Above Alland Perhaps Most Importantlybe Proud Of Yourself
If this piece applies to you at all, be it from long-standing weight you carried or from losing weight gained from pregnancy or anywhere in between, that means one thing: Youve taken major steps toward better physical health, and that should be applauded. Everyones weight loss story is different, and some days are harder than others, Engelman says. I say, try to be kind to yourself. Youve just reached a huge accomplishment and should be proud of that.
Devgan agrees. Accomplishing a personal health goal like major weight loss is an incredible achievement that anyone should be proud of, she says. While excess skin can feel like a burden or source of self-consciousness, it is also a reminder of the metaphorical and literal shedding of the weight of a prior version of oneself. You cannot have a couture gown without a seam, and you cannot have a surgery without a scar. Life has limitations, but that does not make it less beautiful. It makes it more real.
How Much Loose Skin Will I Have After Weight Loss Surgery
It is hard to know exactly how much loose skin an individual will end up with after surgery. Each patient is different and so are the factors that affect them. Genetics, age, height, smoking, the patients weight before surgery, and how much weight they lose are all factors that play a part in the development of loose skin.
A general guideline would be, the more weight you lose, the more likely you are to be left with loose skin. Loose skin can cause physical complications and can also make some patients self-conscious. Understanding that loose skin is a naturally occurring consequence of losing a significant amount of weight, and having a plan ahead of time, will help patients experience a smoother recovery and future.
Online Bariatric Seminar – Post Weight Loss Cosmetic Surgery – IBI Healthcare Institute
Dr. Angelina is our triple board-certified Cosmetic Surgeon, is able to help you achieve the confidence you want. For those who have lost weight and still don’t feel confident in their bodies, call us for a consultation to see how we can help.
Minimizing Excess Skin After Bariatric Surgery
Excess skin is a common, almost unavoidable, part of the post bariatric surgery lifestyle. Sagging or excess skin is caused by one of any number of issues including genetics, the amount of weight lost, age, and the specific procedure being performed. But that stretched skin does not have to be a drag on your life.
Some patients consider their excess skin to be a trophy of the amazing achievements theyve made through the weight loss surgery process. Contrary to what some might say, weight loss surgery is not the easy way out. Quite the opposite. Patients must still work hard at changing their diet and exercise and improving their overall lifestyle. Further, great results are not guaranteed, and largely depend on the patients willingness and ability to live this new lifestyle day in and day out.
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What Is The Best Home Remedy To Tighten Your Skin
Besides the non-invasive and minimally-invasive options out there that are somewhat effective, theres no magic skin tightening cream or exercise thats going to tighten loose skin after weight loss on its own. Thats what makes excess skin a difficult problem for those with more moderate cases, says Zuckerman.
Rubbing cocoa butter on your skin might sound like a good idea, but while many topical products claim to tighten skin, doctors are skeptical. “There are no efficacious topical products or OTC remedies for excess skin,” says Zuckerman. Jacobs adds that any product youre going to buy for this issue usually will have subtle results at best.
The best home remedy, then? “Taking care of your skin,” says Jacobs. “This includes sun protection, avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in sugar and saturated fats.”
If You Are Having Weight Loss Surgery Consider A Surgical One
Though I personally havent opted for weight loss surgery, many doand there is zero shame in that. But because of the more rapid pace with which weight is lost after surgery comes the greater likelihood of excess skin. Why do we have to worry about excess skin, especially after more rapid weight loss? Its because collagen and elastin fibers are destroyed when skin is stretched significantly and remains stretched for an extended amount of time, New York City plastic surgeon David Shafer says. Patients should plan on staged procedures if having a weight loss surgery followed by a skin removal surgery.
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What Exactly Is Skin Anyway
Your skin is technically the largest organ in your body, serving the vital function of protecting your insides from the environment. The inner layers of your skin are comprised of proteins, including one called elastin. Elastin as its name implies provides elasticity to the surface layer of your skin, keeping it tight. When you gain weight, your skin expands to make room for the increased growth in the abdomen. The one exception to this rule is pregnancy, where the expanded skin retracts naturally after the birth of the baby.
Q: What Are Some Benefits Of Surgery To Treat Extra Skin
Dr. Jones: The biggest gain is self-confidence. A lot of my patients have a long story behind their decision to pursue bariatric surgery. In some ways, the excess tissue serves as a reminder of the parts of them they wanted to leave behind, and it interferes with the way they want to present themselves to the world.
Excess skin can also cause medical issues like infections and skin rashes. And having a lot of loose, excess skin can make it difficult for people to fit into clothes. Some of my patients have already tried things like wearing shapewear clothing before they come to me to discuss skin surgery.
