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Coming up on DocShop TV: A high profile death, and the need to do your homework when choosing a plastic surgeon. The pill for men: Is 2008 the year it finally sees widespread distribution? And, two ways you may never have thought of to help you shed pounds in the New Year. DocShop TV starts right now.

Hello and welcome to DocShop TV, I’m Greg McKinney.

We begin with January’s DocShop 411----a look at health news generating a lot of buzz on DocShop.com.

The 2007 death of Donda West, the mother of Grammy-award winning rapper Kanye West, will no doubt have an immediate effect on how those of you looking to have plastic surgery in 2008 search for the most qualified plastic surgeon in your area. West died soon after undergoing two plastic surgery procedures in one day in late 2007. The credentials of the plastic surgeon who performed the procedures have since been under intense scrutiny.

Here’s a quick rundown of some key things to keep in mind when choosing a plastic surgeon.

First, check the plastic surgeon’s education and training. See if they are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. That certification means they have been trained to perform all types of plastic surgery procedures.

Second, check with your state medical board to make sure they have a current medical license.

Finally, check to see if they’ve had problems with patients before. Be sure to do your homework and see if your prospective plastic surgeon has had any previous medical malpractice suits filed against them.

These are just a few tips. For more information you can always find it on DocShop.com.

DocShop 411 continues now with this update on the pill for men.

Researchers now say it’s not a question of “if” but likely “when” there is widespread commercial distribution of some form of a male birth control solution. They say it could come in the form of a daily pill, a patch, a gel applied to the skin, or even an injection or an implant.

What do you think? Is 2008 the year men will open their minds to this type of product? We sent a DocShop crew out asking that very question.

“Have you heard about male birth control?”

“No.”

“I think guys would be interested in the male birth control. The only two things would be the cost and if there’s any kind of health effects with it.”

“Yeah, I’d take it. Totally, if I wouldn’t have to put on one of those crazy things, of course.”

“Why not? If it came in a patch or a pill form, I don’t see why a guy would not take it.”

“I would like to think that guys would be more willing to also share the burden.”

“I don’t think I would wear it, personally. I wouldn’t wear a patch, you know, because people are going to be like, ‘Yo, what are you doing on the weekends? You know, you got a patch on you. They think, you know, you’re slutting it up or something.”

How quickly before these options hit the market? Researchers say it’s just a matter of funding.

Now to a topic that generates a ton of interest for men and women of all ages and backgrounds: Tattoos.

Those in the industry will tell you 2008 should be another banner year for body art enthusiasts. But what happens after a break-up or if you just plain get tired of having particular tattoo and you want it gone? Well, you’re not alone, and you do have some options. Take a look.

It is an ancient form of body art that many believe dates back five thousand years!

Tattoos. Love them or hate them, they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and are everywhere, and I mean, everywhere.

“I have nine altogether, they’re on various parts of my body.”

“I have a full sleeve and a couple pieces on my back.”

People walk into tattoo shops for a variety of styles.

“Tribal, a lot of old school.”

And they sit in the chair allowing the artist to brand them for their own reasons.

“Life’s lessons, experiences I’ve gone through, family members, reminders, stuff like that.”

That’s all well and good. But there’s only one problem that many people don’t even think about when they enter the world of body art.

“About 80 percent of the people who get a tattoo eventually want to get rid of the tattoo. Some people simply want to make space for a new tattoo, others have decided that they’ve moved on to a different phase of their life and they’d like to get rid of the tattoo.”

Dr. Kevin Smith is an expert dermatologist and plastic surgeon in Niagara Falls, Ontario. People come to him all the time for his intense pulsed light tattoo removal treatment.

More often than not, no matter which method you choose, tattoos can be removed over a period of months, or even years.

“Sometimes with just a couple of treatments, sometimes with half a dozen or a dozen treatments, we can make that tattoo fade away and give your skin a fresh start.”

Giving your skin a fresh start can, on average, cost you about 80 to 100 dollars per hour.

The average laser tattoo removal cost ranges from 200 to 500 dollars per treatment session.

Some places charge by the hour, some by the number of treatments, and others by the size of the tattoo. If you’re getting a tattoo removed, be sure to check into your financing options, and be sure to be patient. If they try to get rid of the tattoo too fast, you may not end up with the best result.

Still to come on DocShop TV: A new approach to one of the most common New Year’s resolutions again this year.

“It doesn’t work for people who want a quick fix.”

A look at hypnotherapy when we come back.

“What’s your New Year’s resolution?”

“Some of the usual, one was to exercise more of course but I think the biggest is more life balance.”

“I plan on being a better boyfriend to my girlfriend by listening to her more.”

“My resolution is to stop smoking cigarettes you know, mainly for him, and myself.”

“My New Year’s resolution is to ride my bike without training wheels.”

”My New Year’s resolution this year is definitely going to be to exercise, get back to the fitness club, minimum three days a week, get rid of the winter fat, let’s call it.”

OK. 2008 is well underway and how many of you have already broken your New Year's resolution? If you swear this is the year that you’re going to kiss that “winter fat” goodbye for good, you may want to consider some things you haven’t tried in the past. In a moment, DocShop’s Angelique Frame will have more on a virtual way to lose those unwanted pounds. But first, another unique approach to weight loss: hypnotherapy!

“Way down, way down, way down.”

The key to making your weight go “way down” may lie in your mind.

Hypnotherapist Diane Edwards believes reprogramming your subconscious is essential to losing weight and keeping it off.

“In issues like weight control, most of our habits are subconscious. So people know what they need to do and they know what they don’t need to do, but we do it anyway.”

Diane says bad eating habits are rooted in emotions.

We eat, she said, because it reminds us of a happier time or because we have a reason to fear being thin.

“What I would do is look back and see what was going on in their lives when they were last thin, because that’s usually where the issue lies.”

Once the cause is found, many patients experience dramatic changes in eating habits after just one session.

Others need repeat visits and occasional refreshers. But hypnotherapy is not for everyone.

“They’re generally the people who want the pill. They want a quick fix. It doesn’t work for people who want a quick fix.”

Greg McKinney, Einstein Video Network

Serve it up, knock ‘em down, or go ten rounds. All workouts in the real world – now, in the virtual world.

The Nintendo Wii video game system is leading a new trend called “exergaming.” In many games, players are forced to get up and get active - a concept which some people believe can lead to weight loss.

“They get physical. I mean, their arms are flailing. They’re jumping up and down when they get a point, so I think, I think so.”

“I agree, I think the Wii can really make you work hard.”

How do these virtual sports stack up against the real ones?

A popular online study found it depends on what sports you play. Fifteen minutes of bowling on the Wii burns about 77 calories.

• In the real world – 63 calories

• Wii tennis – 92 calories

• Real tennis – 162

• And actual boxing knocks out virtual boxing – 189 to 125

So while the Wii can make you work up a sweat, it doesn’t pack a punch like the real deal.

Exergaming is showing promise, especially among children. Researchers from Liverpool John Moore’s University found regular play could help children lose or keep off as much as 27 pounds a year.

For DocShop TV, I’m Angelique Frame.

For a more detailed look at the Wii video game system and hypnotherapy, you can do a search right here on DocShop.com on both of those weight loss topics.

That’s going to do it for this edition of DocShop TV.

Thank you very much for watching. Don’t miss our February show which includes a special Valentine’s Day feature and a fact or fiction report on some of the more common health-related myths that just never seem to go away.

Make sure you make DocShop.com your source for trusted medical information. I’m Greg McKinney---we’ll see you in February right here on DocShop TV!