Ways to Fund Your Cosmetic Surgery

When your insurance company doesn't pay for cosmetic surgery because it's elective, and you don't have the money in the bank to pay up front, what are your options? Do you have to wait until you save up enough money before you can have the facelift, tummy tuck, or breast uplift that you want? That, of course, depends on your personal financial situation. You do, however, need to check into the options before you even go for your first evaluation.

Depending on the surgeon you choose, it's possible you may find one who offers a payment plan right in the office. In most cases, this means you pay a certain amount down, and the doctor will agree to accept a set amount in payments each month thereafter. You want to be careful when using this option, because in many cases, the down payment is smaller in order to encourage patients to take advantage of it. However, the monthly payments may be short term, and thus much higher than what you can afford. Although this is not true all the time, it is in many cases. The reason is doctors want their money right away, and as such, they really don't want to be stuck financing patient bills. Therefore, what they do is make it somewhat attractive by offering a payment plan, but at the same time, discouraging patients from using onsite financing because of the future high payments.

Another option is using your credit card, if you have enough available to finance your cosmetic surgery. Financing this way means you don't have to pay a down payment, and you have low minimum payments. On the down side, cosmetic surgery is expensive, so you will tie up a good portion of your credit line. Of course, if you are financially sound and have a substantial credit line, it may not have a detrimental effect, especially if you have a card with a lower than average interest rate. If you had planned to pay a down payment, you can also do that and put the balance on your credit card. This will reduce the amount of your credit line that you tie up with your surgery.

A third option is applying for a personal loan at your bank. Of course, for those who have less than perfect credit, they may need to obtain some collateral such as real estate or a motor vehicle, but it's always possible. If you already have an equity line of credit, you can use that as well, by just writing out a check against your available balance. There are always ways you can come up with the funds you need for different things, including that of cosmetic surgery. You may even choose to take a loan against your 401K plan if you have one, or take a loan against your savings account or other assets you may own. Make certain you know you can obtain the funding before you go any farther than the initial consultation. Make sure you can pay for the surgery before you schedule it and tie up the surgeon's schedule.

Credit Medical offers elective surgery financing services for cosmetic surgery loans, plastic surgery financing, hair restoration, laser vision. Finance your medical procedures through low monthly plans. http://www.creditmedical.com/

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Weight Loss Surgery Kills - And Other Reasons to Think Twice

I'm certain that many people will read the title of this article and say, "What do you mean weight loss surgery kills? I thought weight loss surgery was the perfect solution for being overweight!"

If you are thinking something similar to this, then you have been misinformed. But it's not your fault. I blame the marketing materials of greedy weight loss surgeons for this false public perception. Am I being too harsh? Hear me out before you decide.

Weight loss surgery today is exploding in popularity, the way plastic surgery exploded in the late 80's and early 90's. As a result of the ever-growing demand for weight loss surgery, many surgeons and surgery centers publish articles, brochures and websites that basically glorify weight loss surgery as a magical path to health.

Let's call a spade a spade here. You visit the websites of these surgery centers, and you see slim and beautiful stock-photo models smiling back at you -- as if to suggest that you too can look like this, if only you have weight loss surgery.

Another common tactic is to showcase before-and-after photos of a select few patients who experienced tremendous results (often because they combined surgery with rigorous exercise and nutritional programs.

Come One, Come All - Get Your Weight Loss Surgery Over Here!

I find it utterly disturbing that so many bariatric surgeons have loosened their definition of what makes a qualified candidate for weight loss surgery. In the past, this type of surgery was reserved for the "morbidly obese" -- which is a medical term for people who will literally die from their obesity, if left unchecked.

Now contrast those restrictions to the current state of weight loss surgery in the United States. Consider the fact that surgeons are performing surgery on teenagers who are merely overweight (and not nearly "morbidly obese"). Consider the before-and-after pictures on the websites of many weight loss surgery centers, and the fact that many people pictured in their "before" state would never have qualified for weight loss surgery ten years ago.

Morbidly obese, by most medical definitions, refers to people who are overweight by 100 pounds or more. Yet I see "before" photos of young people who couldn't be more than 40 pounds overweight. What has happened to the medical standards in this country?

