Ive lost a fair bit of weight and im wanting a tummy tuck to get rid of the 'apron'

I absolutly hate it - its about 5-10kg at least and it looks horrible.

Has anyone else had this surgery done before? whats the costs? whens the best time to do it?
Any regrets or side effects?

well i think the only way is to exercise its kind of dangerous...

Hi Wishes!:) Congratulations on your weight loss, you are doing a fantastic job. Correct me if I am wrong, but your curent weight is CW:111.2kg/245.2lb and you are planning on loosing more weight, right? I understand how you would want to get some plastic surgery on your tummy, but I would strongly suggest to wait intil you loose more weight and will be at a healthy weight point. The reasons being:

1. Let's say, you will go for tummy surgery now and then continue with your weight loss again. If you would have to loose only 5-10lb I would say - go ahead, but not when you are looking at 20-30lb. weight loss. You will find yourself at exactly the same place, only this time you woud have to consider one more surgery.

2. I was thinking of getting liposaction this past August and went for consultation with a very fancy plastic surgent who had his practice for the past 20 years on Park Avene in New York. He refused to do surgery and told me to come back when I will be at my healthy weight of 130-135 lb. It is very important to be very critical and realistic in your expectations.

3. What I would suggest is finding plastic surgant and go for consultation. Don't forget to prepare to ask as many questions as you need (I had a long list with me:D ). This way you will know exactly where you stand, what to expect, what would be your doctors recomendations as to when and at what weight you should be doing your surgery.

At last, I feel your pain - you are loosing weight and watching your body transform. Some things about this transformation are fantastic, some - not so fantastic. Keep going and make an educated decision at the end.:)

well i think the only way is to exercise its kind of dangerous...

I dont think you know what you're talking about.

Im talking about something that will *NEVER* be gone no matter how much you exercise or workout.

Coco: Im not talking about doing it now - im talking about doing it when i get to my goal weight.

Coco: Im not talking about doing it now - im talking about doing it when i get to my goal weight.

I am sorry.

I dont think you know what you're talking about.


Hun, just remember that when you are asking someone what they think; you are not always going to hear what you want.

I agree w/ cocoa...just find someone professional and get their insite on the matter :D

Has anyone else had this surgery done before? whats the costs? whens the best time to do it?

wishes... and this will show how little I know about how other countries operate... Doesnt New Zealand have a national healthcare where you don't pay for necessary medical procedures.

What you are talking about having done isn't a face lift or a boob job, but what you might be able to find a doctor or two to say that it's necessary for your health and well being. (though having anose job could be beneficial to my health and wellbeing :D )

It's really not a cosmetic procedure, so why wouldn't it be covered under your national healthcare...

If you were to have it done though, I'd strongly reccommend investigating the doctor and not going for the cheapest procedure, but the most qualified surgeon.. this could be considered major surgery and I'd be scaredof complications... (the news magazine shows do stories occassionally on the store front cosmetic surgery places and how they often come out with botched procedures or in a body bag.)

newbride: i wasnt having a problem with their opinion - thats what i asked for. I was correcting them on the thought that i was going to do it immediatly now. Im aiming for the long term but thought i should look at it now so when the time comes i have the nessary information about it.

Mal: I was indeed hopeing it would be clasified as 'nessary' for health reasons and i could get it free, but im prepared to pay for it if it comes down to it :)
It really is a cosmetic procedure i think, though if my mental health is affected by it then im sure i can wangle it as nessary :)

I have a way to go yet anyway, early next year is my major goal. Im not setting lots of little goals - i feel they will give me false sense of security. Im setting one kickass goal of 120lb/55kg loss, and im over halfway there already!
Once i get to that goal i will have to go under the knife for my brother then take a few weeks out to reasses things and regain health before going for the last stretch.

I don't know anything about the procedure, except my grandmother did it. It stayed off her for a while then came back probably because she went back to eating the same as before. We live in the US so it wasn't cheap.

Personally, I think it's kind of expensive and invasive--the kind of thing anyone should give much thought and research to before doing (which you are). Whether you should go through with it or not partially depends on why you have an apron. If it came after child-birth, it may help to have surgury as abdominal muscles on some women can split or tear during pregnancy. If it's genetic, you may not want to get the tummy tuck until you stick with some sort of athletic activity for a year--one that works on your abs. I had a positive experience with it.

