David W. Kim, MD

I first went to Dr. Kim three years ago, but was too nervous at the idea of surgery to go through with it. After much consideration, I came back and was finally ready. He was very grateful I had time to fully embrace the idea of permanently altering my face, as its a serious surgery. He stressed that improvement—not perfection—is the goal, and educated me on how the surgery would be done.

We agreed on a more feminine and refined nose that would still look like "me" and not overly manipulated.My procedure was the dorsal hump removed, slight deviated septum corrected, and the tip's droop corrected.

While the week of recovery isn't a walk in the park, Dr. Kim's office gave me lots of information and medicine so I would have a healthy recovery free of infection. I am only 6 weeks out and have swelling that needs to subside, but already I am in awe of its subtle but beautiful shape. It's so natural that only people very close to me have noticed—otherwise people think its me, but better. Best of all, I am no longer self-conscious when I turn my head.

I highly recommend Dr. Kim, and only wish I saw him sooner!

Dr Kim is did an amazing job on my Septoplasty/Revision Rhinoplasty /Rib Cartilage removal / scar revision.
After he examined my nose, he walked me through his plans to fix my problems in great detail. He is very professional and direct, but also treats his patients with empathy. He did not make empty promises. He told me he will try his best and he did! Recovery was so much easier than I anticipated, with minimal bruising and swelling. At one week post-op I love my nose already! My nose looks natural and fits my face perfectly! My 11 year old son told me it looks like I was born with this nose! Overall I am very satisfied with my surgery and so happy I finally did it! His staff especially Amy & Molly are also wonderful, sweet and accommodating! Highly recommend!

Dr Kim is truly a great Dr. It took me over a decade to finally make a decision on who to do my rhino revision with. I've had several consultations with different Doctors, 3 in Beverly Hills, and left many of them confused, because of bedside manner, not enough information offered, etc. Right after my consult with Dr Kim, I knew that he was my Dr and scheduled a surgery date. I was able to communicate my goals and make a plan with him specific to me. Dr Kim is a professional and looks at you like a person. He is knowledgeable in his craft and explains it very well. He is able to explain what he thinks are good options for you to achieve the best outcome. I'm proud that we have an expert such as himself right here in the Bay Area and I'm very happy that he did my revision, which was not easy. I was able to go to sleep before my surgery knowing that I'm in good hands. Staff were all professional and kind people. My nose is natural and pretty. Thank you to Dr Kim and his awesome team.

I had a primary septorhinoplasty with another doctor to improve my breathing and was left with even worse breathing quality and my columella retracted inside of my nose, crooked and looking like a pig. The work the primary surgeon and decisions he made were completely a-typical of what an experienced surgeon would do after Dr. Kim plus three other surgeons read from my surgery note. I chose Dr. Kim as it was a decently complicated revision, he is a revision specialist and was able to explain the process in very fine detail. I ended up having a revision rhinoplasty using rib cartilage and even though I had a rare complication (my rib cartilage was calcified to the point of bone hardness which is next to unheard of at my age) it was still a complete success. 100% would recommend Dr. Kim for revision rhinoplasty.

All photos are left - before/primary and right - after/revision by Dr. Kim

Dr. Kim saved my self-esteem and sanity. I know how big a statement that is, and I don't write this review lightly. I came to him a broken woman inside.

To understand why Dr. Kim is so incredible, you need to know a little about the road that led me to him. After hating my God-given nose since childhood, I had always dreamt of a nose job. I chose a surgeon before my 21st birthday who not only didn't perform the surgery as described in our consultations, but also, my nose looked deformed after the swelling subsided. I went back to that same surgeon for a revision. I know, I know, why did I go back? In my defense, the year was 2002 and 2005, respectively. The internet wasn't what it is today. I figured - he messed it up, he can fix it right? Wrong. So, so wrong.

After the revision, I was scared. A single, young twenty-something in an increasingly image-obsessed world thanks to the popularity of MySpace (yes, I'm dating myself) and HotorNot.com, I didn't know what to do. The tip of my nose had cartlidge protruding out of the front; there was cartlidge in a weird shape at the top of the tip. In the cold, my nose became more deformed! I felt mortified to be out in public. I felt not worthy of love. I felt like I should be banished to a tower isolated from all the normal humans.

Begrudgingly, I went back to this doctor a third time, but instead of wanting him to fix it, I asked him who *else* could fix it. Rudely, he gave me a name of a pretty famous revison doctor in Oakland. I saw that man, and the consultation was scary at best. His fee was twice what I had already paid, which took me forever to save for anyway. I couldn't afford it.

