Gone are the days when a mole with considered cute. These days we know that they can be a precursor to skin cancer. Patients should check thoroughly their entire body for new moles as well as those which have changed. Dr. Kim explains to his patients that healthy skin must be maintained. It is never too early to start routine skin care with medical grade skin care products. Patients should be careful and avoid direct sunlight as evidence proves that it is directly related to premature aging. Patients with sun damage are likely to consider procedures like a facelift or brow lift. Many are surprised to learn that when the skin is damaged facelifts and brow lift are likely to be less effective. The best advice for patients especially in southern California is to wear sunscreen daily. Skin health is a lifelong commitment. According to The Los Angeles Times get to know your moles. Know their location, size and color.

Look for new or changing moles. It’s normal to develop new moles into your early 20s, but not beyond. Pay attention to any new growths or moles that have changed in size, color or shape.

Take pictures. If you have lots of moles, keeping up with potential changes is difficult. One good idea: take photographs every six to 12 months; save and date the images on a computer and review as needed. You may find a scary mole has always been there — or that it is in fact new.

Beware of pink or black. Normal moles and other benign skin growths typically are varying shades of tan to brown. Melanomas may be black or less commonly pink, while other skin cancers tend to be pink and are often scaly. See your dermatologist if you notice a pink or black lesion.

These days what used to be visible only in cartoons and sketches has made it to the big screen. More men days are concerned with achieving an enviable chest and washboard abs. Dr. Kim explains that in some cases the chest may have excessive male breast tissue which can be embarrassing for men. Gynecomastia surgery allows Dr. Kim to remove the breast tissue and create a more masculine toned and fit appearance. Liposuction helps to remove small amounts of fat from the abdomen. If there are toned muscles underneath then they will be much more evident after surgery. It is important that men understand they will not have a superhero body just because they have chosen plastic surgery. Even with proper diet and exercise this is difficult if not impossible to achieve for most people. According to The Los Angeles Times perhaps you’ve wondered how those actors achieved the chiseled abdominals, powerful pecs and bulging biceps — and whether you could manage to get them yourself without their superhero powers.
The short answer: Probably not. But we can still do pretty well for ourselves even when fitting fitness into a mere mortal’s existence that involves going to work, taking care of kids, preparing family meals, changing toxic diapers and waking in the night to be regaled with tales of the slime monster in Junior’s closet.

Actors, on the other hand, are able to rely on top personal trainers to help them work out every day, chefs who prepare tailored meals and Sisyphean determination.

After many years of study mammograms have been proven to reduce breast cancer deaths. Dr. Kim has expertly performed many breast augmentations over the years. It is not uncommon for younger patients to be less concerned about breast health than women who are over 40. The reality is breast health should be important to every woman whether she has breast implants or not. Patients with excessive breast tissue who are considering breast reduction should also be aware that one of the risk factors for breast cancer is the presence of breast tissue. Removing breast tissue will not guarantee that a patient will not get breast cancer; however, any breast tissue that is removed is sent to pathology to assure that the tissue is healthy. After breast surgery, patients are advised to perform monthly breast self exams and to begin mammogram screening at age 40. If there is a family history of breast cancer patients may be advised to begin screening earlier and more often. According to The Los Angeles Times the longest study yet to examine women who undergo mammography shows that it reduces deaths from breast cancer by at least 30%, a finding that many doctors say may help ease the recent controversy surrounding the procedure.

The three-decade study in Sweden showed that one breast cancer death can be prevented for every 414 to 519 women who are screened, a much lower number than the 1,000 to 1,500 that had been projected in previous studies.

Next time that you say he has a better chance getting hit by lightning, make sure that the odds are correct. The study that shows that men tend to be more reckless when dangers of lightning strikes are imminent speaks volumes. Men in general tend to take many things including their health and appearance for granted. Dr. Kim explains to his male patients that waiting to address issues of aging is not advised. Facial aging for men typically begins in the brow. Initially injectables like Botox can make a considerable difference. Over time, a brow lift and blepharoplasty may be a better choice. Aging on the body for men typically shows on their midsection. Early on, provided there is not loose and lax skin liposuction may be an excellent solution. If men continue to gain weight liposuction may no longer be an option. Men should not be afraid to be proactive about their health and appearance. Being reckless in a storm does not make sense, especially for men. The odds are not in their favor. According to The Los Angeles Times when it comes to lightning, females are cautious and males are reckless.

The result: Between 1995 and 2008, lightning killed 648 people, and of those, 82 percent were male, according to AccuWeather.com.

A smile for many can make the difference between being attractive or being plain. Crooked teeth speak volumes about the beauty and percieved social status of a person. Dr. Kim explains to patients that the structure of their face and the progression of facial aging should also be taken into consideration when making facial enhancements including braces. For instance, patients who are experiencing wrinkled and sagging skin on the face should consider the effect a facelift will have on their decision to have braces. In most cases, it is best to have the facelift performed first. This allows patients the ability to choose braces and treatment without regard to the length of time necessary to wear the braces. Dr. Kim can perform injectable fillers even if patient have braces; however, it is best to be conservative in the amount of filler added. As braces become more popular for adults it is important that patients realize the artistic skill Dr. Kim uses to assure that his patient are beautiful even while they are wearing braces. According to The Los Angeles Times gone are the giant metal braces, big steel wires and unsightly headgear they remember from childhod. Instead, they can opt for braces with clear ceramic brackets or brackets attached to the backsides of the teeth. In some cases, they can forget about brackets altogether and go for Invisalign, which utilizes a series of clear plastic trays to coerce the teeth into place.

