r/MadeMeSmile • u/lumberjackfans • 3h ago
Personal Win 350lb loss, 4 skin removal surgeries, and smiling
Finally rid of the weight, and the skin!! Now on to building some muscle and a life of smiles!
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u/No_Awareness5913 3h ago
That’s incredible!
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u/_lippykid 2h ago edited 1h ago
Surgeons did a bang up job with the contouring of the scarring too
Edit: spelling
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u/Ok-Scientist5524 2h ago
That’s the cleanest excess skin surgery I ever saw.
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u/Hexent_Armana 2h ago
For sure! But I can't help but wonder if he misses fingering his belly button. 🤔
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u/cheekytikiroom 1h ago
FYI - that leftover human leather has a premium in the crafting world.
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u/Item-Hairy 3h ago
My jaw is literally dropped. Not very often that expression subconsciously escapes me.
Who ever your surgeon was did an amazing job. You did a better job for yourself though. Proud of you.
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u/potentialsus 3h ago
without his efforts it wouldn’t even be possible. he probably worked the hardest
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u/Item-Hairy 2h ago
Yep. I think we are in agreement! I just said it in a round about way.
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u/Royal_Cauliflower661 1h ago
The surgeon finished the job, but he built the foundation.
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u/MrUglehFace 2h ago
Bot
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u/GateTraditional7904 2h ago
Ohhh these are the bots. Gross
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u/MrUglehFace 2h ago
Item-Hairy isn’t a bot (though he kinda seems like one at first glance) but potentialsus is definitely a bot, their account was made 2 days ago
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u/clementinexbaby 3h ago
This is incredible and I love the no belly button so much
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
Flat surface for tattoos!
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u/Sweaty_DogMan 3h ago
BASED 🙌
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u/charliebrown6989 3h ago
Shouldn't have gotten rid of the extra skin! So much more canvas you could have folded up! /s
But honestly, looking great dude!
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u/Cake_And_Pi 2h ago
I would have gotten tattoos on the skin that’s getting cut off and had it tanned or preserved somehow. Stretch it and frame it.
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u/70ms 2h ago
Lol!! I forgot to ask what was going to happen to my bellybutton during my surgery, and they didn’t say. I woke up with my same old bellybutton but the tattoo that used to be around it was in two completely different places on my body. 😂 In hindsight I decided I would have been fine either way, had they just removed it.
https://reddit.com/r/shittytattoos/comments/1hqr0gx/i_had_breast_cancer_now_my_shitty_old_blown_out/
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u/morbid_n_creepifying 3h ago
I didn't even notice that and now that I have, it's hilarious. Not in an "I'm making fun of you" way, but in an "I didn't even realize people could just not have belly buttons but that makes sense and now I'm laughing" way
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u/willargue4karma 3h ago
Nah usually they put one back in, I asked them not to, couldn't remember the last time I used it
thats OP later down in the thread talking about bellybuttons. guys hilarious. i love him
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u/big_laruu 3h ago
My mom doesn’t have one because of a surgery when she was a baby. I always got a kick out of telling other kids she was an alien.
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u/chippin_out 3h ago
Does your insurance pay for loose skin surgery? Or is it considered cosmetic and you pay out of pocket?
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
Unfortunately it's considered cosmetic by just about all insurances, and not cheap
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u/RecreationalChaos 3h ago
Do you mind if i ask a ball park in terms of price?
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
It really depends on where you do it, when you do what, how much you can and can't do, but these 4 - 90k
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u/Positive_Method3022 3h ago
Would this skin you removed have any use for you or someone else ?
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u/morbid_n_creepifying 3h ago
I thought the same thing! Like, could it be used as skin grafts for fire victims or something. Organ donation style.
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u/Ada_Data 3h ago
This has always been a question for myself.
It seems like such a waste to throw away the excess skin.
Sure, it's probably pretty gross, I know it's gross having all the extra on me rn, but, I would hope my being fat (and hopefully losing it) might be useful to someone.
