Many have heard it said that 40 is the new 30. Unfortunately, thanks to celebrity news and Photoshop some people actually believe this. It is easy for women to feel the pressure in a competitive work environment and relationship dating pool to look younger. Looking younger is part of it but feeling younger is just as important. The new baby boomers understand the value of exercise and as a whole are living healthy lifestyles and exercising regularly. But, even with the best exercise programs and totally organic food the aging process is still in full effect and showing signs on our faces and bodies. Dr. Kim explains to his patients that the best way to assure that our bodies will cooperate with the appearance that we desire is to approach plastic surgery procedures as a process rather than one specific procedure designed to rejuvenate the face and body. Dr. Kim recommends patients consider Botox and injectable fillers at the very minimum as a method for smoothing lines and wrinkles on the forehead as well as adding volume to lines and wrinkles on the face. He also recommends that patients consider body contouring and the appearance of their breast for the best overall figure. Patients could consider both breast augmentation and liposuction, which in many cases can be performed together. It is rarely too late to begin addressing these areas which can make a tremendous difference in the youthful appearance of the patient. Provided the patient is healthy Dr. Kim encourages his patients to embrace plastic surgery as part of the solution to the appearance of the aging process.

As we approach 2012 with the hopes of an improving economy a consumer may question which plastic surgery procedures make the most sense both economically and for long-term aesthetic value. The answer can vary greatly based on the patient and the patient’s desires. Dr. Kim explains to his patients that in competitive work environments which still exist, facial procedures can make a dramatic difference on a person’s first impression during a job interview. Dr. Kim recommends patients look at their face and concentrate on each individual area that causes them to look less youthful. For most patients the eyes, both of the upper eyelids as well as bags and circles beneath the eyes almost always show signs of aging. In this case, Dr. Kim would recommend it blepharoplasty which can treat the upper eyelids by removing a small sliver of skin which, once sutured is virtually undetectable. Most patients also choose to treat the lower eye area removing the” bags” under the eyes allowing the patient to look much more rested and youthful. The recovery time is relatively short(less than 10 days) and the pain is considered mild. For some patients who also have a low brow, Dr. Kim may recommend a brow lift in conjunction with the blepharoplasty. These procedures are affordable and an excellent value for patients who need to compete in the workforce as the economy improves and better job opportunities become available. Southern California, especially Beverly Hills and Los Angeles are famous for high standards and value placed upon a youthful and energetic look.

The recent exposure of the French breast implant company PIP has put breast implants back in the news. A recent article in the Atlantic highlighted once again the warnings and risk associated with breast implants. According to the article experts warn, that breast implants are likely to need long-term care. Breast implants do not last a lifetime, they will need replacing at some point in the future, the British Implant Information Society says on its website. It says modern devices are likely to last between 20 to 25 years, about 10 years longer on average than the older types developed in the early 1960s and 1970s. While this information is quoted from a British source it is similar to that stated by the FDA. Dr. Kim is careful to explain to patients considering breast augmentation the pros and cons of the procedure. It is important for patients to understand the difference between silicone and saline implants, taking into consideration both the material as well as which implants will be most aesthetically pleasing based on their body type. Dr. Kim is exceptional in developing mutual trust with his patients, so that they are able to comfortably understand his recommendations. Patients are given both written as well as verbal information concerning breast implants and are invited to view the abundance of information available on the FDA’s own website. While patients are never told that breast implants are a lifetime product, the article fails to mention that breast implants to have a lifetime warranty. This means that once patients pay for the breast implants, the manufacturer will always replace the implant if the implant is ruptured. The article also failed to mention that the overwhelming majority of patients are happy with their breast augmentation (and breast lift if applicable) results and would recommend the procedure to their friends. Dr. Kim believes that his patients enjoy exceptional results because of his commitment to communication with his patients and commitment to exceeding their expectations.

We’ve all been told if you want to succeed in changing a habit, tell others and they will hold you accountable. Now,it seems as though, at least with dieting the opposite is true. If you want to succeed in losing weight do not tell anyone. According to the Los Angeles Times as human beings we have a difficult time with change, Jon Walz MD said. So when someone we love alters his or her lifestyle, we have a problem dealing with it — even if that transformation is positive. (They) will try to change them back to what the culture tolerates, he said. The article goes on to explain the pressure of outsiders watching your every move that is related to food or other things that could affect dieting adds to failure. Successful dieting is difficult by most every account and keeping it a secret could be as difficult as keeping the weight off once it is lost. For patients who are able to lose the weight and maintain the weight loss it can be discouraging for patients to see that their breasts have lost volume as well as shape. In these cases Dr. Kim may recommend a breast augmentation combined with breast lift. For healthy patients these can be done in combination with each other and most patients choose silicone breast implants for this surgery. The degree of the breast lift will be determined by the amount of sagging to the breast. As an artist and surgeon is Dr. Kim’s goal to achieve the best result with the least amount of incisions necessary. Patients are commonly thrilled with the results and the incisions from the breast lift are typically undetectable within six months to a year under normal lighting.

