Jonathan Kaplan, MD, MPH

I’ve already written a review for my skinny BBL with Dr. Kaplan, but I wanted to write a second review for the injectables I got during the operation.

I debated about getting Dr. Kaplan to do my fillers while I was under. He doesn’t specialize in fillers the way some doctors in the city do, and I always prefer to go to people who are as specialized as possible. This wasn’t just about me getting good aesthetic results. I was also concerned for my safety, as I planned to have some potentially dangerous fillers done (specifically, fillers in the upper face, which can cause blindness if done incorrectly).

I shouldn't have worried. First, Dr. Kaplan probably does a lot more filler than I gave him credit for. And second, his talents in aesthetic medical treatments more than make up for not being an injectables-only doc. I was very happy with my results!

I got temple filler, undereye filler, midface filler, lip filler, filler around the oral commissures, and masseter Botox. (I had filler in a lot of places but it wasn’t actually a lot of filler, if that makes sense.) It all looks great! I don't have lumps or even noticeable bruising. And I haven't had functional problems either. I tried to keep my head upright-ish the first night, but I otherwise sleep with my face to the side. Nothing has migrated!

IIRC Dr. Kaplan uses a blunt-tip cannula for fillers, which is gentler and leads to smoother results than needles. I think he offers a dental block for lip fillers as well. (I'm not sure if that's entirely correct, since, again, I was under general anesthesia when I got my fillers; but that's what I remember being told.)

Dr. Kaplan's prices are also reasonable. At the very least, he doesn't have a $500 consultation fee the way a certain famous injectables-only doc in SF does...

Because Dr. Kaplan makes the process as painless as possible, and because I've already had such good results with him, I'll go back to his office for fillers next time too.

When I started researching skinny BBLs, I was surprised by how hard it was to find a board-certified plastic surgeon who was willing and able to operate on me. My weight is average (5'5", 125 lbs), but I don't have a lot of subcutaneous fat. Many doctors—including those who have built a reputation for skinny BBLs—refused me. At one point, I had done a virtual consult and paid the deposit for a skinny BBL, only to have the doctor (Dr. Sieber) cancel the surgery when he saw me in person.
I was surprised and sad that the relatively minor changes I wanted were “impossible”. I didn’t need any additional front-to-back projection in my butt at all. All I wanted was to fill in my hip dips--something that no amount of diet or exercise can change. After Dr. Sieber abruptly cancelled, I told myself I needed to give it up and accept that filling in my hip dips wasn’t a possibility for me…but I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I decided to consult with a few more doctors just so that I could stop obsessing about it.
Luckily, Dr. Kaplan was one of these doctors.
I had come across Dr. Kaplan’s name in my initial search, but I was turned off by the lack of “before and after”’s on his website and his heavy social media presence. Social media can be a cool way to communicate, but I’m wary of professionals who have a highly curated online presence. There’s nothing as reassuring as a surgeon who’s too technically inept to post fake reviews, right? (I’m only halfway joking…)
Yet, once I got past the Instagram-only marketing, it was clear that Dr. Kaplan was highly skilled. His BBLs all have that cute upside-down heart shape, not the “Miami diaper” shape (you know the one). He also gets a nice, smooth contour. I was worried about contour irregularities, so this was a big deal. Finally, I was impressed at his knowledge and professionalism during our consultation. He was realistic enough to tell me that we would only be able to fill in the hip dips; yet he was bold enough to take on my case when so many other surgeons had rejected me.
I paid using CareCredit and had my first BBL in late June. Dr. Kaplan was able to get a liter of fat in total from my abdomen, flanks, back, and inner thighs. It was purified and transferred to my hip dips. I healed over the next few months. I was happy with my results, although my hip dips weren’t completely filled in after the first round.
The amount of fat a surgeon can get during a BBL is not necessarily bounded by the amount of fat a patient has available. There comes a point during the operation at which more blood than fat is being extracted, and it’s both useless and dangerous to continue after that point. Dr. Kaplan reached that threshold with me before all my fat was taken out, which is why we didn’t fill in my hip dips 100%. Because of this, I decided to get a second-round BBL in early October.
My second BBL went great as well. I’m still healing, but I’m thrilled with what I see so far. I don’t see any contour irregularities, which is amazing considering that Dr. Kaplan covered such a wide surface area (abdomen, flanks, back, thighs, calves) and had to deal with scar tissue from the first round. Once the swelling goes down, I think this will be exactly what I wanted.
After the first round, I lost 1/2” on my waist and gained 1/2” on my hips. The same amount of fat was extracted during the second round, so I’m guessing my measurements will change similarly.
The recovery for both of my BBLs has been surprisingly easy. I’m not sure if this is due to Dr. Kaplan’s technique or if I’m just lucky, but my pain is a 5/10 without medication and a 2/10 with medication. I was so scared before my first BBL because I had read reviews about how intensely painful the recovery is. It hasn’t been bad for me at all, and I have a low pain tolerance. I was going on 3-4 mile walks after the first week and lifting heavy weights after the second week. The only barrier to physical activity was some lingering stiffness in my thighs. (I was deadlifting after two weeks, but it took me two months to squat again.)
The one thing that did really hurt was washing the incisions with with antibacterial soap the first day. I almost fainted, seriously. For anyone reading this, make sure to take some pain medication at least 30 minutes before stepping in the shower.
Misc other nice things about working with Dr. Kaplan:
- Everyone at the office is sweet and makes an effort to get to know you.
- Phone calls and emails are returned promptly.
- The office fills your prescriptions for you and gives them to you as part of your goodie bag.
- Dr. Kaplan doesn't require you to get lymphatic drainage massages (which are SO expensive and time-consuming).
- It's surprisingly easy to get appointments. There isn't a massive wait list.
- The office is in a nice neighborhood, not downtown like most other surgeons' offices. I appreciate the surplus of parking and the lack of violent screaming homeless guys.
I’d highly recommend Dr. Kaplan for a skinny BBL.

