EXCESS SKIN....The Dreaded Conversation

Ok all of my friends, family and associates have comments about losing weight too quickly and having the issue with excess skin.  I know that can be an issue with weight loss surgery.  However, I've had trainers to say to me that if I work out with weight training and do palatees (sp) that could minimize the amount of excess skin I have to deal with. 

Can you post surgery people chime in on your actual experiences?  What exercises did you perform to help minimize your extra skin or did you not worry about it and focused on the weight loss?  Thanks again for your input

Exercise is a wonderful thing!  Honestly though, the hanging skin thing has more to do with hereditary, age and how much and where you carry your weight.  Having my surgery after 40 and losing all the weight I did, surgery was just my reality.

I encourage all the patients I work with to start a plastic surgery account pre-op.  If they end up not needing plastics when all is said and done, they have a little something tucked away for a reward trip! 

Carla

It depends on a lot of factors-genes, how long you were fat, how young you are, and how big you were to start.
Exercise is great for you but it will not eliminate excess skin.

 From what I understand there is a combination of things that contribute to excess skin - how much you have to lose, your age, genetics, elasticity of skin.  Exercise can firm up the muscles underneath the skin but can't tighten the skin itself.   But you know - I don't think it makes a difference if you lose fast or slow if you have lots to lose - the skin has stretched out and it may not shrink back.   I know a gal who lost 200lbs on her own - and her skin was in folds.  I guess there's only so much that will shrink back.  But I'd rather be healthy with batwings than obese with co-morbidities.  The skin canbe fixed with plastics!  

Well, the skin looks better over toned muscles, that's for sure. I do a combination of weight training and cardio, and work with a trainer. Pilates is aimed at strength in the core muscles, and is certainly great exercise.

I've lost 93 lbs and am just now beginning to see 'excess' skin in certain places. My tummy will be a mess for sure. I guess we really do damage to our bodies in multiple ways by being obese. 

I am 100% focused on weight loss, however. I don't worry about the skin. Nobody but my husband will see it, and if it becomes too big an issue I will explore plastics at some point in the future. I'm using Flexees support undergarments to help keep it all in place, and I have never looked better! 

IMO EXERCISE has NOTHING to do with skin....  only muscle.

let me tell you I am lifting weights twice a week with a trainer and doing yoga three times a week (along with 3-5 30 minute bouts of cardio weekly) and I have SKIN like you would not believe....  and I'm not even done losing.

I look like a sharpei puppy....

my arms have wings which looks weird because i have large biceps and great shoulders....
my boobs... well there is no hope for them... NONE....
my belly when I sit looks like a tushie because it creases in the center...  the panni hangs so low you can't even see if i'm a boy or a girl....
my back folds onto itself like a puzzle
my inner thighs I can't even begin to describe them....  but suffice it to say it's so bad you can see it below the pannus...  

my husband bless his heart loves me no matter what but his refrain when he sees me now is  "you're going to need plastics".....

I am a bit middle of the road here with the excess skin issues. I have fared better than expected but still get why one would want to have plastics now that I see the batwings. I never had boobs so the pushup bra (size 34B) does fine for that part and amazingly I have only a small drooping pannus. Its the arms and thighs that are bothersome for me. My plan is to get my Medical office administration degree and work in a plastic surgeon's office LOL! Oh and I do exercise somewhat regularly to build the muscles and keep them toned so when I can have the plastics the surgeon will have the frame to work with.

I'm now 54 years young. Honestly WLS was about getting my health back and never once did I question excess skin...honestly!!

Okay exercise helps but you also have to take into consideration, how long you have been overweight, how many times you have "yo-yo'd" losing 100 pounds (like I did at least 3 times in my life, then 80, then 60)...get my point. How good your genes are?

I do have skin but it's not that bad and I just don't really care. I look great in clothes and my hubby doesn't seem to mind my skin. I do exercise every day.
I do have shar-pai thighs and hell yes I do wear a bathing suit in public and sleeveless tops too.
I have a belly but with support panties my belly gets the support it needs.
I have angel wings but ever look at skinny people...they do too!

So people how are you going to deal with skin?
Can you afford plastics?
If you are young, start saving money to have Plastics.

Now for me, I can't afford plastics and if I started where would I start and stop????
So I have embraced me for me and will not have plastics. I'm good. I'm happy.
If you can't be happy about your body, then save the money...

Me...??? I'd rather have a garage! LOL

 This is exactly how I feel.  I'm 57 and I look fine in my clothes, my knees don't hurt and I have more energy than I've had in years.   Maybe if I was in my 30's or 40's...but I don't relish the thought of more surgery.  So I'll keep the deflated boobs, the saggy butt and the droopy tummy....and as long as I keep my arms down when there's a high wind I don't have to worry about my "wings" lifting me off the ground.  LMAO. 

Well there you go...!!
Great attitude, just love yourself and it's all good!!