Even as I've lost weight over the years, there's one thing I can't seem to get rid of: the excess skin.

Try as I might, the shell of my former body just won't leave me be. I've got the tell-tale signs all over, saggy upper arms, fleshy thighs and bulging tummy. And don't get me started on the back fat. Go ahead laugh, I know you got some too.

So I was mightily interested in a The New York Times article on body conturing surgery, which is used to remove excess skin from people who have lost a lot of weight.

Apparently, business is booming as more morbidly obese folks have weight-loss surgery, but find their bodies trapped in mounds of skin.

While some doctors are embracing the procedures, others charge that they are expensive, risky and need further study. And some charge that bariatrics professionals don't always prepare their patients for what their bodies will look like after surgery.

According to the Times, most people need several operations to clean up the skin issues and they can cost up to $100,00. And surprise, surprise, most insurance companies won't cover them.

So I guess surgery is out for me. But what do I do in the meantime as I wait to hit the lottery and shed my skin? I hear drinking water helps shrink skin, as does muscle-building exercise, but it doesn't seem to be enough.

Any suggestions?

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com