Lymphedema is a situation in which one or both of the arms or legs swell. This typically occurs due to damage to the lymph nodes, which makes them stop performing their normal function. As the lymphatic system is very important to maintain your body’s immune system, lymphedema may often lead to other complications.
In a fully functional lymphatic system, the lymph nodes filter waste, bacteria, and debris from the lymphatic fluid before letting it drain into the bloodstream. When a person has lymphedema, this does not take place and as a result, there is an abnormal buildup of fluid in the extremities.
During the initial consultation, the provider will try to determine the underlying cause of lymphedema in order to recommend an appropriate treatment. plastic surgeon Dr. David Kim provides lymphedema post plastic surgery treatments to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and surrounding locations.
Lymphedema is of two types: primary and secondary. Primary lymphedema is a congenital issue due to genetic mutation. Secondary lymphedema develops as a result of damage to the lymphatic system due to treatment of breast, skin, cervical, or prostate cancers. Radiotherapy for cancer, infections such as cellulitis, inflammation, venous disease, obesity, and trauma or injury may also cause secondary lymphedema.
Patients who undergo breast reduction or augmentation surgery may also develop lymphedema if there is damage of the lymph nodes during the surgery. This condition may show up soon after surgery or after a few weeks, months, or even years of the procedure.
The swelling in the shoulders, hands, arms, fingers, chest, and torso region are one of the important symptoms of lymphedema. Patients also complain of clothes and jewelry beginning to feel tighter in the chest/arms. There is also a feeling of heaviness and reduced flexibility in movements.
The doctor will perform a thorough examination and review the patient’s medical history to arrive at a confirmed diagnosis of lymphedema. Some diagnostic tests may be performed by the surgeon, including a measurement of the affected limb volume, and imaging tests such as a lymphoscintigram.
Most doctors prefer to put lymphedema patients on a therapy called Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT). This treatment involves a combination of methods that include the use of:
Antibiotics may also be prescribed to deal with any infection that may be present. The therapy must be supervised by a certified lymphedema therapist who has trained for at least 135 hours in this therapy.
The success of post-surgical advanced manual lymphatic drainage massage lies in its gentleness. Most experts believe that heat and deep massage are counterproductive in a post-surgical setting; thus, it is important that you NOT substitute deep tissue massage, Swedish massage, or other massage technique for this advanced treatment. Your specific treatment plan—including when to begin advanced MLD and how frequently you should receive treatments—will depend on the surgical procedure you had and your unique state of health.
Post-surgical MLD is an advanced technique requiring specialized training, and should only be performed by a licensed massage therapist. If you have had—or if you are planning to have—a mastectomy or a cosmetic procedure such as a facelift or liposuction.
Read more about post surgery massage for MLD.
When CDT and other modes of non-surgical treatment fail to yield results, your doctor may recommend surgical treatment to deal with lymphedema-related swelling of the extremities. Newer surgical procedures such as lymph node transplants and lymphatic to venous anastomosis are also available to treat lymphedema.
Cosmetic surgeon Dr. David Kim receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and nearby areas for lymphedema treatments.
For more information on the surgical and non-surgical procedures and treatments by Cosmetic Plastic Surgeons Dr. David Kim and Dr. Eugene Kim. Click here to contact us today.
Serving Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Orange County, Southern California and surrounding areas.
Breasts with protruding nipples or disproportionate areolae have poor aesthetics. Women with such problems may choose to undergo nipple and areola reduction surgery to improve the way their breasts appear. This procedure involves reducing the size of the nipple and removing tissue from the areolae to give a sense of balance.
plastic surgeon Dr. David Kim provides nipple and areola reduction surgery to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and surrounding communities.
Nipple shape and size is more of an aesthetic issue than a medical one. In nipple reduction surgery, the height or projection of the nipple is generally corrected although it is also possible to alter its width or diameter. When you consult a cosmetic surgeon, they will understand your requirements and take the necessary measurements.
