by Dr. David Kahn

The face lift (or “facelift”) is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures performed today, and it is most common among people in their 40s and beyond…for good reason. This wonderful surgery has helped millions of older people regain their youthful appearance. But now, after years of wonderful work, the ole’ facelift could use a lift of its own. That’s why I drew together the latest techniques to create the NewLift.

The traditional face lift is still very effective at tightening the loose skin around the face and neck, thereby making someone look significantly younger. However, the traditional face lift also requires extensive undermining of the face and neck skin, as well as extensive incisions behind the ear and into the scalp, all of which add to bleeding, bruising, and potential complications.

The New Lift holds some significant advantages over the traditional face lift…

For one, it requires much less undermining of the skin and smaller incisions behind the ear. This limits the amount of potential bleeding, bruising, and complications can cause. More importantly to modern life, though, whereas the traditional face lift procedure can take somewhere between 4.5 to 5 hours to complete, the New Lift only takes about one and a half (1.5) hours to complete!

What’s more, many patients have seen equal, if not better, tightening of their face and neck as compared to a traditional face lift. Plus, the recovery time for a New Lift is shorter than that of a traditional face lift, which means less time off of work.

Best of all, because the NewLift procedure takes me and my team less time than the traditional face lift, you get all of its benefits for less than the cost you’d normally associate with a face lift.

I’d be happy to share more of my insights on this procedure with anyone exploring their options for facial rejuvenation. Feel free to schedule a consultation by clicking the link below or simply give me a call: 415.567.6673

I look forward to seeing you and helping you look your best!

To find out more about how Dr. Kahn can help you achieve the look you’ve dreamed of, click here to schedule a consultation.

After having performed over 3,000 nose jobs, many of which were  Asian “nose lifts,” you could say that I’ve learned a thing or two about working with the Asian nose. That said, I’d like to share some pointers with my younger peers in plastic surgery or anyone else interested in learning a little bit more about this procedure. Specifically, I’d like to talk about how, exactly, a surgeon should go about augmenting and narrowing the bridge of an Asian nose.

Plastic surgeons have had a number of options for augmenting and/or shaping the Asian nose over the years. This began with real bone transplants, which might seem like a pleasant and organic method. However, bone transplantation requires a secondary procedure for acquiring the necessary bone. This adds to surgical time, costs, and recovery.  Another option has been to use septal cartilage, but such cartilage is usually very thin and insufficient, so it’s not good to gamble with it. A surgeon could also choose to use ear cartilage or solid silicone, but ear cartilage is irregular, so a smooth dorsum is often difficult to achieve. What’s more, when it comes to hard silicone, it’s not only very time-consuming to shape nicely, but it’s often difficult to place and keep in place at the exact mid-line of the nose (to avoid looking crooked).

For all of these reasons and more, I prefer using a material called Mersaline Mesh. This might seem a little innovative to fellow cosmetic surgeons, because the material has been used by general surgeons for years as a means to strengthen the abdominal wall in hernia operations (for preventing reoccurence), so allow me to elaborate on why it’s worked so well for me…

First, Mersaline Mesh can be easily rolled and trimmed to meet the exact height and width needed to beautifully compliment a patient’s nose/face. To that end, it’s fairly easy to precisely place one’s mesh transplant along the mid-line of a patient’s nose. What’s more, the body does not reject Mersaline Mesh, and infections from procedures using it are extremely rare. Better yet, if, for any reason, there are medical or aesthetic problems with the results, Mersaline Mesh can be readily removed.

I’ve used this method reliably and successfully for at least 15 years. And as you can see in the photos below, the results have been beautiful (if I do say so myself!). Contact me if you’d like some more insights on how to perform Asian rhinoplasty (a.k.a. the “Asian nose lift”) or, of course, if you are interested in getting this procedure yourself. I look forward to hearing from you!

> View Full Asian Rhinoplasty (nose lift) Gallery

> See Dr. Kahn Featured in Asian Week Magazine

يعتبر د. دافيد كان من الجراحين الرائدين في هذا المجال فقد قام بإجراء ألاف العمليات الجراحية و يتمتع بخبرة أكثر من خمسة و ثلاثون عاماً. مركز كان لجراحات التجميل مجهز بأحدث التجهيزات العالمية وهو يقع بمدينة سان فرانسيسكو بالولايات المتحدة. العاملون بالمركز يتحدثون بأكثر 6 لغات بما فيها اللغة العربية حيث قام المركز بعلاج الكثير من المرضى من كافة أنحاء الشرق الأوسط.

