The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[female1978]

Is it true that the only way to get rid of excess skin after an unusually quick weight loss is via surgery? Is there something we can do consistantly now so that surgery isn't our only option?

For those of you in the 100# club, how did you deal with excess skin issues. Thanks!

[Kimbob]

I'm not a 100# loser, but I've read alot on this subject. One of the more expert-types can probably correct where I'm wrong.

With rapid weight loss, there is a higher chance of loose skin (but a lot of it is really genetic, and hard to predict). Age is also a factor - the younger folks will see more rapid skin shrinking than the older folks. However, your skin will USUALLY gradually catch up with the weight loss and tighten up over time. Depending on how much weight you've lost, it can take up to a year. Working out can help quite a bit, helping you to build muscle tone.

Surgery for skin tightening is VERY major, painful, and hard on your body. If it ends up being an issue for you, I would wait at least a year before taking a drastic step like surgery.

OK, Kimbob the Non-Expert, Non-Medical person will now step back and let the true experts speak.

Kimbob the Neophite

[Marsha]

I've been wondering about loose skin as well.... A friend of mine who is on Atkins said that she would not try Medifast because of the rapid weight loss and loose skin issue.

I don't think that with a 70# weight loss(my goal it will be that much of an issue - but I'm just guessing!! What do you all think?

[finalstraw]

Also not a medical expert, but thought this was an interesting read. I found it while searching the subject online.

<snip>no urls - Mr. Snippy</snip>

[Indigo]

WOW! What a GREAT article! It greatly eased my mind, and gives me something to work for. Thanks for sharing that, Stephanie!

[Maggie]

I'm also not an expert, but I seem to recall Nancy posting something about wearing her leopard skin bikini. Now she lost 130 lbs in 7 months.(not sure of those numbers but I know they are close) That is a lot of weight and in a short period of time. If she has a lot of flabby skin, I don't think she would be wearing that bikini. Excess skin is not an issue for me because I don't wear bikinis or swim suits for that matter. My only problem will be with my 'bat wings' (upper arm flab) I have it now so I'm sure it will remain. That, too, will be easily covered by clothing. In the long run, excess skin will be a lot easier to live with than excess weight.
Plastic surgery for excess skin removal is not only painful, it is expensive and very rarely covered by insurance. So my motto is, whatever will be, will be. Maggie

[female1978]

Thanks all for your input.

The article was an interesting read.

[giamarie]

Hello. I just came across this site because I have been looking very seriously into finding away to get rid of all this excess skin that I have hanging around. Literally! I got sick Oct. 04 with gallbladder problems thanks to insurance issues I did not have it removed untill Feb. 05. I had lost some weight but, not as much as I have after the surgery. I was at my highest weight 297 and a size 28w and I am only 5'3. As of today I am 170 and wear a size 15 in juniors. Okay great! I love the fact that I am smaller but, I could be so much smaller if I could get rid of all this disgusting skin on me. I would probably be 5 sizes smaller if I could only figure out how to make it go away. I do excerise, eat very little because I still can not eat much without pain but, when I do it is for the most part very healthy. I think sometimes I am more sad now than when I was really big. I cry just looking at myself in the mirror. But, everyone tells me how wonderful I look. Thats because I have clothes on and they dont see me naked when they do! I am very seriously considering surgery. But, how much does something this extensive cost? I am unhappy all over again. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions for me please help me out. I dont know what my options are. This is the first time ever that I have posted a note like this. contact me at <snip>no emails please - Mr. Snippy</snip> thank you so much for any information you can provide.

<comment>emails are not allowed here for your own protection - register on the forum and add your email to your profile, if you'd like members to contact you - UT</comment>

[martha]

Hi-

I am not an expert by all means..BUT Christi(LilMsTexas) just had hers done--you can see her results under studio--Ding dong the belly monster is gone(i think) she has been kind enough to post some pretty grapic photos.. Her hubby is in the military I believe she didn't have to pay for it herself(other than the pain) I might be wrong--but I heard someone say somewhere around 6000.00 dollars for a really good Dr and trust me you do want a really good dr..Do your research carefully if you are considering this..check out the Dr very very good first..Hope this helps and please go and see the Studio for those pictures..Martha

CONGRATULATIONS on your weight loss-- from a 28w to a 15junior is something to be proud of..