Before the surgery, they draw preoperative marks on the nipple. This includes a circular mark at the nipple base and another mark about 6-8 mm away to indicate the desired nipple height. If you also want nipple width reduction, the doctor makes markings on the nipple top and bottom to indicate from where the tissue has to be removed.
Nipple reduction plastic surgery is performed using a local anesthetic such as lidocaine. The surgeon makes incisions along the marked areas and removes extra skin. Using sutures, they attach the nipple to the breast base to reduce its projection or height. To reduce nipple width, the surgeon sutures back the skin along the edges of the nipple.
Post surgery, they place a bandage over the areola and nipple. Recovery generally takes about 2 weeks time following the surgery. Nipple and areola reduction is not recommended for women who intend to breastfeed their infant after the surgery.
Areola reduction is a cosmetic surgery procedure in which the surgeon removes a circular potion of the tissue at the brown-colored outer edge of the areola. They draw the skin around this region inwards like a purse string, and place sutures within the areola, reducing its diameter. The area is covered with a special dressing and the surgeon may advise wearing a special bra to support your breasts while they heal.
Most patients who undergo nipple and areola reduction get back to work about one or two days after the procedure. Recovery will take longer if the procedure is a part of a larger surgery such as breast enhancement. Patients are advised to avoid strenuous work or sexual activity for about 10 days following the procedure.
Some of the possible side effects of nipple and areola reduction surgery include pain, infection, temporary, or permanent loss of sensation or heightened sensitivity of the nipples and areola.
Some women may also experience numbness, asymmetry, scarring on the areola, pigment loss, and problems when breastfeeding. Cosmetic surgeon Dr. David Kim receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and nearby areas for nipple and areola reduction surgery.
For more information on the surgical and non-surgical procedures and treatments by Cosmetic Plastic Surgeons Dr. David Kim and Dr. Eugene Kim. Click here to contact us today.
Serving Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Orange County, Southern California and surrounding areas.
An active lifestyle and healthy eating can get you toned legs and arms and a flat abdomen, but achieving the rounded backside you want might require more than squats and lunges can do on their own. A shapely derrière requires some extra fat in just the right places. A Brazilian butt lift is a minimally invasive, highly effective, and long-lasting procedure to augment your buttocks in exactly this way. The procedure can also correct the sagging or flattening effects of the aging process. It’s rapidly becoming one of the most popular cosmetic treatments for women.
A Brazilian butt lift removes fat from a part of your body where you don’t want it — excess fat in your belly, thighs, hips, or lower back — and transfers it to the areas of your buttocks where you’d like more volume and alluring curves. The procedure uses a combination of liposuction to harvest excess fat from one part of your body and fat transfer to process the extracted fat cells and strategically insert them to add volume to your buttocks.
So with a Brazilian butt lift, you get the benefits of two procedures in one. You slim a part of your body where stubborn pockets of fat are resisting your diet and exercise efforts. And you move that excess fat to sculpt a rounder, curvier derrière. The procedure uses your fat to reshape your body, without introducing any artificial materials — no implants and no chemical fillers.
Slimming one part of your figure and enhancing your butt’s profile multiplies the effects on your figure are multiplied. You’ll look curvier — slender where you want to be and rounder in your rear. Clothes will fit better. You’ll look younger, and your proportions will be in better balance.
The fat transferred to your buttocks settles into your enhanced curves and establishes itself there with a new blood supply for long-lasting results. Your body reabsorbs some of the transferred fat in the weeks after the procedure, but most of it stays in place as a permanent part of your new figure. And because it’s your body fat — just like the fat in your buttocks that was there before — it looks and feels completely natural.
You’ll get a rounder, firmer backside, with young-looking curves, but without the scars or downtime of more invasive surgery. The liposuction and fat transfer procedures require a cannula — a thin surgical tube — to extract the harvested fat using suction and transfer it to your buttocks. Only tiny incisions are necessary for insertion of the cannula. These heal quickly and the scars they leave are barely visible.
