You’re closer to your ideal weight after practicing healthy eating and exercise habits, but you’re still unhappy with the appearance of your abdomen. You might be frustrated that your belly is still flabbier than you’d like it to be, that it retains a bulge you can’t flatten, or that loose, sagging skin makes you embarrassed to show your midriff. You’re considering treatment to take you that last step to a firm, flat, trim midsection, but you’re not sure which to choose.
In this article, we’ll explain your treatment options and help guide you to the best choice, based on your goals.
Every body is different and responds in different ways to aging, weight changes, and pregnancy. And every individual has different priorities in life — not just about how they look, but how much time they can take for treatment and how quickly they’d like to see results. Here are the key factors to consider as you weigh your treatment options:
A tummy tuck is surgery to tighten loose skin, repair weakened and separated abdominal muscles, and remove excess fat. It’s major surgery, but it’s the most transformative of the procedures to repair a flabby, bulging belly. With a tummy tuck, you’ll get a firm, flat, smooth abdomen and a slimmer waistline. If you have loose, sagging skin on your stomach and your belly bulge is from muscles that no longer hold your midsection flat, a tummy tuck is the only procedure that can restore a youthful appearance.
While a tummy tuck can work wonders to improve your appearance, it does require downtime for recovery. Most patients take at least two weeks off from work, and it can take several more weeks before they feel completely back to normal. For a sense of the results you can expect from a tummy tuck, view our before-and-after photo gallery.
Liposuction is a minimally invasive procedure to remove pockets of excess fat. It’s a body-contouring procedure, not an overall weight-loss treatment, as it targets specific areas of diet- and exercise-resistant fat. In liposuction, a thin tube, or cannula, is inserted through small incisions and used to break up and remove fat deposits. The fat cells removed in liposuction are gone forever and they won’t grow back. If you gain weight after treatment, the remaining fat cells will increase in size, but there are fewer of them in the treated area, so your stomach will remain proportionally slimmer. Liposuction does not work to tighten loose skin or repair weakened abdominal muscles.
Most patients need a few days to a week of downtime after liposuction and may have some short-term swelling and bruising. The slimming effects are visible immediately, and final results appear after about three weeks. You can see examples of these results in our before-and-after photo gallery.
CoolSculpting is a remarkable new treatment that uses precisely controlled cold temperatures to destroy fat cells where excess fat lingers in pinchable bulges. The technology uses a cooling device that surrounds the area to be treated, chilling the fat to the point where it is damaged, without hurting skin, muscle, and other surrounding tissue. In the weeks following treatment, these damaged fat cells are naturally processed out of the body as waste.
You’ll have no downtime after a CoolSculpting session. You can walk out of treatment and go straight back to work or resume your normal activities. Final results appear about three months after treatment, and it can take more than one session to achieve optimal results.
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 and a recommendation on the abdominal treatment — or treatments — best suited to your needs. For many patients, a combination of procedures is the ideal solution.

Most of the attention in plastic surgery is, appropriately, on the procedures themselves and the results. But proper care during recovery is critical to achieving great results, and compression is an important element in post-operative care. Compression type and duration can range from a day with compression bandages for a facelift to several weeks wearing an elastic compression garment after a tummy tuck, breast surgery, mommy makeover, or liposuction.
Compression garments are specially constructed from breathable fabric with anti-microbial properties. They are form-fitted to your body to apply gentle pressure and hold your curves and contours in place as your body heals.
Why is compression so crucial after plastic surgery? Here are some of the key ways compression promotes healing:
The body’s natural response after surgery is to flood the area with additional fluids. Some of this is helpful and a necessary part of the healing process. But the accumulation of excessive fluids can result in swelling that actually gets in the way of healing. Fluids can become trapped in the area, causing discomfort and slowing recovery. Compression keeps swelling in check and helps your body absorb these excess fluids. The less swelling you have, the faster you’ll heal and the sooner you’ll see your final results.