[24KaratGold]

You should snip out that link, too, Mr. Snippy. It's really just to the guy's self-promoting website, and his book and his approach have been highly criticized.

[Jan]

Hey Ladies and guys too,

First of all I want to make certain that everyone understands that our program is a Muscle Sparing program. That means that you burn fat not muscle. I'm stating this because of the coment about Medifast and rapid weight loss. Yes, we do lose quickly -- but it is a very safe and affective weight loss. Medically sound. This cannot be said for many other programs out there. In fact did you know that now popular surgical approach to obseity often times results in dramatic problems with regard to muscle issues??
Now, since I happen to be a good friend of Nancy's and have coffee with her almost every day I can tell you Nancy does not have lose skin all over. She looks great!! In fact this a secret but I think she would be "ok" with me telling you -- we laugh when people hug her because we know they are looking for rolls of lose skin --and they aren't there.
Lets be real ladies -- most of us aren't going to prance around naked and few of us will venture out in a bikini. I know since I am 57 I certainly am not going to do that. At my age it is best to leave many things to the imagination and that's just what I do. I think it is a real bonus to look great when all my clothes are on -- that's what everyone but my hubby sees anyway -- and he thinks I look great!! Enough said.
Now the flabby part -- that's in large part due to genetics and the elasticity of your skin. Some of us have a great deal of elasticity and some of us don't. Of course those who have 100 pounds or more to lose have stretched their skin more than others who have less to lose. But l00 pounds gone and a top which covers the "wings" looks much much better than 100 pounds still to lose. People generally aren't checking out your upper arms -- especially when covered -- but they sure do notice an extra 100 pounds of flab. Those who lose weight when they are younger have an advantage. Their skin has not lost as much elasticity and will firm more quickly. Soooo those of you who have friends or relatives that are young urge them to take care of the problem now -- don't wait. Nothing except perhaps fine wine gets better with age!!
And lastly lets talk about what is really important. Your heart does not care that your upper arms are somewhat flabby. But it does care if you are hauling around an extra 50 pounds or so to strain it. Your joints, likewise are not unhappy with the lose skin -- but they sure do complain about the extra poundage. I could go on and on but you get the idea. Lets deal with what's really important. (Oh and the surgery is not easy -- no surgery really is -- and if considered cosmetic is so spendy )-- just wear clothes which take care of the problem
jan

[martha]

JAN--

YEAP you are right about it all..And might I say you said it just right. . I too being 50 keep myself covered up.. Also being from the older years even when I was a 6/8 I never let it all hang out.. I was told to change my clothes if they were too short even at 18 years of age..I just never got into all the sexy stuff.. I think you can be sexy without showing what you have hanging out..I think it's for Doug's eyes only and I like to leave them wondering.. I do however wonder about the flabby wavy arms I have at times but I just gave up sleeveless shirts(problem solved) if they get tighter and toned more then that's great if not I can live with my arms still waving after I have turned the corner --I can always look at the old pictures of my thinner and tighter days. My body already is letting me know how happy it is with the weight loss I have given it to this day.. even if I still want to lose more.. Thanks for the great advice..and I hope to look just like Nancy at my goal Martha

[LilMsTexas]

I feel like I need to say something about my surgery here.............I had a birth and c-section nearly 13 years ago. I had gestational diabetes and when I say I got HUGE FAST I mean I got HUGE FAST! My skin stretched so far out of wack in such a short period of time my body didn't have a chance I had my c-section in a military hospital, and although I am typically pleased with my care, my c-section wasn't a pretty sight...........then I got a staff infection and my wound had to be reopened and heal from inside out.....ect. ect. folks. The bottom line is that my muscles were cut big time and all the extra skin that remained after the birth just flopped over like a bean bag