Dr. David Kim and Dr. Eugene Kim at Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery have developed an impeccable reputation for stunning, natural-looking cosmetic treatment and plastic surgery results, attracting patients from all over the world. Contact our practice today at 310-746-5475 or send an online request to schedule a consultation.
A chin that is set far behind the upper jaw is called a “retruded” or “recessive” chin. This type of a facial structure tends to cause the jaw line to appear weak and can make you appear less attractive. Chin implants cosmetic surgery is a safe and proven way to correct this condition.
plastic surgeon Dr. David Kim provides chin and jaw line enhancement surgery to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and surrounding communities.
Several types of plastic surgery and a few non-surgical procedures are possible to correct a weak chin and jawline. They include:
Plastic surgeons prefer to use chin implant surgery in most patients with a weak chin and jawline. They make an incision inside the mouth and insert the chin implant through it, and then position the implant on the lower mandible. The cut is closed with sutures and because it is within the mouth, no external scars are visible.
When patients present with severely retruded chins, the surgeon will choose a procedure called sliding genioplasty. This involves more extensive surgery than a chin implant and recovery will take longer too.
The most skilled cosmetic surgeons will run multiple image scans for your chin and jawline to determine the exact aesthetic problems. Based on your specific cosmetic goals and the practical limitations of your chin and jaw anatomy, they will craft a customized chin implant made of biocompatible silicone to give you a strong chin and jawline.
Besides chin implant plastic surgery, surgeons make use of other procedures to enhance a weak jawline and chin. Jaw lengthening surgery is one such possibility. A neck lift is sometimes used. Some surgeons choose a chin liposuction to deal with the extra fat below the chin.
All these procedures may be performed either alone or in combination with chin implant surgery to give patients the chin and jaw appearance they desire. Some people try to correct a weak jaw line and chin with mouth exercises. This generally does not yield the desired results because the bones and tissues of the chin region do not yield themselves to correction by exercise.
Persons with a weak chin and jawline find that chin implant surgery makes a drastic difference to their overall facial appearance. The stronger jawline adds vertical balance to the face, and improves your smile.
When there is better harmony between the upper and lower jaws, it adds to the symmetry of your face and makes you appear more attractive. Cosmetic surgeon Dr. David Kim receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and nearby areas for chin and jaw line contouring procedures.
For more information on the surgical and non-surgical procedures and treatments by Cosmetic Plastic Surgeons Dr. David Kim and Dr. Eugene Kim. Click here to contact us today.
Serving Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Orange County, Southern California and surrounding areas.

Eyelid surgery is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures for both men and women, and for good reason. Your eyes are the focal point of your face, and drooping or puffy eyelids can make you look older and more tired than you feel. Sagging eyelids can even interfere with peripheral vision, narrowing your range of view. With surgery to lift and reshape the upper or lower eyelids, your eyes will look brighter, more alert, and more attractive.
Eyelid surgery, known medically as blepharoplasty, is a procedure that removes excess skin, muscle, and fat from the upper or lower eyelids, or both, to correct sagging and reduce puffiness. The procedure is relatively fast when compared with other cosmetic surgeries. It involves little discomfort, and the improvements often last for decades.
There are many possible reasons for drooping eyelids, including genetics, sun damage, and the effects of aging.
As you age, the skin on your eyelids stretches, and the muscles weaken. Fat can also accumulate in the eyelids. Drooping or fatty eyelids can also be a natural trait, appearing at a young age. Prolonged sun exposure can lead to loosened skin on the eyelids and elsewhere on the face, a form of premature aging. Loose skin, weak muscles, and excess fat in the upper eyelids give them an aging, tired, unhealthy look. Excess fat in the lower eyelids creates permanent bags under the eyes, no matter how much sleep you get or how rested you feel.
