The lap band system is a popular new weight loss surgery that has been proven to help many patients lose excess weight. While it may seems like a “quick fix” the surgery is intended for those who have tried dieting, extreme exercising and have not seen significant results.

The lap band surgery is less risky than any other bariatric procedure due to the fact there is no stapling of the stomach with this procedure, meaning that it is virtually reversible. With the lap band system the patient will be able to eat smaller portions of healthier food and become full faster and stay full longer. When looking into the options about lap band surgery it is important to ask a lap band surgeon if this surgery is right for an individual patient.

The lap band is a silicone band that is placed laparoscopically meaning that there are only about 4 to 5 small incisions made(the largest being about 2 inches long) in order to apply the band to the stomach. These incisions soon become less visible after surgery. The band is placed on the upper part of the stomach, creating a smaller new stomach. By creating this new smaller stomach the patient will feel full faster and stay full longer. The silicone band will help the food stay in the upper stomach longer time which is when the patient feels fuller longer.

This silicone band comes with a small port, connected to the band by a small, flexible tube. This port is placed under the first few layers of skin in the patient’s abdomen. This port is not visible to the eye, though the patient might be able to feel it through their skin. This port allows the lap band surgeon to adjust how much saline should be in or out of the lap band, based off of each patient’s individual weight loss needs and goals. Some patients only need one adjustment and they are in what some surgeons consider “The Sweet Spot”, a zone that is considered to be a healthy balance of weight loss and satisfaction.

While the lap band surgery may seem like a miracle procedure, it is important to realize that it is a surgery. While it is reversible, and carries fewer risks and complications than other weight loss surgeries such as gastric bypass surgeries, the lap band is not intended for a healthy person looking to shed a few extra pounds. Weight must be affecting a person’s life, causing the patient to suffer from obesity-related disease, and leading a person on a path that could lead to death. This is why many surgeons and insurance companies require that patients log their weight loss history, or even try and diet beforehand, and, in some cases, be subject to a psychological evaluation.

Surgery is surgery, no matter how minimally-invasive it may be, and it’s important to research all of the risks associated with it. If you would like more information about the lap band, or you would like to find a surgeon near you, please visit www.lovelapband.com or call (877)919-9997.