The "Darker Side" of Weight Loss Surgery

As a result of all this "feel good" marketing and looser standards, the general public today has an incredibly skewed perception of weight loss surgery. What you don't hear about nearly as much, however, are the many patients who die each year as a result of having weight loss surgery. Consider the following data:

* The Journal "Nature" once reported that 4.6 percent of people who undergo bariatric weight-loss surgery die within one year. That's nearly one out of 20 patients.

* Weight loss surgery has become big business for surgeons, with the average procedure coming in at around $25,000. Think this has something to do with their eagerness to perform these surgeries? Hmmm...

* A Stanford University study shows that people who have had weight loss surgery have less tolerance to alcohol, and that it takes longer for the alcohol to clear their system. Watch out for those DUIs.

* According to US researchers, gastric bypass surgery can lead to a vitamin deficiency that causes memory loss and confusion. And you thought you were just losing pounds!

* According to the University of Arkansas for Medical Science, gastric bypass surgery can lead to potentially disabling neurological conditions, likely caused by nutrient deficiencies.

* A blogger with the New York Times cited a New England Journal of Medicine report suggesting a connection between weight loss surgery and increased risk of suicide.

* Other research suggests a connection between weight loss surgery and other addictions such as alcoholism. In a nutshell, the weight loss surgery patient trades one addiction (food) for another addiction (alcohol) because the core psychological problem has not been addressed.

Here's the most important thing to keep in mind about the findings and studies listed above. There is very little long-term research or data on weight loss surgery. Many of the studies mentioned above are relatively young, from a scientific research standpoint. So if this is what we are finding out now, what do you think we will find out about years from now ... after you've had your weight loss surgery?

You could literally fill up a two-page brochure with this kind of negative information and data. But you won't find it presented that way in the marketing materials of weight loss surgeons and surgery centers. It may be there, but it will be tucked away in the fine print somewhere, or else glossed over entirely.

There is a good side and a bad side to everything in the medical world. But with weight loss surgery, it seems the bad side is getting harder and harder to spot. Maybe we are all blinded by those attractive models smiling back at us from the brochures and websites.

* You may republish this article online if you retain the author's note below with active hyperlinks intact. Copyright 2007, Brandon Cornett.

Learn More
Brandon Cornett published the Bariatric Learning Center, which presents both sides of bariatric surgery -- both good and bad. For more on this subject, visit the author's website at http://www.bariatriclearningcenter.com

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Weight Loss Surgery Questions - Do I Really Need Surgery

Are you considering surgery for weight loss purposes? If so, I want you to stop what you're doing and ask yourself the following question regarding bariatric weight-loss surgery:

Do I really need surgery in order to lose weight? Is it truly the only option for me?

This should be the first question you answer before pursuing any other aspect of weight loss surgery, such as finding a surgeon or lining up your finances. After all, this is surgery we are talking about here. So before you can decide if weight loss surgery is right for you, it's important to exhaust your non-surgical options for weight loss.

This is especially important if you undergo a weight loss procedure as severe as the gastric bypass. Unlike newer forms of weight loss surgery (such as gastric banding), the gastric bypass permanently alters your digestive system. That's right ... the surgeon will physically alter your stomach as well as your intestines as part of it. That's a serious form of surgery, and it comes with significant risks and potential complications. So it's important to exhaust your non-surgical options for weight loss before resorting to surgery.

"Resorting" is the opportune word here. You should only choose weight loss surgery as a last resort, and only in cases of severe obesity.

Surgery for Weight Loss and the "Quick Fix" Nation

Sometimes I look at the before-and-after photos on the websites of weight loss surgeons, and I am shocked by the types of patients who undergo this type of surgery. Many of them are merely overweight, but very few are morbidly obesity. Weight loss surgery should be reserved for patients who are morbidly obese, not for people who are merely overweight. Many of the "before" pictures show people who could have reached their target weight through regular exercise and healthy eating. But they opt for a risky surgery instead? This baffles me.