Besides making you look older and more tired than you feel, drooping upper eyelids can interfere with vision, blocking the upper and outer parts of your field of view. Lax upper eyelid skin can also make it difficult to apply mascara.
When you look in the mirror, ask yourself these questions:
If the answer is “yes,” you might benefit from eyelid surgery.
Sagging, heavy eyebrows can also cause your face to look tired and can convey an unhappy look even when you feel fresh and happy. A skilled and experienced plastic surgeon can tell you if the tired look in your eyes can best be corrected with eyelid surgery or a brow lift, or possibly a combination of both procedures.
Dr. David Kim and Dr. Eugene Kim of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery have developed an impeccable reputation for stunning, natural-looking cosmetic treatment and plastic surgery results. Their reputation has attracted patients from all over the world. Contact our practice today at (310) 746-5475 or send an online request to schedule a consultation.
Several people develop minor skin outgrowths such as skin tags and moles on different parts of the body. Moles and skin tags are generally harmless and non-cancerous, but they may be a cosmetic problem or cause discomfort if entangled in clothing or jewelry. Some moles may turn cancerous over time and require removal.
plastic surgeon Dr. David Kim provides mole and skin tag removal procedures to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and surrounding locations.
Skin tags are small growths of skin tissue held by a thin stem on the skin surface. They occur singly or in groups and generally do not cause any harm except discomfort when caught in jewelry or clothes. Skin tags usually occur in parts of the body that experience greater friction such as the skin creases, breast folds, eyelids, neck, and the armpits.
Moles may appear anywhere on the body but are more common on parts exposed to the sun. They often form in childhood and show up as skin-colored or black, brown, or blue. Some moles are like spots on the skin whereas others rise above the skin surface.
If you have skin tags or moles that are causing you discomfort, it is best to have them removed by a skilled cosmetic surgeon. Mole and skin tag removal is a simple and safe procedure when performed by an expert.
Visit a surgeon who can examine your mole or skin tag and suggest the best way to deal with it. Ask questions about the available procedures, what outcomes are expected and time required for recovery after the surgery. Check if the surgeon is able to offer you a customized procedure to give you the results you desire.
Mole and skin tag removal procedures are simple and easily carried out at a medical spa by qualified doctors. Repeat sessions are generally not necessary, but if you notice new moles or skin tags in other areas, you will have to consult the surgeon again to determine if they need removal.
Skin tags are generally shaved off from the skin and do not require more extensive treatment. Some surgeons use liquid nitrogen to freeze the skin tag through a procedure called cryotherapy. Moles that are small and superficial may also be removed by shaving, and no suturing is required.
Deeper moles have to be removed from the root, so the surgeon will make a cut on the skin and excise out the entire mole. The cut is then stitched with sutures. Both skin tag and mole removal procedures may be performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. They do not generally require the use of general anesthesia.
Never attempt to remove skin tags and moles at home using scissors to cut them off or other home remedies. Always consult a cosmetic surgeon who can examine your skin and determine the best procedure to deal with the problem. Cosmetic surgeon Dr. David Kim receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and nearby areas for mole and skin tag removal procedures.
For more information on the surgical and non-surgical procedures and treatments by Cosmetic Plastic Surgeons Dr. David Kim and Dr. Eugene Kim. Click here to contact us today.
Serving Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Orange County, Southern California and surrounding areas.

Most women are delighted with their breast implants, but not all are. And an early positive reaction can change over time. That might be because your ideals for your body shape have changed or because of problems with the implants. If you’ve removed your implants, whatever the reason, you have several options for making them look great once more. One is a breast lift, a procedure that can restore your breasts to an attractive shape after implant removal surgery.
Breast explant surgery removes your breast implants. The implants are simply extracted, and the natural breast tissue gradually goes back to its original volume. However, this is not always the case. Many patients who have undergone a breast explant elsewhere seek out the experts at Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery for a breast lift.