Who would not love a New Year’s Day with temperatures over 70°? Throughout Southern California, people were actively out and about exercising and enjoying the beautiful weather. According to the Orange County Register Huntington Beach pier and the surrounding beaches and boardwalk were abuzz with activity on Monday. Bicyclists, volleyball players, joggers, skateboarders and people running their dogs vied for space as temperatures reached the 70s. Some exercisers were obviously first-timers. For others, Monday’s outing was a regular part of their routine. Dr. Kim hopes that his patients who are out and about have remembered to wear sunscreen. Some patients are surprised to learn that they are advised to wear sunscreen in the winter as faithfully as they do in the summertime. It is a myth that winter sun is not as harmful as summer sun. All of the dangers that are associated with overexposure to the sun are applicable to both winter and summer sun. The dangers include premature wrinkling, brown spots and sun damage, as well as accelerated loss of elasticity of the skin. As a result, patients become candidates for a facelift, brow lift, and blepharoplasty prematurely. Dr. Kim explains to his patients that protecting their skin from the sun’s harmful rays must become a lifestyle choice and be carried out through the rest of their lives.

Pregnancy takes a toll on a woman’s body and emotional state of mind. It can be both an exhilarating time as well as a stressful time for many women. A recent online article took exception to the media outlets that published a story concerning a woman with an eating disorder. According to the online article the media outlets were alleging that pregnancy was a cure for anorexia, the eating disorder the woman was suffering from. According to the post the woman in the article credits her ability to place her baby’s health above her own as a cure for her anorexia. The online article is very stern in pointing out that pregnancy is not a cure for anorexia. This attitude assumes that the woman will place the baby’s health above their own. It also assumes that once the baby is born that all of the issues that led to the eating disorder will miraculously disappear. Based on the recidivism rate for patients who suffer from eating disorders, it is evident that without treatment the likelihood of the triggers that caused the eating disorder being powerful enough to cause a relapse is very good. Dr. Kim empathizes with his many patients who have had children and realize that their bodies have changed dramatically. Although most patients are not suffering from eating disorders, it is one of the medical conditions patients are advised to disclose to Dr. Kim. Provided the patient is healthy, most women choose to have breast augmentation( some with a breast lift) and abdominoplasty to regain their pre-pregnancy figure. These procedures address the sagging and loss of volume in the breast as well as the loose and lax skin on the abdomen. For better contour, Dr. Kim may add liposuction to enhance the waistline. Overwhelmingly, patients are thrilled with the results. Pregnancy does take a toll on a woman’s body but there is hope and satisfaction available through the expertise and skill Dr. Kim offers.

Men have been conditioned to believe that focusing on their appearance is a feminine trait. This is rapidly changing with a population that is getting older and less willing to accept the signs of aging. For men it’s not just about wrinkles on the face it’s about excess weight around the middle of their waistline, and according to recent online article an increased concern about excessive male breast tissue. The slang term is moobs or man boobs. A recent online article reference the increase desire of men to get rid of the breast tissue that can cause them to look at the very least heavy and out of shape. The majorities of men is extremely embarrassed and look desperately to find a way to get rid of the male breast tissue. According to the article a survey of 400 men revealed the majority felt personally affected by ‘negative body talk’. They reported feeling ‘miserable’ and ‘insecure’ on hearing comments such as ‘look at his beer belly’ and ‘he’s too fat to wear that’ even if it was not directed at them but reinforced their own hang-ups. And nearly 1 in 5 men said they felt fat every single day, according to the study carried out by researchers at the University of the West of England’s Centre for Appearance Research in Bristol. Dr. Kim encourages male patients to be unashamed of pursuing the best possible appearance they can, at every stage of their life. The main concerns men typically have include gynecomastia which is excessive breast tissue, a thick midsection, and drooping tired looking eyes. Gynecomastia surgery is a rather straightforward procedure. Most men can have the procedure performed and return to a desk type job in 5 to 7 days. The male breast tissue is removed as well as fat that can make the chest look larger and disproportionate. Typically Dr. Kim will recommend liposuction to enhance the waist and allow more muscle tone to be visible. For the eyes, blepharoplasty will correct loose skin on the eyelids and bags beneath the eyes. Dr. Kim advises men that the benefits of maintaining their best appearance apply to both male and female patients.

