Surgery

Ouch! Gastric Bypass May Increase Risk of Kidney Stones

Flickr: zanzibar

When celebrities like Carnie Wilson and Star Jones started getting gastric bypass, suddenly it became the thing to do. Everyone wanted to look like a rapidly deflated balloon!

Now, gastric bypass may be a "quick fix" or a "last resort," but it comes with a price. Common side effects include hernia, infection and malnutrition, and you can add kidney stones to the list too.

Lipo-Dissolve: Can Injections Really Melt Fat?

Lipo Dissolve involves injecting a cocktail of substances into subcutaneous fat deposits - in the hope of "dissolving" the fat tissue.

Marketed as a safer and less invasive alternative to liposuction, proponents say lipo-dissolve is useful for treating small "problem areas" such as love handles, bra fat and a softening jaw line. (via)

Despite having a number of advocates (such as fig) and anecdotal success stories - there are considerable risks.

Obesity Surgery More Popular

In a strange counterpoint to the apparent "decline" of dieting - obesity surgery has experienced a huge increase.

Lose Weight: Swallow a Balloon

This isn't another student prank, but an actual trial undertaken by doctors in Italy. The patient swallows down a soft silicone balloon (manufactured by Inamed Health):

Once in place, the balloon is filled with 500ml of saline through a small tube that also goes down the throat and which is attached to a self-sealing valve in the neck of the balloon.