Beverly Hills - Plastic Surgery, inc.

Los Angeles rhinoplasty (nose job) procedures are among the most popular cosmetic procedures in the city. In fact, rhinoplasty is one of the most sought-after procures across the country. Many people are unhappy with the appearances of their faces, and a nose that is out of proportion or is an unflattering shape are the main complaints people have about their appearance. Despite this, however, few people even consider their rhinoplasty options. They complain and feel uncomfortable but don’t take the steps necessary to find out if rhinoplasty is right for them.

If you have been considering rhinoplasty Los Angeles clinics, don’t waste more time. Make 2010 the year you make your decision. Call some Los Angeles rhinoplasty clinics and speak with surgeons. Is surgery what you really want? Are you ready to make the commitment? Do you qualify? If you want rhinoplasty, take the steps needed to get your procedure done so that you can face the world with new confidence. And if you find that rhinoplasty is not for you, at least you will know and will be able to move on with your life.

It’s that time again when we are looking at ourselves in the mirror, and wondering what we need to do to look good in our summer clothes… or out of them! Well, here are some popular procedures to get those eyes fixed on you!

After shedding those winter clothes, it’s likely time to shed the extra pounds that the winter holidays put on. Liposuction will not only remove the excess flab, but also contour and sculpt your body so that you can show off the muscle tone and details you work so hard to get.

For men, liposuction is an extremely common and popular procedure. Sometimes sculpting the stomach and reducing the love handles may not be enough to get you comfortable with taking off your shirt. Liposculpting the chest is a very popular procedure to get definition… and get that certain someone to take notice when you flex. Some men actually have breast tissue, known as gynecomastia, that needs to be surgically removed as well- and do wonders for your self-confidence!

Liposuction is also very popular with women getting ready for summer. It’s performed on trouble areas over the whole body to gain definition and reduce these areas that may not respond to diet and exercise. Liposuction is done not only to look good in those little, tight summer clothes, but sometimes to GET INTO that outfit!

Sometimes, the problem for women is not squeezing into a nice dress or ensemble, but to fill it out! That’s where breast augmentation, the most popular procedure at this time of year, comes in. Breast implants will not only increase your bust size, it can also completely change your proportions- so now you have that perfect shape that looks flattering in any couture designer you try on your shopping spree!

There’s little argument that a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), whether performed alone, with liposuction, or as part of a whole Mommy Makeover surgery, will drastically improve your shape and contours. But many out there are afraid of the recovery process- especially when you hear complaints that the recovery may be worse than that for a C-section! Fortunately, there is relief and hope for patients of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery, Inc. (aka “BHPS”)

First, Dr. Gabriel Chiu will minimize your incisions while maximizing your results by keeping your incisions below your underwear line and as hidden as possible. He will contour your torso to be smooth, eliminating those “dog ears”, bulges, or “muffin tops”. Dr. Chiu specializes in giving his patients a belly button that looks natural while hiding the incisions from view. The result is an almond shape with a natural hood over the top, and not one that looks too large or like a bull’s eye!

Dr. Chiu’s dedication to patient care and comfort doesn’t stop when the surgery ends. Dr. Chiu is one of the few plastic surgeons in Los Angeles who offers his patients pain-free post-surgery programs that include pain pumps (it’s similar to an epidural during delivery), pain patches, and homeopathic medication. This will continue to provide pain relief for the crucial first few days after surgery. It’s been clinically shown that when pain is kept at a tolerable level for the first few days, the patient recovers much more quickly and returns to normal activity faster. Dr. Chiu is also one of the few plastic surgeons in California who offers medication to relieve muscle spasms and tightness, thus improving patient comfort.

All this leads to happy, comfortable patients walking in and standing tall at their immediate post-op visit the next day! Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery, Inc. patients LOVE seeing the incredible results and feeling better faster!

Don’t believe it? We’d love for you to speak with any of Dr. Chiu’s (thousands of) happy patients . . . for an inside scoop their tummy tuck, liposuction, or Mommy Makeover surgeries. They would love to share their stories with you too! Be sure to ask your Patient Care Director during the consultation for contact information. Call 310-888-8087 or email dawn@bhpsinc.com to schedule your free consultation today!