لمزيد من المعلومات الرجاء بالإتصال  ب د. مهاب محمد، مدير مركز كان لجراحات التجميل: 415.567.6673.

لزيارة موقعنا على الانترنت إضغط هنا:
http://www.sf-plastic-surgery.com

> Schedule a Complimentary Consultation

> More Amazing Results by Dr. Kahn (View FULL Rhinoplasty Gallery)

Recently, the San Francisco Chronicle ran a front-page story on Dr. Kahn and his masterful ability to repair stretched or torn earlobes with a short procedure. The story features one of Dr. Kahn’s past clients, who appears to be very pleased with his results.

To see the San Francisco Chronicle’s front-page story on this earlobe repair client, please click here: http://bit.ly/yzrnMY

Interview with San Francisco Rhinoplasty Expert Dr. David Kahn

Press Release, January 2008

San Francisco, CA, January 2008 – Building on an impressive track record of 25 years of rhinoplasty experience, San Francisco plastic surgeon Dr. David Kahn has reached a career milestone few surgeons can take pride in — his 3,000th rhinoplasty procedure. By combining a strong sense for aesthetics and balance in the human face with an intimate understanding of the nasal anatomy, Dr. Kahn’s rhinoplasty procedures have earned him several television appearances and numerous lectures to other plastic surgeons. On the occasion of his 3,000th nasal surgery, Dr. Kahn is sharing some of his insights culled from two decades of dedication to perfecting the human nose.

Reflecting on the surgical changes associated with rhinoplasty over the past 25 years, Dr. Kahn points out that the most dramatic development was probably the introduction of the open rhinoplasty technique about two decades ago. Though he prefers to conduct the traditional, more challenging closed rhinoplasty – mainly because of the lack of external scars – he recommends the open technique when extra cartilage is required to enhance the patient’s nasal bridge or increase projection of the nasal tip, as is the case with Asian nose lift surgery.

According to Dr. Kahn, “the aesthetic of the ideal nose has not changed over the 25 years, but people have definitely become more open towards rhinoplasty as well as plastic surgery in general”. A look at the number of rhinoplasty surgeries performed in 1997 versus 2005 reveals an increase of almost fifty percent. Rhinoplasty has historically been one of the most requested facial surgery procedures (along with eyelid surgery) and is currently the second most popular cosmetic surgery procedure among male patients (after liposuction).

Interestingly, the procedure is not necessarily more affordable today than it was before. In fact, quite the opposite is true – prices for rhinoplasty have increased substantially over the past 25 years, as rhinoplasty procedures have become more advanced and specialized.

So how challenging is rhinoplasty compared to other plastic surgery procedures? “Rhinoplasty demands a very unique combination of technical and artistic skills” says Dr. Kahn. “Unlike a procedure like liposuction, which is about removing fat and skin, rhinoplasty is not just about reducing proportions, it’s about modeling them by sculpting bones, skin and cartilages.” Getting this process right requires not just technical skills, but real artistry on the part of the surgeon – a very demanding combination, which makes rhinoplasty one of the most challenging and difficult to learn cosmetic procedures.

It takes a lot of practice and training for a surgeon to develop his or her aesthetics and learn to create a natural-looking nose, that’s both beautiful, functional and in harmony with the patient’s facial features. Even when following precise rules of facial symmetry, the technical expertise and innate artistic abilities of a surgeon will greatly influence the final rhinoplasty results. Dr. Kahn cites the example of the nasofrontal angle (the angle where the nose meets the forehead, visible from the profile), which may be too sharp in certain patients and create a nose that starts too high and looks heavy. Since modifying this angle is highly challenging, a significant number of surgeons shy away from making this particular change. However, a surgeon with strong technical skills and a fine artistic eye will be able to create a subtle depression in the nasofrontal area, which results in a youthful-looking nose and a delicate profile in women.

If done right, rhinoplasty can be a highly rewarding procedure, since it enhances the attractiveness of not only the nose, but of the entire face, which can dramatically increase a patient’s self-esteem. To a doctor, the great feedback received from his or her rhinoplasty patients can be very satisfying. Dr. Kahn recalls a particularly fulfilling experience: “I had this patient who told me he was so embarrassed with his nose, that every time he approached an intersection or group of people, he would put his hand to his face, so that nobody could see his profile. After his rhinoplasty surgery, his embarrassment disappeared and he said he was able to walk down the street with a confidence he never thought possible.”

