I have another 6 1/2 stone to go, Im worried about skin flaps

Hi,

Iv still got a very long way to go,but I was thinking, at this rate could I end up with loose saggy skin.

Have you had experience of this and what did you do about it?

Thanks

bm2lm xx
 
Hi, I know what you mean as ive got about 8 stone to lose in total and im sure I will have a flabby belly left!! Im trying not to think about it to much as although it would be lovely to show everything off I know that I will be able to cover so no one except a chosen few will know theres any excess skin!! If it does bother me to much then I will try my docs for surgery as I couldnt afford private and I think seen as though Im such a drain on NHS resources being overweight if Ive sorted that then I can put a good case forward for something back from them!! I do use bio oil in the hopes that it may help, we never know. Good luck sarahxx.
 
Hmmm, I do tend to steer clear about talking about saggy skin, but thought this time Ill talk!!!

Ok, I was a serial dieter up till last November, weight on and off and on and off, and also had a 9lb baby.

I started CD and the weight came off and will stay off.

Now, therefore I have loose skin, and yes sometimes it gets to me. I dont have the elasticity that some people have, for some it twangs back and for others it doesnt.

However, 99% of the time it doesnt bother me in the slightest, When I have clothes on it cant be seen at all, and as the only people to see me with no clothes are DD and DH then Im ok with it.

There are two things I think about here, 1, its a reminder of what I have done, and also something that i am proud of, and 2, whats a bit of skin when i have added so much to my life, the skin was there before but it was filled with flab now its still there but I am thinner, healthier and happier than I ever was.

If I get that bad I guess I will see my GP, but for now its only skin, and I love being me!
 
Well said!! I agree, although I haven't lost any yet I am sure I will have saggy skin, and it does worry me, but at the end of the day, this is a journey. I can always save up the 5 grand it will cost to have a tummy tuck!! (even though I had a emergency c-section with George)!!

Love
 
i had an emergancy c sectionwith my little one (he is 15months now) i am finding that the ledge of my belly is shrinking but im just paranoid that i will have this ring of flappyskin around my waist. thedoctor is always telling me to lose weight so maybe if he sees that i have done it on my own he will help cant afford new clothes at the mo let alone a tummy tuck. im going for the approach by sarahp surly the docs can help!!!
 
HI GuysI can be scary - but do use energy worrying about ifs and buts - everyones skin elasticity is different - do the hard bit - the bit you can control - losing the weight - the rest can be fixed and the NHS will help!!Be positive and you will get the body you wanted. BP xx
 
Hiya I have got between 6 and 7 stone to lose and I will have some saggy skin I have got some already on my thighs and just wish that would go but it seems to hang there

Would exercise reduce the saggy skin on thighs as It does not look nice . What i cant understand you see slimmers in slimming magazines what have been really overweight and they look nice and trim surely they would have had saggy skin when overweight wonder how they got rid of theres and got trim.
Its not fair
Bethany
 
I think it really depends on your age at the time you lose the weight as to how your skin will spring back into place or not (in my case not!).

I do have excess skin, that's for sure, but it's definitely better now than when I first lost the weight so I guess it does improve slightly of its own accord over time.

It actually wasn't something which preoccupied me when losing my weight (that was my focus) but I did notice it as I neared target.

To be honest, it doesn't bother me. I've been on the beach in a bikini "with it". There were far worse sights on the beach than me and the confidence from having lost the weight carries you through.

So concentrate on your weight loss... :) Only you and a chosen few will ever see your excess skin, whereas EVERYONE sees our excess weight!
 
Hello,

After an 8 and a half stone weight loss I was left with awful saggy skin. My tummy was like an apron, I could tuck my boobs into the waistband of my trousers and my arms and thighs look like curtain swags! Whilst I was thrilled to have lost the weight I still found myself feeling sad, I felt as if I had only completed half of my journey and that I deserved/owed it to myself to try to make it better. My main area of concern was my tummy so I decided to save up and treat myself to a tuck.

My surgeon said that my skin has absolutely no elasticity in it and that my result may not be as pleasing as some of the operations I'd seen on plastic surgery programmes. I said "well - it can't look any worse can it?" He agreed (it really was hideous!) and I had an extended tummy tuck in May 2005. (£4600) I was really lucky with the recovery - didn't hurt at all and healed up nicely - although I did have to have a revision on it 6 months later as there was a bit of an overhang above the scar - he did this for free as he said he had initially been very conservative about how much to remove because of the state of my skin.

I have to say that although still covered in very deep stretch marks from my knees to my elbows and loose skin everywhere except my tummy I did feel 100 times better on my summer holiday - I wasn't exactly trotting around the resort in my bikini but I did go in the pool (even though I had to get a sunbed VERY near to it and work myself up for half an hour before doing so!).