I had an apron for all my adult (and teen) life. It's genetic. My mom has it, and my sister had it--even when she was underweight. Then I became really heavy when on meds... The first time I lost a lot of weight weight (70 pounds) I got skinny (but healthy) but still couldn't lose that ab fat.

Well, I wanted to do something unusual so I trained for a marathon. While the running didn't do anything for my abs, the required twice-a-week cross/weight training made the apron disappear--and it stayed off.

Even when I got sick last year and gained a bunch of weight back, the apron didn't return as bad. I do have fat deposits on my belly...but this time it's distributed (rather than all on front) and there is muscle definition that was never there before I worked on my stomach. It seems to be going away on it's own with weight management this time.

I think you are mistaken, i am NOT talking about fat, there is no fat involved at all.
I am talking about removing the saggy piece of skin that hangs down about 10"
This is NOT fat, it is skin. Its a by product of having 5 pregnancies and being overweight and loosing it.
Its not something you can inherit, and it is not fat.

Well, I did have a tummy tuck done apx 20 yrs ago, about 4 yrs after my last pregnancy, as I had what looked like a tire hanging from my belly, and I have not regret it at all, it stayed the same, although I am like 65 lbs overweight, the weight there has never come back, I am flat as a board on my belly, now if I could only do the rest of my back bakery (rolls), ....LOL.... it would be great, but if your question is about the tummy tuck is still like the first year, is great, this was done like 20 yrs ago, so things, money wise and procedure wise have changed quiet a lot as I hear now they go under your skin and also fix and pull your stomach muscles so that would even be better yet, but I like mine and if i had to do it all over again I definately would no questions asked...... Now my next question, has anyone had their thighs done?, the sagging loose skin or folds pulled up, and I don't mean lipo, that doesn't work, I also had it done in my thighs which is the reason now the skin hangs and is loose and bumpy, I mean real plastic surgery, that is my next problem......I hope I was of some help ....Wishes.......

Cheers loly, that was the most helpful post yet :)

I was getting frustrated because everyone was thinkin i meant something about fat reduction surgery rather than skin removal :/

I knew exactly what you meant Wishes, you have done great loosing the weight and of course as you already know you first should loose the complete amount of weight you want, then after, go ahead with the surgery, but I DO NOT regret it one bit.... Good luck.....

Unfortunatly, now i have a belly button infection because of all the excess skin hanging - wtf?! who the heck ever heard of a belly button infection!

wishes i have the apron belly thing too, and the more i loose the worse it looks, i feel like i have the gut of an 80 year old!!!!! and no amount of exercise or weight loss will help, my aunt had it done after she lost some majior weight and she had a breast lift at the same time.........she now looks like she's 20 yrs younger and she loves her body now!!! i plan to do the same hell or high water!!!!

I was getting frustrated because everyone was thinkin i meant something about fat reduction surgery rather than skin removal :/

Wishes, revisit your first post in this thread, please. It didn't say anything about the fact that you are not done with losing weight. It said that you HAVE LOST weight and LOOKING NOW into possibility of surgery. I also felt a bit offended by your responces - they seam to be rude and disrespectful. I, personaly, didn't come here to insult you or anybody else. I tryed to help the best I could on the basis of information you provided, nothing more.

Oh i am right there with the stomach hang. ick! It's not fat..it stretched out, never to go back loose hangy skin that will never..i repeat never..be removed by vigorous exercise. You got to surgically remove it and I have seen some beautiful work done on it and arms and legs and etc..
It's about 10,000 dollars, depending on the extent of the damage. I will get it as soon as I am 30 lbs to my goal weight. It also removes adapose(spelling :(
tissues that suck up and hold our fat. So that is a plus. I even found out that they can stitch just at bikini line and make a new nice cute belly button and
it will look wonderful. So check around ..and you got time to check and get estimates. The estimates sometimes cost money too, but well worth it.
We spend money on cars, vacation trips, etc. So money saved for our loose skin is worth it. To me anyway. :)

You gave great advice Coco..and it was very supporting. Cool!!

