Many people have breast reduction surgery after a large weight loss, due to sagging, etc. Meg posted a GREAT thread on excess skin after weight loss in the Maintainers forum at http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36040
can't you just put your name down as a skin graft doner for someone and get it free? there is always people needing skin grafts and well there seems to be loads of excess flapping around unwanted why not simply give it to the needy and save yourself loads by getting there insurance to pay for it
It doesn't work that way. Tissue grafts are only taken from organ donors for some reason. Many people have tried to get cheaper or free plastic surgery that way, and the answer is always no. Too bad, tho.
can't you just put your name down as a skin graft doner for someone and get it free? there is always people needing skin grafts and well there seems to be loads of excess flapping around unwanted why not simply give it to the needy and save yourself loads by getting there insurance to pay for it
Yup - that's an OLD myth, which seems to be floating around a lot of PS and weight loss forums - that you can get "free" PS if you donate your excess skin.
Trust me - they DON'T want stretched out skin with stretch marks, etc. Generally, from what I've read, skin donations are taken from cadavers.
Check this page out from the Shriner's Hospital website:
Many people do not realize that skin can be donated in the same manner as other organs. Techniques developed by Conrado Bondoc, M.D., and John Burke, M.D., at the Boston Shriners burn hospital in the late 1960s allow viable donor skin to be effectively frozen and stored for long periods. Their work resulted in the Boston Shriners Hospital establishing the first skin bank. In addition, the two doctors' techniques are now being used in skin banks worldwide.
In order for tissue to be useful, it must be removed within hours of death and the donor's age and health history must meet certain criteria. Only the outer layers are removed, leaving no more of a mark than sunburn. Skin removal is made only from areas of the body usually covered by clothing.
"We receive a lot of calls about skin donation," said Phil Walters, director of the skin bank at the Boston Shriners Hospital. He added that the two most frequently asked questions are: "Is skin taken from a living donor?" and "Can tissue surgically removed from a patient by procedures such as those performed to reduce obesity be donated?" The answer to both questions is no. "Skin is procured from a deceased organ donor, just like any other donated organ," he said.
if i could afford it, i'd do it in a heartbeat. we'll see. yes, i'm young (23) so it may come back with weightlifting and time, but i have to say, my breasts sag big time and i still have 35 lbs to go. they've also become a lot more sensitive - in a painful way that i don't like. =( so i hope someday i can have my skin be at least acceptable to me. i don't have to be a playboy model or anything.
I'd have it removed if I ever thought I could afford it. My favorite is whenever this subject is breached with healthy weight people, they're all so suprised that insurance doesn't pay for it. And I do thing it's a bit of a sad affair that it's not. I mean, statistically, insurance will be used less by people who lose weight - wouldn't they want to encourage that? Oh well, I'm dreaming here.
If you're seriously thinking about it, check out Meg's thread, but also watch the Discovery Health Channel. They do alot of plastic surgeries.
One show was called Trash Can of Skin. It was a Brit, Valerie, who had lost something like 309 pounds? She weighed 225 & had to have the excess skin removed due to infections.
None of the hospitals in the UK would work on her, so she went to I think Dallas to have it done.
I actually had considered weight loss since Jan. but I am honestly afraid what my body would look like when I lost all my weight (180lbs.) But I decided I will cross that bridge when I get there. My arms are pretty wobbly and big and my stomach hangs, so I imagine those areas will be the worst. My legs, while big are pretty tight so I am hoping that they reduce, not reduce and sag. My mom offered to help pay for any reduction surgery, but I would like to just do it on my own.
Wow! It looks to leave quite a long scar. I guess one has to weigh the options....loose skin....or a large scar. Thank you for the website link. It's very informative!
just starting my journey