2006 arrived and another holiday was booked - this time with brother and slim toned wife! Aaargghh! I was so looking forward to going away and spending some quality time with them and my nephews - but I couldn't get excited about it for worrying - I knew that I would spend my holiday worrying about my OH looking over at sis in law wishing that he had a wife who had skin that fit her body! Not just for the way she looked - but for the willingness she would have to join in games etc and do things that my confidence wouldn't allow. He is used to my low self esteem and sadly so is my daughter, but I felt like to have someone else there who isn't troubled by it would highlight how much I am. What if she joined in mom and kid competitions? and my daughter felt like she'd missed out because I couldn't? etc etc.

I'm digressing aren't I? I'll crack on with the how instead of waffling about the whys!

So - I went to see (same) surgeon about a breast and bottom lift. He advised me to have implants also - apparently my B/C cup was just rolled up skin and no breast tissue so I would have been looking at an A cup post op. I decided to have bum hoiked up, boobs lifted up and little implants (no desire to be a jordan). It was going to be very costly but I had just had my bonus from work and felt sure I could get a loan for the rest so I booked it there and then.

Sadly things didn't go quite as smoothly this time and to cut a very long story short I ended up going on holiday with one bottom cheek much bigger than the other - which is impossible to hide in swimwear! and more skin in one breast than the other (although you couldn't really notice this in a supportive bikini top). I felt a 100 times worse than I had the year before and was really depressed. Kept kicking myself for throwing away the £9000. I could have spent it on fab holidays and spoiling my daughter instead I'd made myself look like a freak - rather than just a woman who had lost a lot of weight and had a lot of excess skin.

Surgeon agreed to fix for free again and I went under the knife almost 4 weeks ago. It's too early to tell whether it has been completely successful but it does look a lot better than it did. Can everyone on minimins keep your fingers crossed for me please!

So - 2 very different surgery experiences. It is a very personal decision and only you will know if it is right for you. I ALWAYS knew that I was going to get it done - I never had any doubt in my mind, I didn't once feel scared or nervous ahead of the operations - just excited. It was strange.

I took a very stressful job that I really don't enjoy so that I could fund it (and because of the implants I am stuck doing until for an extra year until I've paid the loan off!) I just hope it will be worth it in the end.

I had always planned to have a thigh lift and have my bingo wings removed too, but after things not going so well for me last year I do feel a little scared. I now know that where cosmetic surgery is concerned no matter how bad things are - there is actually the possibility that they can end up looking worse!

I guess if it feels right for me in the future I may go ahead and get it done. Time will tell!

BTW - regardless of my big bum cheek I had a fantastic holiday and we have booked up to go away with them again this summer. I know that my family accept me for who I am not what I look like. I worry so much about what people could be thinking of me. Why??? When all my upset moments are a consequence of what I'M thinking not what anyone else is!

My God - just realised how long this post is - apologies if I have bored you! :eek:

yo-yo xxx
 
Hi yo-yo
Not a boring post at all - very interesting reading - when I have finished my journey I too will have lost 8 1/2 stone - I already dislike my body immensley becqause of my loose skin. My oh has 3 kids and i always pray when the summer comes that the weather is awful when we go on holiday so I dont have to make excuses as to why I dont ever takes skirt and top off, go swimming etc etc etc - selfish I know, but I loathe my body so much now it is still affecting my life as it did when i was morbidly obese. I dont have far to go to goal and I am seriously considering getting my bust done. I need my legs done more than anything as I have very loose skin there (most of my weight was on the lower half) but I am still trying to find out more info about this as it seems quite a complex operation - not only would the loose sagging skin need to be reomved but probable a considerable amount of lipo too - I understand Sharon Osbourne has had this operation and she said although it was worth it - it was complete agony. I think that anyone who is over 25 with a considerable weigh loss will inevitably have loose skin, but I seriously never thought I would have as much and I would feel so strongly about it.
Good luck to each and everyone who has decisions about this to make and I welcome all the posts on this as I do feel this is another important journey that sometimes we may need to consider.
 
yo-yo,
Very very interesting post, and of course you didn't bore us.

When well meaning friends and colleagues started suggesting I did this or that exercise, or bought this or that cream to improve my skin, I consulted a dermatologist to see what she thought.

She confirmed my cynicism about the wonder products, told me to save my money, but referred me to a surgeon to see what my surgical options would be.

(I'm not in the UK, so the experience is probably different).
Anyway, the guy weighed me, measured me with calipers, pinched me at various places and hummed and haa'ed a lot.

Eventually he gave me his conclusion. That I would need THREE body lifts. In a specific order (and this is where I wonder about yo-yo's surgeon doing her tum first). First, according to him, HAD to be legs and bum. Second, according to him, HAD to be tum. Third, according to him, HAD to be breasts and arms. (ie working from bottom up, raising all skin and cutting and hiding scars in folds).

I asked about tum only as, to be honest, that is the part of my body which bothers me most as I would get in a size smaller clothes without it I reckon. "No. Results wouldn't be satisfactory".