Wishes, revisit your first post in this thread, please. It didn't say anything about the fact that you are not done with losing weight. It said that you HAVE LOST weight and LOOKING NOW into possibility of surgery. I also felt a bit offended by your responces - they seam to be rude and disrespectful. I, personaly, didn't come here to insult you or anybody else. I tryed to help the best I could on the basis of information you provided, nothing more.

I apolagise if i hurt your feelings. I was probably a bit abrupt :)

Wishes, I am sorry too if I upset you a bit.:) I guess it is never easy to be on a diet. I don't know how about you, I, sometimes, can't handle things well emotionaly. I think you are doing such a great job, I really do. Look at all the weight you already lost. I will go for surgery too when I will loose all my weight. There is simply no way my boobs are going to look as they did before I gained weight. Also, I am looking at the option of doing tummy tuck.If I will get there before you, I will let you know about results and everything else.:)

You gave great advice Coco..and it was very supporting. Cool!!

:) :) :) Thank You!:) :) :)

This is something I, too, will consider if my tummy skin stays saggy after. Of course, that won't happen for a while.:D But it will happen! I'm going to look into the options in Canada.

Ive decided to write a book about weight loss, exercise etc for dummies. Sell it online for like $10 a copy to make myself some money. Its the only way im gonna be able to get the $

I think you are mistaken, i am NOT talking about fat, there is no fat involved at all.
I am talking about removing the saggy piece of skin that hangs down about 10"
This is NOT fat, it is skin. Its a by product of having 5 pregnancies and being overweight and loosing it.
Its not something you can inherit, and it is not fat.

Yeah, my grandmother (from my dad's side) had 4 pregnancies that caused hers. I didn't inherit the stomach from her, btw, but my mom.

Some people get that stomach from pregnancy and need surgery to correct it (it happens if your ab muscles split during pregnancy) but not everyone who gets pregnant does. I don't know your situation, but maybe a doctor could answer your questions about it.

While I haven't been pregnant yet, I have had my stomach pretty much all my life--even at healthy weights and throughout childhood--and believed only surgery would fix it. I even still had it after dropping below a healthy BMI. I lost it after getting to a healthy (but low) weight and becoming active for over a year. The whole process took about two years, but was soooo worth it.

Surgery would have been a quick fix, I'd do the second over it any day. Once I got really active I felt great, could eat like a horse, and didn't gain any weight back for years. There is also something super awesome about pushing your body to new limits with activity. You don't catch colds or the flu very often and become very strong. It was especially fun to do things I never thought I was capable of before I lost the weight. I always loved to run so I got to do some races. Maybe this time around I'll fight my fear of my two left feet (and hands--LOL) and do something fun like belly dancing.

Anyhow, I'm just saying you may want to wait until you get to your GW and have been exercising for a while before even thinking about going that route of surgery. It's expensive and always risky (even with the best doctors). That's just my 2 cents. :)

hello everyone, i have this problem for about 10 years now - felt like a freak and that it was just me - now irealise how many women it affects - and its NORMAL - at first it was awful, ithen lost some weight but that horrible hang lol worse than a horror film was still there - what the hell happened to my lovely figure...well childbirth and caesarian happened and no amount of exercise helps to get rid of it - i've decided to just accept it - i know no man is bothered with it - i just use body lotion to keep from looking too dry and its not such an ugly thing realy if you think about it - we are women, we bear children and the results are just this sometimes...no man worth his salt is gonna be bothered...so dont go for surgery - from all the pictures i have seen its not that much better looking - focus on your good bits LOL - beautiful eyes, hair, lips, shoulders, whatever, and that includes sagging breasts - !! buy complimentary underwear, and be confident in your womanhood
and your sexuality which has nothing to dowith looking like a model or arobot
wouldnt you overlook your man's spare tyres if you loved him and found him sexy despite? i would and i expect the same! if someone loves you and this is what this about alot of the time he will love all your warts and your apron stupid belly lol
xx

lol yeah I had a C-section also, thats partially how i ended up with mine.
And im not fussed about my husband - he loves me either way (he loved me at 320lb and he will love me at 140).