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How Do I Get Rid Of Extra Skin After Weight Loss
I’m 15 and I’ve been overweight most of my life. This past year I lost 50 pounds and I have some extra skin on my body because I was big for so long. It’s been tightening up because I’m still young. But can I speed it up? I already work out every other day. Misha*
Congratulations on losing the extra weight!
Losing a lot of weight can leave a person with saggy skin, especially if weight comes off quickly. Unfortunately, there’s no magic lotion or cream that can get rid of extra skin after weight loss. You should keep seeing improvement, but you may need to give it more time. As you said, being young is definitely in your favor, but you can’t speed up the process.
Working out like you’re doing is a great way to care for your body. Regular exercise, including cardio and strength training, will help you maintain your weight and tone your body. It also may help your skin look tighter.
Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about extra skin. Some people who lose very large amounts of weight may consider plastic surgery after they’ve kept the weight off for a while.
Besides talking to your doctor, keep taking good care of yourself: Eating right, getting exercise, and caring for your skin can help you look and feel good.
*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
What Causes Loose Skin
Loose skin after weight loss is a result of several contributing factors. Our skin is partially made up of proteins called collagen and elastin fibers. These proteins give skin its firmness and allow it to snap back in place after being stretched. When the skin is stretched for an extended period of time, the collagen and elastin fibers become damaged. After weight loss, your skin may lack the necessary proteins to return to its original shape. The skin loses its firmness and tends to just hang on the body.
In addition to losing elastin and collagen, the makeup of the collagen left in the skin changes as well. After losing weight, our skin contains less collagen and its composition is different than the collagen in young, healthy skin. The makeup of your skin is also determined by other factors like age, history of smoking, general health, and family history.
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Will I Have Loose Skin If I Lose One Hundred Kilos
The unfastened skin is led to by dropping a huge quantity of weight as in, One hundred kilos or extra in a very short period of time. It can happen when the weight is lost thru nutrition and exercise, but it surely occurs more continuously to weight-loss surgical operation sufferers. … To do away with the unfastened skin, workout is helping, somewhat.
Tightening Skin: Potential Solutions To Loose Skin
Fortunately, there are solutions to the problem, ranging from natural remedies to surgical options.
While having loose skin after weight loss can be distressing, there are many options to reduced its prominence. Sometimes it retracts on its own, other times further procedures are required. But it is not something that needs to be lived with.
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How To Tighten Skin After Weight Loss: Skin Tightening In Livermore
The BTL Exilis is a one-of-a-kind skin tightening treatment device for anyone looking to improve the elasticity of their skin in different areas of the body. It combines radio frequency with ultrasound to target various depths in the tissue pain-free.
As it penetrates the superficial layers, it creates contraction in the collagen fibers of your skin. In response, your body rapidly produces a significant amount of collagen to create tighter skin. With just the use of a handpiece, you can tighten the skin of your face:
Side Effects From Loose Skin
Many people who have achieved massive weight loss are not bothered by their excess skin and never require treatment. However, it is also possible for this extra skin to become irritated and even infected.
When excess skin folds over onto itself, it rubs together and chafing can occur. This can lead to a painful, itchy rash. Loose skin can also lead to infections. When loose skin folds over itself, it can be difficult to thoroughly clean each fold. Bacteria can accumulate and overgrow, causing an infection. If your skin chafes and tears slightly, the infection can enter the body.
Having excess loose skin on your body can cause pain and discomfort, especially when you try to exercise. This is especially problematic for individuals who have just lost weight since exercise is a key component of helping them maintain their weight loss. A 2013 study found that women who had loose skin after bariatric surgery cited their skin as a barrier to physical activity. This was due to the fact that the excess skin made exercise uncomfortable, on top of the emotional discomfort of unwelcome stares and attention during activity. The embarrassment of going for a run or to the gym because of their loose skin prevented many from working out.
Even if your loose skin has not caused any health problems, you may be bothered by the way it looks. Studies have found that having excess skin can negatively impact your quality of life, self-esteem, and body image.
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How To Avoid Loose Skin
While you won’t be able to completely prevent loose skin if you’re losing large amounts of weight, losing weight slowly is the best way to avoid excessive sagging.
Most experts recommend aiming for 1 to 2 pounds a week, which translates to 4 to 8 pounds per month. This will help you lose more fat than muscle and will allow your skin to adjust as you lose weight.