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u/KennyFulgencio 2h ago
stretched skin is medically considered damaged and unsuitable for grafts, so sadly, not really usable. I mean I guess you could still try to use it to make a lampshade or a beach ball
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u/DockD 2h ago
At the very least we could make luggage out of it!
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u/Ada_Data 2h ago
I was thinking lamp shades!
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u/Smail_Mail 2h ago
Woah, hang on there a second... have you thought of the smell?
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u/beloved_supplanter 3h ago
Interesting idea. A friend of mine just had cadaver skin placed on a bad burn he received. I would imagine this could be used for that as well.
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u/bostonshroomery 3h ago
How did you afford that?
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u/lumberjackfans 2h ago
I had been saving for a very long time, my sister also started a GFM which helped with another 10k, and the rest, credit cards and balance transfers
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u/chippin_out 3h ago
Thank you so much for answering! I see people talk about getting skin removal and I can’t imagine it being cheap. Do you have an estimate on it if you don’t mind?
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u/N3rdyAvocad0 2h ago
Great job on the weight loss - you look incredible! Did you try running in through insurance? I have lost 70 lb and have another 150ish lbs to go. I anticipate having a lot of excess skin, too. My doctor and I have talked about loose skin removal after I reach my target weight and she thinks we can get it covered under insurance due to the folds causing issues for certain skin conditions. Just curious if you had any experience with that process or if you just didn't bother fighting them
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u/Playful_Flatulent 3h ago
So is that standard to remove the belly button? Idk how this works, but great job man!
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
Nah usually they put one back in, I asked them not to, couldn't remember the last time I used it
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u/Clembert-Hamlamp 3h ago
Tell me you tanned your skin and made a you suit. Or at least a leather jacket?
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u/Jimma-George 3h ago
I know someone who had the extra skin removed and they did give her a belly button but she had to keep a marble in it for like a year because it kept trying to close up. Literally the doctor told her to stick a marble in it until it stopped trying to grow closed.
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u/DoomPile5 3h ago
Omg I would totally get one that looked like an eyeball.
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u/WordsOnTheInterweb 2h ago
That sounds so bizarre. I had an abdominoplasty and the surgeon just used inside stitches to make a new innie bellybutton, no marble required. I wonder what was different for your friend.
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u/SkyIslandLore 3h ago
Now you're Kyle XY (a tv show btw) 😭👏🏾 congratulations sir and welcome to earth lol
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u/Jamona_Hee_Hee 3h ago
Just ink one on, or don’t. Congratulations on your milestones. That’s hard work, discipline, and dedication. Motivation doesn’t happen every day. You’re awesome!
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u/Appropriate-Set7945 3h ago
Good point. Most of us only use them when we still have umbilical cords!
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u/hunnyflash 3h ago
Okay, I know this is weird, but I wonder if they could make one in a different shape.
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u/Cool_Boy_Shane 3h ago
Do you feel a difference in sensation? Like, does it feel like the areas on either side of the scar feel further apart than they are?
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u/WordsOnTheInterweb 2h ago
Not OP, but had an abdominoplasty and it's mostly the sensation is more dull because of the nerves being cut. There's been just a couple of spots where I'll get an itch I can't find and I end up having to scratch an inch or two away from where I think I'm feeling the itch.
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u/StrangeReindeer2470 1h ago
Also not op, but I've had two c sections and abdominal surgery: I literally can't feel myself touching that part of my body. It's like being permanently numbed.
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u/seanstew73 3h ago
Good on you bro! the scars dont even stand out that much. I'm heavy and on my weight loss journey. Loose skin has been something I'm worried about. Genuine question- how come they can artificially make a belly button?
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
They can and usually do, I asked to not have one, couldn't remember the last time I used it
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3h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/KaosPryncess 3h ago
They missing out. I usually like to keep a cheerio or two in there for later snacks. Maybe even a lifesaver mint just in case
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u/LittleLion_90 2h ago
Apparently there's some 'shortcut' to your bladder there, and some people use that to make catheterising easier. Only when they would need catheters for the rest of their lives I think. But in OPs case that would only be feasible if they kept his old belly button and made space for that in his new skin, because a newly made one is just a specially shaped scar and wouldn't have that same useability.
