When considering undergoing a plastic surgery procedure, it’s natural to focus more on the expected result than on the actual surgical process itself. However, it’s quite crucial to know the safety of the procedure as well as its expected outcome prior to. Although thousands of people have plastic surgery every year without complications, you have to also keep in mind that no surgical procedure is risk-free.

To maximize safety, make sure to be fully knowledgeable of the following:

• Whether or not your surgeon is an ASPS Member Surgeon – This ensures that your surgeon obtains at least five years of surgical training – with a minimum two years of that dedicated to plastic surgery; and that they are by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
• The facility in which your surgery will take place conforms to strict safety standards – ASPS Member Surgeons can only operate in accredited facilities.
• Your surgeon is informed of any drugs you are taking and your full medical history, especially if you have had any circulation disorders, heart or lung ailments or problems with blood clots;
• That the surgical facility will use experienced, licensed personnel to administer and monitor your anesthesia as well as your recovery immediately following your procedure.
• The ability to have extra safety measures taken if you are having a more extensive liposuction procedure.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), is an organization of plastic surgeons who are dedicated to the highest standards of patient care. Good credentials will not guarantee a successful outcome; however, they will significantly increase the likelihood of it.

Dr. Kim is a plastic surgeon providing his expertise to the Beverly Hills area. For more information please visit Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery.

Often times when patients visit a plastic surgeon they are filled with questions that are quite commonly asked. Does it hurt? How much will it hurt? How long will I be in pain? These questions are on every patient’s mind, and rightfully so. It makes perfect sense to worry when considering to allow a surgeon behold total control over your body and appearance.

One thing to keep in mind when asking these questions is that every person tolerates pain differently. Medication can be given to patients for post-op that are meant to help with pain and minimize any discomfort.

A scale of pain, as far as different surgeries go, are broadly listed in the following:
*Most facial cosmetic operations have fairly minimal discomfort post-operatively.
*Liposuction is slightly more uncomfortable. Any operations that require elevation or tightening of muscles-such as abdominoplasty procedures or breast augmentation procedures have more discomfort that quite similar to that of a C-section.

You can expect a different experience from different surgeries and procedures, and your doctor should be able to explain to you the specifics pertaining to the procedure that you will be having. By having a consultation with a surgeon, you can obtain exact answers to your questions and concerns regarding your particular desired procedure.

Dr. Kim is a plastic surgeon providing his expertise to the Beverly Hills area. For more information please visit Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery.

With breast surgeries becoming more and more popular, it’s time we all learn a little more about them. This knowledge could help you in your decision of whether or not you’re prepared to undergo such procedures.

A ’full mastopexy’ is a widely used technique due to its great success in producing a perfect shape and readjusting the position of the breast. During this particular procedure, any excess skin is removed and the position of the breast is adjusted as well as the size of the areola. This technique will ultimately leave a scar in three separate locations: the peri-areolar area, the inframammary fold and a vertical incision from the areola to the crease.

A ’breast lift’ is a surgical procedure used to improve the general appearance of the breast. Mastopexy is a more technical term for this procedure. If the breasts are sagging or drooping, having a mastopexy performed will lift the breast as well as reposition the nipple and areola. In the event that a patient decides they would like to have implants inserted, in addition to this procedure, in order to enlarge the breasts, it then becomes known as a breast augmentation rather than just a basic lift.

’Modified breast lifts’ pertain to any other breast lift technique. A few can be performed to help minimize the amount of scarring that normally occurs with a full mastopexy. A ’donut’ breast lift is a technique where scarring is only found around the areola. Similar to this is the ’crescent’ mastopexy, which also has scarring only around the areola. The main difference between the two is that the ’crescent’ breast lift removes more tissue from the area above the areola. The last ’M.B.L.’ technique is the ’lollipop’ lift. This procedure uses an incision around the nipple and extends down to the crease beneath the breast. Using modified breast lifts will generally leave you with less scarring in any case though. The only con that comes associated with these is that they don’t create as much of a change as a full breast lift will.