Some bruising is common after plastic surgery. It’s caused by injury to blood vessels and is the result of bleeding in the tissue below the skin’s surface. The purple or blue color you notice as a bruise is blood within the skin. Compression stops this type of bleeding and keeps escaped blood from spreading toward the surface of the skin. Compression may not eliminate bruising, but it helps to minimize it and keep it less visible. That speeds your progress to beautiful results.
Compression garments hold incisions in place and protect them, enabling them to heal quickly and cleanly. Pressure helps soften and flatten scars, making them less noticeable. By promoting healing, compression also speeds the progress of scars as they lighten and become less visible in the months after surgery.
Compression reduces pain and discomfort by supporting the treated area and reducing swelling. It helps you feel better, which helps you follow your recovery care plan. Compression garments also protect the treated area from accidental bumps and pokes, which might otherwise be painful.
With a body contouring procedure such as breast surgery, a tummy tuck, or liposuction, the compression garment helps your body form its new shape as it heals. It also holds your skin in place and keeps it smooth, especially after a slimming procedure like liposuction. Some patients report that a compression garment helps them move more easily after surgery and improves their posture.
Compression garments hold bandages in place and provide an extra protective layer, helping to keep the incision area sterile.
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. Their work 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.

No two breasts are the exact – not even the pair on the same chest. While it may not be noticeable for all women, most have some degree of asymmetry between their breasts, where one happens to be larger than the other. For most, the difference can be imperceptible and easily hidden within a bra. For others however, the difference between breast size can be very noticeable. From impacting bra size to changing the way clothes fit, the disparity in size can severely impact a woman’s self-confidence to the point where many experiencing this problem begin to look for more permanent solutions.
Breast augmentation for breast asymmetry has become one of the more popular treatment options for patients with significant differences in the size of their breasts. Before choosing this option however, there’s a few considerations patients should be aware of before moving forward with augmentation as the answer.
In many ways, treating asymmetry with breast augmentation is more complicated than simply placing implants. Addressing asymmetry requires a comprehensive strategy that can include implants, lift and other surgical solutions in order to create the patient’s ideal figure and create symmetry. Choosing a surgeon with a proven eye for aesthetics and experience in treatment asymmetry can make a difference in achieving the desired results.
While few women are naturally blessed with perfectly even breasts, genetics isn’t always the culprit behind asymmetry. Improperly placed implants, accidental implant rupture and other previous efforts to enhance breast size can over time change the shape and placement of existing implants, thereby changing the overall appearance. Corrective surgery can be leveraged to fix the original augmentation and enhance a person’s figure, leaving them feeling confident in their overall look.
Like any other form of breast augmentation, procedures that correct asymmetry are highly personalized to each person and dependent on several factors. While women with thick breast tissue and severe asymmetry may find more natural looking results with saline implants that are filled during the procedure, others may achieve their best results with silicone or gummy bear implants.
For some, asymmetry treatment can require reducing the larger breast to a more manageable size rather than adding volume to the smaller one. In these instances, breast reduction surgery is an excellent alternative to creating proportionate, evenly sized breasts.
There is no one-size-fit-all option for correcting asymmetrical breasts. In some instances, combination treatments that leverage breast reduction, lift and augmentation can be a woman’s best chance at achieving symmetrical and natural looking results. During your consultation with your experienced plastic surgeon, you’ll be able to explore these different options and identify which of these procedures will best help you achieve your goals.
When it comes to unbiased consultations and second opinions, trust your care with the specialists at Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery. Since opening our doors, our experienced surgeons have helped countless women explore their augmentation treatment options and identify the best solution for their bodies. Throughout preparation, surgery and recovery, we’re your partners in revealing a beautiful and more confident you. Learn more about this application of augmentation by calling and scheduling your consultation today!
Ever wonder how much your Rhinoplasty procedure is going to cost? Factor in the fees from Surgeons, Anesthesia, Tests, Medication and more; and whether your insurance will cover the procedure or not. Find out more here!

Interested in learning more about or undergoing Rhinoplasty Surgery? Schedule a consultation today by contacting us or by calling 310-746-5475.

