The Tongue Patch Diet

Losing weight is difficult, and normally requires a lot of self control. Until recently, people who wanted to lose weight quickly without testing their self control were limited to having their jaw wired shut. That drives rapid (albeit unsafe) weight loss, but also limits speaking and breathing. Now we have a new method to enforce diet restrictions without losing control of the jaw. The downside? Your tongue will really take a beating!



The tongue patch diet started in Venezuela. Brought to the U.S. by Dr. Chugay, the procedure is quite simple. A small square of medical plastic, normally used to repair hernias, is sewn onto the top surface of the tongue. This patch, technically called a marlex patch, makes eating food extremely painful

The patch is installed as an outpatient procedure, typically only taking one hour and local anesthesia. At that point, solid food is off the table (ouch). A liquid diet containing about 800 calories a day is provided. Taking in only 800 calories a day means that weight loss is swift. Cheating is nearly impossible. Solid food in the mouth is painful; very painful. No need for self control, this diet depends on self preservation!

Once sufficient weight loss is achieved the marlex patch is removed. This is a simple procedure that involves snipping a few stitches and removing the plastic. The tongue will continue to be sensitive for a week or so, further advancing the weight loss. After the tongue heals a regular diet can resume.

Is this a good diet for you? Are you in dire need of rapid weight loss but can't stick to a diet, even with a diet buddy? Will you gladly trade the sanctity of your tongue for some lost pounds? Is dietary sufficiency a low priority for you? Is $2,000 a fair price for temporary weight loss? If all of these questions have positive answers, this might just work for you. Currently Dr. Chugay has performed this procedure on around 100 patients.

Could you be patient number 101? If so, drop us a comment and let us know how it went.

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