So, off I go, spending the next TWENTY years of my life wearing my hair in my face, trying to contour the heck out of my nose to fix the deformities, turning down trips to the snow, knowing what the cold did to worsen the optics of my nose. One day, I finally mustered the courage to search for a surgeon to fix the horror sticking out of my face.

Another surgeon provided me with Dr. Kim's name. Truthfully, I had a consultation with him 17 years after my initial surgery. That meeting was fantastic. He listened with empathy, looking at my nose and understanding what had happened before him. He took pictures and showed me realistic ways to improve it. He made no promises that it would be perfect, and I was 10000% ok with that. All I wanted was to not look like and feel like a freak. Was my nose really that bad? Well, it depends on who you ask. Some people noticed it, while others did, but the point was I did.

I left my time with Dr. Kim thinking he was too good to be true. Having been burned so badly by my previous doctor, I was terrified to trust someone again. A third surgery is not to be taken lightly. Fast forward to 2022. I'm in my forties, married to the love of my life. I thought, 'Do more research on Dr. Kim and talk to him again.' Best. Thought. Ever.

That second consultation with Dr. Kim was even better than the first. He was thoughtful, truthful, and patient. We talked through everything. Since the first consult with him was a few years prior, he retook pictures and discovered that my nose was collapsing on itself. The first surgeon took out so much cartilage that my nose **was falling inward**, resulting in me being unable to breathe out of my right nostril, a change that happened so gradually that I didn't notice. So now, I hate how I look, and my nose is falling onto itself like Michael Jackson. I had no choice. I had to move forward, and I knew deep down that Dr. Kim wouldn't let me down.

The surgery date was set for two months later. His staff was so kind and supportive. They are amazing people, truly.

My surgery took 6.5 hours, and he completely reshaped my nose. Dr. Kim is a true artist. I cried crocodile tears when the splints and tape were removed, and I felt human for the first time in my 41 years of existence. I felt pretty.

I don't have to contour my nose anymore. I don't have to shy away from pictures or hide behind my hair. My nose blends into my face - it is normal. I can breathe in my exercise classes. My life has done a complete 180, and it is all thanks to Dr. Kim. I will never be able to find the right words (I can't even find them even now as I tear up typing all this out) to express my gratitude. If you are considering him to help you out, don't think twice and do it. I'm happy to share my before and after photos!

You gave me a second chance at life, Dr. Kim. Thank you!!

All I can say is that Dr. Kim is excellent. For as long as I can remember, my nose has been my #1 insecurity. Anytime I'd look at photos of myself--or even when I would just look in the mirror--I'd notice it and become self conscious. For years, I tried and tried to simply "accept" my nose for the way it was, but I eventually realized that because of it, I would never truly be comfortable with the way I looked. It got to the point where it was affecting my mental health; sometimes I'd even cry because of how unattractive I felt. In 2020, I finally decided that it was time to make a change and stop letting my nose ruin my self esteem. It was a challenge to find a surgeon in my area whose work looked consistent and "natural," so I was relieved to find Dr. Kim online. At our consultation, he was realistic and honest with me about what we could achieve, and his artistic eye pinpointed all of the problems that I saw with my nose. The surgery and recovery went according to plan, and Dr. Kim was pleasant, informative, and professional throughout the entire process. I recommend him to anyone who's considering a rhinoplasty. I can honestly say that this was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I feel like my new nose suits my face more than the old one did, and my confidence has increased immensely. Thank you, Dr. Kim and staff!

It’s rare in life to meet someone who approaches everything they do with so much humility and intention - and I was lucky enough to find that with Dr. Kim.

I had a traumatic primary rhinoplasty with a different doctor that left me incredibly distrusting of plastic surgeons and with very low self esteem and depression. It’s hard to put into words how it feels to look in the mirror and no longer recognize yourself. The previous doctor had removed way too much cartilage from my nose, leaving me with a saddleback deformity and drooping tip. I felt so badly about my appearance that I even delayed planning my wedding because I couldn’t bear the thought of being the center of attention and getting my picture taken.

