'Tongue patch' may help in weight loss

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LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- A California plastic surgeon says his surgically applied tongue patch makes eating uncomfortable, causing people to eat less and lose weight.

Dr. Nikolas Chugay has begun performing what he describes as a weight reduction procedure dubbed the Miracle Patch.

"This patch contains no drugs or chemicals," Chugay says in a statement. "It simply makes chewing solid food very difficult and painful, relegating the patient to a physician supervised liquid diet that fulfills all of the patient's nutritional needs while at the same time minimizing caloric intake."

The Tongue Patch -- an alternative to lap band and gastric bypass surgery that can cost from $15,000 to $50,000 -- involves no drugs or pharmaceuticals and has a quick recovery time, Chugay says.

Chugay provides no data on the safety of the procedure or whether weight loss is sustained once the patch is removed and the person resumes eating.