Dr. Kahn points out that, similarly to any other cosmetic surgery procedure, rhinoplasty has certain limitations related to a person’s anatomy. One of the factors is the thickness of a person’s nasal skin, which determines how small and delicate a nose can look. A surgeon cannot change a thick nasal skin – he or she can only change the underlying bone and cartilage framework, to which the nasal skin needs to adjust over time. Another limitation consists in a person’s facial features – while a great nose job can produce amazing results on a person with overall attractive features, the same nose job would have a more toned down effect on a person with less appealing features.

Encouraged to share one of his rhinoplasty secrets, Dr. Kahn indicates that the key to a good-looking nose is the strength of the tip. “If the nasal cartilage is not strong enough, I usually use the septum to reinforce the tip and give it a better definition”, says Dr. Kahn. “This helps achieve a refined nasal tip – characterized by the so-called “double-break appearance” – which can dramatically enhance the overall look of a nose.” At the same time, tip reshaping represents one of the most intricate and challenging parts of a rhinoplasty procedure, both technically and artistically. “I’ve definitely spent a lot of time practicing and perfecting my tip refinement technique” says Dr. Kahn, “and I will continue to challenge and grow my skills in pursuit of rhinoplasty results that bring most joy and happiness to my patients.”

About Dr. Kahn: Dr. Kahn is board certified in head and neck surgery and is licensed in the State of California. Dr. Kahn’s practice – The Kahn Center for Cosmetic Surgery – is based in San Francisco, CA, and has been devoted exclusively to plastic surgery since 1978. Dr. Kahn has developed new techniques for closed rhinoplasty and has helped introduce a revolutionary new facelift procedure known as the Weekend Facelift. To learn more about Dr. Kahn and the Kahn Center for Cosmetic Surgery, visit www.sf-plastic-surgery.com.

> See Images of Dr. Kahn’s Rhinoplasty Work
> Learn More About Dr. Kahn

APAs Under the Knife (Excerpt)

AsianWeek.com
January 2003

The elevator’s lights blink. With a loud tone, it stops at the sixth floor. The door opens to a wide, dimly lit hallway. Light from an office at the end of the hall beckons, somewhat ominously. Proceeding closer, the mellow classical music grows louder.

Stepping into the office, the receptionist smiles warmly and tells me to take a seat on the industrial-design style leather couch. The office is decorated sharply, with Matisse prints on the wall and hordes of fashion and beauty magazines on glass-top tables. Vicki* — dressed in spandex, chunky shoes, an oversized jacket and sporting a mop of curls, framed by an Oliver Twist cap — walks around the office and decides to take a seat next to me.

“What are you getting done?” she asks curiously.

I laugh a little nervously, and tell her that I’m not here for an operation but waiting to talk to the doctor.

I glance at her heavily made-up, flawless face and curiously ask, “Your face is very nice. What kind of work are you getting done?”

She loses her composure, appears flattered and responds, “Oh, I’ve had some work done,” she says demurely. “I actually had my nose done.”

Our conversation is interrupted when another receptionist — a petite, attractive lady — walks through the door and smiles. Faint stretch marks reveal another visage beneath the pretty smile.

“She’s gorgeous,” she remarks about Vicki. “She’s gorgeous …”

A Perfect Face
With the advent of Leonardo da Vinci’s scientific analysis of beauty in 1492 — which models architecture after the “Vitruvian Man,” whose body is perfectly symmetrical — pages upon pages in medical books have created the foundation of an ideal beauty based on symmetry and balance. Facial beauty has been defined as the achievement of a perfect proportion of vertical thirds, from the crown of the head to the chin, while the width of the face is divided in fifths. Since then, the fascination with achieving beauty has not waned.

With body alteration now a well-accepted procedure in the 21st century, many Asian Pacific Americans are embracing cosmetic surgery as a solution to their bodily flaws. Both surgeons and patients are discovering new techniques for treating APA clients. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASPS), APAs accounted for 4 percent of all cosmetic procedures performed on minorities.

Vicki’s nose job was among the 8.5 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures performed in 2001. From 2000 to 2001, there was a 48 percent increase in the number of cosmetic procedures. The top five surgical procedures were liposuction, eyelid surgery, breast augmentation, nose reshaping and facelift. The top nonsurgical procedures were botulinum toxin injection (otherwise known as botox), chemical peel, collagen injection, microderm abrasion and laser hair removal.