Where Does All That Skin Go See For Yourself
Franklin Santana, a 29-year-old who lives in the Bronx, had gastric bypass surgery in October 2011, and before the surgery, he weighed 395 pounds. Two years later, as of late last year, he was down to 170. To the public, he seemed like a trim, even skinny, guy. But underneath the clothes, he said his sagging skin reminded him of a deflated balloon.
Im wearing a fat suit I feel like Im a thin person inside wearing a body thats twice the size of mine.
To me, it looks gross, said Santana. You know how a pumpkin looks, at the beginning of October? And then, at the end of October, its all sad and saggy and deflated. I guess you could say it looks like that.
Fantana had done his research before getting the surgery done, and he knew that hed probably be saddled with loose skin after it was over.
Deborah Olmstead, who first had weight loss surgery done in 2001, knew to expect it, too she just didn’t know how awful it would make her feel.
“I was not really comfortable even looking at myself in the mirror, with all the excess flesh,” said Olmstead, who lives in New York state and had cosmetic surgery in Manhattan, led by Wallach, to remove the sagging skin in 2004. “You’ve done all this work, you’ve made this big, massive change that you see on the scale, but you don’t necessarily see it in your clothing, or the way you feel about yourself.”
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Loose Skin After Weight Loss
If you have lost a significant amount of weight, congratulations! Youve taken an important and often difficult step to improving your health. While many individuals are more satisfied with their appearance after weight loss, there are some cosmetic concerns that can be present once you reach your ideal body weight. You may notice hanging skin around your abdomen, arms, or thighs. Loose skin after weight loss is especially common for individuals who underwent bariatric surgery, but can occur any time a person loses a significant amount of weight quickly. Luckily, there are surgical solutions for sagging skin that can help you love the way your body looks and help you start enjoying the results of your weight loss.
You may wish to undergo just one type of surgery if you only notice extra skin in one area your body. However, most patients have multiple different areas where they notice loose skin after weight loss. Body contouring surgery typically combines several procedures to achieve a total body transformation.
Some surgical corrections that may be included are:
The Loose Skin Problem
Shedding off your extra pounds is crucial to reducing your risk of contracting diseases and long-term illnesses. However, although youre much healthier than before, you may still feel a bit self-conscious about your body because of the excess skin resulting from your weight loss.
The skin is the largest organ of the body, which protects it from harmful environmental elements. Since the innermost layer of your skin consists of collagen and elastin, it can expand during weight gain to make more room for increased growth.
During pregnancy, the skin expands, but it usually retracts months after the delivery of the baby. However, the skin can only expand for a certain amount of time. The thing about skin is that the collagen and elastin fibers it contains will become damaged if it remains significantly stretched for an extensive period.
Since youve been a specific weight for a long time, your skin wont be able to retract as it should, which results in excess skin hanging from your body. The greater the weight loss, the more pronounced loose skin youll have.
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Q: How Do Patients Benefit From The Collaboration Between Temples Bariatric And Plastic Surgery Teams
Dr. Jones: We have a long history of collaboration with the bariatric program to serve patients who have had bariatric surgery and then want plastic surgery. We believe this collaboration benefits our patients. We are part of the same team, so the transition of care is seamless.
The Temple Bariatric Program offers proven weight-loss surgery procedures, including gastric bypass and gastric sleeve surgeries.
Temple Plastic Surgery offers all the latest procedures, carefully listening to you, explaining your options and working with you to achieve your desired results.
If you want to know more about bariatric surgery, consider attending our free online seminar. Learn about the qualifications for bariatric surgery and find out if you may be a candidate.
Stay Hydrated And Consume Specific Nutrients
To form collagen and other components of healthy skin, certain nutrients in diet-rich meals and high-quality sources are necessary. Here is a list of some of the constituents for foods that tighten skin after weight loss that you need:
- Protein. Protein is essential for skin health and muscle-building: the amino acids lysine and proline aid collagen formation.
- Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin C aids in the formation of collagen and also protects the skin from UV damage.
- Omega-3 fatty acids. Fatty fish omega-3 fatty acids may help enhance skin suppleness and offer anti-aging properties.
- Water. Staying hydrated can help your skin look better. According to one study, women who increased their daily water intake saw significant skin hydration and function increases.
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What Can Be Done About Loose Skin After Bariatric Surgery
After losing a significant amount of weight, many areas of the body may end up with excess skin. The collagen and elastin in the skin are not able to retract enough to keep up with the amount of weight lost. Patients may end up with excess skin on the arms, abdomen/stomach, thighs, breast area, back, etc.
Whether the patients reasons are aesthetic or physical, eliminating loose skin after a significant weight loss can be done and will make a difference in helping maintain the weight loss. Depending on the severity of the loose skin, there are both surgical and non-surgical options available to treat it.