By Carol at the Concierge

Do they have to call it RHINOplasty?

Some people are born beautiful.  You have seen them, cherubic  angels with curly hair running wild as toddlers, starring in their elementary school pictures, Gods and Godesses in High School. 

Then, there are those of us that were not born perfect.   You see, I was born with an unfortunate nose.  I blame my father, or actually his side of the family.  On a grown man it was not so terrible, on a five year old girl well….  Most of my elementary school pictures range from goofy to tragic.  Especially the year my Sister cut my hair to resemble a mushroom top, but let’s just say years of therapy may have finally put that one into perspective.  All during my teenage years I would attempt to break it in the hopes that I would go to the hospital and magically it would come out beautiful.  No such luck, apparently noses are pretty bendable.  So, right out of high school I borrowed the amount necessary to visit a talented plastic surgeon to help me with my not so little problem.

This was more than a decade ago.  Dr. Chiu and I had yet to cross paths.  I did, however have an experience a month or two ago that really brought to light his brilliance as a plastic surgeon.  A girl much like myself came into our office.  She was a very attractive girl with a very unfortunate nose.  She was almost the same age I was when I was able to get my Rhinoplasty. 

We became soul sisters.  We started talking and I found out she was scouring most of Southern California for the right plastic surgeon.  She had driven from a few hours away with the determination to have the nose of her dreams.  She had put a lot of thought into what she wanted it to look like.  By the time she visited us she had already had three other consultations with three other plastic and cosmetic surgeons.  She was frustrated because some of them wanted to be too conservative or to give her THEIR version of her future nose.  She knew exactly what she wanted, because she had plenty of time to think about it.  She wanted HER version of her future nose.  Whose nose is it anyways??

Dr. Chiu as usual, spent an extensive amount of time with her discussing what she was looking for.  There were many before and after photos shown, his artist renderings of her profile, discussions back and forth about procedure and overall hand holding. 

It took her a little time to decide.  A few days later she called and said she was scheduling surgery with Dr. Chiu.  I was so excited for her!  I knew she had made the right decision, having seen previous Rhinoplasty patients of the Doctors and knowing the time and effort he puts into every patient.  I knew her results were going to be every bit as wonderful as she imagined. 

Her post surgical appointment was the day after surgery.  She had her bandage on, her eyes glowing behind it with excitement.  The funny thing about Rhinoplasty is that there really isn’t pain after surgery, it’s more a feeling of pressure.  Of course the bandage is pretty big the first few days, but the results are even bigger.  I remember when my bandage came off I cried.  It wasn’t from sorrow, just disbelieving joy. 
Our patient came in the other day with her bandages off and grinning from ear to ear.  I asked her how she was feeling.  She can’t get over how happy she is, it is even better than she imagined.  As it just so happened that another patient’s husband was in the lobby at the time.  He was so impressed by her before and after photos (she was happy to let the Doctor show him) that he booked his wife’s surgery in that dayJ

Patients frequently ask me this question: Will fat cells grow back after liposuction?

Gender, health, heredity, diet and activity level are all factors in determining how much and where fat will be deposited on your body. When too much is deposited in specific areas for your liking, these trouble areas can be sculpted (liposuction and liposculpture are the same thing- one just sounds fancier) to improve and enhance your appearance.

Many patients worry that if they have liposuction, fat cells will not only grow back, but grow back in another area. This is not the case. Your body stops developing new fat cells after puberty and won’t grow new ones unless you become morbidly obese, at which point new fat cells are made to accommodate the storage of fat.

After liposuction, it would be ideal to maintain your weight… even better to lose a few pounds. But if you gain weight or fluctuate a significant amount, it has to go somewhere. You won’t grow more fat cells, the fat cells left over will expand. So if you keep eating more calories than you are burning off, the excess will be stored in the form of fat… and where it is stored depends on factors such as gender, health, heredity, lifestyle and types of activity.