I finally went through with my extended tummy tuck and BBL w/ doctor Kaplan & I am so happy I did. I was originally going to go elsewhere but decided I wanted to stay local in the Bay Area and not have to travel after such a big surgery.
Dr.Kaplan did an amazing job 2 years ago when I went to him for a breast lift with breast implants.
I am so happy that he snatched my tummy and waist and filled in my hip dips - the results are phenomenal, I'm almost 2 weeks post op and he has such a soft touch that I had a very smooth recovery, I watched a lot of YouTube videos on this procedure and recovery that I was very scared about the post op aspect. Recovery is definitely a journey and you practice patience with your body, and yes I did go through emotions about why did I do this but let me tell you each day that goes by is another day you made it and your body is starting to heal it only gets better :)
Very please that my drains are on a lanyard I love that ideas it makes it so much easier for me. Although I cannot wait to take my drains out I'm perfectly okay that he takes them out 2 weeks post op but may do it earlier if your draining less then a certain amount.
Dr. Kaplan called me the same night after my surgery to check on me and answered any questions I had and that was a big plus for me because you want to make sure you have a doctor who not only is there to answer any questions after hours but doesn't just leave you to not know what to do in case of an emergency or concern.
I am very happy with his office staff they are all so sweet from the consult to the big day and all the help in between and it was very straightforward in terms of the labs I needed and cOvid test.
After surgery I was a little goodie bag of post op papers scar cream and my meds which is amazing I didn't have to go to a pharmacy before or after surgery they had them ready for me and 2 garments!
The anesthesiologist was amazing and so sweet he called the night before which was a big relief the next day was very sweet and made my "cocktail" and I was off to sleep waking up with a small waist and I did not wake up sick or anything. If I do any more procedures I will definitely be back to see Dr.Kaplan!
Literally helped me accomplish my body goal and is the sweetest caring doctor ever! So happy he shows his surgeries on social media because that can help a lot of people considering these surgery's and what he does :)
If your considering a surgery look no more and please book a consult with RealDrbae

I went and seen Dr. Kaplan for my bbl surgery. They had me scheduled a week after my consultation to get my surgery. They all was very friendly and made me feel really relaxed. I am 1 week and a couple days post-op and I am loving my results I hope it stays like this. He knew exactly what to do for my body type. I would definitely recommend him to other people.

Updated on 25 May 2019:
These are my post-op pictures in my garment. I don't have any before pictures that I took myself, I didn't really think to take any. But Dr. Kaplan transferred 700cc of fat to each side. I weight 105lbs and I'm 5'3. So even if your skinny you can still have a bbl done. Dr. Kaplan at Pacific heights plastic surgery in San Francisco is a awesome plastic surgeon!!