I want to do it for me - because im only 33 and i still have plenty of time to show off my new body in tight revealing clothes once i get down to my weight. If that makes me a skank or whatever im not overly fussed :)

Maybe I am a closet skank :D
Either way - i wanna wear a bikini

I want to do it for me - because im only 33 and i still have plenty of time to show off my new body in tight revealing clothes once i get down to my weight. If that makes me a skank or whatever im not overly fussed :)

Maybe I am a closet skank :D
Either way - i wanna wear a bikini

I actually will probably end up going with surgery too, when it comes to that time (too much stretching and already had my pregnancy).

I think I completely agree with this last bit of your post...I think I might be a closet skank LOL and I definately want to be there right beside yah in a hot bikini LOL! :)

Closet skank...y'all crack me up! That is so funny! :p

I think I'm a closet skank too...I can't wait until I can wear those kinds of clothes, before I get too old. :eek: :D

hahaha we should some kinda challenge and call ourself the closet skanks.
Im guessing most of us are here to be skinny and look just a little skanky anyway - its a nice ego boost :D

No point loosing all that weight to go round dressed like an old maid thats for sure! we're not dead yet!

Cheers loly, that was the most helpful post yet :)

I was getting frustrated because everyone was thinkin i meant something about fat reduction surgery rather than skin removal :/

You should post a picture. Come on folks, think turkey neck llike deflated skin, swinging int he breeze.

Unless your 20 years old that skin ain't snappin' back.

lol yeah I had a C-section also, thats partially how i ended up with mine.
And im not fussed about my husband - he loves me either way (he loved me at 320lb and he will love me at 140).

I want to do it for me - because im only 33 and i still have plenty of time to show off my new body in tight revealing clothes once i get down to my weight. If that makes me a skank or whatever im not overly fussed :)

Maybe I am a closet skank :D
Either way - i wanna wear a bikini
Im almost 10 years older than you and dammit I wanna be hot too - I'm gonna be that old lady trotting around in the mini skirt and cleavage... total skank that's me - only because i'm old it'll just be sad :D

Im almost 10 years older than you and dammit I wanna be hot too - I'm gonna be that old lady trotting around in the mini skirt and cleavage... total skank that's me - only because i'm old it'll just be sad :D

:p :p :p ROTFLMAO

there was a thread on Spark where the question was asked - what body part will you show when you reach your goal...

tthere were lots of arms and belly buttons etc.. Screw that -I'm walking naked down fifth avenue in nyc :D And I will too :D

ROTFLMAO ROTFLMAO You have me in TEARS over here Mal!!! :p :p :p I'm so glad you're back! *HUGS*

aaaaaaaahahahahahahah omg that had me in stitches!

Red, you really dont want to see it :O
it looks a bit like this http://static.flickr.com/76/186850248_f88291f5aa_m.jpg only a LOT worse :)

A woman that I work with had two pregnancies and gained ALOT of weight. She had about 10 inches of loose skin when she got down to 125 pounds. When she raised her arms it would flop out of her pants. She had to have an hysterectomy. The doctor took off the excess skin when he did that surgery. Pretty cool I thought.

Thankful I dont have the skin, but if I did... I would have it removed in a heartbeat.

I'm having a tummy tuck 12/20, you don't have to be overweight to get the loose skin, I'm 123 lb, but had 3 kids, 40 yrs old. I hate that loose skin.;)

lol yeah its pretty annoying.
I cant run because my tummy flops up and down and out of my pants, then my pants fall down.
I have to wear a size bigger pants than required because of it and hipsters are most definatly out of the question!

At this point im not overly fussed with it, im just planning ahead :)

Hey I'm 20 and I don't think this skin is going to "snap" back LOL too much damage....

Hey guys!! I know what you mean about the apron. I have mine from one pregnancy/c-section and another abdominal surgery. I plan to have a tummy tuck when I have the money to do so. Don't go when you weigh 120!!! I did that and the doctor told me I was too thin and that I should dry drinking more fluids to help with the skin. I would go between 130*-140lbs. Getting a doctor to say it is medically nesseccary would be extremely difficult to do, I tried to get mine done when I had surgery before but it didn't work out. I am now at 138 and I would get it done now if I had the money.

