Why the Loose Skin After Extreme Weight Loss?
The development of loose floppy skin after large amounts of weight loss (greater than 75 or 100 pounds) is a well recognized problem that occurs frequently. While it can be a surprise to some weight loss patients, it should not be. Whether the weight loss is from heroic dieting efforts or bariatric surgery, the damage that has been inflicted on the skin is irreversible. Once the skin appears taut when fully inflated (high weight), the loss of the underlying fat support causes a deflation of the skin cover much like the deflation of a balloon. The skin does not ‘snap back’ for two reasons which is identical to what can occur from pregnancy. First, the slow (or rapid) expansion of fat and weight stretches the skin and, in fact, actually makes more skin as it expands. This is well known in plastic surgery as an older, but still useful, surgical technique known as tissue expansion. (commonly used today in breast reconstruction after cancer) The slow stretching of skin, while causing it to
