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After watching a couple years of television doctors recommendations, many Americans are now taking fish oil supplements on a daily basis. According to a recent Los Angeles Times article consumer should be aware that all fish oil supplements are not pure as they may claim. According to the article in a Consumer Reports test of fish oil supplements, most passed muster but some didn’t measure up on quality. Lab test results on 15 top brands analyzed for amounts of omega fatty acids, disintegration, spoilage and contaminants. Researchers found that at least one sample from six brands didn’t meet all the standards set. The results were released Tuesday and are available on newsstands. fish oil supplements are believed to help with heart disease, high blood pressure, and psoriasis. Consumer Reports warns that consumers should stick to brands that traditionally are reputable for the best chance of purchasing supplements that are as advertised. Patients who are considering cosmetic surgery procedures, even shorter procedures such as breast augmentation, or liposuction are advised to inform their doctor if they are taking any supplements including fish oil supplements. Fish oil supplements are not recommended for patients who are scheduled for any surgical procedures. It is usually recommended that patients stop taking the supplements a minimum of two weeks prior to surgery. Dr. Kim explains to his patients that just because supplements are considered natural it does not mean that they are safe for patients scheduled for surgery. Patients should disclose every supplement being taken so that there is no confusion as to whether or not the supplements are safe for surgical patients. Patients should also confirm with Dr. Kim when they are permitted to begin taking supplements after surgery.

Jane Fonda is the latest celebrity to admit to making a U-turn on her stance against plastic surgery. According to The Orange County Register her recent appearance on the Today Show included in admission to having facial rejuvenation procedures which probably included a facelift, brow lift, and eye lift. No one would deny that she looked fabulous although she made an apology that she succumbed to the pressures of looking better than her real age. Her quote speaks volumes: “I was walking down the street one day and got a glimpse in the window and was like who’s that? And I thought, ‘Oh, my God, it’s me.’  I feel so great and rested and looked so different and I just decided — I’m not proud of it. I decided I wanted to look more about how I feel… I just decided that I wanted to buy myself some time . ” Honestly, what makes these celebrities believe that they are any different than anybody else? Dr. Kim here’s a variation of the same statement from virtually every patient who decides to have facial rejuvenation. The only difference is with his patients there is no apology or justification needed. Dr. Kim’s patients are proud of their facial rejuvenation choices some of which include Botox as well as other non-invasive facial rejuvenation procedures. Dr. Kim explains to his patients that as an artist and plastic surgeon his goal is to help them achieve their best appearance for their age. Dr. Kim’s patients do not look pulled, tight and unnatural. It is important for patients to realize that the right procedures must be applied to the right candidates. Dr. Kim’s expertise as a plastic surgeon allows him many options to create the best aesthetic appearance for his patients. For this reason, Dr. Kim enjoys a very robust referral practice in which many patients refer friends and family on a regular basis.

In this economy having a job is more important than choosing the perfect job. However, it is a good idea to know the health dangers that are associated with the type of work that we do. According to the Los Angeles Times two recent studies showed that shiftwork can be dangerous to your health. The first study showed that women who worked shiftwork were more likely to suffer from obesity related conditions including type II diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and an increased risk for breast cancer. The study showed that the contributing factors were the body’s internal clock and how it digests and processed food as well as lack of sufficient sleep. The second study which was funded by the Susan G Koman foundation focused on environmental risk and how they contribute to breast cancer. The article suggests that people should be proactive about maintaining a healthy diet and stable weight even if they work odd hours Dr. Kim urges his patients to consider their schedule when pursuing the possibility of plastic surgery. Often patients who are considering procedures such as abdominoplasty and liposuction are surprised to learn that the procedures can be performed, and fit perfectly into a working woman schedule with the right amount of planning before surgery. Even patients who work odd hours including weekends or nights are we able to sit down with Dr. Kim and his staff and determine the best options for their plastic surgery procedure. For patients who are in good health, and work in a desk type position, they are often able to return to work in 10 to 12 days after abdominoplasty combined with liposuction. While this is an aggressive plan, it can be done, and Dr. Kim and his staff are committed to helping patients schedule their procedures in a manner that works for both their safety and their schedule without compromising results.