I decided not to do the surgery. Three body lifts seemed a heck of a lot of surgery to me. I was being offered it 90% on the equivalent of NHS but was warned that EACH operation would involve one week in hospital and one month recuperating minimum... and that the pain would be considerable.

He was also very honest with me about pain. He said that only people with "real psychological problems" with the skin would be able to bear the pain.

Very tough decision, but an easy one for me as I'm a wuss!
 
Hi,

If anyone is really considering cosmetic surgery after weight-loss, my mum has a business in Poland called Positive Image. What she does is she talks to clients at length - taking their health, state of mind, pics (that she gets them to send to her so that she can send them to the surgeons) all into mind before deciding if to take them Warsaw, Poland to have their consultation/surgery. When they come out of the clinic she takes them to her appartement (which is in an area equivalent to Central London) and takes care of them, takes them sightseeing/shopping etc and then brings them back to London. She has been in several top newspapers (guardian) /magazines (top sante) and has even received awards for her work. My mum had a tummy tuck herself (a few yrs ago), as well as a breast reduction, and the woman who was supposed to be her (and a few other women's) aftercarer did a very rubbish job. So my mum saw a huge gap in the market. She is naturally a very caring person so people warm to her easily which she finds important because as she's had surgery herself she knows how scary it can be going into this. Plus, it's much cheaper to have your surgery in Poland (bonus! lol).

Her website is http://www.positive-image-cosmetic-surgery.co.uk

Take a look.

Sacha.xxx
 
Just a word of encouragement. I was 61 when I lost 6 stone and I did not end up with having much loose skin.

Mandana was told that it takes 2 months for each stone lost for the skin to tighten up. Therefore it is best to wait for about a year (6 x 2) before deciding to do anything drastic.

Hope this helps
 
Well, they say its down to the genes - but my mom kindly pointed out to me after my daughter that I had the worst tummy overhang she had ever seen and she never suffered like that! Hmmmmm. Bless her! But in truth the problem for me was a 44 week pregnancy (this is why the celebs deliver at 36 wks by Caesarian!). As I lose weight my overhnaging belly looks worse & worse, but at a health level it is better not to have the fat padding it out, even though I feel more body confident that way! I have new boyf who likes skinny girls and I am aware that I am getting more self-coscious as I lose the weight, not less!
I think in terms of your flabby skin, you have to suck it and see. Personally I would love a tummy tuck but I am concerned at having such drastic 'vanity' surgery when I have a small child. Every operation I ever had I haemorrhaged during or after, and have a heart condition, so I am reluctant to go under the knife, although the results would have to be an improvement.
I wish you luck and tightness in the epidermis!!!!!
 
I think i'd like to lose about 5 stones i've lost almost 2 stones. Due to the weight gain i sometimes wonder if i'll have loose skin so what i do is use my Lateral high Trainer regularly as it's both cardiovascular and toning exercise. I have'nt had children yet and my skin elasticity seems quite good but i know i won't have a washboard stomach but dur=e to the fact i haven't had children i don't think it would be advisable to have a tummy tuck cos i can imagine it (tight skin) stretching when i'm pregnant, sounds nasty doesn't it. On the whole i'm just trying to exercise using the LTT and using stairs instead of the escalator, little things like that. I've never been one for ewaring crop tops but i like the though of those fitted t-shirts with jeans. To be honest though anything is better than being overweight, i'm so happy with CD so far so i'll just take it a day at a time. Please research all these prcoedures well before you go in for them though. Good luck, by the way i love the thread, it's very informative.
 
I had an emegency section with my son who weighed in at 9lb 15oz I know that is not heavy but on a 5'5" frame I was enormous, I remember going to the local town and I was 3 days overdue and people were staring I said to my hubby "anyone would think they had never seen a pregnant woman before" his reply to that was " well you are rather large dear" bless. But as a result I had an overhang, but also after my second child was delivered by section also (normal weight girl) this overhang increased but I also noticed that when I sat up and used my tummy muscles I had a lump in the middle of my tummy.

So I went and saw a consultant and it turns out that thanks to my two kiddie winkies my 6 pack muscles never returned into place and as a result when I sit up it is my stomach and other innards pressing against my skin, so he has said that if I lose the weight and prove that I can keep it off he will do a tummy tuck and muscle tighten on the NHS.

I have to say that I am not losing the weight for this, I am still very concerned about having the op because of MRSA and our two local hospitals are rife with it (my mum-in-law died of it). But I will see what happens when I have lost the weight.

xx
 
Hi all

Does anyone know if there is any cream or magic lotion that you can use to make your skin elastic ??

Surgery seems bit drastic and painful but I can understand why lots of you go for it

It must be very disapointed to lose all the weight only to still have hang ups about a "jelly Belly"

I am only just startin on my weight loss journey and I am massauging moisturisor into by wobbly bits dont know if it does any good but I thought if I can get the blood circulating it might help ??
 
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