Hello,

Ive been doing research about the Lap Band surgery over a year now and had some questions regarding:

Single Incision: Any comments? Can you see the scar? Does you belly button go back to normal? Did the doctor sway you either way (to go with normal incision surgery over single incision?)

Dr Geiss of Long Island: Have you performed single incision surgery with him? Was there an additional cost (after insurance coverage)? (Obviously this all depends on what type of insurance one has, but does any insurance cover single incision surgery? I have Horizon Blue Cross/ Blue Shield)

Thanks!

I am about 5 weeks post op and can barely see the scar, which appears to be a single incision right across and under/within the belly button. My doctor uses glue on the top of the skin, sutures or staples don't necessarily leave it looking as nice

I am also a Geiss patient - My surgery is this coming monday. Dr Geiss mentioned that he could possibly do the single insecion on me as well. I went to the seminar last week and the nurses said you wont know if you will have the single insecion until day of surgery. Dr G said it is less pain and quicker recovery. why are you asking about the scars? its 1-6 cuts. what are you worried about?

If you have a long torso or your body is not right for the single incesion, then Dr G cant do it. and he only does it on women. no men can get SILS

Thank you all for your feedback; I greatly appreciate it.

I don't have a long torso, as I am only 5'1", so hopefully single incision is something that would work for me. I asked because I want to avoid more scars then necessary; especially since I probably would be able to wear a bikini-if/when the weight it lost; aside from not wanting anyone to know I had the surgery. If single incision is available, why not opt for that instead of having more scars?

Not knowing whether or not the doctor would be able to perform a single incision until the day of surgery would be something I have to really think about first and possibly wait on doing.

Thanks again.

Hi, I see these posts are from a few months ago so I'm curious how everyone is doing, especially the Dr. Geiss patient(s). I have surgery scheduled with Dr. Geiss in 3 weeks and am looking forward to it. I'm hoping I'll be having the single incision-option -- if a shorter torso is the determining factor I'm a 5'2" female so it looks like maybe -- although I suppose like another patient was saying if you didn't want to say what the typical laproscopic scars were from you could say they were from gallbladder surgery... or something Hope everyone is doing well!

I went to one of his seminars 3 weeks ago. I am waiting for my consultation appt with him. I am also curious to know how everyone is doing and to share their experience with Dr. Geiss and his office. Why do they only do sils on women I'm a guy I am just wondering?

I had my surgery yesterday and i have never heard of only 1 incision..I have five and the incision where they put the port in is the biggest and is quite painful also.Again this is my second day,so I am sure it will get better..i am going to put merderma on my scars i hope it helps..i do want to wear a bikini one day!!Good luck to everyone!!

Single incision isn't really only one incision. It's often two or three. One main incision at the top of your navel - side to side around two inches - then a small incision around your liver about 1/4" and sometimes a dot in the center of your chest. The liver and dot are actually to hold your liver out of the way. The scars will fade eventually and won't really show up. They'll eventually look like scratches. And if you ever need your gallbladder out they can use the same navel incision but will make 1-2 new little 1/4" incisions in your upper abdomen. So you can always say they were all from that surgery.

Though at that point you'll be so hot no one will even notice the little scratches

To help your scars heal alternate one day with extra virgin olive oil (reduces redness) and the next day with vitamin e (breaks down scar tissue). Mederma hasn't really been proven to work, it's actually the rubbing in of that product (scar tissue manipulation) that creates the healing (reduces keloiding or raised scars).