Question:
worried about sagging skin

I am going to have the surgery and I am worried about how much sagging skin I will have, I am 5'2" and am very flabby already ,even in my legs, I am almost 50,my skin dosent have the elasticity it used to.    — kwood-50 (posted on October 21, 2008)

October 21, 2008
I am 5' 5" and I had surgery on July 1st and I'm down 60 pounds. I turned 51 in August. I am going to have sagging skin but you know what, I don't care. I feel 100% better and I"ve drop four sizes in clothing. When we get old we get saggy skin, it's a fact of life. If you don't like the sagging skin you can save your pennies and have surgery to fix that. I'll take healthy with sagging skin any day over fat and unable to do anything (a very limited life)! I am so glad I had the surgery - life is good now! Sorry to be so blunt, but that how I feel about this subject! Lisa
   — ldillabough

October 21, 2008
I'm 5'6" and lost 185 pounds and I have saggy skin. My surgery was 6/15/2006. I will take saggy skin over fat any day. I had a tummy tuck in October 2007 it was paid for by my ins. co. due to dertemology issues. Skin on skin creating rashes and belly button infections just too much skin. I still have saggy skin on my theighs, but no one see that except me so I could care less. Take a look at my profile pjwinslow and see what you think. I love the body I am living in my health is so much better.
   — pjwinslow

October 21, 2008
Yes...sagging skin is a probelm for so many people...and so many people have plastic surgery even at your age...Some insurance companies will pay for it if it's a medical burden such as chronic rashes and tearing. If not...many people save up for surgery....It takes about a year and more to lose the weight and they save for an entire year or more. If the skin goes back some...you have clothes or vacation money! If not, you go get the skin removed! Many find the trade off for health to be worth living with the saggy skin. It's not easy to accept, but at least you know and are honest with yourself that it's a good possibility that you will have a lot of excess skin. It's something that only you can deal with in your own way...There are options! You have pick the ones that suit you best.
   — .Anita R.

October 21, 2008
I looked at your profile hoping to find out more info like how much weight you are planning to lose, you are very new here so it wasn't there. The truth is, the more you have to lose, the more likely it is that you are going to have sagging skin and have to have some plastics done. I was talking to my surgeon about it before surgery with about 250# to lose and he said "honey, when you're done, you are gonna have to have everything sucked, tucked, lifted and fixed." You know what... I can't wait... I look forward to it. If people have less than 100# to lose, they usually don't have to have much surgery, but more than that, chances are you will have to have some. Best of luck to you, Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
   — DawnVic

October 21, 2008
If you're already flabby, you will still be flabby after weight loss. I'm 46 and have flabby inner thighs, upper arms and saggy chin. It's just the way it is. But we are all very individual. My sister had surgery 5 days before me and since she had a baby and I didn't, her tummy is much flabbier than mine. This is one of those things we can't control and can't obsess over. I'm thrilled to be down 81 pounds and wouldn't change a thing. Well, that's not really true. I wish I had done this years ago!
   — GlitterGal

October 21, 2008
I knew I would have sagging skin on my stomach, and do. But I never thought my legs would be so saggy and my upper arms too ... have the bat wings. Oh well ... I have lost 126 lbs as of today ... hoping to loose another 30 - 50 more. I like many others on here will take sagging sking over fat any day. It is awesome and so freeing to be thinner!
   — Tammy Cardwell

October 21, 2008
I also checked your profile to see if you had listed a BMI or your weight, but you hadn't so it is hard to say. I will recommend to all that say they have this sagging skin and use age for an excuse, to start exercising! Slowly by walkiing more, walking more stairs, parking further away when shopping it will all help. I would also advise to start lifting 2-5 lb weights. They help to tone you and speed up your metabolism even more. You will eat less and sleep better, guaranteed! Exercise DVD's are another great resource, Low impact swim exercising is great and using bands to exercise is another great resource. I wish you the best! L would like to hear back from you if you indeed did try any of my ideas and how they worked for you! I am 10 months post op of my banding and started out at 257 lbs per my family Dr. and have lost close to 70lb'x. The banding is not a quick fix, it takes sometimes up to 2 years or more to get good results. I am very happy with mine so far, but in the beginning I was emotionally all over the place and this goes along with this Major surgery as well! If you would like to keep in touch and talk more, just email me! Best of Luck!
   — premenewme

October 21, 2008
Hi Kathy, I'm having my surgery in 2 weeks. I'm scared too about the saggy skin. I'm 51 and I already have sagging, flabby stuff and I already get yeast infections in the folds. I'm in Canada and the gvt insurance here may or may not cover some of the plastic surgery involved. Apparently they are reviewing each case individually. I cannot imagine how we will ever afford to pay out of our pockets for it unless we get it financed and pay a ton of interest forever. I'm concerned about something else that none of these ladies has answered yet: how does it affect being intimate with your husbands? I guess we manage ok with my fat, but saggy stuff is different. I don't know how it's going to work.... I worry about things like this.... My husband loves me. I'm not saying he's going to leave me or anything like that. He's my rock and my best friend and we have the best marriage. I just don't know how the mechanics of it will work. I'm 5'3" I now weight just over 300. I suppose I have to lose about 150--175 lbs. I haven't been exercising much due to a bad back, OA in my knees and a recent ankle sprain that isn't healing well. Everyone says the knee and back pain will lessen and I'll be able to walk and exercise more but at 51 (almost 52) how much can I realistically expect my skin to spring back? I'm still going through with the surgery--make no mistake. But this is something that is really bugging me.
   — Tina G.

October 25, 2008
I'm 51, 8 months out, down 115 pounds, and I have sagging skin. My arms, stomach, thighs all sag. I also am healthier - no longer diabetic, high blood pressure gone, asthma improved, nasal allergies improved, have more energy and feel better. Still get yeast infections in skin folds, but infections much less than b4 weight loss, just use lamisil cream every day and that controls it. Wish I'd had the surgery 10 years ago, can't believe how much better I feel now. And tho I didn't do this for my looks, I do look better now even with the sagging skin.
   — Susan C.

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