Does excessive weight for sometime cause permanent damage to the skin?

[decimal]

I am cross-linking this with a post I had made in the doctors-only forum. Basically, I would like to know the opinion of the general users too.

The question is : Does being overweight for sometime cause permanent damage to the elasticity of the skin? If yes, then how does it affect  post-surgery results?

http://www.gynecomastia.org/smf/index.php?topic=19664.0

Thanks

[headheldhigh01]

i am not a doc, and this is an issue for some gyne guys more than others.  in general skin is somewhat elastic, but it can do less in case of recovery from being seriously overweight.  i would assume it would still adjust significantly over time, but not as fast as the weight loss.  that said, the question is of wider enough concern to more people that i would think you could find info on it without much trouble on the web. 

[DrBermant]

The question is : Does being overweight for sometime cause permanent damage to the elasticity of the skin? If yes, then how does it affect  post-surgery results?

Thanks

Yes, skin stretched damages the elastic fibers that hold and suspend tissues. You can see typical results of Major Weight Loss on Loose Hanging Skin here.

Stretch marks are the result of the broken elastic fibers.

If there is a significant component of Loose Hanging Skin with Gynecomastia, then a skin reduction will need to be considered.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Male Mastopexy Chest Lift for Sagging Tissues

[decimal]

Thank you for your replies, gentlemen.

So although I used to be quite overweight, I have absolutely no stretch marks on the skin on my chest or around it.

Does it not mean that my skin should be perfectly elastic as that of a person who was never overweight?

[headheldhigh01]

it sounds like a sign in your favor for sure, although like i suggested, you might find more extensive and detailed info on that subject on other websites more specific to that subject. 

[decimal]

i tried but never came across anything thoroughly detailed enuf.

[DrBermant]

Thank you for your replies, gentlemen.

So although I used to be quite overweight, I have absolutely no stretch marks on the skin on my chest or around it.

Does it not mean that my skin should be perfectly elastic as that of a person who was never overweight?

Unfortunately, I have see many patients with badly damaged skin that lost its elasticity without stretch marks. Such issues are best explored during a consultation after an evaluation.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

If you have been significantly overweight at any time in your life, then you have diminished your skin's elasticity to a certain extent.  That being said, advantage goes to youth -- which has a huge amount of elasticity.  If you were overweight early in your teens, the damage is usually less than if you were overweight in your 20's and older.  There are also un-measurable factors, such as your genetic background, which will also have an effect on your elasticity.

It is my observation that all skin does have some ability to tighten after gyne surgery -- it is just unpredictable as to how much the skin will tighten.  You cannot predict -- you can only know after the fact.

Dr Jacobs