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There are two types of plastic surgery and many different sub-specialties that are associated under these main categories. Cosmetic surgery is one of these and reconstructive plastic surgery is the other. This post will be centered on the reconstructive side of plastic surgery and explaining what it is used for and common procedures.

Reconstructive plastic surgery is used to mainly repair functional impairments and secondly to try and restore some normalcy to that person’s appearance. There are a few common procedures that are done quite frequently and they include breast reconstruction, cleft lip and palate surgery, contracture surgery, and creating a new outer ear when one is absent. Although there are many other procedures than can and have been done these are just a few of the most performed.

There are many situations in where reconstructive plastic surgery is necessary. Any functional impairment that is caused by burns, traumatic injuries, congenital abnormalities, infection or disease, or removal of cancers or tumors. All of these things warrant reconstructive plastic surgery to take place and this surgery can positively affect the outcome of the person’s lifestyle. This type of plastic surgery is performed all time on those victims of the situations above.

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

In 2006, 329,000 breast augmentation procedures were performed in the
U.S. Think about this number; that is a lot of women having plastic
surgery/cosmetic surgery done. With the feeling that knowing as much as
you can about something that you are interested in undergoing, this
post is dedicated to breast augmentation procedures and teaching
readers a few facts about it.

Breast augmentation
can be done with two different types of implants; saline and silicone.
The main difference between the two is the solutions they are filled
with and how this affects the incision that is made as well as the
entire procedure. Saline-filled implants are placed within the body
before being filled with salt water. You can imagine the size of the
incision is much smaller than the implant itself and much smaller than
those for silicone implants. Silicone implants on the other hand are
filled with silicone before insertion in the breast and therefore have
a larger incision than saline implants. Although this is the case,
silicone implants are less noticeable to the eye and touch and are
overall better for those women who are without very much breast tissue.

If you are thinking
about having breast augmentation done you should consider your two
options and talk to a plastic surgeon about the choices and what is
better for you.

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

Plastic surgery covers many different procedures. Also because there are two areas of plastic surgery the procedures can be divided into cosmetic surgery and reconstructive surgery. Rhinoplasty can fall under both but in most cases is performed as a cosmetic surgery more often than not. Rhinoplasty is the surgical procedure performed to improve the appearance of the nose. If you are someone who is unhappy with the look of your nose and looking to have it reshaped it be more aesthetically pleasing than rhinoplasty is going to be the best procedure for you in order to correct and abnormalities.

There is a lot that goes into the procedure of rhinoplasty and yet it is still considered a fairly simple surgery. In most cases, and depending on the type of surgery that you have, patients are only out of work for a week and can only expect a small amount of bruising and swelling for that entire week. The surgery itself is not a particularly painful procedure and thus is the reason that there are so many people opting to have it done. In fact, if you are an avid reader of most celebrity magazines you will notice how many actors, models, and singers are having the rhinoplasty procedure done.

There are varying costs between surgeons for this procedure and if the procedure is done as a form of reconstructive surgery it can be covered by many health insurance plans. This procedure is very common and is offered at most, if not all, cosmetic surgeons’ offices. If you have any questions about rhinoplasty and the rhinoplasty procedure you can contact a cosmetic surgeon near you at any time.

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

When patients go into a plastic surgeon there are a few questions that always are asked, one of which is ’Does it hurt?/Will it hurt?’ This question is on everyone’s mind, and rightfully so, it makes sense to worry about oneself when considering to let a surgeon have control over your body and appearance. There is one thing that should be taken into consideration when asking this question and that is that every person tolerates pain in a different way. Medication is given to patients for post-op that are meant to help with pain and minimize discomfort.

If you are looking for a scale of pain as far as different surgeries go a broad description is that *most facial cosmetic operations have minimal discomfort post- operatively. Liposuction is slightly more uncomfortable, and operations that require elevation or tightening of the muscles-such as an abdominoplasty or breast augmentation have discomfort equal to that of a C-section.*

You should expect different things from different surgeries and procedures and your doctor should be able to tell you the specifics about the procedure that you are thinking about having performed. By having a consultation with a surgeon you can find out the exact answers to most of your questions about that particular procedure.

*the information contained within the asterisks was taken from recovery-from-plastic-surgery-like.cfm

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

What should you know about the safety of outpatient plastic surgery?

When considering plastic surgery, it’s natural to focus more on the expected result than on the surgical process. However, to be fully informed, it’s important to learn about the safety of the procedure as well as the expected outcome. Although thousands of people have plastic surgery every year without complications, no surgical procedure is risk-free. To maximize safety, ensure that:

• Your physician is an ASPS Member Surgeon – which ensures at least five years of surgical training – with a minimum of two years specifically in plastic surgery, and is by the American Board of Plastic Surgery;

• The facility where your surgery will be performed conforms to strict safety standards – ASPS Member Surgeons 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;

• The surgical facility will use skilled, licensed personnel to administer and monitor your anesthesia and your recovery immediately following the procedure

• Extra safety measures are taken if you are having a more extensive liposuction procedure.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), an organization of plastic surgeons who are dedicated to the highest standards of patient care, has prepared this document to help you get the safety information you need. It contains recommendations developed by the society’s expert task forces, whose members have consulted the most recent research available. If you have questions about these guidelines or any specific concerns not covered in this document, talk with your plastic surgeon. Only ASPS members are entitled to display the logo above.

How can I be sure that my surgeon has adequate training?

