September 14, 2009 · Filed Under Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass · Comment 

A fat loss plan involving eating the right food and following a strict exercise routine will lead to a permanent reduction in weight.

However, in spite of this, there may be isolated areas of the body harboring fatty tissue that don’t respond to a diet or exercise. These areas may be the face, the neck, the side of the hips, the buttocks, the top of the leg, and the thigh. For those people wanting to get rid of these pockets of fat then Liposuction may be the answer.

Liposuction is not a method of achieving weight loss – it’s a method of reshaping the body contours of a person. Of getting rid of those unsightly bumps on a body that make a person look overweight; of giving a person a new lease on life and the confidence to face the future feeling a lot better.

It should be mentioned that Liposuction is a surgical procedure, and like all surgical procedures carries an element of risk The level of risk should be explained to the patient in the preliminary interview with the surgeon.

Liposuction covering a small area of the body can be carried out with a local anesthetic in the surgeon’s premises, or in the case of larger areas of the body with a general anesthetic and as an overnight patient in a hospital.

The theory behind the procedure is quite simple – areas of the body affected by isolated pockets of fatty tissue have a small tube inserted under the skin and the fatty tissue is sucked out using a small vacuum device. The affected area may be injected with a solution that partially liquefies the fat making removal easier.

Not everyone is able to have Liposuction. Diabetics for example are precluded; the patient should not be overweight; and they should have firm, elastic skin that can reshape itself after the fat has been removed. The latter would prevent older people from undergoing the procedure. A plastic surgeon may only agree to operate after the patient has tried to get rid of the fat by dieting and exercising.

For a grossly overweight person, suffering from obesity, who cannot lose any fat after trying diets and exercise, there is another, more complicated,  procedure for achieving permanent weight loss. This is called Gastric Bypass Surgery.

This is a course of action that involves re-arranging the digestive system of the patient. Part of the stomach and part of the small intestine are bypassed, allowing the food to pass into the lower, and smaller, area of the reduced stomach. Thus a much smaller amount of food is held in the stomach giving the person the feeling of being full, of not needing any more food.

This minor operation can result in dramatic and permanent weight loss particularly for those who are grossly overweight. The whole body quickly adapts to having to deal with less food in the stomach, and weight loss is both immediate and noticeable.

However, as with all surgical procedures, there is an element of risk involved. But the surgeon would make the patient fully aware of these.

The surgeon should also make the patient fully mindful of the need for a radical change of life-style involving a more nutritious diet, and undertaking a regular exercise program on a daily basis. A person not prepared to make these changes to their life should not contemplate this operation.

However once an overweight person can visualize the benefits that Gastric Bypass Surgery brings, there shouldn’t be any problems in adapting to a changed life-style.

Tags: Body Contours, Buttocks, Bypass Surgery, Diabetics, Elastic Skin, Exercise Routine, Fat Loss, Fatty Tissue, Future Feeling, Gastric Bypass Surgery, General Anesthetic, Hips, Liposuction, Liposuction Surgery, Local Anesthetic, New Lease On Life, Obesity, Overweight, Plastic Surgeon, Pockets, Spite, Surgical Procedures, Vacuum Device

September 14, 2009 · Filed Under Weight Loss Surgery · Comment 

If you’ve been thinking about lap band surgery or gastric banding or adjustable gastric banding then the following facts may help you decide whether or not it would be the best weight loss solution for you. Generally candidates for this surgery have failed on many diets and may or may not have significant co-morbidities and need to take a more drastic approach or risk serious health consequences or problems that would shorten their life.

The lap band system for weight loss surgery is much better known in parts of the world other than the United States. In the US, other types of weight loss surgeries have been performed more so than lap band surgery. There have been more than 220,000 lap band surgeries performed in all countries combined and it is rapidly becoming more popular in the United States.

The lap band surgery has numerous advantages over other weight loss or obesity surgeries. It’s the least invasive of the weight loss surgeries with no intestinal re-routing, thus very little trauma to obesity surgeries. Small and keyhole incisions are made so there is very little scarring. Because of these techniques there is a much reduced amount of pain for the patient and the hospital stay and recovery time are very much shortened.

There are much fewer risks, side effects and complications and a much lower mortality rate compared to other weight loss surgeries. With gastric bypass surgeries there is a bigger risk of having nutritional deficiencies and often vitamin b12 injections have to be given. Also with other obesity surgeries there are dietary intake restrictions that are related to the “dumping syndrome.”

Because the band is adjustable the surgeon can decide just how much to tighten it to help with the longer term weight loss rate for the patient. These adjustments are done without having to have any additional surgery. For pregnant patients the stomach outlet is opened wider for the ever increasing nutritional requirements.

The lap band is removable at any time that the patient wishes. The stomach and other parts of the body that are involved are usually restored to their original state and function.

Compared to gastric bypass surgery, recent studies have shown a significant improvement in diabetes and high blood pressure is usually reduced, helping return the patient to a better state of health.