In Southern California especially Beverly Hills we love our celebrities! At least we love to engage in our love-hate relationship with them. A recent CNN article attempted to answer the question why celebrity moms seem to be in skinny jeans four weeks after they have a baby. The article referred to a number of truths that many women should accept. These include the fact that most celebrities have a personal trainer, a chef, and a nanny to help them achieve the goals of losing baby weight immediately after having a baby. It also referred to the fact that many celebrities, become celebrities with a certain look because they have good genes. In other words they were already naturally thin, and most likely worked out throughout the pregnancy. The article warned against women trying to achieve this standard without the same resources. It reminded women to take care of their body while they’re pregnant so as not to injure the baby. Dr. Kim reminds his patients that our view of a celebrity is extremely limited. It is much more realistic to expect to achieve your best possible appearance based on your new body after having a baby. Dr. Kim explains to his patients that they can have an amazing body after pregnancy and consider what many call the mommy makeover. This is a surgery with combined procedures that could include breast augmentation, breast lift, and abdominoplasty. Dr. Kim is able to achieve better contour in the abdomen by tightening the muscle and removing the excess skin. For the breast, he may lift the breast and then use an implant to gain more fullness and better cleavage. The bottom line is most women feel they look better than they did before they had children after having this procedure. Celebrities have to look good as part of their job. The average woman gets to look good by choice.

Having a celebrity body comes at a hefty price according to a recent online publication. Although the information should be taken tongue-in-cheek the writer attempts to tabulate what it would cost to look like a celebrity. She starts with a celebrity trainer which of course would vary based on the celebrity and the trainer they selected. They tabulated the fee at $20,000 a year. Next, they added in meals delivered to the home estimated at $14,000 a year. Then of course we have the breast augmentation which was tabulated based on $7-$8000. And, last but not least the flattening of the tummy which they called surgical, and added an additional $10,000 for that procedure. And let’s not forget the firming cream which added an additional $500. So, according to this article your celebrity body would cost $50,000. Not to be outdone, the article provided an alternative for regular folks. It included a regular trainer, meals delivered by Nutrisystem via the mail service, a Victoria’s Secret bra, a noninvasive sculpting procedure, and a pair of spanxs that can be purchased from Nordstrom’s. The grand total for this alternative? A mere $6750, plus the cost of food. Needless to say, this is an apple and oranges comparison that makes good entertainment but not good advice. Dr. Kim explains to his patients that they can have their best possible shape and figure with a reasonable investment. Most patients have procedures in stages. This means that while some patients may have breast augmentation combined with abdominal liposuction the next surgery will most likely be spaced out over a long period of time. When plastic surgery investments are made over time and the investment is divided by the actual years the patient was able to enjoy the procedure, most procedures come down to pennies a day in terms of investment. Most patients are not seeking celebrity status just the opportunity to enjoy their best possible appearance.

The West Coast, especially Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, usually set the trends. Pole fitness is not a new trend; however in New York City it continues to be one of the most popular trends. People who are adamant about its attributes swear by the benefits of true fitness and building core strength. A recent online article highlighted a fitness chain called Body and Pole which continues to grow with members and therefore has increased in space and number of locations. According to the owner most the participants are between the ages of 25 and 35 and our students, professionals, fitness buffs, and just regular people. She is emphatic that they are not strippers and she does not allow instructors to teach in heels. It is obvious that the owner wants to differentiate between exotic dancers and her clients who pursue pole fitness for the physical fitness advantages. She claims it is an intense upper body and core workout. One of the reasons it may not have exploded in our area like it has in New York City is the fact that because of our great weather we can exercise daily outside with a variety of choices available. It remains to be seen if Pole fitness will become as popular as spinning on the West Coast. Dr. Kim helps his patients understand that just because they are fitness buffs it does not mean they cannot consider breast augmentation or liposuction. Contrary to naysayers neither one of these procedures are cheating. Some patients have very mild breast augmentation just to achieve better shape and contour even in fitness clothes. This can be a very rewarding experience and does not mean that the patient will look out of proportion. Other patients even though they are fitness buffs have small areas of fat in unwanted areas and they choose liposuction to achieve better contour. As an artist and plastic surgeon Dr. Kim is able to carefully sculpt a better looking and more toned shape. Dr. Kim welcomes patients with desires as different as they are individuals. His goal is to exceed the expectations

