As a plastic surgeon that’s been in practice for years, demand for my services is surprisingly consistent.  Work may increase and decrease based on the season or economic conditions, but there is ample work for board certified plastic surgeons.

I don’t feel I’m fighting for a piece of the pie and I don’t pressure people to choose me. I encourage each patient to choose the board certified plastic surgeon with whom they feel most comfortable.

I have been asked many times, “Why should I choose to have surgery with you, Dr. Kim, instead of someone else?”, so here are some answers to the most common questions asked of me.

• Plastic Surgery Is My Passion
• Creating an Individual Plan for You
• My Plastic Surgery Credentials
• The Latest Plastic Surgery Techniques and Advances
• Approachability
• My Age and Long-Term Stability in San Francisco

A major reason I went into plastic surgery is to help people.  I’ve found out that people generally have problems, and don’t really have a specific medical or surgical problem that they can blurt out and tell me what to do.

I enjoy the aesthetic and artistic aspects of plastic surgery, as well as the reconstructive side of plastic surgery.  I love the fact that I can operate on young and old, men and women, and on various parts of the body.  I still get excited about thinking of a new technique to enhance surgical results, or learning about a new process to get a better result for my patients.

I do some medical mission work as well, not for the PR aspects, but because I am privileged to be able to help others.  It still amazes me that a short 1-2 hour operation can help another person look and feel better, therefore achieving more in life.  I am always surprised that if I didn’t do the procedure, probably no one else would,

I have gone to Guatemala several times, and I have operated on patients from Rwanda as well.  It’s a lot of fun to help cleft lip and palate patients, burn patients, and do reconstructive surgery for people who would have delayed or no surgery due to their living situation.  I’m also a member of Operation Access, a way for local San Franciscans to get free health care.  (www.operationaccess.org)

I realize I’m very fortunate to actually earn a living in a field that I love.  That love of plastic surgery translates into enthusiasm with my work place, especially in the operating room and striving for excellent surgical results.

I am honored that you are considering my services for an important and personal change.

There is no standard way of doing many plastic surgery procedures, but rather, different options for your desires and your body.  My job is to figure out what you need and want, and give you the best options available, and then deliver the results.  I know that a lot of plastic surgeons claim to do this, but I believe that between my office staff and me, we truly succeed in achieving it!

Your body is not standard, so there’s no standard way of doing any plastic surgery procedure.  We tailor our procedures to you.

Everyone’s face is unique and different, and you and I can come up with a plan to effectively treat your whole face.  This is also the case with your body or breasts. We can accommodate asymmetry due to shoulder drop, scoliosis, the fact that most people are right-handed dominant, etc.  I can compensate for normal, very minimal asymmetry, and come up with an individualized plan that addresses all of your desires and concerns.

Yes, I’m a board certified Plastic Surgeon, and I have another post here (INSERT URL)that explains the qualifications and work needed to achieve this.  There aren’t that many of us in the US, and by the time you figure out how many plastic surgeons are truly devoted to aesthetic plastic surgery, and then sub specialize even further, then scatter them across the US, then figure out which ones you like and trust… well, you probably have a handful with whom you would consider having a consultation, let alone surgery.

Because there’s money to be made in aesthetic surgery, there will always be doctors who go to weekend courses and say that they can do what I can do. But they can’t match the education and experience of a board certified plastic surgeon that has been performing aesthetic surgery for more than a 14 years-  and growing!

Overall, I’m confident that I’ve “talked the talk and walked the walk” – I’ve done the work necessary to become a real plastic surgeon, and had a good time over the past 14 years.

There are numerous conferences I attend every year so that I can offer the cutting edge techniques for my current and future patients.  I definitely have a zeal to discover methods that produce more successful results, reduce downtime, reduce pain and swelling, and just give my patients every possibility to get an optimal outcome.

Although I’m a surgeon, I don’t want to operate on a prospective patient unless they want and need the operation.  I can also perform non-surgical procedures, such as Botox or dermal fillers, to give you the results and limited downtime that you may need.

Overall,  I’m a down-to-earth person.  I have the years of education and background to back it up, but I find arrogant and pompous people, well, annoying.  I hope you find me approachable and engaging during our consultation, as well as after surgery.

People are occasionally apprehensive or nervous when meeting me.  I believe that people are nervous because they don’t know all of the answers.  The point of this blog and my website is to educate you as much as possible before you meet me in person, so that we can concentrate on individualizing your treatment plan, and spend less time on subjects that could easily be answered on my website.  Also, I hope that the blog and website give you a little flavor of my personality. My goal is to put you at ease before you ever come in the door.

If you’re still nervous after reading my website and blog, don’t worry — I do not intend on operating on you the first time I meet you in my office!

My Patient Care Coordinator, Caroline, is well-educated and know a lot about the procedures I do, as well as before and after care, and other things.  She is very kind, caring, and well-informed.   Please feel free to call us at 415 362 1846 or e-mail us at info@drkim.com.

For a board certified plastic surgeon, I am relatively young.  I finished training in my early 30’s, because I love plastic surgery, and didn’t take any time off in between grades or training. I went straight though high school, college, medical school, General Surgery residency, and Plastic Surgery fellowship.  People comment on how youthful I may appear, but I can assure you, I’ve been in practice for over a decade.

I love San Francisco and I intend to stay here forever.  I am available by my cell phone for my patients, and I am here for you over the long haul, should you decide to get other surgical procedures or even smaller procedures such as Botox, dermal fillers, or other office procedures.

Besides, if a plastic surgeon can’t look youthful, who can?  I have access to every skin care product and procedure available.

As a prospective patient, you have many choices, so I’m excited that you would consider seeing me.  My contact info is listed below, or just e-mail me at info@drkim.com.  I look forward to meeting you soon!