It would be nice if, by removing the implants, your breasts simply went back to their original shape. But time has usually passed since the implants were placed, and aging, plus the weight of the implants, tends to result in some sagging. Your breasts may now hang low, with the nipple pointing downward.
The other change the implants have made over time is in the position of tissue within your breast. Your body responds naturally to implants by shifting tissue to balance the pressure and volume throughout the breast. This created an attractive shape while your implants were in place. When your implants are removed, you may be left with hollow areas where the implants once were. It can take several months for the tissue to shift again into a more natural-looking position. And it may never shift back to create the rounded breast shape you would prefer. Without correction, your breasts may settle into an elongated or flattened shape.
Choosing a breast lift after an explant can address these issues. The breast lift corrects sagging by removing excess skin and raising the profile of the breasts. As part of the procedure, the surgeon also repositions and tightens tissue within the breast to create a rounded, natural-looking, youthful profile.
Dr. David Kim and Dr. Eugene Kim at Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery have developed an impeccable reputation for stunning, natural-looking cosmetic treatment and plastic surgery results, attracting patients from all over the world. Contact our practice today at (310) 746-5475 or send an online request to schedule a consultation. We’ll discuss all of your options for breast lifts after an explant and help you decide on the procedure or combination of procedures that will give you the look and peace of mind you are seeking.
Recovery time for a mommy makeover procedure varies from one patient to another depending on the extent of the surgery performed. Although you can expect a safe and quick recovery, you should plan to take leave from work for about two weeks. It may be difficult to care for your children during the early recovery phase, so you may find childcare during this time.
plastic surgeon Dr. David Kim provides mommy makeover surgery to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and surrounding communities.
After your mommy makeover, it is best to have someone responsible to drive you home from the surgical center or hospital. It is normal to feel groggy or discomfort for some time. You will also experience some swelling. While the inflammation and irritation will dissipate by the end of the first week, you should consider taking plenty of rest. You should also gently walk around your house to avoid the formation of blood clots.
About a week or 10 days after your plastic surgery, you will have to visit your surgeon’s office for having your drainage tubes removed. Depending on your recovery rate, you will have your sutures removed around the same time. You should maintain your post-surgical appointments as scheduled.
You should be able to go back to your regular routine within a week, but, if you had to undergo a major procedure such as a lower body lift, it may take more time to recover. Refrain from doing strenuous exercises and heavy lifting for the first few weeks. It will take about 4 to 6 weeks for you to return back to the gym.
Swelling is common after a mommy makeover cosmetic surgery, but it would subside within a few weeks. Even though you will start noticing the changes in your body almost immediately, it will take a few months for your body to permanently settle down and transform into something a little more trimmer.
In order to have a quicker recovery, you should abide by the guidelines provided below:
Cosmetic surgeon Dr. David Kim receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and nearby areas for mommy makeover.
For more information on the surgical and non-surgical procedures and treatments by Cosmetic Plastic Surgeons Dr. David Kim and Dr. Eugene Kim. Click here to contact us today.
Serving Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Orange County, Southern California and surrounding areas.
Mommy makeover is a comprehensive cosmetic surgery involving a combination of two or more cosmetic procedures to restore a women’s pre-pregnancy body. Before the procedure, there will be a preoperative consultation wherein your surgeon will detail the steps involved in this procedure.
This will give you clarity about the procedure and help you in making an informed choice. Mommy makeover is an individualized procedure pertaining to the unique aesthetic and anatomical goals of a specific patient. Therefore, the exact procedure will vary for each person.
plastic surgeon Dr. David Kim provides mommy makeover surgery to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and surrounding communities.
Your surgeon will develop an individualized surgical plan which enables them to perform a more precise procedure in the least invasive manner. Your surgeon will assess your body proportion and type, skin laxity, and fatty tissue pockets in order to create a suitable surgical plan. The plan will be prepared after making sure that all of your personal cosmetic needs and goals are taken into account.