After a lot of research, I decided on Dr. Kim for my revision rhinoplasty. My revision consultation with him was such a huge contrast from my primary consultation with the other doctor. Dr. Kim thoroughly examined my nose and talked through his plans to fix my problems in great detail. He is very professional and direct, but also very down-to-earth. You can tell he is not one to make empty promises, and if anything errs on the side of underselling himself (which is what you want from a plastic surgeon, trust me!). He spends a LOT of time on each patient, and specializes in rhinoplasty only. His credentials speak for themselves (double board certified, UCSF, etc). I also talked to another revision rhinoplasty patient of his and she had only glowing things to say about her experience.

My revision rhinoplasty recovery was so much easier than my primary rhinoplasty recovery, even though my revision required a rib graft. I remember looking in the mirror right when I got home from surgery and being surprised that I looked so good and had no bruising or swelling yet. This is a testament to how incredibly gentle and meticulous Dr. Kim is. When I went to get my stitches and splint out a week later, I was once again surprised by how gentle Dr. Kim was. He spent so much time carefully removing the stitches from the rib graft, and was equally meticulous when removing the splint from my nose. You can just tell that he is someone who really, really cares about the quality of his work, every step of the way.

I of course had lots of swelling in my nose once the cast came off and didn’t really look at my nose much for the first week or so. But by the 2 week mark, a TON of the swelling suddenly went down and I realized that I looked… dare I say… AMAZING!! It was like looking at a better version of my original nose. It wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty darn great (as they say, the enemy of good is perfect).

I am at the 6 month mark and am in full wedding planning mode now! While I once felt dread and embarrassment about my wedding, I now feel so much excitement… I look awesome!! I can’t wait to be the center of attention now (lol). I finally feel like myself again. I often find myself with tears in my eyes when I think about Dr. Kim and how grateful I am to him… and I think about him often because of how content I feel every time I look in the mirror or take a picture. What he does on a daily basis with his practice is so much more than just plastic surgery. He honors each patient by bringing his full self to the table everyday. Thank you Dr. Kim for being the intentional, humble, and kind person that you are. People like him are hard to find, and I fully recommend him to anyone who finds themselves in a similar position as me after a traumatic primary rhinoplasty. It was a long, dark, and windy road to get here, but Dr. Kim was my light at the end of the tunnel.

I worked with Natalie on my jawline with fillers. I couldn't be happier. She's bright, experienced, thoughtful, professional, friendly, and does fantastic, natural looking work! Highly recommended! Thank you so much!

When I say that Dr. Kim changed the course of my life, I am not exaggerating one bit. I walked into Dr. Kim's office in the summer of 2019 as a dejected twenty-something-year-old, ready for him to tell me that my nose was beyond repair. I had undergone 2 rhinoplasties prior to seeing Dr. Kim, and not a day went by after that second surgery without crying over my nose. It was rock solid, the tip was turned up so high, you could see the grafts beneath the skin, it was crooked, and my scar protruded--and I feel like that doesn't even scratch the surface. I had spent too many months avoiding direct eye contact, and while I was petrified of what a third operation might do to me, I also couldn't bear the thought of going on any longer like this.
From the minute I walked into Dr. Kim's office, I felt heard and supported. Amy was an absolute angel and ensured I felt comfortable every step of the way. Dr. Kim listened to all of my concerns, studied my past surgical notes, and laid out a plan for how he could help me. I remember balling my eyes out in his office as I explained to him that I would be pouring nearly all of my savings into this surgery, and begged him to just put me out of my misery if he didn't genuinely believe he could help me. Dr. Kim told me he knew he could help me. So I said a prayer and put all my trust in him.
And that was the best decision I have ever made in my life.
Dr. Kim worked literal miracles on me. I look like I was born with this nose--in fact, even my sisters often say that they now forget that I ever had a rhinoplasty because of how natural my nose looks. For the first time in my life, I can say that I LIKE my nose. It's cute, it's feminine, it's straight, it's soft to the touch, it's smooth. I can look people in the eyes and feel confident in what they see back. I never thought I would be in a position to feel this way, and feel so insanely lucky and grateful that I found Dr. Kim.
I promise you can be in no better hands. Thank you, Dr. Kim, for changing my life.

Hands down, the best revisionist for rhinoplasty out there. I had suffered from botched surgeries back in college and a collapsed nose due to a pervious surfing injury. I had a few procedures after, but my breathing got worse, I was in pain and my nose looked worse as the years went on. It was really difficult for me to choose a doctor to perform another surgery until I found Dr. Kim.
He did an incredible job. Above and beyond expectations. Not only am I pain free, and can breathe again, it looks exactly like I wanted it to. I no longer feel self conscious about it. It truly was a life-changer. I am so grateful, and happy about the results. 110% recommend!!