It is very frustrating when people tell you to execise when you have been. Some people also confuse belly fat with loose skin but we know what we have. There is a differance, especially with those of us who have had children. Our bodies truely do change.

Hi

I had this procedure 16 months ago and havent regretted it at all. Although I am still fat and need to lose a further 25 kgs at least. I can look in the mirror and see my pubes and still see them when sat down.:D

Jo

My mom had it done several years ago, and yes, the doc did do it for free. This was in Canada though. I hope you can get something like that there. all in all it didn't seem to bad. I was younger at the time, so was horrified to see the drains and hoses coming out of the sides of her in the hospital, but she recovered quickly.

Sadly, mom has since put back on the weight and now is older and having to go down that same long process again. All the more reason in my mind why this has to be a complete and utter life change, not just a diet.

Good luck with your search, let us know how it goes!

sirant

p.s. All this "skank" talk between you and mal is hilarious by the way...... Who ever thought in their life someone would "want" to be a skank??? You 2 crakc me up, good luck with the skanking!!

ah, seeing my pubes when I sit down. When's the last time that happened? Must've been like 11 years old! It won't happen again until I have the surgery. :-) I have a huge apron too, and it won't go away with exercise gauranteed.

Wishes

I know just what you mean - I have "empty" skin on my tummy that will never go anywhere no matter how much exercise you do - it can't because it is excess skin that stretched from having a 10 pound baby who was 57cm long - I am 150cm tall.

I have two suggestions that may help -

- if you currently have a belly button infection please see your doctor - documenting infection that is a direct result of this skin may halp your cause if you want to claim it as a medical necessity to have your "apron" removed.

- you are probably already doing this but I read that if you do lots of abdominal exercise it is a less yukky surgery ,as if you have muscle that need repairing and stitching together your recovery is worse.

I say go for it - I know I will be if I have this wrinkly hanging skin at the end (which I am pretty close to now). I will wait 12 months to see if my skin shrinks any further, However I will also be getting what I like to call a boob relocation as they too suffer from saggy and wrinkled skin.LOL.

You have worked so hard to get where you are - you deserve to look your best AND YOU HAD 5 PREGNANCIES!!!! If you had excess skin hanging on your face no one would even question your decision.

Cheers
Sharon:D

- if you currently have a belly button infection please see your doctor - documenting infection that is a direct result of this skin may halp your cause if you want to claim it as a medical necessity to have your "apron" removed.

been there, done that - got some medication but they still wont subsidise it :(

- you are probably already doing this but I read that if you do lots of abdominal exercise it is a less yukky surgery ,as if you have muscle that need repairing and stitching together your recovery is worse.

Thats a bit of a myth i think, doing ANY weight training helps the stomach muscles and skin retract, Though id probably confer with Steve with that :D

I say go for it - I know I will be if I have this wrinkly hanging skin at the end (which I am pretty close to now). I will wait 12 months to see if my skin shrinks any further, However I will also be getting what I like to call a boob relocation as they too suffer from saggy and wrinkled skin.LOL.

You have worked so hard to get where you are - you deserve to look your best AND YOU HAD 5 PREGNANCIES!!!! If you had excess skin hanging on your face no one would even question your decision.

Yeah im gonna wait 12 months also, its not super high on the priority list :D

Oh good on ya for loosing the 150 - thats fantastic.
Bugger about the costs though, Ill just get a loan if i have to to remove it. Husband is fully supportive. With any luck ill see if perhaps even some magazine or tv or something is interested in the story to help with the costs. They love that kinda crap

Hi!

Did you ever have the surgery?

not yet. I have to donate a kidney to my brother first then think about surgery :)

I say go for anything that makes YOU feel better and more confident.... and HELLO, I have about 50 lbs to loose, but my apron has never come back, yes I am kind of plump still, but is all around, not really in my stomach that much, and that loose skin will never comes back, and yes I cannot wait to be able to wear a super mini bikiny....... but I am definately for anything that makes you feel good, now I am looking on information from anyone that has had their thighs lifted, that is what i need done next.... I had lipo done on them at the same time i had my tummy tuck 20 yrs ago and they are very loose and yukkkkk.... can't stand to look at them... if anyone has had this procedure done, pls can you let me know how it went... Tks

not yet. I have to donate a kidney to my brother first then think about surgery :)


I am sorry to hear your brother is in need, that is wonderful you are a match!!

