Plastics Risky?

Yes, the skin on my jnner thighs is very thin and fragile looking.  For  the most part, the crepe-y and stretch marked area of skin on my arms was what ended up getting cut off.  I still have some of he skin with stretch marks on the back of my arms right where they hit the armpit, but most of the rest of the skin on my arms is healhy.  Ironically, though, the skin on my panni was terrible and I had no problem with it.  The problem came with the tummy tuck, partly because it was the thir smidline incision surgery in less than 3 years so the blood supply to that skin was compromised by the existing scarring. 

Lora

One thing I'd love about batwing surgery would be the whole new universe of clothing I could wear. I have to be very careful when shopping (I rarely try things on, more emotional barriers there)... If I'm careful to get items with bigger than average arm holes, the rest of the clothing will be fine, but it won't fit. Those batwings just make a lot of items of clothing impossible to wear. I'm a medium but even XL on some clothing items is too small. Particularly with button-up blouses. I have a good 3-dozen blouses in my warddrobe for that "someday" when my batwings might be gone.

Find a surgeon who is experienced with bariatric patients to help reduce your risk and get the best possibly outcome. I have seen a lot of bad bariatric before/after plastics pics. I am thrilled with my results. Mentally could not live with the excess skin and had to beg, borrow, and steal to get it done (figuratively speaking, of course). Emotionally I am so much more stable now (and my boyfriend will attest to that).

The one plastic surgeon I saw reminded me of a pompous self-important penguin shaped a**. His office said the consultation was free, and yet they billed my insurance, and tried to get a co-pay from me. I stood my ground and wouldn't accept that I owed them anything. They didn't send me any of teh information I wanted, and didn't try to "sell" my need for plastics to the insurance. They took lack-lustre photos that didn't illustrate how mutilated my breasts were from the biopsy and my health insurance turned me down. (of course). I would have appealed but I wasn't feeling too hot the day I went to see Dr. Penguin-man, and by the time I found out I'd been denied, I was in the hospital fighting for my life, so getting a breast lift & reduction was just not high on my priority list. I should have appealed, or should have insisted that the hospital that had the faulty equipment that resulted in half my breast being removed pay for a lift/reduction to bring them into symmetry again.

Thanks everyone for you post. I have a ways to go before Im at the point of plastics, and will do my research and try and find a good surgeon. I definately think I will have to get some. I just dont think I will mentally be able to handle it. I just dont think I would ever be comfortable naked in front of my fiance. I guess I will just have to see how I feel when I get to that point

Hi Amber,
Try not to worry too much about plastics or loose skin or any of that right now. You've got a lot of exciting changes and milestones that you'll be going through over the next year or two. Enjoy those!

When the time is right (probably around the time you get to your maintenance weight) you'll know it's time to start researching the possibility of plastics and you can weight the pros and cons based on what's important to you personally. When that time comes, the OH plastic surgery message board is a really helpful resource.

All the best on your journey to better health,
Laura

P.S. FYI, I'm two years out from RNY this week, and just had an extended tummy tuck and thigh lift two weeks ago. For my personal goals, the pros of removing the extra skin outweighed the cons/risks.

I understand that plastics take a lot longer than many surgeries as well - like lower body lifts and breast reconstuction.  The longer the surgery the longer the anesthesia...longer anesthesia is more of a risk.  Also, noted about a lot more blood loss can occur and more chance of infections with much longer incisions.