Question:
I need to get some honest feedback on skin elasticity...
I am currently awaiting my surgery date and I am needing some honest answers about long-term post-op skin elasticity. I do not plan on having cosmetic surgery down the road, and I am wondering how bad I need to anticipate that my body will look. I am 5'8" and I currently weigh about 305 pounds. I want to lose about 160 pounds. I am 23 years old, and I am planning to drink a lot of water post-op and exercise often. Do you think that those steps in conjunction with some firming lotions could be enough to make my skin look normal again? If anyone who hasn't had cosmetic surgery has pictures of their body that they would be willing to show me, that would be great too. — kristynush (posted on June 9, 2003)
June 9, 2003
Take a small rubber band and put it around something that is twice it's
size so that it's really stretched...check it after a week or two and
you'll notice that it never goes back to it original shape or size again
and is often weakened. Our skin isn't nearly that bad, since it's alive.
BUT it does has elastic strands in it and when they break they stay broke.
The do not heal and do not grow back together. Do you have a LOT of
stretch marks? Have you been excessively over-weight a long time? Do you
keep well hydrated normally? These will all have a bearing on how well your
skin will recover post-op as the weight comes off. I really doubt your
skin will ever look "normal" again, but it could be passing fair.
Just depends on your body. Good luck to you!
— [Deactivated Member]
June 9, 2003
Well, I can tell you that your youth is on your side or at least will help
some. It also will depend on genes, how much you work out helps, lots of
water helps and the heavier you are the more skin you have b/c we lose so
fast. I am 5'5 27 and was 267 now 146 8mo post-op and I have problem
areas, but my worst is my stomach(but I also just had 3kids in a row). I
did not want to go for RS, but now that im pretty much done losing and work
out like a bandit, im just giving in if my insurance will pay for the tummy
tuck....it's getting done:o) I really am flabby in some areas, but it's not
all that bad. My stomach, upper arms underneath, butt and upper thighs.
Clothes do hide all that well! Good luck to you!
— Sandy M.
June 9, 2003
When I had my surgery last year I was 31, 5'8" and 268 pounds. I did
have a tt. Did I "need" it? No. I had also had four children
and had really deep stretch marks on my stomach from the pregnancies. And
my tummy was a little on the squishy side. It did not hang but it was
squishy. My arms and legs are fine as you can see from my pic on my
profile. Your age will help and so will water. Make sure you get in a lot
of protein from day one. Remember some of the "sagging" that
post ops get is caused from the underlying muscle tissue breaking down from
lack of protein. There are links in my profile to studies about this. I
would be happy to email you my TT before and after pictures so you can see.
— Linda A.
June 9, 2003
Looking at other's pictures will have no bearing on how well you do, even
if you find someone your age and starting weight. We are all different.
There is no answer for you about whether you will need plastics and what
your post-op skin elasticity will be. Whether you will need it or not is a
combination of age (younger is better), water (more is better), if you have
stretch marks currently (stretch marks are not good), whether you have had
kids (pregnancy is not good), how fast you lose (slower is better), how
long you have been obese (the shorter the better) and your genes. Firming
lotions do not help with skin elasticity.
— Cindy R.
June 9, 2003
I'm 23 as well and had LAP RNY a year ago. I am now 125lbs (was 250) and my
skin looks pretty good overall. I had a few things on my side- age and I
wasn't overweight my whole life. My neck, arms, legs and toosh look good.
My stomach isn't too bad, I hate it, but in clothes it looks pretty flat
and don't really need a TT. My boobs are another story though lol Sag
City! So, there are many factors, and I think alot of it is just luck!
But I've heard from plastic surgeons that the more stretch marks you have
the less elasticity your skin has. Exercise can help to firm, but if there
is excess skin, nothing but surgery can take that away unfortunately.
Goodluck to you :-)
— Lezlie Y.
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