Take a skip through my life for 12 years of up and down weight loss and then being diagnosed with full blown diabetes 4.5 years ago.......weight sky rocketed........then I lose some.........then got pregnant and had c-section #2 on March 17, 2004. Oh dear.......talk about a problem recovery because of my belly flopping over my c-section wound. Within a week I was cut back open and my husband was packing my wound for nearly 2 months it took me to heal. Ok......add in my skin disease that causes the cysts and boils on my c-section scar.......People I had problems GALORE in this area....and ALL because of the excess skin that WAS NOT CAUSED BY MY WEIGHT LOSS WITH MEDIFAST!!!!!I NEEDED the tummy tuck SO I LOST MY WEIGHT WITH MEDIFAST!!

I lost my weight and got my diabetes under control SO that I could HAVE my surgery and be healthy and heal well and reap ALL the benefits of a MAJOR surgery! Yes my insurance covered it because of my skin disease and all my years of complications. The insurance statement showed my tummy tuck and hospital bill was 12,000 dollars! Now this is the D.C. area.....but still.......it's not chump change no matter WHERE you get it.

The point I'm trying to make is this..........If you lose all your weight and have skin hanging and YOU don't like the way you look and feel and can afford the surgery then GO FOR IT! NO ONE should judge ANYONE on the decisions they make for their own body...regardless of the reason. But Medifast in and of itself is not the reason ANYONE should worry about surgery. I don't know who is dropping is 100lbs in a month around here but I haven't heard of it! Yes this plan works "fast" meaning it doesn't take FREAKING FOREVER like so many other plans we've ALL tried.......but don't act like everyone is getting skinny over night and having all their skin hanging down to their toes because of it either! That's just ridiculous.

I think the problem is that people have been seeing so many people with gastric bi-pass lose weight so dramatically and so quickly that they are seriously having skin issues. And now if anyone says "fast weight loss" they're freaking out. Go and look at the MONDAY MEASUREMENT forum in the ROLL CALL section and see the change in inches lost we are experiencing. We need to get back to that by the way folks We're losing and toning all at the same time.......yippeeeeee

So........what have we learned here........surgery is not for everyone.....it's not NEEDED by everyone.....it's CHOSEN by some......NEEDED by some.......and not an issue for MOST Just get your weight off and then cross all those other bridges when you get there. As for me and my surgery and weight loss journey.....I wouldn't have had it any other way I'm FANNNNNNNNTABULOUS now because of MEDIFAST and ME and MY SURGEON! hehe

[Lynzi]

That is precisely why I'm on Medifast, for my insides- not my outsides. Thanks, Jan, for needed inspiration!

[martha]

CHRISTI--

Yes I do understand about your surgery and know where you are coming from..I too had 2 c-sections and a emergency surgery right on top of the last one. Besides gall bladder surgery and others from dieting so much over the years..(another story).My c-sections are not the little bikini cut ones.I had the ones form my navel to the tip of ---(you get the picture) and then to make it really pretty with the emergency surgery they made a big check mark from the tip of the c-section scar upwards toward my belly.just think of a checkmark and you will get the picture.. I have always been border-line diabetic that was weight controlled(I lost weight and it came under control) ..I personally think you are great for having the surgery and When I am done if my flabbage is not any better I plan on the exact same thing,, no matter what the cost.. I really understand about the flabbage as mine hangs but also is split right down the middle because of the scar of the c-sections.. (NOT PRETTY) but I plan on waiting and making sure it's what I want after the weight loss. I thought I read somewhere it was paid for by the military(I have a friend who had theirs done that way) 12,000 or not if I can't get some of the flabbage off I will have the same thing done..I sometimes feel like putting all my fat in a wagon(like Oprah)I wanted to let you know that I do admire you for all of your courage and for everything you have done to help all of us with this problem. for helping us to see there is a way to change if we want to take it.. iIt is definetly a personal choice on each of us.. Thanks again- for all your posts and your pictures and your bravery..-martha