The decision to undergo breast augmentation is a big deal for many patients. In addition to researching the right surgeon and deciding implant type, the size of the implant is another important question patients must answer in preparation for their treatment. While many follow the mantra, “go big or go home,” others choose a conservative size for their procedure. Those that choose smaller implants, however, often feel underwhelmed with their results and end up back at their surgeon’s office for larger implants.
At BHPS, we’ve heard multiple reasons why women feel underwhelmed by their augmentation size. Some of the most common include:
Concerns Over the Results
While breast augmentation is among the most popular cosmetic surgeries, there is still a sense of taboo for many patients over getting work done. For these women, fears of going large are compounded by worries that if they go too large, their new breasts will look unnatural, overdone, or fake. These concerns are often compounded with negative feedback from friends and colleagues about breast augmentation to the point where once-confident patients start second-guessing their choice in breast size and even reconsider surgery. As a result, many breast augmentation patients choose conservatively sized implants only to feel underwhelmed with their results.
Underestimating the Results
From a surgeon’s perspective, procedures are more than just changes to your appearance. They present an important opportunity to improve self-confidence. We have seen time and time again how dramatic breast augmentation can change a patient’s mindset and outlook – the trouble comes with helping patients recognize the full potential of their procedure beforehand. Often, patients underestimate the long-term mental benefits of the procedure and end up choosing smaller sizes only to realize that they’d feel even better if they had they gone larger. Many of our breast revision patients are women who have come to this conclusion and are ready to turn their self-confidence to the max.
Clothing Fit
When women choose breast augmentation as a way of improving their appearance and ability to wear certain clothing, even a small jump can make a big difference; going between 325CCs and 350CCs can cause a significant impact. Whereas some women may be worried that going too large will make them too top heavy, women who choose too small implants may find that their figure looks proportionally off or that they still haven’t achieved their dream of filling out their favorite tops and dresses. After going through the mental, physical and financial investment of surgery, this realization can be especially underwhelming.
At our Beverly Hills surgical practice, our experts understand how life-changing cosmetic surgery can be, especially the concerns associated with breast augmentation. Luckily, amending too small implants is an easy procedure. Also called secondary breast augmentation surgery, breast revision can be performed to correct the results of prior augmentations. For women left unsatisfied with their results, this treatment is an excellent way of restoring lost self-confidence.
Whether you feel dissatisfied with your prior treatment or are still weighing if breast augmentation is right for you, our team is here to help. To learn more about breast revision surgery, call (310) 746-5475 to schedule your consultation with our Beverly Hills surgeons today!

For many of our Beverly Hills patients, liposuction surgery is a great way to shed stubborn pockets of fat that are resistant to exercise. However, the best results come when patients are already close to the ideal weight before starting liposuction treatment. Here’s why:
Since its introduction, liposuction has become synonymous with beautiful figures. The surgery is known for helping patients remove stubborn pockets of fat and reveal trim figures, even helping drop a couple of pounds on the scale. However, at its core, liposuction is fundamentally a body-contouring surgery. Unlike weight-loss procedures like gastric bypass which restrict food intake, liposuction treats minor to moderate fat deposits. No mechanisms in the liposuction treatment process target the main causes of weight gain – overeating, genetics and lack of physical activity. Best results are achieved when patients are committed to their well-being and have maintained a consistent, healthy weight.
Fat Loss Does Not Necessarily Mean Weight Loss
As liposuction does not target the culprits behind weight gain, the treatment does not necessarily equate to weight loss. While some patients may see a few pounds come off following treatment, even removing significant pockets of fat won’t drastically change the number on the scale. The best way to lose weight is not by removing fat with liposuction – it’s by eating a healthy diet and replacing excess fat with strong, lean muscle.
Liposuction Is Only Effective When You Maintain Weight
Fat is unique compared to other cells in that they fluctuate in size as an individual gains weight. While the cells can shrink and can be removed through liposuction, remaining fat can become enlarged with poor health habits. Achieving your ideal weight and staying there is an important step in keeping your post-liposuction body. Substantial weight gain may require additional recontouring procedures.