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery – serves the Beverly Hills / Los Angeles area. For more information please visit the Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery website.

Recovering from a surgery can sometimes be very painful. When you visit a plastic surgeon prior to your surgery, it’s important to find out how long the recuperation period will last for the type of procedure you’re having done. You’ll need to know how long you’ll be out of commission no only for personal reasons, but for other commitments you may have such as work, school, etc.

The following reflects some commonly seen time estimates, though it is important to know that these are just estimates, and can vary depending on any special circumstances you may have.

*Breast Surgery – You can typically manage to get around independently by the second day of recovery, and you may even return to work after 5-7 days as long as your job does not require you to lift more than 15 pounds.
*Eyelid Surgery – With this type of surgery, you can actually usually begin taking care of yourself by the second day. And, with the use of sunglasses, you may even feel comfortable enough to go to the store by day 3-4. With a little makeup, you could be back to work between days 5-7.
*Liposuction – Usually you can gain independence by the second day, possibly even earlier if a smaller number of areas were treated. You’ll typically be able to return to work and normal life in about 5-7 days.
*Facelift Surgery – In most cases, you can get around independently by day 2. You probably wont feel comfortable going out in public though for about 5-7 days after surgery. Returning to work will probably require 10-14 full days of recovering.
*Abdominoplasty – Now patients receiving this type of surgery may take between 2-4 days before getting around on their own. The recovery experience is surprisingly similar to that of a C-section. The patient can return to a desk job about 5-7 days after surgery, but most other jobs will require 10-14 days.

As you can see, most cases only require assistance for the first two days of recovery, and patients typically have the ability to care for themselves during the remainder of their recuperation period.

Dr. Kim is a plastic surgeon providing his expertise to the Beverly Hills area. For more information please visit Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery.

There are a lot of reasons why patients consider undergoing liposuction for themselves. It’s possible that the patient has tried dieting with exercise with continuing problems in one or more areas of their body with getting rid of fat pockets. Some other reasons would result to treat fatty benign tumors or other problems dealing with metabolism.

It’s important to understand that liposuction is not for the treatment of obesity. There are other procedures available for this if the patient is considered to be an ideal candidate for the procedure.

The liposuction procedure is performed with a small hollow tube that is generally referred to as a cannula, which is used along with a vacuum type suction device known as an aspirator. The cannula is inserted through an small incision and then moved rapidly underneath the skin in order to extract the fat. There are many different techniques that plastic surgeons use today and your doctor will explain them upon consultation.

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery – serves the Beverly Hills / Los Angeles area. For more information please visit the Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery website.

If you are considering having breast augmentation, you should then consider your two breast augmentation surgery options and talk to your plastic surgeon about the each to determine and which is going to be better for you.

There are two different types of implants used when performing breast augmentation surgery; saline and silicone. The solutions used in each and how they are filled are what make them so different. Depending on which one you choose will also effect the way the incision is made as well how the entire procedure is played out.

Saline-filled implants are placed within the body before being filled with a salt water solution. The size of the incision is much smaller than the implant itself and in comparison, much smaller than that of a silicone implant. Silicone implants are filled with silicone prior to inserting it into the breast cavity and therefore have a larger incision than a saline implant would. In turn though, a silicone implant is much less noticeable to the eye and to the touch. They are also a overall better decision for women who are without very much breast tissue to begin with.

In 2006, there were 329,000 breast augmentation procedures performed in the U.S. Considering this number tell that there are a lot of women having plastic surgery/cosmetic surgery. It is important to go into any cosmetic surgery feeling that you know as much as you can about the particular procedure you’re about to undergo.

Dr. Kim is a plastic surgeon providing his expertise to the Beverly Hills area. For more information please visit Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery.

Eyelid surgery has become increasingly popular in current times among people of Asian descent. This can be in result of the common structure of their eyes. One would probably think that undergoing eyelid surgery would take away from the ethnicity of the patient, this is actually untrue. Most patients of Asian descent are what is known as ’single-lidded’ and undergo blepharoplasty to create a second lid.

