Weight loss surgery

If you have a BMI over 30, you may be eligible for one of the weight loss procedures. Your surgeon will advise you about the best method to achieve your goals.

Gastric band surgery involves placing a fully adjustable silicone ring around the stomach to restrict the amount of food you can eat to create a feeling of fullness. Using the latest single incision technique, most patients can benefit from a ‘no scar’ cosmetic result. This may be suitable if you have a BMI of 30 or over.

Gastric bypass involves dividing both the stomach and the bowel. The smaller stomach pouch restricts the amount of food you can eat, and is designed to make you feel full after smaller meals. It also aims to drop appetite hormone levels to reduce your appetite. This may be suitable if you have a BMI of 40 or over.

Gastric sleeve surgery involves removing a portion of the stomach to leave a thin sleeve, designed to restrict the amount you can eat. Gastric sleeve surgery is relatively new, but offers a good alternative to other weight loss procedures, as it requires no adjustments (unlike a band) and is not irreversible (unlike a bypass). As with a bypass, the gastric sleeve aims to reduce the Ghrelin hormone (known as the hunger hormone) levels to help reduce your appetite. This may be suitable if you have a BMI of 35 or over.

Transform’s specialist partner in weight loss surgery is The Hospital Group. They have a carefully selected team of GMC-registered surgeons working to the highest professional standards of surgical and medical care. Each year they perform thousands of weight loss surgical procedures.

For the gastric band you'll need to stay for 1 night. For gastric bypass and sleeve procedures, you’ll need to stay in the hospital for 2-4 nights following your procedure.

You’ll have further post-op appointments with dietitians and nurses so we can check that you’re healing well and happy with the results. Weight loss surgery results and benefits can vary and are different for each individual. You can rest assured knowing that we have the lowest rate of further revision treatment in the UK and we provide a three-year aftercare warranty.

The gastric band is designed to stay with you for life to assist you in getting to your target weight. However it can be removed if you wanted to reverse the procedure. The gastric bypass and sleeve is a permanent procedure and cannot be reversed.

Yes, we offer a choice of two finance options. You can pay a deposit of just £500 and choose either 12 monthly interest-free payments or spreading the cost over two to five years.

As a responsible provider of cosmetic surgery, we understand that each individual's procedure is different and will be tailored specifically around the patient. Because of this, we place a great deal of importance on our free face-to-face, no obligation consultations. Following our consultation process your patient advisor will provide a detailed pricing overview around the particular procedure. Please view our pricing and finance page to read more about our flexible credit options, available via our partnership with a specialist financial provider. More info here.

The first step is to meet your patient advisor. You’ll be able to talk to them about why you’re considering weight loss surgery, whether you’re eligible for the surgery, the likely costs and finance options, how much time you’ll probably need to take off work, and when you’d like to have the surgery. If you feel ready, we’ll then book you in for your free consultation with one of our surgeons.

At your free consultation, your surgeon will ask you about the results you want to achieve from the surgery. You can discuss every aspect of your weight loss – from the surgical methods and recovery time to the benefits and risks – with no obligation to go ahead. Our surgeons are extremely knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions you have. Your surgeon will talk to you about the best weight loss surgical method to achieve your goals. Bariatric surgery is a major procedure and you’ll want to feel fully informed about the process, the operation and the results you can realistically expect. If you feel ready to go ahead and book your surgery, they’ll then refer you to a clinic nurse who’ll perform some pre-op tests and procedures.

On the day of your surgery, you’ll meet with your surgeon so you can go through the consent form and ask any last-minute questions. You’ll then be introduced to the rest of your surgical team before going into theatre. During the procedure, your surgeon will use one of the following surgical methods depending on your needs, which they will have discussed with you. Gastric band involves placing a fully adjustable silicone ring around the stomach to restrict the amount of food you can eat and create a feeling of fullness. Using the latest single incision technique, most of The Hospital Group patients can benefit from a ‘no scar’ cosmetic result. This may be suitable if you have a BMI of 30kg/m2 or over. Gastric bypass involves dividing both the stomach and the bowel. The smaller stomach pouch restricts the amount of food you can eat, and is designed to make you feel full after smaller meals. It also aims to drop appetite hormone levels to reduce your appetite. This may be suitable if you have a BMI of 40kg/m2 or over. Gastric sleeve involves removing a portion of the stomach to leave a thin sleeve, designed to restrict the amount you can eat. Gastric sleeve surgery is relatively new but offers a good alternative to other procedures for some, as it requires no adjustments (unlike a band) and is not irreversible (unlike a bypass). As with a bypass, the gastric sleeve aims to reduce Ghrelin hormone levels to help minimise your appetite. This may be suitable if you have a BMI of 35kg/m2 or over. Gastric balloon is a day-case procedure, which involves no surgery, incisions or scars. The balloon is inserted through the mouth and when inflated with saline, occupies a large portion of the stomach, aiming to make you feel full. It is a temporary kick-start to weight loss and is removed after six months with no lasting changes to the body. This may be suitable if you have a BMI of 27kg/m2 or over.

We believe that the highest quality aftercare is just as important as the surgery itself, so we’re here to support you. You’ll need to give your body plenty of time to heal and we’ll give you detailed guidance on the best way to do this. You’ll have a further post-op appointment so we can check that you’re healing well and happy with the results. Weight loss surgery results and benefits can vary and are different for each individual. Results are also dependent on diet and exercise, therefore we cannot guarantee specific results. If you have any questions or concerns at all, you can contact our 24/7 helpline. All patients have access to our three-year aftercare programme as standard and you’ll have the option to extend cover to up to 10 years.

We’ll be here throughout the recovery process to help you recuperate quickly and safely. Gastric balloon is a day-case procedure, which means you should be able to return home the same day. Depending on whether you have had a gastric band, bypass or sleeve procedure, you’ll need to stay in the hospital where your surgery has taken place for between 1-4 nights following your procedure. The Hospital Group hospitals are purpose-built for cosmetic surgery and all staff are specially trained in cosmetic surgery patient care.