Testimonials have never been a comprehensive measure of quality, whether it’s for a weight loss surgery center or a pool builder. The reason is that testimonials only show one side of the picture. So when researching surgery centers and surgeons for your procedures, keep in mind that weight loss surgery testimonials should be taken lightly.

For example, let’s say that I run a bariatric surgery center in a major city, a center that performs more than 100 weight loss surgeries per year. My website and brochure features testimonials from a dozen satisfied patients.

But what about the other surgeries performed each year? How do those patients feel about the results? Well, you really wouldn’t know. Maybe the weight loss surgery testimonials on the website are truly indicative of the big picture.

Or, maybe the testimonials represent the minority, and most patients were unhappy with their weight loss procedures. In this case, the testimonials on the website would actually give you a false picture of things.

The point is, you just can’t see the big picture by looking at surgery testimonials from a handful of patients. This is true of weight loss surgery or any other procedure that uses patient comments as a marketing tool.

Sure, it can be helpful to see what other patients have said about a particular surgeon. But you never know if those weight loss surgeries represent the minority of the majority. So when researching surgeons, be sure to ask these other questions well.

Summary: In this new addition to our Q&A series, we will talk about bariatric surgery alternatives and how, in most cases, they are a superior alternative to actual surgery.

Do you have questions about bariatric surgery for weight loss? Hopefully, you do. Having questions is a sign that you are considering something carefully, and that’s exactly what you must do with bariatric weight-loss surgery … you must consider it carefully before making any decisions.

But what kinds of questions should you be asking? Well, we have assembled a list of about 20 of the most important questions about this subject, and in this blog series we are expanding on that article to look at each question in more detail.

This is the full article on the subject:
Surgery for Weight Loss - 21 Questions to Ask

So let’s tackle today’s questions about bariatric surgery procedures, which is…

What About Alternatives to Bariatric Surgery?

Once upon a time, weight loss surgery used to be strictly reserved for people who were morbidly obese — which meant it was a last resort for those who would otherwise die from their severe obesity.

Lately, however, it seems that weight loss surgery has become a trend. Consider the fact that the number of bariatric surgeries has increased tenfold in the last ten years! Did our population grow tenfold? Of course not. This number simply means that weight loss surgery is being used in more cases, even for people who are nowhere near the definition of morbid obesity, much less obesity in general.

Only in extremely rare cases is surgery the only option for weight loss. In the vast majority of cases, surgery is just one option out of many options. And it should be the option of last resort. In fact, nine times out of ten the bariatric surgery alternatives such as diet and exercise are the absolute best option for overweight individuals. (Weight loss surgeons might dispute this with me, but they’re hardly unbiased … are they?)

The question is … have you exhausted these other non-surgical options for weight loss? Have you pursued with vigor these bariatric surgery alternatives in the past?

Think about it this way. If you undergo a bariatric weight-loss procedure, you will have to adjust your lifestyle anyway. After a gastric bypass surgery, for example, you cannot eat nearly as much as you did before. So why not try to change your lifestyle in the first place, before resorting to surgery? It’s less expensive, it’s safer,  and it addresses the core issue directly (the unhealthy lifestyle).

The best bariatric surgery alternatives are those that avoid surgery altogether. The best alternative to weight loss surgery are those that address the causes of the disease (lifestyle) and not just the symptoms (weight).

Everyone who considers bariatric weight-loss surgery comes from a different background and has unique concerns and circumstances. But with that being said, there are certain frequently asked questions about bariatric surgery that many patients ask, and it will help you to understand the answers to these common questions.

So, we have decided to begin a new series of blog posts on the subject of the most frequently asked questions about bariatric surgery (and related topics). This blog series is actually adapted from a article we published several months ago.

This is the full article on the subject:
Surgery for Weight Loss - 21 Questions to Ask

So let’s move on to the frequently asked bariatric surgery question of focus…

Do I Really Need Surgery for Weight Loss?

Is bariatric surgery the only option for you, in terms of losing weight and increasing your health? Or is there a better, safer path to weight loss?

This is a vital question that anyone considering bariatric should ask. Thankfully, it’s also a frequently asked question about surgery for weight loss … as it should be. After all, despite all of the glossy brochures and websites with skinny, happy models smiling back at you, this is still surgery we are talking about here. So you should consider other non-surgical options in the course of due diligence.

There’s no doubt about it. Bariatric surgery for weight loss has exploded in popularity in recent years. I’ve seen a few statistics that say the number of bariatric surgeries has risen nearly tenfold in the last few years! But what you must realize is that this is real surgery with real risks associated with it. Thus, What you have to remember is there is nothing simple about surgery.

For more on this frequently asked question about bariatric surgery and related questions, check out this helpful article.