Liposuction of the abdomen removes excess deposits of fat under the skin of the abdomen, but does not remove excess skin. A tummy tuck (also called an abdominoplasty) removes excess fat and skin on the abdomen and involves repositioning of the umbilicus (belly button). A plastic surgeon can also repair abdominal muscles that may have been stretched out by pregnancy or weight gain. A mini-tummy tuck just removes excess skin and fat below the umbilicus without repositioning.

The choice of which procedure to have depends on how loose the skin and muscles of your abdomen are. If you have a bit of a “pot belly” or “spare tire” that do not improve with diet and exercise, and if you have skin with good elasticity and few stretch marks, you are probably a good candidate for liposuction. If your stomach hangs out over the top of your pants and your abdominal muscles are distended when you relax them, you probably need a tummy tuck.

Another difference between the two procedures is that the incisions for liposuction are very small and usually can be hidden in a natural skin fold or below your underwear line. Incisions for a tummy tuck can be extensive. Usually, there is an incision under your abdomen that goes from hip to hip. Dr. Chiu places this incision very low, at the fold of your abdomen, so that you can usually hide it with your underwear and even low cut jeans!

Recovery after a full tummy tuck is also longer than after a liposuction procedure. Many patients can recover from liposuction in 4-7 days to return to a desk job. Depending on the extent of surgery, a tummy tuck can take 7-10 days to return to a similar job description. Most of my patients return to full activities, including jogging, weightlifting, aerobics, and sports, in 3-4 weeks after liposuction and in 4-6 weeks after tummy tuck. I always advise my patients on activities and provide specific instructions to optimize their results for the whole year after surgery. Patients following my individualized regimen frequently experience continued improvement with a “shrink-wrapping” effect that drops dress sizes from the patient. Some patients drop as much as 5-6 sizes compared to before surgery!

Much has been made about Smartlipo offering better results and faster recovery than other liposuction/liposculpture techniques. For the record, liposuction and liposculpture are essentially the same surgery… one just sounds fancier. Many doctors would say the same about Smartlipo. This has been a topic of much debate, even among plastic surgeons!

Liposuction remains one of the most popular plastic surgeries. In an effort to improve the results, various modalities have been developed to help the surgeon. Smartlipo was introduced to the U.S. in early 2007. It uses a low energy laser on the tip of a long, thin rod to melt excess fat, making it easier to aspirate and remove the emulsified fat from the body with a traditional liposuction cannula. If your surgeon does not use some type of liposuction technique (traditional tumescent or power-assisted), you can potentially reabsorb the fat to be deposited elsewhere on your body. Logistically, Smartlipo should take longer to properly perform, since you have to pass through the liposuction areas twice. So if you are under general anesthesia, you are increasing your surgical risks associated with anesthesia.

Some doctors who use Smartlipo argue that their patients benefit from a skin-tightening effect caused by thermal heating just under the skin. This has not been proven to occur more with Smartlipo than with other, more conventional techniques like standard tumescent, power-assisted, or ultrasound-assisted liposuction. One of the doctors who was paid by the maker of Smartlipo (Cynosure) to participate in its FDA tests even stated that there was no evidence of skin tightening! She tested it on the knees of 15 patients by performing tumescent liposuction on both knees while using Smartlipo on only one side. Comparison of before and after photos  taken months later didn’t show any improvement for the laser treated side.

So it appears that the biggest difference you will see with Smartlipo is a reduction in your checkbook, since it can add up to two thousand dollars to the cost of traditional tumescent liposuction. As with any surgery, the most important thing is to see before and after photos of many different patients so that you can properly judge the skill and technique of your surgeon. Don’t settle for multiple views of the same patient! Also, it is very important to find a plastic surgeon who can develop a rapport with you and gains your trust and confidence. (Remember: there is a difference between a plastic and cosmetic surgeon!)

Finding a caring plastic surgeon who understands your goals will help ensure that you have a good experience, not only with surgery, but with your post-operative care as well!