I Don't want Saggy, Hangy skin. How do you keep that from happening.

First I want to say, I love this site, you are all wonderful and very helpful people. Thank you for all your help. Next big worry for me is the Hanging skin, How do you stop that? I am young and beautiful and I really would rather be fat then to have ugly sagging skin, so what are the most important steps to keep this from happening? I have another question as well I want to get active and lose some weight before surgery, but I never have enough energy. Any Ideas what I can do to boost my energy to get my butt off the couch. Thanks so much to all you Beautiful people, Amy

The more you weigh, the fastest you will lose weight from surgery, which leads to saggy skin. However, if you have good muscle tone and do toning exercises while losing, this may impact how much skin you might end up having. Also, your skins elasticity comes into play as well. I do find it hard to believe that you would rather be obese and prone to bad health down the road, than having sagging skin and be healthy. I checked your profile and your BMI isn't much lower than mine. However, you are 10 years younger than I am. This is in your favour for your skin. I'm not trying to flame you but if being beautiful is more important to you than having surgery, then you shouldn't have the surgery. It's a tool to get and stay healthy, not cosmetic surgery. As for losing some weight before surgery, and lack of energy, all I can say is to take small steps. Walk around your house a bit more than you usually do. Up and down your hallway, etc... work it up to going around the block and then a bit farther and farther. If you want it bad enough, you'll make it happen. Good luck!

Your skin will sag anywhere you have stretch marks, that's because stretch marks mean that the skin is damaged and stretched out too much. There's nothing you can really do....I didn't have this surgery so I could wear a bikini anyways ( I have a huge zipper scar down my belly) I did it because being obese is basically a death sentence, even at 25 years old. I never had stretchmarks on my thighs so I don't have much sagging skin there, but my boobs, stomach and arms are covered in stretchmarks are are saggy as hell. I have a tattoo on my back that used to be on my lower back but is now right in the middle, so I know that skin there is tightening up well. I personally would rather have sagging skin than be fat......fat is unhealthy, sagging skin is just a bit unsightly....it can be fixed with plastics, thermage or just wearing some spanks! Cheers Jen

I didn't want it either!! Oh well.... could be worse. Though I DO think I could take someone's eye out with my bat wings..... *giggle* Karen M

ROFL on the bat wings!!!!!! not so happy about my elephant knees.....oh well!!!! Debbie

Hi Amy, Sorry Hun. If you are overweight (obese) and want to have WLS, then some saggy skin is an outcome that is to be expected. Given your age, though, you may not have the same problem as some of us oldies. Your skin will have more elasticity. You are more likely to be able to exercie more and help build muscle mass that will help. I guess you have a hard decision to make: which one is going to be more important to you? SherryB

LOL @ "some of us oldies".

I had surgery in September and have lost about 90 lbs so far. I am a lot older than you are and still have another 100 lbs to lose. I have already got loose skin on my abdomen, my upper arms and breasts. Most likely at your age and with your BMI you will escape most of this. Like some of the others, I went into this because of my health, but I am planning to have some plastic surgery on all 3 areas. At your age, if you felt it neccessary you may find that somewhere along the line you may want to do this too. If I were you, I would lose the weight 1st then worry about the other stuff. Exercise and good skin care will take care of most of it. Being around for the long haul is much more important. Good luck with your decision. Teresa

Sorry to burst the bubble, I'm younger than you and was had a lower BMI-pre op and I sag all over.....age unfortunately is not a factor.

Hi Amy, The first time I had weight loss surgery I was 26 yrs. old and went from 261 lbs. down to 113 lbs. "sigh". I lost it over a year and a half and I still needed to have a tummy tuck and breast lift. I also could of done with an arm lift and thigh lift but didn't. Most of us have this surgery because we want to be healthier and look better. But even with all the plastic surgery in the world or the most resilient skin you cannot go from being morbidly obese to thin and have a perfect body. You will end up with some stretch marks, saggy skin, tatoos that appear altered (if you have any) and scarring from plastic surgery. This time round I am 20 yrs. older and while my tummy tuck has survived through a pregnancy, c section and gaining back almost all my weight and now losing it again with my lapband the neck is showing severe signs of a turkey neck "sigh". Plus I could still do with a thigh lift and arm lift (and probably a butt lift but as it is behind me where I don't see it I could care less!) Donna (a very unbeautiful person who could care less!) VBG/87 Revised To Lapband/06 251/159/125 goal