The lap band system can be an effective long-term weight loss surgery for most obesity patients. It’s reported that more than 55% of the excess weight loss is maintained for five years at least after the surgery.

So if you’re considering lap band surgery, there is a criterion that must apply or qualify you for the surgery also. Make sure to see a bariatric surgeon to get an explanation of the procedure and be aware of all the risks and complications that you may encounter. Check to see if you health insurance plan covers it. Some people travel to other countries for the surgery because it’s not covered under their health insurance plans in the United States.

Tags: Bypass Surgeries, Cost, Cost Of Lap Band Surgery, Dietary Intake, Diets, Dumping Syndrome, Health Consequences, Incisions, Keyhole, Lap Band, lap band surgery, Lap Band Weight Loss Surgery, Mortality Rate, Nutritional Deficiencies, Obesity, Pregnant Patients, Procedure, Recovery Time, Serious Health, Stomach, Types Of Weight Loss Surgeries, Vitamin B12 Injections, Weight Loss Solution, Weight Loss Surgeries, Weight Loss Surgery

September 14, 2009 · Filed Under Health · Comment 

A breast lift, also known as mastopexy, is a procedure to lift and reshape sagging breasts. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nearly 100,000 women underwent this procedure in 2005.

Any woman who has ptosis, or sagging of the breasts, is a candidate for breast lift. Conditions that contribute to the ptosis of the breasts include:

Aging: As women age, there is a gradual reduction in skin elasticity, as well as the stretching and elongation of the Coopers Ligaments, which are responsible for holding breast tissue up against the chest wall. The breast tissue itself also changes with age from mostly firm, fibrous milk glands to fatty tissue, which is soft and saggy. This change accelerates with menopause, and the gradual reduction of estrogen levels.

Pregnancy and Nursing: enlargement of the breasts during pregnancy, followed by their deflation after the end of breast feeding, also stretches the Coopers Ligaments, reducing fibrous tissue, breast volume and leading to ptosis.

Large Breasts and Implants: The tissue and skin of inherently large breasts, or those that have been augmented with implants, stretch out from the breast weight, resulting in sagging.

Weight Loss: Rapid weight loss or dramatic fluctuations in body weight also cause the skin’s elasticity and breast tissue to decrease.

There are a variety of “litmus” tests to determine if the degree of sagging in your breasts is advanced enough to warrant a procedure. Many lay persons define breast sagging by how far the breast tissue descends on the chest wall. Plastic surgeons, however, define breast sagging based on the position of the nipple in relation to the breast mount or Inframammary Fold.

Degrees of sagging, each defined specifically by plastic surgeons are: Mild Ptosis, where the nipple is at the level of the Inframammary Fold; Moderate Ptosis, where the nipples have dropped below the level of the breast crease, but are still higher than that of most of the breast mount; Advanced Ptosis, where the nipples have dropped below the level of the inframammary fold and are just at the level of the maximum breast projection; and Severe Ptosis, where the nipples have dropped below the level of the inframammary fold, and below the breast mount, so they are pointing to the floor.

Other “tests” for sagging include “The Pencil Test” that defines sagging breasts as those which hold a pencil in place under the breast under-fold. While many women consider some degree of sagging as normal and natural, The Bra Test determines that breasts which fall upon removal of the bra are Ptotic breasts.

Together, you and your plastic surgeon will determine which kind of Breast Lift procedure is best for you. During a Crescent Lift, the cosmetic surgeon removes a crescent-shaped piece of tissue above the areola and restores the tissue to a higher position. This creates a minor lift for patients who have Mild Ptosis. One risk of this technique is a slight egg-shaped areola for patients who have heavier breasts and do not wear good quality supportive bras following surgery.

During Concentric Mastopexy, also known as the Benelli Lift, the plastic surgeon makes circular incisions around the areola, and removes the doughnut-shaped skin between the two incisions. The plastic surgeon then moves the nipple and areola upward and stitches surrounding skin around the areola. The Benelli Lift works best in women with smaller breasts and minimal sagging. A variation of this is the Benelli-Lollipop, which has straight incisions from beneath the areola to the mammary fold, rather than the circular ones. This is considered appropriate for women with medium ptosis.

Anchor-Shaped Mastopexy is the most common, and also the most invasive, Breast Lift procedure. Your cosmetic surgeon will make an incision above your nipple, in the shape of an anchor, with a circle at the top. The nipple is placed in the circle at the top of the “anchor,” forming the shape of the new breast. The lines at the bottom form the lower contour of your breast. The plastic surgeon sutures the skin around the areola, vertically down to the chest, and side to side along the newly created bottom fold.

Sometimes, breast lift is combined with a breast augmentation (with an implant) procedure to restore breasts to a fuller and enhanced appearance. At other times, breast Lift is combined with breast reduction surgery, with the aim of lifting the breasts while reducing their size to a more proportionate one. One alternative to a breast Lift is a nipple lift alone. While this will not raise the breast itself to the fullest extent possible, it has the advantage of leaving a scar only around the upper half of the areola.