These higher-tech options are making orthodontics more appealing to older patients. The number of U.S. adults wearing braces topped 1 million in 2008, up about 25% since 1989, according to the American Assn. of Orthodontics.

It may be difficult for men to admit, but they suffer from the effects of stress just like women. Dr. Kim explains to his male patients that stress shows on their faces with a wrinkled brow and crowsfeet around the eyes. This can be softened in most cases with Botox. In most cases a brow lift combined with blepharoplasty may be a better option. Some men have what appear to look like bags beneath the eyes. These are improved substantially after surgery. Although most men are less than enthusiastic about plastic surgery once they commit to having procedures the overwhelming majority of men admit not only that they look better, but also that they would do it again. To maintain their best appearance men should avoid stress. According to The Los Angeles Times a growing number of men are now suffering from the seductive promise that they can have it all: the comforts and rewards of a fulfilling family life, a job that brings satisfaction and a paycheck big enough to support the needs of the aforementioned family, and freedom from conflict between the demands of each.

It is no surprise that eating at restaurants will make it more difficult to maintain a healthy diet. One must consider that while the difficulty in maintaining diet may be real; dining out does have its advantages. For example, when people go out to eat they are more likely be concerned with their appearance. Dr. Kim encourages his patients to be confident in their appearance and what it took to achieve it. For many patients, they have achieved a great and shapely figure after a breast augmentation and abdominoplasty. Most choose the abdominoplasty procedure to improve an abdomen that has loose skin and stretchmarks. The breast augmentation procedure is chosen to add more volume and shape to the breast. The overwhelming majority of patients also maintain a regular exercise program and healthy diet. But, when you look great why avoid dining out? Just use discretion when ordering from the menu. According to The Los Angeles Times the more you eat out, the more likely you are to be fat, say obesity experts who have studied the link between eating at restaurants and obesity — which are both on the rise.

A third of the calories Americans eat come from restaurants, including fast-food franchises, which is almost double what it was 30 years ago, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
For the average consumer, eating one meal away from home each week translates to roughly two extra pounds a year, said Lisa Mancino, a food economist for the USDA.

More than half of adults eat out three or more times a week, and 12 percent eat out more than seven times a week. As a result, the pounds are adding up.

Americans are eating out more than a decade ago because they have less time for cooking, longer commutes, more households where both adults work, poorer cooking skills and many more options for affordable meals out, said Mancino.

Back pain can be debilitating and affect the quality of life substantially. Patients who have extremely large breasts often complain of back, shoulder, and neck pain. While massage will temporarily help to relieve some of the pain ,the source(extremely large breast) will continue to cause pain. Dr. Kim explains to his patients that breast reduction surgery removes the excess breast tissue which in most cases takes the added pressure off of the shoulders, neck, and lower back. Dr. Kim uses his artistic ability to create a look that will remain proportionate with the patient’s body frame. Some patients are fearful that they will be too small after surgery and therefore their bottom half will look larger than their top half. Dr. Kim assures them that he takes into consideration all of the measurements for breast reduction patients. It is important that patients identify the source of back pain when massage or other alternative treatments are not effective at relieving pain. According to The Los Angeles Times massage therapy may beat medication when it comes to back pain. According to a new government-funded study, massage therapy may be better than medication or exercise for easing lower back pain, at least in the short term. Researchers looked at 400 adults who had low back pain for at least three months with no identified cause. They divided the group into three: people who received traditional medical care without massage – including medications or physical therapy; those who got a relaxation or Swedish massage; and those who had structural massages – a technique which targets tissues and joint structures.

Our society become accustomed to finding a drug that cureseverything. For women the new buzz is for a drug that promises an increased libido. Patients must remember that feeling good and confident about their appearance is necessary. Dr. Kim helps patients by creating a proportionately more shapely body which helps many women to feel sexy and more appealing. Breast augmentation can help to create a more youthful and full volumed breast. This procedure alone can triple the wardrobe of most patients. Lingerie, shirts and dresses with plunging necklines become part of the patient wardrobe and she can wear them with confidence. There are concerns about the new female love drug. According to ABC6 researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York are. Their recent study shows Oxytocin can make suspicious people more suspicious, not more loving. That means it can amplify whatever social predispositions a person may already have.

If we did see somebody potentially moving in this direction of some of these studies have indicated, it would be very easy to just discontinue, French said.

Sticking to a diet and exercise program used to be a badge of accomplishment. This includes reaching the 8 glass a day recommended water consumption. Now, this is being challenged. One thing that we do know is that less food and more exercise will make a difference in a persons overall weight. But what about those stubborn areas of fat? Dr. Kim helps patients to understand that even patients who are in great shape can have stubborn areas of fat that are difficult to lose. Dr. Kim recommends liposuction. As an artist, he is able to sculpt and create a shapely more proportionate figure by carefully removing small areas of fat. Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. Patients who have loose skin on the abdominal area will need an abdominoplasty combined with liposuction for the best results. A regular exercise program and proper diet will be needed to assure the best long-term results. Although the proper water consumption recommendation is being challenged, water intake is part of a balanced diet program. According to The Los Angeles Times drinking six to eight glasses of water each day is healthful, most health experts agree. But apparently not everyone is on the same page.

A general practitioner from Scotland says that health advice is “thoroughly debunked nonsense” and is propagated by bottled water companies out to make a profit. The answer isn’t cut and dry, says an article by the Mayo Clinic, and depends on your exercise level, health conditions and the heat and humidity of your environment. In general, the Institute of Medicine recommends about nine cups of beverages for women and 13 cups for men.

The Mayo Clinic offers another way to assess if you’re getting enough H2O:

“If you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate.”