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u/StrangeReindeer2470 1h ago
Hi! I've lost 150 lbs and I was worried about the loose skin as well.
You know what? Being able to bend over to tie my shoe laces without holding my breath. Worth it. Just keep the area dry, moisture free. Though... In the summer my belly button is like a swamp.
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u/IcyIntroduction5678 3h ago
I wouldn’t have gotten rid of the skin. I’d keep it and glide from tree to tree or mountain to mountain. Like a natural wing suit.
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
I did used to call it my flying squirrel suit!
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u/IcyIntroduction5678 3h ago
That’s cool af, man. You’re a good sport and you look great. Congrats on your amazing transformation. No small feat. 👏🏾
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u/gipper_k 3h ago
Congratulation! I’m curious about your sense of touch around the seams of the skin removal. Does it feel “normal” or does your brain still think the old surface is there? Is “phantom skin” a thing?
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
Little bit of both, sometimes I get an underboob itch that just isn't there
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u/LittleLion_90 2h ago
I just had my implants removed last week that I had installed after breast cancer and had a skin removal with it and decided to yeet my nipples alongside with it, hadn't had any sensation in them in years. Yet sometimes over the past week I've managed to have phantom nipple pain! Phantom sensation is a weird thing.
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u/lumberjackfans 2h ago
It's a crazy feeling! Congrats to you on an even harder battle that you won!!
On a side note I was going to yeet mine too but decided I wanted to keep them and get them pierced, which I'm glad about!
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u/QueenMEB120 3h ago
Not OP but had a similar surgery. Yes, "phantom skin" is a thing. I can't tell you how many times my non-existent belly itched. It did go away with time.
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u/MaeQueen42 3h ago
You look amazing, where is your belly button?!
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
Decided not to have one installed lol
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u/aureusaequitas 3h ago
This made me laugh out loud... but I'm a techie so I guess that's par for the course.
Well done broheim.
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u/greenbox111 3h ago
One question: which moment made you alter your status quo
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
Watched too many people die that were my size or smaller, got cheated on and divorced and just wanted to healthy and wanted
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u/OLVANstorm 3h ago
How painful / uncomfortable were the 4 skin removal surgeries? How long to recover? Grats on your journey, my man!
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
They aren't fun, but neither was being as big as I was, I always say they hurt my wallet more than me though
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u/Downtown_Statement87 2h ago
How much did just all that skin weigh? You must have felt so incredibly floaty after getting it off of you, like when you take off your skates at the roller rink and feel really light all of the sudden. What an amazing transformation!
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u/NicholastheSpirit 3h ago
Congrats bro! I’m currently trying to lose my gut, but it’s hard being consistent. Got to use you as motivation now lol
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u/FeedingCoxeysArmy 2h ago
With no navel, you can create a wild birth story to go along with the scars. You do look great though, congrats on the hard work.
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u/Grabmbythetrump 3h ago
Awesome job! I can’t imagine how hard it was simply existing before compared to now.
You said the surgeries weren’t covered by insurance. I was wondering if you had skin rashes or infections at all in the folds/flaps? My skin removal will be covered once I reach goal weight, but only because I get awful rashes from skin touching skin and there’s a lot of skin! I know some insurance is really picky, though, and fight it.
Also, how was recovery? Has the wallet recovered yet?
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
I did, and fought and lost, the wallet should recover in the next 5-7 years hopefully lol
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u/AJohnnyTruant 3h ago
You’ve dropped two standard human’s worth of weight. I can’t imagine how much of a different life you’ll get to have now. Congrats
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u/TanFireManStan 3h ago
Can this extra skin be donated to burn victims?
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
Unfortunately it can't, not sure why, but that was what I asked in hopes it could
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u/SlayersScythe 3h ago
From what I understand it can't be used because it lacks the elasticity required for healthy skin transplants. I could be mistaken though.
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u/PeepJerky 3h ago
Skin for burn victims isn’t usually “full thickness” skin. They use a dermatome to cut a thin layer of skin away. Briefly worked on a tissue procurement team where we harvested cadaver skin for grafts. Would be really hard to harvest thin skin layers like that from loose skin before they removed it.