It also seems to me that many weight loss surgeons have loosened and expanded their definitions of what makes a "qualified" patient for bariatric surgery. There was a time when such surgeries were reserved for the morbidly obese -- a clinical term describing people who will literally die from their obesity, if left unchecked. But lately, it seems a lot of surgeons will operate on anyone who can afford the surgery and sign the medical waivers. This is a disturbing trend, to say the least. But I guess it's just a sign of the times and the "quick fix" mentality many people have these days.

Exhaust Your Natural Options Before Using Bariatric Surgery

Some people will make a half-hearted attempt to lose weight through proper nutrition and exercise, and then give up in frustration. Don't make this same mistake. Before turning to surgery for weight loss, you should make a serious effort to lose weight naturally (through better nutrition and exercise). It takes time and effort, but it should always be your first attempt. By addressing your nutrition and lack of exercise, you are correcting the actual source of the weight problem ... not just the symptom.

* You may republish this article on your own website or blog, as long as you credit the author and keep the active hyperlinks below. Copyright 2007, Brandon Cornett.

21 Questions on Weight Loss Surgery
This article is part of a longer series of weight loss surgery questions that potential patients should ask before choosing surgery. For more on this subject, read our 21 questions about surgery for weight loss by visiting http://www.bariatriclearningcenter.com

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Transform Cosmetic Surgery For Everyone

Cosmetic surgery was once an industry for those who had damage to their bodies as a result of an accident or injury. This meant that skin grafts, bone reconstruction, and other procedures were created with the individuals in mind who needed the work not who desired it. We are seeing more and more popularity with a transformation in cosmetic surgery. In other words cosmetic surgery is now used more and more for fixing life’s imperfection’s on our bodies. If we feel one ear is larger than the other we have it balanced. If our nose is a little to long and pointed we have it fixed. There are many reasons a person seeks cosmetic surgery. Doctors have transform cosmetic surgery to make the risks and complications to a minimum as well as hiding the evidence of work being done.

Consultation for your transform cosmetic surgery procedures

In order to understand what you are asking a surgeon to do you will need to make a consultation appointment at a cosmetic surgery clinic. This means you need to sit down with a doctor and go over every detail of the procedure that you desire. Some questions you may like to ask are below.

* What will be the risks and complications

* What medications will I be on before as well as after the procedure

* Where will you be creating the incision

* Will there be a scar

* What should I be doing prior to the surgery

* Why do I have to visit a psychologist

The above questions are extremely important for you to understand the procedure you are about to undertake. First of all some risks and complications can be scaring, infection, nerve damage, cancer, and loss of pigmentation depending on the procedure. You may even have a reaction to the drugs used during surgery or after. This is why it is important to know the medications you will be on. You may know that you are allergic or you may not so it is best to understand everything in its entirety. Depending on the procedure they may not worry about the scarring because it may be hidden from view. Most surgeons during transformation cosmetic surgery will try not to leave a scar especially in an area that will be seen.

Your health is also an issue. You should not seek cosmetic surgery if you have diabetes, heart related problems or mental health problems. Most of the time a psychologist is looking at why you are having the procedure. Is it just to make you happy and feel younger or have you become a “cosmetic surgery junkie”. A cosmetic surgery junkie often finds that they will never be perfect no matter the procedure and begins to stress. This stress will cause healing problems as well as potential risks and complications down the line.

You can also find more info on Cosmetic Eye Surgery and Cosmetic Sugery Center. Knowcosmeticsurgery.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Cosmetic Surgery.

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Minimally Invasive Surgery

Minimally invasive or laparoscopic surgery as it also referred to, has become very popular in the U.S. and around the world in the past two decades. Today millions of gynecological and general surgical procedures are performed utilizing minimally invasive techniques. Minimally invasive surgery replaces large open incisions with a series of small tube like devices known as trocars (typically 3 to 5 per procedure); a video camera and small surgical instruments are inserted through the trocars to perform surgical procedures. A good example of the benefits of minimally invasive surgery is gallbladder surgery. Laparoscopic gallbladder surgery became popular in the early 1990's. Laparoscopic gallbladder surgery is typically performed as an outpatient surgical procedure and most patients are able to return to work and most activities within four to seven days. In contrast gallbladder surgery performed through open incisions involved four to seven day hospital stays and most patients were not able to return to work for six to eight weeks.