Good credentials can’t guarantee a successful outcome; however, they can significantly increase the likelihood of it. Patients are advised to find a doctor who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), the only board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties to certify a surgeon in plastic surgery of the face and of the entire body. Certification by the ABPS is ’the gold standard’ for plastic surgeons because it signifies that the surgeon has had formal training in an accredited plastic surgery residency program. If your surgeon is ABPS-certified, you can be assured that your doctor:

• Has completed at least five years of surgical residency training after medical school, including at least two years in plastic surgery

• Has passed comprehensive cosmetic and reconstructive surgery exams

• Is qualified to perform cosmetic and reconstructive procedures – everything from liposuction and facelifts to intricate wound repair.

To verify a surgeon’s certification status, contact the American Board of Plastic Surgery at 215-587-9322 or visit the board’s web site at www.abplsurg.org or the American Board of Medical Specialties at www.abms.org or by phoning 1-800-776-2378

*This article was taken from About-the-Safety-of-Outpatient-Plastic-Surgery.cfm

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

Liposuction Plastic Surgery Beverly Hills

Liposuction, otherwise known as lipoplasty or liposculpture, is a widely used procedure for removing excess fat from problem areas in the body. There are a lot of reasons why someone may want to consider liposuction for themselves. It’s possible that the patient has tried dieting and exercise and has continuing problems in one or certain areas of their bodies with getting rid of fat pockets. This is the most common reason why someone would elect to have liposuction done;some other reasons are to treat fatty benign tumors as well as problems with metabolism. I think it is important to stress 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 first post on this subject was meant to be more of an introduction the the liposuction procedure and a brief overview on the entire subject rather than an in depth article. Delving further into liposuction is this post, letting readers know a little more on the topic for those who are interested. In this post we will briefly talk about the different techniques that are used for liposuction so that you have a better idea about what could possibly be used on you. The techniques are really only different in the amount of fluid that is used as well as the mechanism that is used.

Wet liposuction, super-wet liposuction, tumescent liposuction, and laser assisted liposuction all have to do with the amount of fluid that is used. Depending on the technique used it also can determine what the anesthetic used is.

The mechanisms that can be used are a little more to explain. There are many different types although the basic idea is always the same. The mechanisms are as follows:

(SAL) Suction-assisted Liposuction is just that; the small cannula is inserted into an incision and the fat is broken up and drawn out using suction.

(UAL) Ultrasound-assisted Liposuction is the same procedure except with the use of ultrasound vibrations. These vibrations burst the fat cells and cause them to liquefy, making the fat easier to suction out.

(PAL) Power-assisted Liposuction uses a different cannula that with an automated movement that requires the surgeon to make less manual movements.

(TCAL) Twisted Cannula Liposuction has a cannula that is a ’tube within a tube’ so that the first end is the part that cuts the fat away and the suction tube is in the inside. This way it is gentler on the patient.

(XUAL) External Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction is basically the same as (UAL) except that the ultrasound is applied outside of the skin and the special cannula is not needed.

Lastly (WAL) Water-assisted Liposuction is basically a procedure where water is used to loosen the fat structure and suck it through a specialized cannula. This cannula sucks in the water almost as soon as it is dispensed.

With these techniques in mind patients can know a little more about the different liposuction procedures before going into the surgeons office.

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

Getting a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty can be a scary concept, but with the right information about the procedure most patients find themselves more comfortable with the idea. This post is intended to give you that starting knowledge so you are informed about the basics of a tummy tuck procedure.

The simple use for a tummy tuck is to make the abdomen area more firm. The reasoning behind making the abdomen firm is usually because the patient has loose or sagging skin from either a pregnancy or from major weight loss. Both of these reasons are the most common for receiving a tummy tuck.

There are a few different types of abdominoplasty available to patients and the difference in each is just the extent of the surgery itself. The different types are complete, partial, extended, and combination abdominoplasty. A complete abdominoplasty is just that and a partial tummy tuck otherwise known as a ’mini-tuck’ is a smaller incision with less fat taken out in comparison to a complete tummy tuck. Extended abdominoplasty is a tummy tuck that extends down into the thighs and a combination abdominoplasty is one that can be combined with liposuction or a breast lift/reduction. Each of these tummy tucks has their own place and your plastic surgeon will know what is going to be best for your condition.

As far as the specific procedures for each category of tummy tuck it really depends on the patient and the surgeon. There are basic steps that take place in each but a full explanation can be given to you by your plastic surgeon if you are interested.

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

Breast Reduction Plastic Surgery Beverly Hills

Having a breast reduction done may come as a confusion to some people but there are health risks involved for those having exceptionally large breasts; back problems, neck problems, breathing issues and skin irritation can all occur because of overly-large breasts. This is why breast reduction surgery is necessary for those women who suffer from these symptoms. The results are produced by removing fat, skin, and glandular tissue from the breast to create a smaller and shapelier breast.

This surgery usually benefits women with gigantomastica the most. This is a condition where the breast grows unusually large because of an over-sensitivity to the female hormones; this in turn cause the breast to grow large quite fast (sometimes weighing over 10 lbs. each). This condition is the cause of back, neck, and shoulder problems, as well as breathing and circulation problems. Having a breast reduction surgery can help these women live a better quality of life and in better health.

Breast Reduction Techniques

There are two different techniques used in order to complete this procedure and both have an initial recovery time of a few weeks but it may take six months to a year in order for the body to become completely comfortable with the new breast size and shape. Keeping this in mind, if you are experiencing pain because of the size of your breasts you should consider breast reduction surgery in order to relieve these symptoms.

For more information on the surgical and non-surgical procedures and treatments by Cosmetic Plastic Surgeons Dr. David Kim and Dr. Eugene Kim, contact us (310) 271-6996 or click here.

Serving Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Orange County, Southern California and surrounding areas.