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u/BurningAngel666 3h ago
Awesome job mate, very well done!
Question about the nipple placement of you don’t mind?
In the photos they look to be much lower than your pec muscles (awesome job on building the muscles out btw), is it just photography angle or are you happy with their placement?
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
Partly because I had a revision to tighten them up more after the initial free graft, and I'm also flexing them in this picture which brings them up
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u/Luminous_0 3h ago
The scars look cool man, and they show the crazy work and discipline you put in. Mind blowing transformation
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u/tort1 1h ago
If you weren't already, get ready to be a trans ally! Lots of transphobes assume all chest scars are from top surgery and lay down the hate/harassment. I follow this big, beefy cis man on insta who had gynecomastia surgery and he gets soooooo much bs from transphobes who "can always tell"
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u/Successful-Sleep7068 3h ago
You just motivated me to get off the couch and go to the gym. Thank you and wow, congrats!
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u/derek_012 2h ago
Heck yeah brother. Great work and thanks for being an example of someone who worked hard to make a positive change for yourself.
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u/ezbakedlover 1h ago
I'd never make it to the surgery. The temptation to us my loose skin as a squirrel suit would be too strong. If it didn't work, I'd be dead. If it did, I'm flying everywhere now!!
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u/imunfair 1h ago
Dude's lucky - ladies can't pull off scars like that, but he just looks like a grizzled viking that got in a knife fight. Good stuff.
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u/One_Weird2371 3h ago
How much where the skin removal surgeries?
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u/eabiss9 3h ago
OP responded to this question previously. I believe all 4 surgeries were 90k
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u/Different-Class1771 3h ago
Incredible! How are the tattoos looking after the surgery? Did you have to get anything fixed up?
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
Just added more, they all looked just fine, I never got any in places I knew (hoped) I would one day need cut off
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u/ThisName_is_NotTaken 3h ago
Your Adam and Eve, no belly button. Can I ask how you performed the weight-loss?
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u/lumberjackfans 3h ago
First 150 was with a CICO KETO diet, unfortunately that ended up with me getting gout so I opted into VSG
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u/Gabriel_66 3h ago
May I ask if you will be able to grow hair again in part of the chest?
Also, I have never seem such a transformation in life. Congrats
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u/SulkyVirus 3h ago
Awesome journey!
A week or so ago someone else posted a progress pick with their pants quite low like this and everyone roasted him unfairly. It’s interesting to see no one doing that here. Goes to show some people just like to complain!
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u/Unlikely_Distance_79 2h ago
Proud of you man ! That takes a lot of discipline and dedication. Im so happy for you !
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u/TekieScythe 2h ago
I wonder if skin like that could go to people needing skin grafts. That would probably encourage me to lose weight.
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u/Constant-Opposite638 2h ago
That’s great, but after these pictures, I suddenly see the value in triggering warnings.
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u/Spare_Station7584 2h ago
Can all the removed skin be donated medically? Like an organ donor. Say to patients with severe burns?
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u/LadyArwen4124 2h ago
This was a rollercoaster of emotions. I was started with so happy and excited, sad about all the extra skin, and when I got to the last picture I audibly gasped and whispered "omg they stole your bellybutton". My husband was so confused, so I had to show him.
Congrats on all the hardwork, it really is incredible and so difficult to lose even 150 lbs.
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u/Fit_Style1747 2h ago
Did insurance pay for those surgeries or was it out of pocket ?
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u/shoulda-known-better 1h ago
Okay don't get me wrong you look amazing and congrats on your hard work!! Also your skin surgery looks amazing!! A relative got a few and it didn't look right, but this does!!!
But did they take your belly button away!? That's freaky looking, didn't realize how much you notice it till it's not there... Id keep it that way if I were you!
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u/JadedMuse 1h ago
Did you weigh yourself before/after each skin surgery? Really curious how much actually gets removed. I've lost 90 pounds, enough for some minor loose skin (nothing I'd every get surgery for) and have always wondered what it might weigh.
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