so far my breast haven't gotten smaller so they are about the same. I have only lost 57 lbs those so we will see what happens after an additional 30. I know there is a forum on here for surgeries needed for lifts and what not after surgery. I know some people get them. Most insurance does not cover and they are expensive....and they say they are painful. The breast lift and tummy tuck are the least painful. I have read that the lower body lift is painful and the recovery is pretty long. I would recommend checking out that forum and reading the posts. Good luck.

[sraebaer]

I lost about 80 pounds and don't have a problem with extra skin. Sure a tummy tuck would be nice, but under clothes my tummy looks flat. I guess If I was young I'd probably do it, but at 60, who cares when I look fine in clothes.

[Kindle]

I lost 100 pounds and for several months I had a prominent turkey neck and droopy jowls. That skin tightened up over time, but my chubby cheeks were replaced with many more wrinkles. My upper arm and belly skin tightened up very nice, too. But you probably don't want to hear about my saggy boobs. My former DD's are now A/B cups with all that DD skin still there. Picture two tennis balls in the toes of a couple socks. Oh yeah, and let's not forget about my butt skin melting down the backs of my thighs and thigh skin drooping to my knees. But like sraebaer mentioned, nothing most clothes won't cover up.

[Lorna Doone]

If you have insurance that'll cover it, get it done in the States. If not you can get affordable surgery in Mexico or Dominican Republic. When I had my WLS in Mexico the hotel was filled with tourist getting plastics. Most of them had, had WLS months before me. Yes, It's painful I hear and you have to wear body girdles for 6 months. To do your whole body, you have to make 3-4 trips. You could spend any where's from 10,000-20,000 for your whole body South of the Border. But it's still cheaper than the States where you'd probably spend 100,000+ for the works.
You could be made to look like the 6 million dollar man or woman, LOL! However, where there's no pain there's no gain.
I'm close to 60 but I still want to look like a Movie Star in my old age. Call me vain! LOL!
You can ask your local MD for Percocets or Vicodin before you fly out. Enough to get through the first week. This is what other medical tourist's have told me and they were fine with it. Also if you go South for plastic procedures count on staying at least 2 weeks to recoup before getting back on the plane to go home.