With this growing interest in surgeries and the rising APA population, ASPS predicts that it is just a matter of time before the number of cosmetically altered APAs starts to go up as well.

Under the Knife
….Cont’d….

Most blepharoplasty surgery takes approximately an hour and a half and post-operative surgery requires patients to return after a week and a half for stitch removal. Patients are advised to use ointment and cold compresses to reduce swelling and dryness. If patients are experiencing pain, the doctor prescribes painkillers like Darvocet or Vicodin. Doctors prescribe follow-up visits to insure that infections do not occur.

Dr. David L. Kahn has practiced cosmetic surgery since 1978 and has had a significant number of APA patients for the past 15 years. He agrees that plastic surgery has changed with technology and culture. Kahn has discovered that Asian faces have different needs and he employs techniques that are specialized for APA patients.

Rhinoplasty, an operation that reshapes the nose, is a popular operation for many APAs, he said. The surgery costs between $2,500 and $7,000. In the surgery, incisions are made and the skin of the nose is lifted from its underlying bone and cartilage support system. Underlying bone and cartilage are removed or rearranged to provide a newly shaped structure. Kahn uses grafts in the nasal tip and uses an L-shaped implant to create a higher bridge and to narrow a nose that is too flat. Then, he applies “struts” in the nose and a mesh material for the bridge.

“Each nose is treated individually.” Kahn said. “If I do Asian eyelids, I put a stitch in that tightens the lower lid and brings it up, it creates less of a round look. People’s eyes look better with an almond shape.”

*Names have been changed.

> Read full article at AsianWeek.com
> See Images of Dr. Kahn’s Asian Rhinoplasty Work
> Learn More About Dr. Kahn

Joann’s Story

Visage Magazine
Volume 1.2, 2005

Imagine turning back the hands of time without undergoing major surgery Joann Nishihara Kulaski of San Francisco did just that with a “weekend facelift”. “A few years ago someone took a photo of my profile” Joann says. “When I saw my profile, I was horrified. lt looked as if l didn’t have a chin.

An attractive brunette of Okinawan-German-Polish descent, Joann always hated what she perceived as her weak chin. “As the years went by, l felt both my chin and neckline lacked definition,” says Joann, who recently turned 50. ” l felt Iike I needed a tune up I didn’t want to change my age – I just wanted to look as good on the outside as I felt on the inside.”

The divorced mother of three leads an active life that could make someone half her age envious. She routinely works 12 hour shifts as a nurse, and performs Okinawan dancing and Eisa Taiko, a form of Okinawan drumming. After making the decision to enhance her appearance, Joann began researching various Bay Area plastic surgeons. She was intrigued to read about Dr David Kahn, a San Francisco plastic surgeon and one of the pioneers of “weekend face lift ” procedures.

Joann checked Dr Kahn’s credentials with the Medical Board of California, learned he had a stellar reputation, and proceeded to book a consultation.

She was immediately taken by the warm welcome she received when she entered Dr Kahn’s office. “The staff was having lunch” Joann says. “They offered me a salad and made me fee right at home.”

Dr. Kahn explained that weekend facelift procedures are designed for men and women generally between the ages of 40 and 65. Upon reaching middle age, many people lose elasticity in their skin and develop looseness along the jawline and under the chin. Weekend facelift procedures produce significant age diminishing effects without major surgery.

After consulting with Dr. Kahn, Joann opted for a chin implant to add definition to her face, and procedures to tighten her facial muscles. She also decided to have some liposuction. “When I hit 50, I found that it was hard to lose the extra pounds around my abdomen, even though I’m very active”, Joann says. “Dr Kahn agreed that liposuction would help define my waist”.

As the surgery date approached, Joann was more nervous about the reaction from her hospital colleagues than the surgery itself. “I wasn’t sure what my coworkers would make of my new look”, Joann says, “but I knew this was something I needed to do”.

Joann sailed through surgery and admits she could have returned to work the next day But since she had taken several weeks off, she decided to take advantage of her time off and relax. “I wasn’t in pain” Joann says, “I felt great. A month after surgery I resumed my dancing and was jumping around on stage.”

So how did friends, colleagues, and family members react? “My three kids were great”, says Joann. Her nursing colleagues were also supportive and some did a double take when they first saw her in the halls. “Many of my friends have told me l’m brave for taking steps to enhance my appearance”, Joann says. I feel like a pioneer – and it’s been fun getting some new looks from men.