Eliminating as much fat as possible through diet and exercise, before undergoing liposuction, also has a positive impact on your treatment results. Bumps and lumps of fat that linger can then be specifically removed during surgery, maximizing your results and improving overall appearance. While liposuction can certainly be used in cases where patients are still working towards a healthy weight, premature treatment may mean that patients must come back for additional liposuction once they’ve achieved their goal weight.
Your Health is the Top Priority
While liposuction is completed with small incisions and with the use of a thin tube that extracts fat cells, it nonetheless remains a surgical procedure. As with other procedures, the surgical process may not be suitable for overweight or obese patients due to the increased risk of complications. Rather than putting your health on the line, spend the time working with a physician to shed the weight naturally before turning the cosmetic treatments. At Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery, our experienced team has worked with countless patients to provide liposuction and other body contouring solutions once they’ve reached a healthy weight.
When it comes to providing exceptional care, the surgeons at Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery focus on evaluating a patient’s current needs, their expectations, and realistic results. Together, we serve as your partner in achieving your ideal appearance and figure. For patients thinking about liposuction, we recommend coming in for a preliminary consultation to explore your options and develop a treatment strategy. Call Dr. David Kim and Dr. Eugene Kim at (310) 746-5475 to get started.
With the holidays just around the corner, many of our patients are already looking ahead to the new year for self-improvement goals and opportunities. Most of these goals include looking for ways to improve our physiques and boost our confidence.
While a better diet and increased exercise are always options, these resolutions may not be enough to help you get the body of your dreams. If you’re just a few stubborn lumps and bumps away from achieving the perfectly sculpted physique you’ve been looking for, consider CoolSculpting. With this non-surgical fat-removal solution, you can look forward to knowing you’ve met your new year’s goal ahead of schedule. Additionally, since results are gradual, it’s best to start treatment now.
A healthy, balanced diet and comprehensive workout routine are important to both weight loss and better health. Consuming fewer calories than you’re outputting and swapping carb-heavy, processed foods for nutrient-rich vegetables, fruits and meats has been the standard solution for individuals looking to lose weight.
To better understand the benefits of CoolSculpting, it’s important to look at how fat cells work. Unlike other cells in the body, fat cells grow and shrink in response to an individual’s diet and workout routine. When individuals put on weight, fat cells expand and more develop while weight loss results in shrinking cell tissue. However, weight loss does not mean fat cells are removed. Even with a vigorous workout routine and restrictive diet, it is almost impossible to eliminate accumulated fat cells (adipose tissue) without some form of physical intervention. For patients looking to eliminate the last stubborn pockets of fat and sculpt their perfect body, this challenge can be especially frustrating.
In the past, traditional body contouring procedures to remove stubborn fat cells have traditionally relied on invasive surgeries. Tummy tucks and liposuction, in particular, have been popular surgical options for patients comfortable with surgical intervention. While these procedures are very effective, the preparation and recovery timeline may not appeal to every patient. For individuals looking to avoid the lengthy recovery time of traditional plastic surgery, CoolSculpting is the ideal alternative.
Rather than relying on surgery to physically remove fat cells, CoolSculpting uses the process of cryolipolysis – the elimination of fall cells via extremely cold temperatures identified by Harvard University scientists. Through this process, stubborn pockets of fat are placed between two panels. These panels emit controlled cooling that directly targets and freezes stubborn fat cells. After treatment, your body naturally processes and eliminates the dead fat cells, leaving you with a more contoured, sculpted appearance.
If your 2019 goals include self-improvement and self-care, consider the advantages cosmetic treatments like CoolSculpting as a way of helping you achieve your ultimate dream body. To learn more about this innovative approach to body sculpting that doesn’t require surgery, call Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery and schedule your consultation with our experienced team.