Updated on 27 Dec 2019:
This is my results 7 months after bbl from Dr. Kaplan. I kept a lot of the fat transfer and my hip measurements are 38 inches now. I would highly recommend Dr. Kaplan he is an awesome plastic surgeon.

After I had my 3rd baby two years ago, I couldn’t keep my weight off. Hated looking at myself every single day and picking myself apart. 38 years old and I wanted to feel sexy and wear cute clothes and bikinis while traveling to beautiful places so I decided to go through with my Mommy Make over and BBL. I had a few consultations and decided to go with Dr. Jonathan Kaplan and his great team in San Francisco, California. From the front office (booking my consult, to scheduling surgery, booking post op appointments), to the actual procedure, all was such a smooth process. Jan and Emily answered my million questions via email/telephone and even later Dr Kaplan personally responded to my long email of concerns. I was very nervous about location of scaring and of course how everything would turn out. At this point I am beyond satisfied with my results (especially location of tt scar) and I know its only going to get better with the healing process. Here are some pics and I will update as time/healing progresses. I highly recommend Dr. Kaplan and his team for family, friends or anyone wanting to enhance their body. Im sure I’ll be back for few other procedures in the future.

I originally went for a consultation with Dr. K in 2017. He was very nice & his staff was awesome too! He was very straightforward and told me about the results that would most likely come of what I was interested in getting done by him. In the end I didn’t do the surgery because I decided I was not ready. Fast forward to November 2018 I was finally ready! I had such a great experience with Dr. K & his staff the first time I met them all I decided to go through with my surgery through him. What I wanted to get was a Mommy Makeover Deluxe (Tummy Tuck, Breast Lift-No Implants, & a BBL). I called to schedule a consultation and got one 3 weeks after my call due to my busy schedule. I knew this time I was definitely going to do the surgery so I called a few days after booking my consultation and asked if it was at all possible to reserve a surgery date in advance & wouldn’t mind paying some to do so. They of course said yes and I was able to book the perfect date for my schedule! I wanted to make sure I got a date in early January & it all worked out perfectly. Then 2 weeks later I go into the office for my consultation & I was so excited! When I got there they offered me something to drink while I fill out some forms before they bring me back to meet with Dr. K. The forms were easy to understand and I was able to ask any questions I had about them without feeling uncomfortable. Side note- the chairs in the waiting room are so comfortable! Anywho back to the review, I was taken to meet Dr. K & of course just like I remember he was very nice and professional. During the consultation he explained everything that would happen the day of surgery, the healing process, and what kind of results I should expect. I must say he is VERT TRANSPARENT. Which is the best! Personally I like to know every detail of what I’m going to get myself into and he left me with no questions to ask! He answered everything I had in mind plus more! After the consultation he said his good byes and that his patient coordinator will come in and explain the pricing. Jan I believe her name is(I’m very bad with names-sorry) was very nice and clear about the pricing and answered any questions I had! Dr. K and his staff really made this a great experience for me! I decided which procedures I was getting, paid for the surgery, & was out of there in about an hour! I received a packet with all the papers I signed as well as pre-op instructions which I thought was nice because my memory is bad and I like to reread things if I forget! A few days before my surgery Jan calls me to go over my pre-op instructions & set up my check up appointment. Then the night before my surgery the anesthesiologist calls me to introduce himself and answer any questions I might have. It’s the day of surgery & I get to the office at 6am. I sign a few more papers & the surgery process begins! I meet with the anesthesiologist and he explains the medicines he’s going to use to put me to sleep while they are doing the surgery. Then Dr. K comes in and takes a few before pictures & marks up my body for the surgery and we are ready to go! I go in the operating room and they put an IV in and off I go to sleep! Next thing I remember is i’m in the car on my way home! I believe the surgery took about 8 hours total. I got a Tummy Tuck, Breast Lift with no implants, and a BBL. With the BBL I got Lipo to my back so they can transfer the fat to my butt and with the Tummy Tuck I got Lipo to my sides, bra roll, & abdomen. During the Tummy Tuck Dr. K also stitched up my muscles on my abdomen due to the fact that I have had a pregnancy and with a pregnancy that muscle tends to tear & he sewed it back together to also help my waist have a smaller look to it! I also have 3 drains to help drain the liquid that gets built up in my body. They do get in the way but help a lot getting all the liquid out so it doesn’t build up! Let me just tell you this the first few days are a lot of pain! I am 7 days post op and I am able to walk around(not too much because there still is pain), use the rest room, take a shower, & eat just fine. The best part is the night of my surgery I was able to shower & also Dr. K called/texted me from his personal number and asked how I was doing also to let me know I can text him anytime with any questions I have. Talk about patient care! I’ve texted Dr. K a few times since my surgery & he replied fast and answered all the questions I had for him. So far I am really happy with my results. At about day 4 I started to have swelling due to the surgery but that will all subside in due time. I’m very happy that I went though with the surgery & I know it’s definitely going to change my life & help boost my confidence a lot! Thank you Dr. K for everything you’ve done for me! You are definitely my go to person if I ever in the future want another surgery. Dr. K & his staff made my experience so joyful & exciting! I would definitely recommend Dr. K to anyone who wants to get surgery! He’s definitely improved his craft from the first time I met him for a consultation in 2017 until now & i’m sure he will get even better!! Next week I have my 2 week post op appointment where I will get my drains removed and be able to get Dr. K’s opinion on how the healing is going. Until then! :)