The mommy makeover procedure is performed under general anesthesia. You will be put to sleep and won’t feel any discomfort throughout the surgery. The anesthetics will be administered by a qualified anesthesiologist. They will closely monitor your response throughout the surgery. Once the procedure is completed, you will be brought out of anesthesia and moved to a recovery room.
If the makeover procedure involves abdominoplasty, your surgeon may place a hip to hip incision just above your pubic area. For enhancing your contours, you may need to undergo a liposuction. For this, tiny incisions are placed in inconspicuous locations in the targeted areas. When breast augmentation and breast lift are performed, the surgeon will make incisions in such a way that the lines would hide within the natural creases of the breast.
If you have experienced breast volume loss after your pregnancy, then your surgeon will insert silicone or saline implants through the incisions as part of your breast augmentation. On the other hand, if the breasts are sagging heavily, your surgeon will eliminate the loose skin by performing a breast lift with implants. The result of this procedure will help to create firmer looking breasts.
In addition to that, you may also undergo liposuction in hips, upper arms, abdomen, flanks, or thighs. Abdominoplasty is sometimes performed in conjunction with liposuction to create a flatter and smoother abdomen. This will also help to eliminate the stretch marks. The incisions will be carefully sutured after the procedure is complete.
After you are awakened from anesthesia, you will be moved to a recovery area where the staff will monitor your progress. If the surgeon determines you are fit enough to leave the hospital, they will allow you to return home the same day after your surgery. Cosmetic surgeon Dr. David Kim receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and nearby areas for mommy makeover.
For more information on the surgical and non-surgical procedures and treatments by Cosmetic Plastic Surgeons Dr. David Kim and Dr. Eugene Kim. Click here to contact us today.
Serving Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Orange County, Southern California and surrounding areas.

Sun damage is one of the main causes of premature aging of the skin, especially on the face. Lines, wrinkles, uneven coloration, and roughness are all effects of extended exposure to harmful UV rays, not to mention the increased risk of skin cancer. In this case, protecting your skin from sun damage is one of the clearest examples we have of the adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Your skin will age. It’s a fact of life. But why rush the process with careless exposure to the damaging effects of sunlight? Here are some simple tips to protect your skin and keep it healthy and radiant.
We all know that a day at the beach will expose our skin to massive doses of UV rays. But many of us aren’t aware that we’re getting high levels of exposure even when we’re out and about on a cloudy day, driving in our cars, or outside in the winter.
Protect your skin from the sun whenever you go out, and take special precautions during the hours of peak sunlight — between 10 am and 3 pm. Without protection, your skin can be damaged in as little as 15 minutes, though it can take up to 12 hours for the signs of that damage to appear — and years for the cumulative effects to show.
Sunscreen manufacturers make it easy to understand the effectiveness of their products by labeling them with a numerical sun protection factor (SPF). Whenever you go out during daylight hours, apply sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
Choose a water-resistant, broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB radiation. UVB radiation causes sunburn. UVA radiation causes premature aging and wrinkling and can pass through glass. Both are associated with skin cancer. The SPF rating measures only the sunscreen’s effectiveness in blocking UVB rays, so it’s important to look beyond that number for broad-spectrum protection.
Apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before you go outside. Reapply every 2 hours or more frequently if you are sweating or swimming. Cover all exposed areas, including your face, ears, and backs of your hands, and use a sun-protective lip balm. Be generous in the amount you put on. An application that’s too thin won’t give you full protection. If you wear foundation, apply the sunscreen first, then your foundation.
Check the expiration date, too. The active ingredients in sunscreen don’t last forever.
Think of sunscreen as your backup protection, with your primary protection being the avoidance of extended exposure to the sun.
Dr. David Kim and Dr. Eugene Kim at Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery have developed an impeccable reputation for stunning, natural-looking cosmetic treatments and plastic surgery results, attracting patients from all over the world. Contact our practice today at (310) 746-5475 or send an online request to schedule a consultation.