If you are interested in undergoing the LapBand surgery, you will need to find a LapBand surgeon. To get started, speak with your primary healthcare professional for a referral or turn to your local phone book or the internet. With that said, you need to do more than just find a LapBand surgeon; you need to choose the best one. For that reason, ask many questions.

So, what questions should you ask your LapBand surgeon?

Am I an ideal candidate? This is the most important question to ask. If you did not receive a direct referral from your primary care physician, do not have your heart set on weight loss surgery. The ideal candidate for surgery is 100 pounds or more overweight, between the ages of 18 and 60, and has the commitment to restrict their diet.

How much does the LapBand surgery cost? On average, the LapBand procedure costs between $15,000 and $20,000. That is quite the average price range. This means that you can find varying rates. Of course, you want to choose a quality surgeon who is Board Certified and who is known to produce results, but why pay more than you have to. In addition to asking about the cost, price compare with other local surgeons.

Do you have a payment plan? Some insurance providers do cover the cost of weight loss surgery, but there are typically many rules and restrictions. If you are uninsured or if coverage is not extended, ask about a payment plan. In this case, it is recommended that you have a good credit rating. If not, at least have enough for a substantial down payment.

Will you perform the LapBand procedure? If you are receiving a consultation at a hospital or large surgical center, you could be speaking to anyone. This is not what you want. You want to have a consultation appointment with the surgeon who will perform your LapBand surgery.

Are you Board Certified? In the United States, a Board Certified Surgeon is recommended. When opting for a certified surgeon, you are given a certain level of peace, comfort, and guarantee. You know the person has undergone strict testing and is qualified to perform the procedure.

How many surgeries have you performed? Not only do you want a Board Certified Surgeon, but you also want one who has experience performing the LapBand procedure. Surgical experience is recommended, but the LapBand is different than other surgeries. So, make sure your surgeon has experience with the LapBand system. Not only is installation experience recommended, but adjustment too.

What is your success ratio? When it comes to success ratio, it is important to ask about complications and weight loss. Your goal of undergoing the LapBand procedure is to lose weight, ensure those before you have done so. Next, examine your risks. How many patient complications or deaths has your surgeon experienced under their care?

Can I see before and after pictures? Before and after pictures will not only give you insight into your weight loss potential, but it may give you comfort and peace of mind. A LapBand surgeon who has before and after pictures of their patients is one who is invested in their long-term success. These are hands you want to place your life in.

Can you speak to past patients? Hearing that a LapBand surgeon has a good rate of no complications and successful weight loss is nice, but best when coming directly from the source. Ask to speak with or meet previous patients. When doing so, ask questions. Did they like the surgeon? Were they pleased with their treatment before, during, and after surgery? Would they extend a recommendation?

The above mentioned questions are just a few of the many you will want to ask during a LapBand consultation appointment, but they are a good start. In the days leading up to your appointment, record any additional questions you think of.

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Many woman, especially those of us who have had kids, don’t want to undergo surgery but would love to have a non surgical tummy tuck. Wouldn’t it be nice to able to go back to the days when we could bounce a quarter off of our abs, but without the pain, expense, and risk of complications of surgery? For those of us who want that there are tummy tuck alternatives that might be just what the doctor ordered.

Having a tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is expensive. It costs thousands of dollars for the surgery. When you add to the expense the fact that you’ll be out of commission for up to six weeks and that you’ll have quite a bit of pain, as well as the risk of complications, many women just don’t want to put themselves through that for a tighter tummy.

The good news is that you don’t have to. Today there are several non surgical tummy tuck alternatives that can help you get the flat looking midsection you’re craving without having to go under the knife.

Here are some of the most promising:

1. For fat loss liposuction works just fine (if your problem is loose skin this won’t help). Liposuction is still a pretty involved procedure but it’s not major abdominal surgery. Often the doctor will perform liposuction in conjunction with a tummy tuck. If you want to just have some fat removed this procedure can work very well.

To put it simply: the doctor uses a vacuum like device and literally sucks fat out of your body. You will still have a recovery period but it’s not as long as with a tummy tuck. Ask your doctor if this is a good idea for you.

2. Titan. This is a process where a laser can tighten the skin from the surface. There are no incisions involved with this procedure. If you have just a little extra skin, this procedure would probably work really well for you, ask your doctor.

3. Thermage is a non surgical procedure where radio frequency energy is directed to the skin. This can help tighten and lift excess skin. It’s completely non invasive.

4. Injection Lipolysis is a procedure where a compound is injected directly into the skin. This compound has been shown to melt off fat deposits. Most people will need 2 or 3 injections to remove the total amount of fat that they want removed. It’s non surgical and works well on the face, jowls, neck, sides, thighs and abdomen. It hasn’t been FDA approved yet though so make sure to talk to your doctor about it, and any potential side effects, and get his opinion.

We’re lucky, today more than ever we don’t have to age gracefully, we can fight it every step of the way. We now know a lot about diet and exercise and the benefits both have on our overall health as well as our appearance. The problem is that sometimes diet and exercise just aren’t enough. To get rid of that flabby tummy without going under the knife you should look into
non surgical tummy tuck alternatives.

Tags: Abdominal Surgery, Abdominoplasty, Ask Doctor, Conjunction, Excess Skin, Extra Skin, FDA;, Healthy Diet, Incisions, Laser, Liposuction, Loose Skin, Midsection, radio frequency, Radio Frequency Energy, Recovery Period, Risk, Six Weeks, surgery, Thermage, Thousands Of Dollars, Titan, Tummy Tuck, Vacuum, Woman —