'Miracle' Tongue Patch Surgery Causes 30 Pound Weight Loss, By Making Eating Near Impossible [VIDEO]
In a world full of eccentric weight loss options, sewing a patch to the top of your tongue to deter you from eating solid food just about takes the cake. Even so, that's just what women like Yomaira Jaspe are doing to achieve their ideal weight.
"I don't have the willpower to go on a diet, so this was the only way," the Venezuela native explained to Time as her reason for undergoing the risky procedure.
"Venezuelans are very beauty-conscious, so when we offer something that shows concrete results, people will put that before its extreme nature."
The procedure, not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just yet, requires six stitches on the top of the tongue to attach the plastic patch, which forces an all-liquid diet by making solid food intolerable. Those who undergo the procedure are asked to have it removed in a month to prevent the plastic from adhering to the surface of the tongue over time.
Even the pioneer of this weight loss surgery, Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Nikolas Chugay, said the patient may experience uncomfortable side effects. Although Dr. Chugay admits via his website that patients can expect a swollen tongue and difficulty speaking, some women have also complained about trouble with sleep and an inability to move their tongue in the slightest motion. He claims that patients with the tongue patch can lose 30 pounds within a month.
Currently, Dr. Chugay's Los Angeles based private practice is the only plastic surgery office to offer this procedure for around $2,000. However, women in Venezuela are only paying $150 to go under the knife.