Does anyone have recommendations for plastic surgeons in the San Francisco Bay Area? I'm looking to have waist lift and arm lift, hopefully early next year. I've had one consultation with a doc I liked, but I feel like I should meet a couple more before I decide.

Also, any of you who've had plastic surgery for excess skin, do you have any regrets? Any issues you think I should know about?

Thanks!

I had a consultation with, but not a procedure done with http://www.drcarolynchang.com/

In my research she was very well reviewed, though she seemed to specialize in subtle procedures for those wanting an early facelift. She does do other work, and I saw her for a consult on both procedures you mention + a hard to fix unrelated issue.

I appreciated her honestly about the harder to fix issue. She seemed capable for sure, but really liked she didnt candycoat the challenge.

Though I only saw her for a consult, she did not discuss the possible lymph damage which I see as a major consequence. She discuss others, such as the challenges of scarring on leg lifts (more tugging on the skin as it heals). I eventually decided to give my body more time before going thru with anything surgical.

Thanks for the info, especially mentioning the possibility lymph damage, which I did not know about.

I feel very conflicted about whether to go forward because of the cost.

Not to persuade or dissuade you, but if you arent sure...just wait and see how you feel later? Someone once gave me very wise advice on a surgery unrelated to plactics: "surgery is just trading off one problem for another". Sometimes the trade is worth it, sometimes not.

I have lost a ton of weight too, and was obese as a kid and gained, relost, regained, etc dozens of time so I have a ton of stretch marks and have been surprised and excited to see that:
- my skin keeps changing, in good ways!
- what I eat and drink matters a ton: I live on water, take Omega supplements and try to eat a wide variety of antioxidant rich food and little processed food. When I change any of these variables my skin changes for the worse, crazy.
- building muscle and getting down to a very low body fat % REALLY tightened my skin. I can still see the stretch marks, but areas where there used to be a little odd hanging skin are gone (like biceps used to hang where stretch marks were and are just taunt now). If I bend over in odd ways there is a tiny about of hanging skin on my tummy or thighs, but standing up there is nothing. Could be tighter and model like, but doesnt for me seem like that is worth a surgery, the scars or the possible side effects.
- doing my own work to improve lymph circulation really helped with skin! I do dry body brushing every morning and there are other small things you can do too (like getting a rebounder/mini-trampoline and jumping on it a few mins a day, non-aerobic style). The lymph system has to pump (like your heart pumps your blood), yet it has a lot of responsibility and I find a great deal of benefit from stimulating it thru the gentle methods I noted.

You might want to call the Weight Management Program (it's in SF in Daniel Burnham Court - don't have the phone number offhand). It's a medically supervised weight management program and many of their patients have plastic surgery after weight loss. I know they have a list of reputable plastic surgeons. Don't know if they'll give you names without being a patient but it's worth a try. Good Luck.

Thanks for posting this. We're the same height with the same start weight so it's interesting to hear about your experience. I keep going back and forth. Sometimes I would love a breast lift and skin removal on my stomach. Other times the idea really freaks me out and I think I'd never do that.

Just curious, how long are you planning to wait before you reevaluate?

Thanks so much for all of your input. You're helping me put this in perspective.

I lost 140 lbs. during 2009 - 2010. Then this year I decided to focus more on getting fit -- I took up running and started seeing a trainer. I've learned so much, and I feel fantastic. Even though I only lost 13 lbs. over the course of the year, my body shape has really improved and the inches have come off big time. So, I hear what you're saying xty about working on building muscle tone and being patient and seeing what happens.

I'm happy to say that the loose skin isn't a constant obsession for me and doesn't get me down all that much. Becoming active and fit has been so important for me in making friends with my body and appreciating it for all that it can do and feel, you know? Growing up overweight, participating in sports and exercise was always a shaming or punishing experience. It is so liberating to be active for the love of it.

But when I'm active is often when the extra skin bugs me the most! I don't want to see it flapping around in the mirror at a boot camp class or hanging down when I'm in a pose in yoga class! I get that old feeling that I don't belong, that the skin "outs" me as a fat girl.

BUT maybe I just need to give myself the time to keep working on changing my insides (thoughts and feelings), rather than going for the quick fix on the outside. That's what kept me from getting a gastric bypass.

I was planning on waiting until February next year anyway (I'm training to run a half-marathon in February with my favorite cousin who's lost 70 lbs. herself).