Baggy Skin - YUCK!

I went to Fitness USA today (the 3rd time!!!!) and as I was using the weights I looked in the wall of mirrors and discovered that even my KNEES are baggy now. I knew that I will have excess skin, but come on, my knees!?!? Then I looked at my arms and yup you guessed it...all wrinkly too. Now you have to understand I am 65 and really not too surprised by this, but it still hurts a little. But then I realize that I have never worn tanks or shorts, so this won't be that much of a problem. I'm just glad I am on the way to a better healthier me. I have lost 70 lbs so far and couldn't be happier.

Now for some food for thought for those of you wondering if you are making the best choice. I am a veteran of weight loss. I lost 65 lbs in my 40's and my skin shrunk and I looked great. Of course it didn't last. I gained it back and then some. I again lost 65 lbs. (seems to be my limit which is why I'm so excited to be at 70 lbs now) in my late 50's and I felt great, but...my skin DIDN'T shrink so much. Before then I never really thought about it, but now I understand that I had played with my skin too much to expect it to get back in shape. Now at 65 I know that it will not shrink or tighten up without plastics. I wasted so much time and so many chances to get fit and look better naturally and I am so sorry I didn't get smarter sooner. If you are considering this surgery and are young enough to benefit now...do it. I know there will be excess skin with large weight loss, but the texture of your skin changes over the years and as you get older there really isn't much elasticity and even with plastics its not the same.

How many of us have said "I wish I had done this 10 years ago!" Well so do I. Use the baggy skin issue as another reason to have VSG now and get on with a better healthier life.
Thanks for listening.
Alice

I'm 55, and have some loose skin - since nobody wants to see a 55 year old guy shirtless, not a big deal.  The only side-effect has been going through the new body scanners at the airport... i have just enough loose skin around my armpits to confuse the scanner and I get pulled aside for a quick underarm pat-down 50% of the time. The TSA people usually have a confused look on their face - so I assume it's not a typical thing...

maybe you could get a doctors note to show the tsa , might help a little

Faster just to do the pat-down than to produce a note... :)  Not a big deal, just funny.  I travel so much - there's always something to adapt to.

 

sorry to hear about the skin Alice, it happens to most, even those in their 20's.  Would we rather have some wrinkles and squishy skin or be 100 to 200 pounds overweight?   The fact that you're in the gym and 65 years old is a fantastic accomplishment that should be celebrated, the squishyness is far overshadowed in this respect.

Boy do I hear ya!  I hate the saggy skin, but I've kind of come to peace with it a bit. I decided that when the skin was full of fat, it didn't look so great either......so I'll take this trade off.

What I am noticing more and more now is the TEXTURE of my skin. It's thin and well...old. If you look at a 65 year old hand and a 40 year old hand you will see the difference. I'm hoping that the water we drink will somehow help moisturize things some too. I am accepting of all of this. I only wanted to add to the reasons to get VSG now and not later.

First of all congrats on going to the gym three times!! I am hoping to feel comfortable enough to go soon!  As for right now I am working out at home.  Next, thank you so much for your post. It was such an encouragement to me. I am 41 and have gained and lost just like you. I finally did make the decision to do the surgery NOW before I would regret not doing it at this age.  Your post reaffirmed that.  I am so happy for you that you have accomplished so much! 70 lbs gone forever and you're working out! You go girl!

 

Jen

I get pulled aside for a quick underarm pat-down 50% of the time

Hey Jubjub- the same thing happened to me last month- both going and coming back from FL; I feel a little better knowing it wasn't just my personal anatomy that caused the pat down.  I expected sagging skin but never saw this particular result coming!

THANK U Alice!! I have a date to be sleeved, march 26th :) and needed to be reminded that.."wished I'd done this ten years sooner..." at 40 I stopped feeling old an a little just aliitle bit smarter...like I didn't learn the lesson; let go of things I have no control of. Loving every step of my journey...learning so much most importantly learning so much about myself :)