Completed breast augmentation? Check. Made all post-surgery appointments? Check. Finished recovery? Check. Once you’ve made it through the recovery process, it’s easy to assume that your new breasts are in their final position. However, recovery following breast augmentation can often be a month’s long process thanks to the condition known as drop and fluff. While the name may sound innocuous, understanding this process and its role in the overall recovery timeline has helped many augmentation patients better prepare for treatment.
Like all other surgical procedures, breast augmentation is a process from which the body continues to heal months after surgery. Whereas other cosmetic procedures usually heal and that’s the end of it, the body must adjust to accommodate inserted implants following breast augmentation. Immediately following surgery, the muscles around the implant and skin tissue experience significant swelling. This results in larger looking breasts that appear to sit high up on the chest and look rounder rather than teardrop shaped. Over the course of several months, inflammation decreases while the muscles and skin gradually adjust to the new additions through a process surgeons and patients alike refer to as the “drop and fluff.”
While the name is amusing, this condition is common among breast implant patients. Usually occurring in the first few months after surgery, drop and fluff starts when the breast skin and muscles start to stretch and relax to accommodate the new implants. No matter how the implants are placed, or the types of implants used, they all begin to slowly shift down the chest and point outward. As the implants gradually move into their final position, they naturally begin to fill out the bottom portion of the breast or “settle” into the pocket they’ve created. Known as the “fluff” phase of implant recovery, this second step is what provides the natural-looking teardrop shape rather than a high and tight appearance common in the first weeks following surgery.
Ultimately, the drop and fluff process is what provides patients with a natural-looking augmentation.
The first thing patients should know about this recovery step is that every patient heals from surgery in their own way. While some face shorter recovery time and a longer period of descent, other individuals can spend months healing from the initial surgery and several more months waiting for their breasts to achieve their final position. Every patient’s journey is unique and therefore should be carefully planned with each individual’s specific concerns in mind.
Similarly, everyone’s unique recovery timeline also determines when their breasts will start their journey south. Gravity, surgery and how well your body heals also determine when the breasts completely drop and fluff. As such, it is important for patients to stay patient in the weeks and months following surgery. On average, it can take up to three months for the breasts to complete the entire recovery plus drop and fluff process.
During each follow-up appointment with our Beverly Hills surgeons, our team will examine and check your recovery to ensure the implants are on their way to correctly settling into their final position. Dr. David Kim may also recommend at home solutions to help encourage proper settling. This can include breast bands or compression bras and massaging techniques.
At BHPS, our surgical team is your resource for understanding the immediate and long-term impacts of plastic surgery. To learn more about comprehensive cosmetic care, call 310-746-5475 today and schedule your consultation with our Beverly Hills surgeons!
Stubborn pockets of fat can be difficult to target, even with an intensive workout regimen and a great diet. Individuals who find themselves in the boat of being close to achieving their dream figure but are blocked by these stubborn bumps find liposuction to be a great option – and for good reason. While the treatment may best be known for removing stubborn fat from the abdomen, liposuction is among the most versatile plastic surgeries available. Furthermore, the treatment’s versatility makes it possible for patients to recontour almost any part of the body, from the neck to the thighs. In recent years, certain areas have emerged as the most popular liposuction treatment areas:
For men and women alike, a smooth, flat stomach or washboard abs can be a source of pride once finally achieved. However, if you find yourself with love handles or a muffin top, no number of crunches or carb cutting can completely remove these lovingly named pockets of excess adipose tissue (fat cells).
Using liposuction to help remove extra fat and smooth out these areas is a popular option for men and women, especially in the months leading up to summer vacations. By removing the unnecessary layer of fat tissue from the abdomen, lips, and waist, patients feel more confident in their appearance, whether preparing for a beach trip or wearing form-fitting clothes that show off their physique.
Abdominal liposuction isn’t just ideal in the months before an upcoming trip. Many women turn to lower abdominal liposuction as a way of restoring femininity to their bodies after birth and incorporate this surgery as part of their larger mommy makeover.