Having excess fat, muscle, and skin around the eyes can be uncomfortable as confidence lowering for some people. That combined with natural puffiness around the eyes or ’bags’ might make someone consider having eyelid surgery or otherwise known as blepharoplasty. The procedure is solely meant to treat these things and has been known to be successful in doing so.

If you are considering the option to have eyelid surgery, you should consult with a plastic surgeon to make sure you are an ideal candidate for the procedure.

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery – serves the Beverly Hills / Los Angeles area. For more information please visit the Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery website.

Staying healthy is more important than ever for pregnant women. There are so many precautions to take that many women spend the entire pregnancy very anxious. Dr. Kim consults with many patients who have had children. Many of them are dissatisfied with their post pregnancy shape. The most common complaints are loss of volume in the breast and loose skin on the abdomen. In these cases Dr. Kim may recommend an abdominoplasty combined with breast augmentation. These procedures help most women return to their prepregnancy contour. Staying healthy during pregnancy helps to ensure not only a healthy baby but also a healthy mother during and after pregnancy. A new study recommends that pregnant women take the the flu shot as a preventative measure. According to ABC 7 the study says flu shots are even more beneficial for pregnant women than previously thought.

Researchers say un-vaccinated pregnant women are at an increased risk of complications from the flu.

Those complications include low birth weight and premature delivery.

Researchers looked at 4,000 cases.

They say infants born to vaccinated mothers were 40 percent less likely to be premature and 69 percent less likely to be low birth weight.

The study was a joint effort by Emory University, Johns Hopkins University and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Skin cancer continues to be a risk for many Americans. When detected early it is one of the most curable forms of cancer. Dr. Kim warns his patients to avoid the sun and its dangerous rays. The sun is a major contributor to premature aging of the skin. Patients who have skin that is damaged by the sun could be advised to treat the sun damage before having facial rejuvenation procedures such as a facelift, brow lift, or eyelid lift. Often skin that is sun damaged can be weak and respond poorly to surgery. Patients can use medical grade skincare products and treatments to improve the health and appearance of the skin. There have been promising strides made in the treatment of skin cancer. Some drugs show promise but offer little real success. According to KTLA a new study showing that the chemotherapy drug vemurafenib can prolong the lives of people with malignant melanoma — the especially aggressive and dangerous form of skin cancer that kills about 8,700 Americans each year — has rightfully lifted the spirits of doctors and patients alike.

But a close look at the numbers raises questions about the drug’s real-world impact. The study suggests that only one out of four patients with malignant melanoma will respond to the drug. For those who do respond, the benefits are uncertain, says Tim Turnham, executive director of the Melanoma Research Foundation.

Americans have come to believe that organic and natural marketing titles mean that a product is safe. Dr. Kim requires every patient to complete a medical history form prior to surgery. Each patient must disclose every medication that they take on a regular basis. This includes over-the-counter medications as well as prescription medications. Patients who are considering procedures such as breast augmentation or liposuction sometimes feel as though the procedures are relatively routine and that information about vitamins or supplements would be of little concern. The truth is, supplements such as vitamin E and fish oil as well as other supplement can increase bleeding or increase the heart rate. Patients are encouraged to follow Dr. Kim’s instructions prior to surgery and discontinue all required medications. It is important that patients take all medications seriously. According to ABC 7 from sleeping to memory to mood to cholesterol, toxicologist Amitava Dasgupta says there’s something to treat just about everything, but there’s a huge misconception about herbal supplements.

Anything natural is safe – that is a misconception because there are lots of natural products which are very toxic, said Dasgupta, a professor of pathology laboratory medicine.

He says Kava Kava, which is used as a natural sleep aid, can cause significant liver damage, including total liver failure, after just a few months of use. Germander, used for general health, can also cause liver failure.

You have to treat natural products as a drug, said Dasgupta.