There are many motivations for considering cosmetic surgery. For Audrey, it was recovering after the loss of her husband. She also moved to San Diego to be closer to her son.

As Audrey dealt with her husband’s death and her relocation, her appearance changed. Looking in the mirror, she noticed her eyes were “so tired and wrinkled”. She decided she wanted her former confidence back.

Audrey called LJCSC asking to see Dr. Johan Brahme about an eyelid lift and a tummy tuck, too, “From there, I made what I truly believe was the best choice I’ve ever made”. Audrey felt confident and “excited” when she left the Centre. She knew she’d selected a great surgeon who really listened to her.

Greetings,

Kieu, married, and the mother of one son, fits the “Mommy Makeover” profile perfectly. She had excess skin on her tummy that no amount of working out could fix, “I exercise regularly and stay on top of my fitness, but I just couldn’t get rid of the loose skin.”

After thinking about surgery for almost five years, she decided to act. “I said, Why pay trainers? Why not use the money toward surgery?” Kieu’s “someday” thoughts turned into action, “It was time for me to look GOOD and feel comfortable in my own skin again. I wanted my old body back and to feel good in a bikini again.”

by Johan E. Brahme, MD

Dr. Johan Brahme

There is an emerging new area in plastic surgery: Feminine Genital Rejuvenation. This field is achieving mainstream popularity as an option for women seeking enhanced genital aesthetics and function as well as improved comfort. As word began to spread, numerous patients requested my help with these delicate and intensely private aspects of their bodies and lives. I responded by looking for a way to help, which lead me to special training in this area of plastic surgery. Like other areas of cosmetic surgery, it is a joy for me to see women who were previously suffering emotionally and physically become happy and pain-free.

Before her big move to San Diego, Jaclyn lived in New Jersey her entire life. As she matured, she noticed she had developed differently than any of the other girls she knew. “I don’t know if it is just the way I was built, but I have had sagging breasts from the time I began to develop.” A few things can cause breasts to lose shape, but Jaclyn experienced none of them.

by Johan E. Brahme, MD

Dr. Johan Brahme

A recent article in the blog “mashedplastic” (link below) explores the unique features of facial aging. We used to think that all components of the face (cheeks, chin, jowls, neck, eyes, and forehead, etc.) aged in a uniform, predictable manner.

However, in reality what we are finding is that is that in some people the neck tends to age more than the eyes, or the cheeks tend to fall more than the forehead. The cause of this is poorly understood but may relate to genetics. It is only reasonable to suspect that if your mother or father had a “turkey neck” you may be at risk for this as well, if you look like them to begin with.

Heidi began gaining weight when she was 10 years old. Twenty years and two toddlers later, she decided to do something about it. “Something began to change for me after my daughter was born. Here I was, the mother of two beautiful children, and too heavy and out of shape to keep up with them. Even worse was the fear of not knowing if I would be around to watch them grow up. I decided enough was enough and in December of 2007, I began using walking videos and exercising.”

If Suzanne’s friends and family were to vote someone “least likely to have cosmetic surgery,” she would have been the winner. Never much into primping or giving attention to her appearance, one day Suzanne hit a turning point.

“I would have to say that there comes a moment when you catch a glance of yourself in the mirror and think, who is that old woman?,” she states as she recalls her father affectionately calling her mother “the lion” because of her wrinkles and loose skin.

Dr. Brahme

Artefill® is one of the most exciting products to ever hit the injectable market and it has just landed at La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre.

Artefill is a completely different type of filler from what is currently on the market. It is the first FDA approved injectible dermal filler that gives you the longest lasting wrinkle correction available.

This product is a unique combination of purified bovine collagen gel, tiny synthetic microspheres (polymethymethacrylate, commonly known as PMMA) and lidocaine (anesthetic agent).

Breast Augmentation

What Size Is the Right Size?

Since plastic surgeons began doing breast augmentations in the late 1960s, two questions have always dogged both prospective patients and their surgeons…

• As you consider breast augmentation, which size implant will give you what you want?
• And how do you communicate that to your surgeon?

Dr. Brahme

We all know that a “C” cup varies with different Bra Manufacturers. So what we need is communication which is visual, so you can show us what you want and then we can deliver a surgical result that is what you expect.

When Allyn decided it was time to get in shape, she didn’t take it lightly. “I worked out all the time and was loving it but there were areas of my body that just didn’t change.” That’s when she decided to get a helping hand through cosmetic surgery. As a forensic crime scene scientist, Allyn does meticulous research, and approached finding the right plastic surgeon in the same manner. “I had already seen two other plastic surgeons and Dr. Brahme was my third consultation… and the third time was the charm.” Dr. Johan E. Brahme, a board certified plastic surgeon, was exactly who Allyn had been hoping to find. “He was so knowledgeable and confident, yet so personable. He validated what I was feeling and showed me how he could help me accomplish my goals.” In addition to Dr. Brahme, Allyn recalls that the LJCSC staff was warm and welcoming. Since many team members have personally undergone procedures, they shared their experiences with Allyn, which she said made such a difference. Allyn had her first surgery, a tummy tuck, with Dr. Brahme in the summer of 2008 and was thrilled with the results.

Jordan, 31 years old, was born and raised in San Diego. She is happily married with 3 children. She made the decision to have plastic surgery because she had a lot of excess skin after her last daughter from breastfeeding.

In Jordan’s spare time, she enjoys going to the river and spending time with her friends and family.

“I spend my summers at the river. I am more confident—now I don’t have to spend months looking for a bikini top to make me look decent.”

Shannon, 27 years old, currently resides in Newport Beach. She spends her free time socializing or working out. Shannon had several friends who had their surgery at LJCSC, so she felt confident in her choice.

"Dr. Brahme is amazing and so is the whole staff. I love it. Everything turned out great and I want more!"

Meet Shannon's doctor, Board Certified San Diego Plastic Surgeon Dr. Brahme