After Simone Anderson went from 169 kilograms to 81 kilograms, she decided to share a picture of her “final” weight loss journey on Instagram.

However instead of focusing on, and congratulating, her for her year-long efforts, the 24-year-old New Zealander was branded a liar, with many commenters accusing her of faking her weight loss. In response, she shared another picture, this time displaying the excess skin she was left with after her dramatic weight change.

“I promised from day one that what I was sharing with people would be the honest journey, and it would be the ups, the downs, the goods and the bads. I needed to show that yes, I do have loose skin, and it’s actually a side effect of something I am proud of. Obviously, I can’t wait for it to be gone, but it’s not something I’m ashamed of or embarrassed of,” she told People.

Since then Anderson has continued to talk about her experience online and shared the latest stage in her transformation – post-skin removal surgery.

http://cdn.theglow.com.au/app/uploads/2015/09/simone-anderson-after-surgery-photo.jpg Image via Instagram (@simone_anderson)

"Look at my stomach, my curves and just overall banging body. Still incredibly swollen so will only improve from here," she captioned the Instagram photo, one of several she has posted since the operation.

"Thank you to every single one of you that made this final leg of my journey possible, you have absolutely no idea what this means to me. And finally Dr Repta you have changed my life in a way I will always be eternally grateful for, your work is flawless! I feel a million bucks right now, check out my body," she wrote in another.

Anderson travelled to Arizona to undergo several surgeries including abdominoplasty to get rid of loose stomach skin, a breast lift and augmentation and a bra line back lift to remove loose skin on the upper back. The surgery took eight hours. (Post continues after gallery.)

SImone Anderson's surgery on Instagram

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Image via Instagram

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"The plastic surgery is just taking care of some things that she won't be able to take care of on her own. No amount of diet or exercise is going to get rid of that loose skin. It's going to be a challenging surgery, but I think it's going to turn out great," her plastic surgeon Dr Repta told People ahead of the surgery.

Anderson said she was most looking forward to feeling more confident.

"Obviously I know I'm never going to have a perfect stomach, but [I'm looking forward to] the fact that when I'm exercising I won't need to tuck my loose skin into my pants, and know that I can put on a top like everyone else and not stress out about loose skin coming out. I will definitely feel more confident when it's gone."  (Post continues after video.)

While Anderson has not confirmed how much the surgery cost in total, tummy tucks alone can range in cost from US$4,500 to almost US$10,000. She raised some funds using New Zealand-based crowdfunding website " Give A Little".

"I can't even begin to describe how happy and grateful I am to each and every one of you that donated, sent me a message, or left a kind comment on my page. Every cent from my 'Give A Little' page will be going towards the surgery costs involved such as travel and accommodation," she wrote on Instagram.

While many people talk about their weight loss journey, the realities of such a dramatic change are often overlooked.

Several past contestants from The Biggest Loser have spoken about their experiences with being left with excess skin. (Post continues after gallery.)

Rebel Wilson

The actress said on Twitter; "I'm not trying to be hot. I'm just trying to be a good actress and entertain people." Image via @rebelwilson

Adele"The first thing to do is be happy with yourself and appreciate your body - only then should you try to change things about yourself." Image via Getty

Lady Gaga

After the media focused on her alleged weight gain in September 2012, Gaga hit back at critics by baring her body in photographs, sharing her struggles with an eating disorder, and inviting her fans to join her in a "body revolution"/ Image via @ladygaga

Ashley Judd

After the March 2012 frenzy around Judd's "puffy face" the actress fought back in 'The Daily Beast', calling the media out for making women's bodies "a source of speculation, ridicule, and invalidation, as if they belong to others". Image via @ashley_judd

Christina Aguilera

"I am always in support of someone who is willing and comfortable in their own skin enough to embrace it," the singer said in a recent interview. Image via @xtina

Lena Dunham

At the 2012 New Yorker Festival, the magazine's TV critic, Emily Nussbaum, asked Lena Dunham, producer, creator and star of the hit HBO show 'Girls' why Dunham is naked in so many scenes. Dunham responded; "I realised that what was missing in movies for me was the presence of bodies I understood." She said she plans to live until she is 105 and show her thighs every day. Image via @lenadunham

Alexa Chung

Chung responded to critics who suggested that her slight frame made her a bad role model for young women, saying: "Just because I exist in this shape doesn't mean that I'm, like, advocating it." Image via Twitter @alexa_chung

Stella BoonshoftThe NYU student started the amazing Body Love Blog, where she posted this picture of herself and wrote an open letter to those who feel entitled to shame others for the size or look of their bodies. Image via http://thebodyloveblog.tumblr.com"> Body Love Blog

Beth Ditto

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