Minimally invasive or laparoscopic surgery was originally performed by gynecologists for diagnostic purposes in the 1960's. Over time as clinical experience grew and laparoscopic surgical tools became more advanced, surgeons were able to perform more complex surgeries. In the late 1980's general surgeons began to investigate and adopt laparoscopic techniques. Today surgeons perform a variety of minimally invasive procedures including gallbladder removal, hernia repair, appendectomy, exploratory laparoscopy, colon resections, hysterectomy, tubal ligation, and more advanced procedures such as gastric bypass with roux-en-y for weight loss in morbidly obese patients.

The patient benefits of minimally invasive surgery are dramatic in comparison to traditional open surgery. Due to the many benefits such as less pain, reduced scarring, lower risks of infection and post operative incisional hernias, patients have begun to demand surgeons consider the least invasive approaches in meeting their surgical needs. The internet and news media are rich with information regarding surgical options, as well as offering information on the best minimally invasive surgeons, and centers of excellence for minimally invasive surgery. Patients requiring surgery should take it upon themselves to consider all options before agreeing to a treatment plan.

In the past year there has been much discussion surrounding the next generation of minimally invasive surgery, which is commonly referred to as NOTES. Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery involves the elimination of skin incisions by accessing internal organs through natural orifices such as the mouth, anus or vagina. While very early in its development many thought leading surgeons believe NOTES will again revolutionize surgical treatment and further reduce the pain of surgery while decreasing recovery time.

Minimally invasive surgery will continue to evolve over the next few years as NOTES and hybrid procedures become more commonly accepted surgical alternatives. Thought leading surgeons in partnership with industry continue to aggressively pursue the next generation of less invasive surgery in the hopes of further improving the quality of life of the surgical patient.

Firoj Khan is an online author and publisher who extensively writes for quality website like http://www.apolloendo.com . Apolloendo deals with the surgical issues like Transgastric surgery and Laparoscopic surgery. For more informations please visit Apolloendo Endosurgery

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DR. JAN ADAMS EXPOSED: Procedure on Kanye's mom may have taken too long; is he Board Certified? Background check shows two DUIs; two lawsuits

*TMZ.com is reporting that the tummy tuck and breast reduction performed on Kanye West's mother by Dr. Jan Adams took eight hours, which is twice as long as such a procedure warrants.

An autopsy on Dr. West is scheduled to be completed by Wednesday. The Los Angeles Coroner stated Monday that Donda West, 58, died Saturday because of "possible complications due to surgery."

TMZ says it was told that Dr. West's procedure lasted from Friday morning until Friday evening, and that afterward, Dr. West was sent home to convalesce instead of a recovery center, which would have been appropriate.

Several doctors at Centinela Hospital, where West was rushed to the emergency room Saturday night, tell TMZ they believe the excessive amount of time it took to perform the procedure suggests either something went wrong during the operation or the doctor was just too inexperienced.

The Web site is also reporting that Dr. Adams is not Board Certified with the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Meanwhile, celebtv.com has unearthed this document from the Executive Director of the California Medical Board asking the state to consider revoking or suspending Adams’ physician and surgeon’s certificate in April of this year.

The document claims Adams has a pair of alleged DUI arrests in Los Angeles, including March 31, 2006, with Dr. Adams arrested for blowing a .10 blood alcohol level during two breath analyzer tests and putting him over the legal limit. The case went to trial, and according to the document, Adams was found not guilty for driving under the influence and guilty of driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or greater. He was sentenced to 96 hours in L.A. County jail, had to enroll in an alcohol treatment and counseling program and attend 60 AA meetings and five years probation, the papers state.

The other DUI on his record is detailed in a case from January 16, 2003. Adams entered a plea of “no contest” to driving under the influence and was placed on three years probation, which included a three-month first offender alcohol and drug education and counseling program and restricted him from driving anywhere but to and from work for 90 days, according to the documents.

