Has anyone looked in to donating skin that is to be removed to burn vict. or some other way it could be helpful to someone.  If so, Please let me know.  Thanks Gena

WOW!  What a great question!  I have no answers, but will see what I can find out.... 

Someone else had mentioned this to me right before I had my WLS. I did some research and found out that this is not possible. Sorry to tell you this. I found that most burn victims receive dontated skin from another part of their body or from a cadaver (dead body). I wi**** could be possible, because I'm sure that a lot of us would love to donate our extra skin and possibly get out surgeries at cost or free because of it. From what I read, it would cost more to take our extra skin than to get it from the person's own body or a cadaver. I was looking it up because someone mentioned that Shriner's Hospitals would do this. They had a disclaimer say no. Just thought I'd let you know. If you look up donating skin it should pop up.

Stephanie

 Its a myth. If you have excess skin and the associated issues (rashes, infections, etc) have it documented for insurance reasons.  Sometimes they'll cover.  Otherwise, plastic surgery is self pay

Nobody wants out permanently damaged skin anymore than we do.  It's a rumor that just won't die.

 I have also heard this. My friend knows  says she DOES KNOW someone who did it but not in my state. Apparently since they usually use such thin layers at a time its ok if its "streched" however it cannot have strech marks or scars.  Thats all I know I would really like to know more if anyone has any input. 

I am having my excess removed on Nov. 19th and I had to pay cash.  My back pain is worse than it ever was at my highest weight.  I had therapy, both land and water and neither helped.  I had sores and discoloration and such as well, still the insurance wouldn't pay.

About the skin donation, and this is from a friend of mine that is a surgeon and spoke with the plastic surgeons at his practice. (That was my disclaimer for where I got my answer and I didn't get it from a friend of a friend.  The information given to me was from a reliable source.) 

It is not normally good practice but it isn't due to 'harvesting' costs.  They could utilize area(s) of your skin that is healthy enough for a new body.  Due to the small amount of healthy skin on a given area it's normally not worth the bother.  Even if you paid cash and wanted to donate it to be a nice person they could not use it.  The skin they remove from you has lost its elasticity, has too much scaring and is in general not halthy enough for donation.

-Jaime

have you tried to get your insurance company to pay for your plastics?

Scott

I am sorry, but I'm compelled to ask:  What is urgent about this thread topic?

If it is a long drawn out process and things are done in steps and so on, I want to look into and have a plan before Wls, Is there a ways to care for your skin as you loosing to make it helpful to some one else.  Thanks Gena

You didn't answer the question. What makes this an "urgent" topic?

I thought I did.  If there are things you can do as you loosing weight to care for skin to make it more useable or something I need to know, I want to start from the get go.  I am to get my surgery date soon and want to do all I can.  Would wearing support garmets as you loose make the skin less strenged and make it more likely to be useable?  If so, I want to do that.  Gena

To answer your question, no, the support garments do nothing in that regard. Being fat is what ruins our skin, so it's already ruined.

As to the "urgent" button: An "urgent" question, in this forum, is one that needs to be answered right away because it has an *immediate* impact. Examples of "urgent" questions would be along the lines of:

--Help, the gas pain is killing me! Give me ideas for moving the gas out of my gut.
--I have a red, hot spot on my belly near an incision. Is it time to go to the ER?
--I am in the middle of my bowel prep and nothing is coming out yet. Give me feedback please?
--I am halfway through the gallon of GoLytely for the bowel prep and I cannot get another swallow past my gag reflex. NOW WHAT?

Your skin question is about something that is, at best, a couple of years in the future. Therefore it is not urgent. People will read your questions even if you don't mark them "urgent."

Or do you need that "urgent" marker to help your poor eyesight?

Well, I am blind in eye and have poor sight in the other. thank you

Gena, who is your surgeon? Since you are in Kentucky, are you going to go to Dr. Husted?

Yes I am.

I am waiting on a surgery date.  We are hoping for Dec. or Jan.  Doc. Husted is going out of state in Jan.  and with the holidays it is not easy to get a date for him and I to much,  I also have a ten year old son, so I would like to have it while he is on Christmas break.  My other daugher Rachel just grad. Purdue and the yougest will grad. in May 2010.  Also I have one more date with the diet. doc the first of Dec. for my six month program for insurance. Gena

Nobody wants our stretched out flappy skin, sad to say. It is not healthy on us and would not be good for a burn patient either. Not worth the cost of harvesting it and transporting it when they can use the person's own skin or that of a cadaver.
-Wanda

Evidently there are some uses for our skin.  Take a look at this thread and Dr. LoMonaco's response.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/plasticsurgery/4019456/Wha t-do-they-do-with-your-skin/#32576644

YES, I just don't see not helping someone with something that I will be getting cut off any way.  I have followed up the link and found others.  They have now found away to harvest skin in a better way to make it useable for others.  I will be researching the different donation locations and post if anyone else would like to know.  Thanks all Gena