For many men, the ideal physique is one with a broad, well-defined chest and back. However, age and diet can lead to pockets of fat developing in these areas, creating a flabbier, less toned appearance that can quickly derail your self-confidence. As more men have embraced the benefits of plastic surgery, more are turning to liposuction in these areas as a way of enhancing their gym results while looking natural.
Among women, liposuction of the back and chest are also quickly becoming incredibly popular options for removing unpleasant bra rolls that can appear beneath clothes. When liposuction is used on the chest, it can add greater definition and offers results like a breast lift.
Do you avoid wearing tank tops or lifting your arms more than necessary due to excess fat? If so, you are not alone. Using liposuction to improve definition of the upper arm is an increasingly popular treatment option among men and women. In addition to helping create greater tone in the arm, using liposuction in this part of the body allows individuals to reap the benefits of an arm lift without the impacts of major plastic surgery.
Aside from the abdomen, the lower body is perhaps the most popular treatment area for liposuction. For many, fat collects at different parts of the thighs and around the buttocks. The inner thighs, outer thighs, the front of the thighs and area below the buttocks are popular areas that can all be recontoured with the help of liposuction.
You don’t need major plastic surgery to achieve your dream figure. For many who are struggling with removing the last few lumps and bumps from their appearance after sticking to an effective workout routine, liposuction is an excellent, minimally invasive option adapted to your needs. At Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery, our experienced surgeons can create the personalized treatment strategy you need to achieve your dream appearance. Call today to get started!

The lull in hectic schedules that usually happens from the start of September through November is the perfect time to catch up on long-term goals and develop plans for the future. With that in mind, it’s never too early to start thinking about next year’s big summer vacation. For patients who put plans for major plastic surgery on hold until after a busy summer, the next few months are the perfect time to revisit your aesthetic goals. Here’s why:
Planning on a tummy tuck or other figure contouring procedure? Starting as early as March, surgeons’ offices quickly become booked for major surgery as patients try to schedule their procedures before the summer months hit. Getting a head start by scheduling in the fall means you have the luxury of doing thorough research and interviewing prospective surgeons, rather than simply rushing to find a doctor who can squeeze you in. This degree of preparation not only gives you the peace of mind that you’ve done your due diligence, but it also ensures you establish the all-important relationship with a doctor you can feel comfortable going to with questions and concerns before, during, and well after the surgical process.
Cooling temperatures mean less time spent outside and more time indoors, relaxing. After any major surgery, having the opportunity to come home and relax for several weeks without being rushed off to a busy schedule is especially critical. Even after the initial incisions have healed, it is still especially important that patients take it easy in the weeks and months following surgery. During the spring and summer months, vacations, staycations, and outdoor events can make it difficult to continue the healing process without interruption.
In contrast, the fall transition into winter makes indoor activities much more prevalent, allowing patients to continue attending social gatherings so long as they take it easy. Likewise, warmer clothing often covers scarring and other signs of recovery, allowing patients to heal without feeling self-conscious of their appearance.
Beyond physically changing your body, extensive plastic surgery takes a mental and emotional toll on an individual. For patients who’ve undergone dramatic weight loss or other life changes to reach the point where plastic surgery will help them achieve their final goal, the lead up to surgery and recovery can be especially overwhelming. Having the time to focus on these other facets of your health is an important and often overlooked part of the surgical process. While hectic summer schedules can keep patients out of the house, they can also be distracting and keep individuals from spending that important time focusing on themselves. Likewise, early winter schedules can involve planning in-depth family functions, again leaving little time to focus on preparing for surgery and recovery.
During the fall lull between getting back into the school and work routines, it can be easier for patients to prepare for surgery. This includes scheduling pre-surgery appointments, follow-up visits and taking time off from work to stay home and recover without trying to compete for days off with other colleagues.
If you’ve been holding off on major plastic surgery until the time is right, now is the perfect opportunity. Call BHPS today to schedule your surgical consultation with our Beverly Hills plastic surgery team. Together, we’ll walk you through the process and ensure you have everything you need for a successful surgery.