“The surprise gift of this whole experience is how it’s made me a better nurse” she says. “I really didn’t know what it felt like to be pampered. I now have a deeper understanding of how to really be a caregiver”.

> See Images of Dr. Kahn’s Weekend Facelift Work
> Learn More About Dr. Kahn

7X7 Magazine
April 2005

The nose is the focal point of the face. It’s among the first features people see, and a major factor in our overall attractiveness. That’s why at The Kahn Center for Cosmetic Surgery, rhinoplasty, or nose surgery, is among the most important procedures offered. An expert in the field, Dr. David Kahn has been studying, researching and perfecting his rhinoplasty technique since the late 70s and has performed more than 2,000 procedures over the past 20 years. He also offers the lift for flat noses, most commonly seen among Asian patients.

Both medically complex and aesthetically demanding, rhinoplasty is among cosmetic surgery’s most challenging procedures. Medically, plastic surgeons should have a thorough understanding of the internal workings of the nose and respiratory systems. He or she should also be a good “face artist” who can create a new nose to fit the patient’s vision. Fortunately, Dr. Kahn excels in both areas. A former otolaryngolist (ear, nose and throat doctor), Dr. Kahn is not only medically astute but also artistically inclined. A quick glance at his portfolio reveals a stunning array of photographs of men and women who underwent remarkable physical transformations simply by improving their noses.

And the transformations don’t stop there, Dr. Kahn points out. Just last week he had a former rhinoplasty patient tell him that the procedure had changed her life. Not only did she feel more attractive and lovable but also more self-assured and self-confident. Her only regret was not having the procedure performed sooner! Says one of his patients in testimonial, “Not only is Dr. Kahn skilled but talented as well. His work has become an art form; the results of my rhinoplasty exemplify his artistic ability.”

Fortunately for Dr. Kahn’s patients, rhinoplasty is even easier. After performing more than 2,000 operations, Dr. Kahn has streamlined the procedure to reduce the operation’s duration from three hours down to one and all but eliminate any post-operative pain. (In fact, most of his patients aren’t prescribed pain medication, treating any discomfort with Tylenol alone.) This is due to Dr. Kahn’s evolved technique of operating through a patient’s nostrils rather than conducting what is known as “open rhinoplasty.” He also uses dissolvable stitches and avoids the painful practice of packing the nose with gauze after the procedure. Though not all nose imperfections can be corrected by using this technique (i.e. nose lifts), Dr. Kahn’s simple approach can be used to straighten the nose’s bridge, reduce length and/or width and remove bumps.

Founded more than 20 years ago, The Kahn Center for Cosmetic Surgery is easily accessible from anywhere in the Bay Area with offices in San Francisco and Milpitas. The state-of-the-art center offers its own operating room and is fully accredited by the Institute for Medical Quality. In addition to rhinoplasty, it offers the full spectrum of cosmetic services including liposuction, breast augmentation, fat transfers, eyelid surgery, ear pinning, facelifts, chin and cheek implants, laser skin resurfacing and “injectibles” such as Botox® Cosmetic, Restalyane and collagen.

But perhaps one of the center’s most popular procedures, outside of rhinoplasty, is neck microsuction. Also known as the Weekend Face Lift due to its relatively short recovery time-a three-day weekend-the procedure is a less invasive alternative to traditional facelifts to reduce jowls and tighten skin beneath the chin. The procedure can also be performed in less than an hour under local anesthesia. Unlike traditional facelifts that require two incisions on either side of the ear, the Weekend Face Lift requires only one-a small incision underneath the chin. Through it, he inserts a thin instrument called a micro cannula. This allows him to perform microliposuction to remove any excess fat. He then uses a special tool called a “scratcher” to scratch the underside of the skin causing it to contract and tighten.

Finally, through this same incision, the hammock-like muscle beneath the chin is tightened resulting in a more defined neckline. In some cases, chin implants can be added to further define the jaw line. While in other cases where the patient’s skin is exceptionally loose, a full facelift may be needed to get the desired affect.

The Kahn Center also offers liposuction for men and women struggling with fat bulges, immune to diet and exercise. Typically, women will have their stomach area, hips and thighs done while men will get it to reduce breast size. The surgery generally takes one to two hours and is conducted under general anesthesia.

> See Images of Dr. Kahn’s Rhinoplasty Work
> Learn More About Dr. Kahn