Also, CelebTV.com says it found additional documents which claim Dr. Adams was handed down two malpractice judgments by Los Angeles Superior Court for his medical practice. In August of 2001 he was ordered to pay $250,000 in one claim. In September of 2001, he was ordered to pay $217,337 in another malpractice judgment. California places a cap on non-economic damages for medical malpractice cases at $250,000.

TMZ.com has posted a third malpractice lawsuit against Dr. Adams, which was filed this year in Orange County Superior Court.

Terrie Cage claims on June 27, 2007, Dr. Adams and another doctor "negligently and carelessly examined, diagnosed, cared for, treated and performed surgery upon plaintiff, failing to follow the standard care ..." As a result, Cage alleges that as a result of her procedure for breast augmentation, tummy tuck and liposuction, she was "rendered sick, sore, lame and disabled." View the lawsuit documents here.

Dr. Adams first became well known as one of the co-hosts on NBC's short-lived "The Other Half," which was promoted as a male version of ABC's "The View" with co-hosts Danny Bonaduce, Mario Lopez and Dick Clark.

He also hosted the Discovery Health Channel series "Plastic Surgery: Before and After" and appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to plug the program.

As previously reported, Dr. Adams told TMZ.com that he did nothing wrong in his decision to operate on Donda West.

http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur38503.cfm

Get Showered With Compliments After Undergoing Stomach Surgery

Losing weight can be challenging as well as tiresome as one does not get the satisfactory results. Now with the advancement in the field of science and technology, losing weight has become achievable and easy too. So, if you want to loose weight without getting hassled then opt for stomach surgery, as it is not only a best solution available though it will cost you a little more in comparison to health and weight loss clinics. Moreover, it leaves a remarkable effect on you.

You must be aware of the fact that being overweight is a hub of many problems and affects your life a lot. So, if you want to get rid of that extra flab then go for stomach surgery immediately. According to various researches and surveys, obesity can lead to various medical conditions like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cancer of liver, myocardial infarction and psychological problems. Doctors are advising patients to undergo stomach surgery in lieu of getting rid of weight as these methods offer benefits and lesser side effects in comparison to dieting or erratic workouts. However, this surgery is recommended only for people who have a body mass index of 40 or more. You will be surprised to know that obesity can also lead to depression that also makes a person look much older than he or she is. So do not hesitate and consult a good surgeon who can help you in shedding weight easily.

There are many ways in which stomach surgeries can be performed. Some of these constitute are restrictive, combined restrictive and malabsorptive surgeries. The various other surgical procedures are vertical banded gastroplasty, laparoscopic gastric banding and gastric banding. Although, one looses weight at fast pace with the help of stomach surgery, but it is still advisable for people to talk about the procedures at great length before opting for it. Moreover, discussion with the doctors or the surgeon will make you aware of the complications involved, if any. In fact, it is an ideal solution for people suffering from some severe and critical medical condition and due to which are unable to perform daily chores easily.

Well, stomach surgery achieves weight loss by modifying the structure of the digestive and absorptive systems of the body; moreover this surgery is related to stomach, small intestine and the large intestine. Therefore, stomach surgery entails a permanent modification of these vital organs to ensure a weight loss that is long lasting or in some cases everlasting. In fact, stomach becomes smaller in shape and as a result it optimizes the loss of weight by providing the satiety. The other benefit of the surgery is that since it has created smaller stomach, the person will eat less, thus surgery starts displaying the results drastically and effectively. It additionally restricts the intake of food that a person consumes and digests. Therefore, do not hesitate anymore and go for stomach surgery as it will provide you relief from extra weight and moreover enable you to execute the work efficiently. With the help of this surgery you can look forward for compliments and only compliments from your loved ones.

Nicholas Bowen is vastly experienced in weight loss procedures. He advises obese people about the best methods of reducing weight depending on their health and body condition. One of the reference sites he mentions regularly for information about weight loss surgery, gastric band, and Stomach Surgery and stomach band techniques and Gastric bypass is www.gastricband.com

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