First, when people become overweight or obese, they increase their risk of undermining their long-term health; for example, they are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease or diabetes.

Second, people who lose their excess weight reap many benefits. In general, they will find they have more energy and enjoy increased fitness, for instance finding that they can climb more stairs without getting out of breath. Also, people who drop weight can prevent the onset of osteoarthritis of the knees (or relieve the symptoms if they already suffer from it).

After losing the surplus weight, they may be able to reduce the dose of some medications, such as those used to lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, or blood sugar.

If obese people lose even a modest amount, such as 5% of their present weight, they can still reap the many health benefits. However, following a healthy weight-loss method is a long, slow process. To maintain their health while losing weight, they should lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week; they can do that by reducing their caloric intake by 500-1000 calories per day. Also, they will need to change their lifestyle, by increasing the amount of exercise they do.

Individuals undertaking such a regimen soon realize that it is an arduous endeavor, requiring patience and hard work. So you can imagine how frustrated they may become when they reach their weight-loss goals and look in the mirror and see the remaining loose, floppy skin.

People in this situation can seek out a good plastic surgeon who can perform a body contouring procedure, to remove the excess skin and fat from the sagging areas and to tighten the surrounding muscles. After receiving this procedure, patients can see that their abdomen protrudes less and the skin of their back, buttocks, arms or thighs sag less.

If you find yourself in this position, you should make an appointment with Dr. Usha Rajagopal for a free consultation. Between the two of you, you can determine which of the following procedures will meet your needs:

• Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty Surgery)
• Body Lift (Posterior trunk lipectomy)
• Thigh or Buttocks Lift surgery
• Arm Lift Surgery

So should you have any questions regarding surgery after weight loss or wish to schedule a consultation with Dr. Rajagopal in the San Francisco Bay Area, simply visit her at www.sfcosmeticsurgery.com.

If you want to know what her patients have said about her, you can read about Dr. Usha Rajagopal on Yelp.