The dish on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills hits home when they make the news mostly because in Beverly Hills it’s hard not to connect plastic surgery with our geographic location. The latest media frenzy came as a result of Kim Richards, who on the show is known to abuse prescription drugs and alcohol, made a trip to her plastic surgeon on the show. The plastic surgeon refused to give her more Botox because of her known addiction issues. This led some to wonder if Botox or other injectables are contraindicated for plastic surgery. The story on an online message board clarified that scientifically there is no reason to avoid injectables, even for those with prescription drug and alcohol addiction. This is only to say that the medicines will not cause specific related complications. The article also looked at the fact that patients with a known history of alcohol and drug abuse should share that with their plastic surgeon prior to surgery. If a qualified plastic surgeon allows the patient to have surgery, the plastic surgeon will help to monitor their pain medications following surgery, while taking into consideration their predisposition for drug dependency. Dr. Kim is careful to help patients realize all surgical procedures are serious and that it is imperative that they discuss their medical history with him in detail prior to surgery. This includes the more popular procedures such as breast augmentation and liposuction. Although these procedures are performed in a relatively short amount of time ,they are still surgical procedures and in order to avoid complications and ensure the best patient experience patients must be honest and forthcoming with medical information provided to Dr. Kim. Dr. Kim reminds patients that celebrity information should be considered for entertainment purposes only.

According to a recent study Americans are not short on self-confidence when it comes to their looks. A recent online article in the Orange County Register  reported that most Americans rate their looks at considerably above average, with one in three grading themselves an 8, 9, or 10 on a 1-10 scale, and more than half giving themselves a 7.The study was conducted by www livingsocial.com . According to the study people were less impressed with those around them, with 50% saying their city’s residents are overweight, only 46% saying the women in their city are beautiful and just 36% saying that men in their city are handsome.

Other responses: People in my city dress badly (28%); People in my city have bad personal hygiene (19%) and people in my city are superficial (36%). According to the expert from living social.com, people judge the people around them much harsher than they judge themselves. Dr. Kim explains to patients that meeting and exceeding their expectations is among his top priority. For patients considering procedures such as breast augmentation or liposuction a realistic assessment of their desires and the look that they expect following surgery is an imperative part of the consultation process. Patients must be realistic concerning the limitations their body brings to each procedure no matter how hot they think that they are.. For instance, a patient considering breast augmentation who is very thin and does not have enough of her own breast tissue may have the recommendation to use silicone implants versus saline implants, This is because of the likelihood for rippling that could be visible. For liposuction patients they need to be at or near their ideal body weight in order to achieve the best results. Patients who feel that they are unattractive prior to surgery should not choose cosmetic surgery as a means to the most attractive.  Plastic surgery is an enhancement based on what you already have and is limited in the results it can deliver.

Traditional medicine has begun to see a shift towards alternative therapies. According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times more doctors are electing for these procedures in their own lives and therefore offering the therapies to their own patients. Alternative therapies could include anything from massage to acupuncture to Jazzercise.  According to the article complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, combines the methods with traditional medicine. The point is that the alternative therapy helps to treat a symptoms without medicine. Doctors who work in hospital integrative medicine departments or use CAM methods in their own practices say their referrals from other physicians have been steadily increasing, though many physicians are still reluctant to suggest it. But doctors agree that patients themselves are the ones who have pushed much of the change in health care. Most are reluctant  to include cosmetic plastic surgery as alternative therapy when talking about non-traditional solutions. The reality is in some cases it can in fact be considered alternative therapy. For example laser resurfacing procedures performed by Dr. Kim can provide impressive results for patients suffering from acne scarring or discoloration due to sun damage and other environmental factors. Also, medical grade skin care treatments can provide therapeutic relief for dull and lifeless looking skin. Patients who benefit from alternative therapies continue to embrace cosmetic surgery procedures including breast augmentation and liposuction because there are limitations to the results patients can expect from alternative therapies.

As we approach the New Year many articles will promote weight loss and fitness ideas. Women’s Health Magazine is no exception. According to a recent online article an author of a recently released book promises to give you the inside tips on how to lose weight with positive thinking. According to the article your thoughts are what will guide you to success or to failure. If you’re in the wrong state of mind, you won’t stick it out through the exercises or follow the eating plan. It’s up to us to go against the grain. Taking personal responsibility for what you do, think, feel, say, and eat are all a part of inducing change. The article suggests that if you commit to changing the way you think, that will change what you eat, and in exchange you will lose the weight. It doesn’t claim that it will be easy but the article encourages us and tells us that we can do it. So, for those who are seeking better contour in their skinny jeans Dr. Kim is able to recommend liposuction. Amazingly the liposuction procedure can sculpt the bulges on the outer thighs, flatten the stomach, and create a shapely and more aesthetically pleasing body. The results Dr. Kim is able to achieve could not be obtained through diet and exercise alone. Thinking yourself skinny may sound too good to be true; but, Dr. Kim achieves enviable liposuction results on a consistent basis.