Plastic Surgery Blog

The Tent Pole of the Nose Revisited in Rhinoplasty I think it is worth exploring a concept that allows me to discuss with prospective rhinoplasty patients exactly how I approach noses and what the specific limitations are for a particular individual based on the unique characteristics of one’s anatomy.  The tent pole analogy is my […]

Cut-off Nostrils Following a Nose Job (Rhinoplasty) One of the ugliest things that I see with a traditional rhinoplasty, or traditional nose job, are cut-off nostrils.  A nostril should naturally taper and curve onto the face with a shelf like portion on the upper lip known as the nasal sill, like a window sill.  When […]

Notched Nostrils Following a Nose Job (Rhinoplasty) Another problem after a bad nose job rhinoplasty that to me is a telltale sign of bad work is a notched or V-shaped nostril.  The curvature of the nostril rim should form a gentle upside U-shape.  When it has been operated on in the past, it can look […]

Cartilage grafts for Nose Jobs/Rhinoplasties:  Pros and Cons There are three principal supplies for cartilage grafts to build up a nose.  They are the septum (from inside partition of the nose), the ear (conchal bowl cartilage), and rib (either cadaver or one’s own).  Each type of cartilage has its pros and cons for use in […]

Revision Rhinoplasty:  What Are My Standards of Naturalness I had a lady who came to me wanting to perform facial enhancement and I asked if she had any previous surgeries.  She said, “No.”  I asked her, “How about your rhinoplasty?”  She was startled that I could tell.  I reassured her that probably most people could […]

Heidi Montag Plastic Surgery:  What Are My Thoughts Obviously, when a famous celebrity gets plastic surgery, there is a thunderstorm of opinions that surround that event.  Mostly these opinions originate from the lay press, and at other times these opinions appear as sound bites from a media-hungry or media-savvy plastic surgeon.  My goal in this […]

Functional & Cosmetic Rhinoplasty in My Facial Plastic Surgery Practice Most of what I do is cosmetic in nature with very little functional surgery for the face. About the only thing that I do that is functional in nature is rhinoplasty, i.e., to help one breathe better afterward. However, first of all I do not […]

Understanding Double Dome Highlights in Rhinoplasty One of the major issues with traditional rhinoplasty has been to create an overpinched nasal tip that has been dubbed the “unitip”.  This unitip simply looks unnatural because it is not the natural shape of a nasal tip.  When one looks at a nose, especially a white person’s nose, […]

Adrian Brody versus Tom Cruise’s Nose:  Should They Have Rhinoplasty? Adrian Brody and Tom Cruise both have pretty big noses, the former winning by a stadium length.  Would you perform rhinoplasty on either one of their noses to make them less big?  That is a matter of artistic understanding.  Some would argue that very large […]

Blink Effect:  How We Perceive Beauty and the Role of Cosmetic Surgery Enhancement One of the most important things that a woman typically wants fixed is the fine lines around her mouth.  I have found this to be the case no matter if she is 33 years old or 85 years old.  Why is this […]

Injectable Rhinoplasty: When, Why and Why Not With the desire for non-invasive techniques today, many patients are turning to injectable rhinoplasty to make themselves feel better about their nose shape without undergoing surgical rhinoplasty. However, is this a good thing?  Who is a good candidate? First, let’s define what injectable rhinoplasty is.  It involves injecting […]

Recent Fat Grafting Video Testimonials I have had several recent video testimonials by patients who have had my fat grafting services that I thought I would post here in this blog in addition to putting them in the video testimonial section of this Web site. I would truly like to thank my patients for their […]

Scooped, Straight, High, and Low Bridged Noses: My Personal Aesthetic View on the Bridge, or Dorsum, in Rhinoplasty When we talk about rhinoplasty, we are focused on both the technical skills as well as the artistic judgment of the surgeon.  If you visit 10 surgeons you will most likely encounter 10 slightly or greatly different […]

Revision rhinoplasty and ethnic rhinoplasty may be better conceived by virtue of Dr. Sam Lam’s thinking of a tent pole metaphor, as exemplified in this video:

Hi Dr. Lam, I just wanted to thank you for everything. Not only for giving me the ability to breathe, but the confidence to hold my head a lot higher. I have a lot more self-esteem than I ever had before. The impact and the change you have made are unbelievable. I don’t think I […]

Dear Dr. Lam, I never had the chance to formally thank you for my surgical rhinoplasty procedure. You have done wonders for my face and wonders for my entire life! I cannot thank you enough for your hard work and dedication. I am incredibly pleased with the final outcome. Everybody absolutely loves the nose! Compliments […]

Dear Dr. Samuel and Staff, Thank you for taking such meticulous care with me and my rhinoplasty procedure. Your attention to detail gives me great confidence in what I have had done and may choose to do in the future. I feel blessed that I found someone who treats his work with such care, respect, […]

Dear Dr. Lam, Thank you for making my surgery a great experience. You are a very talented artist and I love my new nose ! I never told you my exact reasons for wanting surgery, but I hope you know how much better you’ve helped me feel. I admire you not only as a physician, […]

Dr. Lam & Staff, Thank you so much for such an incredible experience. This has made such a huge difference in my life. I love my nose! J.S.

Dear Dr. Lam, My parents have taught me since I was very young that the purpose of our lives is to serve God and people with a heart of love, humility, and excellence. I want to thank you for demonstrating this so beautifully to me over the past several weeks. It was obvious during our […]

Dear Dr. Lam, As a young patient of yours, I’d like to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation for investing so much time into educating me during our conversations and my visits, for inspiring me with your words of wisdom, and for always having my best interests at heart. I truly admire you not only […]

I just posted several thank you letters in my written testimonials section.  One of the most moving testimonials is from a young girl that I did a corrective rhinoplasty that not only helped her look better but so that she could also breathe again.  Her father wrote a very moving letter too.  I posted them […]