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In our world of quick and easy we often lose sight of the seriousness of medical procedures specifically surgery. Wanda Sykes recently shared with the Ellen show that she had undergone a double mastectomy following a routine breast reduction surgery. According to Sykes it was during this surgery that they discovered pre-cancerous cells in her breast tissue that was removed.  Sykes elected for a double masectomy in hopes of preventing breast cancer later in life.  Dr. Kim performs breast reduction surgery and explains to his patients that the procedure is not routine.  Breast reduction takes about three hours to perform and Dr. Kim is careful to use his artistic skill and experience to create the best possible shape and breast size for the patient. It is important for patients to understand that the breast tissue that is removed is sent to pathology as a precautionary measure.  Patients should follow all breast health screening guidelines after surgery.  Wanda Sykes situation is not typical and the path she chose is not commonly chosen.  According to KTLA in Sykes’ case, she told DeGeneres that she didn’t want to take any chances, especially since cancer runs on her mother’s side of the family. Apparently, she did not reveal whether she has a mutation in her BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, which increases a woman’s lifetime risk of breast cancer from 12% to about 60%.

“I had both breasts removed, because now I have zero chance of having breast cancer,” she told DeGeneres.
Well, not exactly. A double mastectomy certainly reduces one’s risk of breast cancer, but it doesn’t actually eliminate it, according to theMayo Clinic.

There has been some celebrity buzz about Jessica Simpson and the mystery about her plans for a breast reduction.  While rumor is that she thinks her large breasts make her look fat, for many women this is truly the way that they feel.  Dr. Kim explains that breast reduction surgery has a dual benefit.  For many women, it helps to alleviate back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and for many women numbness in the fingers.  This of course, would be the first important benefit.  The second benefit which is just as important, is the fact that for many women buying a bra or clothes off the rack is virtually impossible.  Breast reduction surgery takes about 2 1/2 hours and for some patients they may choose  to add a small implant for firmness and shape. Some call this the plus, minus procedure.  For some patients, Dr. Kim may perform liposuction on the sides of the chest for better shaping. Whether Jessica Simpson chooses breast reduction or not, this procedure has one of the happiest and most satisfied patient populations.According to The Orange County Register Simpson herself used the Twitter message service on Sept. 7 to declare, “Been getting lots of questions about this alleged breast reduction…not to worry…I LOVE MY BOOBIES!! They aren’t going anywhere!”

The media has embraced celebrities and other women who are over the age of 40 as beautiful and sexy.  This has set the stage for older women to be accepted as beautiful; not just beautiful for their age. We can thank the introduction and accessibility of cosmetic surgery procedures for a great deal of the acceptance.  Dr. Kim treats patients, some as young as 35 years old with anti-aging treatments.  Typically he will begin with Botox.  Breast augmentation combined with liposuction helps to maintain a proportinate figure.Injectable fillers help to achieve a more youthful appearance by replacing volume that is lost as women age.  This phenomenon is not just for women.  Men in their 40’s are looking younger by taking advantage of cosmetic surgery procedures also.  Outside of the celebrity population men tend to wait much longer than women to improve their appearance.  According to The Los Angeles Times  Ann Mack, who did a marketing study on the cohort for global advertising giant JWT identifies Generation X as, in general, unprotected latchkey kids raised in an era of soaring divorce rates who in adolescence and young adulthood were dubbed as slackers and cynical individualists. But as adults they matured into technologically savvy, adventurous pragmatists.

