If you're the type of person who simply doesn't have the discipline to follow a strict weight-loss diet regularly, then weight-loss surgery would be the next best solution for you. There are a lot of weight-loss surgical procedures out these days but the problem is, what if you shudder at the thought of some surgeon cutting your body up and coming up with really ugly scars after the procedure? The answer? Lap-band weight loss surgery.

But that's still surgery!

With the lap-band weight loss surgery, you would still end up going under the knife. The good thing about this procedure is that it's the least invasive and it produces the smallest scarring. With this surgical procedure, the doctor just makes 6 really small (about 1 cm) incisions to insert a silicone ring around the upper part of the stomach. Placing the ring around the stomach produces a smaller pouch for the food you take in so you would feel full even after eating small amounts of food. You eat less, ergo, you lose weight.

The small incisions mean minimized post-operative pain and lesser trauma compared to other weight-loss procedures. In lap-band weight loss surgery, full recovery takes 6 weeks although most patients can actually go home immediately after the procedure.

The ring is adjustable according to the preferences and needs of the patient. Immediately after surgery, the silicone ring is empty. Over time especially when a weight-loss plateau is reached, the surgeon can insert saline inside the ring to tighten the stomach.  This technique is referred to as a fill. So if you feel that you haven't really lost the expected amount of weight, then you can have the surgeon adjust the band to make your stomach smaller. The same goes when the desired effect has already been reached. The saline can also be lessened or removed according to the effects on the patient's weight. The fact that it's reversible ensures that you wouldn't lose more weight than what is safe.