I was just asking because I am dying to have this procedure done. I am pretty happy with my body except for my tummy. I cant wear shorter shirts, or skirts, it makes me at least one pant size more I am sure. There is a cosmetic company that offers financing here, I am looking into it. No matter how much I lose, it won't go away.

Anyway, congrats on your weight loss, your pics are wonderful!

yeah ill probably opt for the finance also :)

I had this done a little over a year, my tummy is flat, but what i don't like is, the fluid that drains, cause buildups on my side (both side), so now i have pouches on my sides, but my tummy is flat.

When I was in my 30's and lost a lot of weight (after having 3 children) I was wanting so badly to have a tummy tuck to have the cute little tummy back that I used to have, and a boob lift too, but when I checked it out we just could not afford it. I just wished and wished for it.

Zoom forward a bunch of years and now here I am 52 years old with lots of extra weight on me, but working on losing it again. Now I don't think I would even consider spending the money on that - even though it would be nice. I don't even have any health insurance and if I come up with extra money it has to go toward retirement funds, not my vanity - but I'm ok with that. I Know I won't be wearing the little short tops, and low rise pants, and bikinis anymore in life even if I am thin, and I know my hubby will love me no matter what. That is not to say I don't think it would be wonderful and think it's great for anyone that can afford to do it.

The sad thing is my youngest son who lost 200 pounds also has all this stretched out skin. He is 6'3" now, around 185 lb and certainly doesn't need to lose more. He has worked out so hard for the last few years and that stretched out skin is just not going away. I feel bad for him and have suggested for him to see if insurance will cover the surgery but am leaving it to him to decide if he wants to do that. He is 20 (almost 21 now, and lost that weight between ages 16 & 18).

i think age is definatly a factor. If you are young, looking good is more important because everyone goes around wearing the most fashionable gear kinda thing. When you're older people dont have as high expectations and you realize theres more to life than looks :)

But either way, thats not to say young people cant skip it or older people can. I think its up to you in the end. Ill get mine removed if it doesnt go by itself purely based on the fact that clothes dont fit right because its so large, and i get infections from skin rolls :)

Personally.. When I do get down to my ultimate weight I am happy with and I don't know what that is yet even though it says 194 on my ticker. But when I do If I have an apron or loose skin and still have a case of man boobs I'm booking myself to go under the knife. When the weight has gone whats the point of being depressed about the way your body looks.

Go for it girl. Feel healthy and feel happy.

yeah agreed.

I'd certainly be interested in pictures before and after.

I just read the whole thing. whew. lol. Are you skankin' it up at all yet? You look fabulous! I couldn't resist the link on your signature after seeing what your ticker said. one hot mama! congrats! I love all the hair colors you went through as well. You look so happy through all your progress pics. I really hope I can do this and you just gave me a major boost...I want progress pics now! Best of luck with everything and I can't wait to hear about how the surgery goes when you do get it. I have 50 pounds to lose and a lot of money to save so I am guessing yours will happen before mine.

I'd try rigorous exercising for a year before even thinking about a surgery.

I want to loose weight but working out doesn't seem to be enough. I hate surgery but I've found on the net this video concerning a new non-surgical precedure called ultrashape procedure. The video is available on TC Clinic in Toronto. The video is very explanatory and the before and after pictures are very interesting. Do you agree with this type of procedure? Is it good on long term? Is it dangerous for your health?

of course working out isnt enough. working out burns only a maximum of 600-900 calories and hour and thats the REALLY intense workouts.
thats about equivalent to a Big Mac - without the fries and drink!

Go into Newcomers and read the Sticky Threads.

The video is really cool. It would be nice if everything they say it's correct. Is there anybody who can give a specialized reply? The video can be found on the Ultrashape section on TCClinic's site.

This is the direct link to the ultrashape clinic (http://www.tcclinic.com/ultrashapetoronto.php) Even though I am not very good at anatomy, I understood pretty well the way it works. But first I would try to solve the problem with more exercises. :iagree:

Not too many visitors on this topic .....:banghead:

to many, should have been closed yonks back