It is not surprising that the painless facelift has become the cosmetic surgery darling of the past few years. Words like nonsurgical, noninvasive, painless, and affordable have dominated cosmetic surgery procedures marketing materials available on the Internet, television, and radio. Consumers have fallen for what appears to be an excellent alternative to a surgical facelift. A recent industry online article took issue with The December 2011 issue of Bazaar which describes three such technologies. “Clear Brilliant” is a new laser that’s safe for all skin colors, costs $250 to $500 per treatment and requires six treatments spaced two weeks apart. This treatment promises to stimulate collagen in the skin after the required six treatments. Matrix is designed to improve early signs of aging and improve acne and chicken pox scars.” To understand how Matrix works, imagine an inverted ice cream cone.” A Nashville dermatologist says. To get eMatrix under your skin it will cost $750 to $1,200 a treatment. ePrime is a nonsurgical facelift that promises to tighten skin and address thinning skin and volume loss. A clinical study co-authored by a dermatologist and assistant clinical professor at Yale quantifies the skin-tightening effects of ePrime as “37 percent of what you’d get with a facelift.” The article does not mention how the 37% tightening is quantified. ePrime purports to restabilize the whole supporting structure of the skin at $2,500 to $4,500 per treatment. The fact that this is even called the facelift is pretty amazing. Dr. Kim is not opposed to the benefits of laser and in many cases laser resurfacing can be an excellent procedure for the right patient. When patients consult with Dr. Kim and ask if a nonsurgical facelift will provide the same benefits as a surgical facelift he is clear that it is impossible to expect results even close to a surgical facelift. Even in the advertisements for the procedures mentioned in this article, the claim is less than 40% effectiveness when compared to a surgical facelift. Obviously, a blepharoplasty which tightens the skin on the eyes or a brow lift which takes care of a sagging brow is not mentioned in the effectiveness of the nonsurgical facelift. Consumers should use common sense when investing in these types of nonsurgical treatments. Even if there best case scenario is true, at 37% effectiveness the procedure is still expensive when compared to the long-term results patient can expect from a surgical facelift.

The New Year has filled the airwaves with celebrities who are endorsing a colon cleanse to begin the new year. The belief is that by cleansing the intestine it helps people rid the body of toxins that are ultimately unhealthy. According to a recent ABC news story colon cleansing has been around for centuries. It can be accomplished in a number of ways, from supplements to colon hydrotherapy – an enema-like procedure that uses water to flush out the large intestine. Some experts say that the procedure is unnecessary and in some cases can actually be harmful. Most celebrities claim that not only do they feel better after the cleanse but they also claim to lose weight as well. Some claim that the cleanse is excellent for ridding the body of pudgy abdominal fat. So, the question some ask is: can a cleanse make my abdomen is flat as liposuction? Dr. Kim explains to patients that when choosing to have abdominal liposuction, especially for thinner patients, it is important to realize that the best results are from experienced doctors like Dr. Kim who are artistic as well as creative. Liposuction is a take away procedure very similar to sculpting. Dr. Kim uses his skill and artistic flair to achieve not only a flatter abdomen but also and abdomen that will appear naturally flat. While a colon cleanse may reduce a couple of pounds it is misleading to promise that the weight reduction will appear on the abdomen. Liposuction remains one of the most effective ways to target fat reduction in specific areas.

The most popular weight loss products are the ones that do not require any work. Today, the shelves are full of products they claim to help consumers lose anywhere from 5 pounds to over 100 pounds. In many of these products consumers will find large doses of caffeine. According to a recentLos Angeles Times article caffeine can be found in most all of the get thin quick products. C. Michael White, a professor of pharmacy at the University of Connecticut in Storrs says that, to his knowledge, there are no well-designed studies showing that caffeine works better than a placebo when it comes to weight loss. White notes that caffeine is a diuretic, which means that people taking large doses might shed some weight through water loss, but that’s not the kind of slimming most users are looking for. Caffeine does seem to enhance the weight-loss powers of some other ingredients, White says. For example, green tea contains antioxidants that encourage cells to burn extra calories, and caffeinated green tea seems to promote more weight loss than decaf versions. Even this combination has very mild results similar to 2.5 pound weight loss instead of the 40 pounds reported by many diet products. Consumers should be leery of any product that has excessive amounts of caffeine. Dr. Kim explains to patients who are considering plastic surgery procedures that it is imperative that they give full disclosure in terms of any medications including diet supplements that they are taking prior to surgery. Even for what may appear to be routine procedures such as breast augmentation orliposuction it is critical that Dr. Kim is aware of any diet supplements that are being taken. Excessive amounts of caffeine can cause a person to be agitated and increase blood pressure. This is not an ideal situation for a patient prepare to have surgery. Dr. Kim typically asks patients to stop any and all medications a minimum of two weeks prior to surgery.