Midsection weight loss- loose skin question

I am just over 5mo out and loving every minute of my post op life. I am eating right and being active and am still amazed at how much better life is already only 5mo out. I am down 97lb and I am so excited to keep working towards my goal.

I had a question about loose skin in the mid section. I am 27 years old and have never had a child or been pregnant, I carry alot of my weight in my stomach area and it has always hung down (I could always lift up my "roll") So far, my stomach is inching its way up and my roll is not hanging as much like it used to. A girl in my hospital support group had a very similar pre op body to mine and her stoma*****hed its way up and while she still has excess skin on her stomach, it does not hang down like an apron. (she is at goal and has lost 150lb) 

I know that everyone is different, however, I am curious about whether or not anyone else has experienced significant weight loss in their stomach area and how the skin reacted. Did your roll go away? Does it hang down low? Do you have pictures? I am working on core exercises at the gym to help tighten things up as I lose but I would love to hear of someone elses experience.

Thank you in advance for sharing or commenting. 

-Ashley

Hi Ashley,

You are doing great!  My skin is loose and wrinkly - but - I am down 182 pounds.  I do not have an apron.  I am in the home stretch now - just another 9 pounds, or so, to go.  I am not concerned about my loose skin - it's a trophy! LOL!  Keep up the great effort!

Thank you Liz! Congratulations on all of your success as well! :) I am so happy for you! 

Your age will definitely work in your favor, although if you have been very heavy for a long time, your skin may not snap back as much as if you have been heavy for a shorter period of time.  (A friend who was only 24 when she had surgery (but had been obese her entire life) still ended up with an apron that she had plastic surgery to remove.)

Even if 10 people send you before and after pictures of their bellies, it is he likely that any of them are going to give you an accurate idea of what you will look like.  Too many factors to consider: age, how heavy you are, how long you have been heavy, how much of that weight is in your belly, the quality of the abdominal skin to begin with (e.g., how many stretch marks, pregnancies, etc.), and heredity.

I had a very large apron that hung down onto the top of my thighs... But I had a BMI of 57, carried most of the weight in my belly, and was 45 before I had surgery, so your skin results would be VERY different than mine.

There really isn't anything you can do about it, so try not to expend too much energy worrying about it. 

Lora

Thank you! I really appreciate your post! :) 

Hi there :)

I figured I would give an answer as someone close to your age (I'm 28) and who's also not had any children. Anyhow, I'm 17 months out and have lost about 260. Now that's quite a big more than you at this point, and my stomach is definitely saggy. Now I don't have the common low hanging apron, and everything looks good with clothes on. However, I will elect to have a tummy tuck after my husband and I have kids (planning on the next couple of years).

You're doing all of the right things by eating well and exercising, but what your skin will do only time will tell. A lot will have to do with your genetics. Just be realistic about the possibility of some loose skin (I haven't met many people who don't get some post wls), and that should help you not to focus on it so much.

And when you're done losing, and loose skin is  still a problem you can always look in to a little plastic surgery.

For now, I would just focus on eating right and exercising. One step at a time. Congrats on all of your success thus far :)

Thank you for your post! I really appreciate it! I am in the same boat with wanting to have kids in the next few years with my soon to be husband :) I am so happy but you are right, I need to focus on one thing at a time :) Thank you! 

It really just depends.  I had a large apron and while it's nothing like before, after losing 186 lbs I have a ton of skin.  I am only 32 but have had kids.  It all just depends. 

I had a larger stomach and from my highest I am down 152lbs.  Mine mostly went away I do have some hanging skin but not nearly as bad as I have seen.  I am having a tummy tuck at the end of this month.  My PS says that the amount of core work I do has certainly helped with the muscle tone underneath and we wont need to do any liposuction.  I lotion a lot but I'm not sure it really helps.  I think its just genetic. Mine doesnt hang like an apron it more is just a little wrinkly and loose.  If I bend over forward I get what I call the weird cat waddle.  the skin will hang to the center.