Adjustable breast implants may be making the rounds again. In theory the concept of changing your mind after breast augmentation may sound like a good idea.  Patients who have breast augmentation are often fearful of choosing the wrong size implants. Usually the the fear is based on the idea that they will be too large.  The truth is, after surgery, it is rarely the case. As a matter of fact,universally women report that after breast augmentation they wished they would have chosen larger breast implants.  This is not the case in Dr. Kim’s practice.  Dr. Kim and his staff  spend the neccessary time to help patients determine the best breast implant size through conversation, Dr. Kim’s before and after photos, and Dr. Kim’s experienced recommendation.  There are many factors to consider when exploring breast augmentation options. Are saline or silicone implants better for you? Patients who have very little of their own breast tissue may have a better result with silicone implants; therefore adjustable breast implants would not be an option. Does the patient need a breastlift? Are there chest wall asymmetries? If so, any of these factors may change the recommendation of Dr. Kim.  Patients should be open to different types of breast implants based on the doctors recommendation for their specific situation.  According to a recent online industry article instead of deciding on a size before the surgery and hoping for the best result, doctors who use adjustable implants place a small port that connects to the implant underneath the skin. If the patient decides to go a little bit bigger, the plastic surgeon injects additional saline into the implant. If she wants a little less volume, the doctor removes some.

Although some studies have linked excessive alcohol consumption to increase risk of breast cancer.  A new study finds that the ingredient found in red wine resveratrol, the magic ingredient thought to be responsible for so many of red wine’s health benefits, can actually stop breast cancer cells from growing by blocking the growth effects of estrogen.The study, published in the October 2011 issue of the FASEB journal was included in an article on the Huffington Post website.  Dr. Kim stresses the importance of good breast health to all of his patients having breast surgeries. Patients who are having breast augmentation should be aware that after surgery it will still be necessary to follow the American Cancer Society’s recommendation for breast self exam monthly.  Patients with both silicone and saline implants should learn to examine their breast tissue while being certain that they are able to fully feel the actual breast tissue, and that it is not mistaken for the implant.  Patients who have had breast reduction or breast lift surgery should also be comfortable examining their breast tissue and not confusing it with scar tissue that they may feel after surgery.  For patients over 40 years of age, the recommendation is annual mammograms.  Patients should follow the advice of their primary care physician who is knowledgeable concerning their family history and will make recommendations in accordance with that information.

Believe it or not there is a trademarked fat storage business called Liquid Gold that was reported in the Orando Sentinel. According to Blisstree.com,an online womens oriented website, it’s only recently that a potentially effective fat-storage method has even been developed, which is why previously, fat had to either be disposed of, or used immediately. Critics say stored fat  is only potentially effective–the Sentinel quoted one doctor with doubts, who stated that “Animal data shows that frozen fat doesn’t hold up as well as fresh fat.” Human fat, it seems, is wily and difficult to control, even at freezing temperatures. But, according to the Liquid Gold™ website, the “lipobank” is registered with the FDA, and the process (which includes cleaning and stabilizing the fat before storage) has already been used with great success. Dr Kim warns patients of the too good to be true aspects of storing fat. Patients who are having liposuction will likely spend more than just the fees for storing the fat. The extra time necessary to prepare the fat plus the labor will most likely be added to the cost of the surgery.  Fat injections rarely make dramatic improvements in a persons contour. Since about 70% is absobed by the body only about 30% remains for added contour. If patients want to store fat for later use they should be clear as to their reason for doing so and weigh the benefits versus the cost.

In an economically challenged environment it is not that surprising that the gym have resorted to vending machines to capture the dedicated audience at their time of hunger or thirst.  A recent online news magazine blasted the vending machine industry for putting unhealthy snacks in vending machines at the gym.  The article states that the products in the vending machine are unhealthy yet label and disguised as healthy products.Fortunately,as adults we choose what we want to buy and eat in most cases. Logic would have it that if vending machines were not profitable in that location they would be removed.  Given the choice, the majority of people pick the item that taste the best.  Plastic surgeons have also been criticized for passing out cards or other advertisements in the gym.  Dr. Kim explains to his patients who feel guilty about considering plastic surgery procedures like liposuction or abdominoplasty that many patients have these procedures performed because of fat deposits or loose skin that has come as a result of either hormonal changes or pregnancy.  Neither one of the situations, happens as a result of being lazy or making unhealthy choices.Breast augmentation is also an enhancement procedure that women choose mostly to feel better about their overall appearance and for a more proportionate shape.  Patients should keep an open mind about plastic surgery and the reasons so many patients choose to have procedures.

