Obesity is becoming a condition of epidemic proportions throughout much of the world. Highly overweight people are leaving their annual physicals with the order to lose a significant amount of weight. Whether this weight is lost naturally, or as a result of an elective procedure, the weight loss almost always leaves behind some unattractive sagging skin.

Weight loss of 100 pounds or more can be merely the first step in an obese person's transformation. People who have undergone gastric bypass surgery, lap band surgery, or who have lost the weight through significant exercise and diet changes, have achieved something very important, and deserve to see an attractive shape when they stand in front of the mirror.

It is important to wait to tighten up that sagging skin until after your weight loss has stabilized, a process that takes about 18 months after the weight-loss surgery, depending on how much the patient weighed before the operation, and how much weight has been loss. Performing this surgery too early can lead to skin that is not sufficiently tight, and may require further cosmetic procedures later.

Patients who have lost such significant amounts of weight are not always aware that body contouring surgery can have ramifications for the whole body. Surgeons may need to approach the whole body, rather than just in one or two specific parts of the body, which is often the case with cosmetic surgery for patients within a more normal weight range.

Common areas of sagging for patients who lose 100 pounds or more in a relatively short time include the back, thighs, abdomen, arms, breasts, face, and neck.

Body contouring is one type of cosmetic surgery that can significantly improve the shape of the body, but it cannot improve the quality of the skin. It is important to have realistic expectations from body contouring, especially after significant weight loss. The skin tissue will still be supple over time, but not like it was before the initial weight gain.

There is a wide variety of options in cosmetic surgery, and it is often necessary to perform more than one to achieve the full effect for a person who has lost over 100 pounds. The surgery should be custom-designed to fit your wants and needs.

Here is a list of some common surgeries connected with weight loss and related skin-tightening procedures:

Tummy Tuck - The tummy tuck is an operation designed to remove extra skin and fat from your abdominal area. It should also tighten the muscles along your abdominal wall. You will see almost immediate results; on your way out of the operating room, you should be able to perceive a tighter, firmer stomach.

Upper Arm Lift - The upper arm lift eradicates unwanted skin and fat from the arm, eliminating unsightly flabbiness. You will come away from this procedure with a firmer, younger skin tone that is closer to the rest of your body than the flabby arm had been.

Thigh Lift - Incisions or liposuction are used to take away excess skin and fat from the thighs. This will take the "orange peel" look away from your legs and will help you to have tighter buttocks and thighs over time.

Full Body Lift - This is the most thorough, and the most popular, post-weight loss cosmetic surgery. Excess skin and fat are removed from all over the body, including the hips, buttocks, belly, back, and outer thighs, and can offer lifelong dramatic results for the disciplined patient.

Significant weight loss comes at a cost. Whether you paid in money or in sweat for your weight loss, there is no reason why you should not now have the body you deserve.