Tags: Breast Feeding, Breast Lift, Breast Lift Surgery, Breast Tissue, Breast Volume, Coopers, Cosmetic Surgery, Deflation, Dramatic Fluctuations, Estrogen Levels, Fatty Tissue, Fibrous Tissue, Large Breasts, Lay Persons, Ligaments, Litmus Tests, Mastopexy, Milk Glands, Plastic Surgery, Rapid Weight Loss, Sagging Breasts, Skin Elasticity, Society Of Plastic Surgeons, Women Age

September 14, 2009 · Filed Under Weight Loss Surgery · Comment 

It was hard to imagine that Vinay, a boy who I had seen grow up with my children in the school where they studied, was no more, at the age of 21. As the news spread among us parents, we grieved, shocked that the boy who had for many years been known as the fattest boy in school had not lived even up to 25.

But what made the thought of this loss harder to bear for those who had known him, was that vinay had died during a surgery to cure his morbid obesity. Vinay had always stayed in our memory as a lovable personality who participated fully in academics and sports in spite of his girth. During his school years, he was extremely popular with both teachers and students. However, as a young adult, he was persuaded to undertake anti-obesity surgery to improve his personality.

Among the side effects of prosperity and a lifestyle marked by the absence of physical effort is growing obesity among children and adults. While herbal slimming pills, specialized diets, nutritional powders in place of food and other such means are tried by many, a few try surgery to restore their bodies to more manageable proportions. As people get more preoccupied with the need to maintain their public image, cosmetic surgery of all kinds is gaining currency. Rhinoplasty or a nose job has become a much more accessible surgery today, for instance, than it was even ten years ago.

But what needs to be clearly understood is that anti-obesity surgery is not a minor cosmetic surgical procedure. It is a major operation that can have life-threatening consequences. Bariatric surgery, or weight loss surgery, is usually adopted by those who have been diagnosed as morbidly obese, or over 50 kg above their normal weight (according to height and age) and are unable to lose weight by any other means. This type of surgery includes a spectrum of procedures known as either restrictive, or malabsorptive, or those that combine the two. Restrictive procedures like Adjustable Gastric Banding and Vertical Banded Gastroplasty (VBG) reduce the size of the stomach, and malabsorptive and combined procedures such as RNY Gastric Bypass, Bilio-pancreatic Diversion, Fobi Pouch and Duodenal Switch (DS) reduce the bodys ability to absorb calories and nutrients from food.

The shocking demise of Vinay forced me to find out more about these surgical procedures that are often spoken loosely about in drawing room conversation as the medical equivalent of an appendix operation. In trying to gather more information, I found a long list of horror stories. If the surgery is truly as successful as it is claimed by some doctors, and the percentage of failures is very low, then so many deaths and so much post-operative suffering is truly alarming. An account of life after Gastric Bypass shows what patients may actually have to suffer, which doctors have not educated them sufficiently about, before the surgery.

Some doctors, I have been told, have actually told their patients they can continue with their lives as if nothing has changed, speaking as someone who has had this done I can tell you without a doubt If you have this surgery your life will never be the same again. Several people I know or have spoken with online have had this operation and not changed their life style, meaning they continue to eat as they did before the surgery, they have had very little weight loss as a result. If you do not change your eating habits, and the way you think about food your success will be limited, and this is way to painful as well as physically and emotionally exhausting to waste it by not doing your very best to make it a success. I can only eat a few ounces of food at a time and must eat 4 or 5 small meals a day as opposed to the usual 3.

If you choose to have this operation, one of things you will have to give up is hot meals because you are forced to eat so slow in order to control the nausea that your food gets cold long before you finish, and eating a diet of almost nothing but soft foods gets so depressing sometimes. Sometimes I would give anything just to be able to eat a slice of pizza or a bowl of ice cream like a regular person. To give you a better understanding of the portions you will be eating get a childs tea set, that is about the size of the the plates and cups you will need. Most people find that they can no longer eat and drink at the same time, but must wait for a half hour or so after meals before drinking. Another side effect not all doctors mention is the hair loss. Hair loss after this is very common, it is due to the body not getting enough vitamins and minerals any more, you will have to take supplements, quite likely for the rest of your life. Your system has enough stored so that you may not have any hair loss for a 4 to 6 months after the operation, but I have found that if you dont supplement your diet you will have significant hair loss.

The patient who described the above died four years after her Gastric Bypass. A very moving account of the suffering and loss that can accompany such a procedure is also provided by a patients husband, who has documented the circumstances leading to her death.

While it is unlikely that every person meets the same fate in any circumstances, considering the reported complications of Bariatric weight loss surgery, it is best that we stay informed and aware.

Tags: Cosmetic Surgery, Cosmetic Surgical Procedure, Diets, Girth, Lovable Personality, Manageable Proportions, Morbid Obesity, Nose Job, Nutritional Powders, Obesity Among Children, Obesity Surgery, Physical Effort, Prosperity, Public Image, Restrictive Procedures, Rhinoplasty, Slimming Pills, Weight According To Height, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Surgery, Weight Loss Tips, Young Adult