In this day and age with so much information available via the internet it is amazing that patients are shocked when they learn that a doctor is not certified in plastic surgery.  A recent Los Angeles Times article made it very clear how to tell if a doctor is an ASPS plastic surgeon.The article included a very straightforward checklist of very simple to verify questions.  The first most obvious question is to ask if the doctor is an ASPS plastic surgeon. Secondly, members usually display the logo prominently in their office. Thirdly, the article reminded patients to ask the doctor if he/she has hospital privileges for the procedure that they are considering. The article did not explain in detail the value of an ASPS plastic surgeon.  Dr. Kim explains to his patients that the requirements include an additional five years of training specifically in plastic surgery. The ASPS is the only plastic surgery specialty board recognized by the American Medical Association. Dr. Kim, offers an artistic hand to surgical procedures including breast augmentation, liposuction, and abdominoplasty.  The popularity of plastic surgery has made these procedures seem rather routine; however, patients should remember that all surgeons are not created equal.  Results are determined heavily by  the experience and skill of the surgeon.  Dr. Kim is fortunate to have a robust Beverly Hills practice based primarily on referrals from previous patients.

The old saying that you are what you eat really is true. As Americans scramble to find the next  great health food a recent NBC news report reminded us that many of the foods that are good for us are available right in our own kitchen. According to the article many of us had favorite eats hit the healthy-food blacklist, but thankfully, some of them are making a return. In fact, recent research has not only redeemed once-taboo foods such as steak, eggs (yolks included), and peanut butter but also found that when eaten in moderation, some of them may actually help you conquer the scale. This is great news especially if you have given up your favorite food and been craving it for a long time.Dr. Kim helps patients understand that diet is very important to your overall weight and appearance; however, it is not the whole story.  Often times as people age the way that they metabolize their food changes.  It is not uncommon for patients to find that they have stubborn areas of fat that are virtually impossible to lose even with proper diet and exercise.  For these patients Dr. Kim may recommend liposuction.  As a true artist he  is able to sculpt the body and create a much more aesthetically pleasing shape. The results Dr. Kim is able to achieve are often far superior to those obtainable through diet and exercise alone.  For the abdominal area, if patients have excessive loose skin Dr. Kim may recommend an abdominoplasty. This would allow him to remove the loose skin as well as tighten the  abdominal muscle for a flatter abdomen.

Breast Lift Plastic Surgery Beverly Hills

A breast lift is a surgical procedure that is meant to improve the appearance of the breast. Mastopexy is another term for which this procedure is known by. If the breast is sagging or drooping, having a breast lift performed will lift the breast while repositioning the nipple and areola. If a patient decides that they would like to have implants inserted to enlarge the breast it becomes know as a breast augmentation instead of just a basic lift.

A full mastopexy is a technique that is widely used today because of its great success in producing a great shape and readjusting the position of the breast. During the procedure any excess skin is removed and the position of the breast is adjusted as well as the size of the areola. Using this technique means that you can expect to have a scar in three locations: the peri-areolar area, the inframammary fold and a vertical incision from the areola to the crease.

Full Mastopexy

Using modified breast lifts means going about any other breast life technique. There are a few that can be performed which help minimize the amount of scarring that normally occurs with a full mastopexy. A ’donut’ breast lift is a type of M.B.L. where scarring is only around the areola. Similar to this is the ’crescent’ mastopexy with also has scarring only around the areola; the only 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’s incision is made around the nipple and extends down to the crease beneath the breast. Using modified breast lifts is going to have less scarring in any case. The only con that goes along with these is that they don’t create as much of a change as a full breast lift does.

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.