Extra Skin

I am 135lbs down from my high weight. I have about 40 more pounds to lose. The extra skin is driving me nuts! I know I have lost some serious weight but when I look at myself all I see is lumps and bumps. The bulges have decreased for sure, but in their place is stretchy flabby skin. I can't wait for plastic surgery but how can I become OK with myself in the mean time. I have spanx that I wear which helps but I find myself constantly pinching flab when I am watching tv or relaxing. It is so frustrating. 

I kept trying different shapewear until I found one that smoothed out all the lumps and bumps. That helped, but honestly, I was never completely OK with my body pre-plastics. I had to remove the skin for my mental well-being.

It stinks......it's "unfair"....but the reality is that even with plastics.....your skin will never be perfect.

Concentrate on your success.....plan on plastics....buy some spanx or something similar in the mean time.

Scott

You know skin can be such a sore subject for us WLS folks. How can you be ok with it? Im not sure you will be able to. IMO once you've grown a disdain for something-retraining your mind to accept it is Hard (though not impossible). But what you can do is think of all the positive trade offs the weight loss/extra skin has brought you. Each time you pinch an inch think of your Health, energy/stamina, NSV's etc. of course exercise and drinking water are overall healthy habits that can impact how your skin looks. 

i think I'm fairly lucky when it comes to skin. I work out a lot so have built plenty of muscle. Of course I've got tummy and arm issues- but it's liveable IMO. But maybe acceptance is forced in my head since plastics is not an option for me financially.

I went to the gym every day.  I alternated between weight machines and water aerobics.  I walked or used elliptical every day.  Building muscle gave me a sense of control and filled in some of the flab until I could get surgery.  It made me stronger and more confident. 

Getting over this may be a necessary part of your healing process.  You may need help retraining your thinking before it becomes more ingrained.  I never sat and played or pinched my excess skin and when I see people on the weight loss TV shows allowing young children to play with thier skin or fat rolls it creeps me out(not suggesting that you are doing this, just creepy to me).  Take up knitting or something else to keep your hands busy stretching your skin even more is the last thing you need.  All I can say is to keep your skin well moisturized and that will help it regain as much of its slimmer shape. 

Even after plastics, it may not be perfect - based on my experience - great but not perfect.  Please look through hundreds of post-op photos to see what is possible, remembering that docs are putting their best work up - and look at the photos here for more average results and on myrealself.com  

When we've lost the weight and are excited about new clothes and a slimmer self, it can be difficult to remember that we had the surgery to save our lives. 

 I only had upper body work done, so I have several sets of bottom spanx and spanx-ish.  Also, the last 40 pounds comes off where you need it most so when you get it off, you might be happier with how you look with the spanx.

I am sorry you are having a hard time with your skin. I totally understand. My arms drive me crazy. My stomach does sometimes and so do my legs. I touch my body all the time and it is okay. 

I would love to have plastics. I just don't have the money right now. I also don't know if when I started having plastics would I keep finding faults with my body. 

Our bodies do change over the weight loss process. I got some of my boobs back. Some days things bother me more than others.

Wearing shape wear does help. Learning to love ourselves and seek positive things about ourselves is important. 

We need to point out the positive things about us to. Look at what you can do now. Get a new hairstyle to. Maybe a different color. Just to spice things up a bit. 

So I just wanted to add this thought... I used to think my life would be perfect when I lost all the weight... I lost the weight... and guess what? life wasn't perfect... then I blamed the skin... I had most of that removed... still not perfect ;) and obsessed on the scars and areas I still needed to do... I finally realized I needed to deal with the stuff going on above the neck versus below... and after several years of working on that stuff (and still am)... no LOL life isn't perfect but I am so much happier and at peace. I highly recommend working on the head stuff. Lots of other things fall into line when you do.

Just another post-ops 2 cents YMMV, 

~Shelly

 

Shelly what you wrote is so true. I know I will always pick myself apart. I have come to realize that my body will never be perfect.