Updated on 26 Jan 2019:
A week after my surgery I got really swollen. I was told it can take 2-3 months for the swelling to go down. At my 2 week appointment Dr. K checked all my incisions and everything was healing great. I had the drain in my back removed since it wasn’t collecting any liquid. But the drains in my tummy were left in since they were still collecting a lot of fluid. At the 2 week mark I was able to start using the scar cream they provided as well. I was still in pain from my back due to the fact that I wasn’t standing up straight still. Fast forward to my 3 week appointment I was finally able to get my drains removed! It was such a relief and now easier to wear clothes since I didn’t have to put the clothes over the drains! Dr. K checked my scars once again & everything was healing good. He took some photos of the results so far. My back still bothered me because I’m still standing a bit slanted but it’s getting better every day! I’m very happy with my results so far and the swelling hasn’t even gone down yet! I can’t wait to see what I look like once the swelling subsides! It can only get better from here!!

So I just set an appt up with DR. Kaplan on Friday the 23rd, Nov. So let's see how my appt goes and I will come back and let you all know. BTW appt fee was $100. The customer service was great so far let's just hope he can do what I'm asking for.

Updated on 23 Nov 2018:
So I had the first consultation for a bbl which includes lipo 360 of the stomach, lower back, bra chubb, flanks. First let me start by saying jane his patient coordinator is awesome she is so friendly and informative. I felt very comfortable talking with her and asking any questions I had. Then I met with dr. Kaplan aka realdrbae he was very informative and straightforward ( which I like) he never tried to sell me a dream asked me multiple times if I had any questions told me what was best for my body ect. Never pressured me to choose him as my doctor or pressured me into certain procedures. So I decided to go with him and surgery date is dec 3rd 2018! Im so excited!! What I also like is he is right next to a hospital just incase anything was to go wrong but nothing has ever happened with him tho but things can happen. Also all I have to do preop is take general blood work. Until next time. Feel free to ask me anything I am a very open person.

Updated on 23 Nov 2018:
Here are a few pre op pics that I forgot to post. Age 34, 3 kids, height 5'3, Weight 165. Feel free to ask me any questions. Surgery is December 3rd 2018 at 7am will take about 4 hours doctor said. I am in good health.

Updated on 3 Dec 2018:
So everything went well now I am home and super sore.i have two drainage bulbs one in the front one in the back that have been draining alot of fluid. That is a good thing. I have a few pics that i will post. I am really tired.

Updated on 6 Dec 2018:
Let me first say that this surgery is pain full the first couple of days. I don't like pain pills but i was in pain so I Took some percocets what the doctor order me and boy did those help. I am in a garment as for now. Oh i also ordered myself a foam bored so that the hooks on my garment do not make an indent on my skin.

Updated on 13 Dec 2018:
So its been about a week since I got my drains removed. I had them in for a total of 8 days. The drains are one of the painfull parts about this surgery but it has to be done. They were really uncomfortable and more towards the end of the 8days is when it started to burn because of the suction bulbs was no longer able to get any fluid out. It hurt a lil when the nurse was taking them out but wow it felt so much better with out them. So now I'm ten days out from surgery still have a lil bruising, still wearing my garment 24/7 I even purchased an ab bored and foam so that the garment does not leave indent on my body. I have an appointment with the doctor for a check up to make sure everything is going well. Untill next time. Bye

I had been watching his procedures over the past year on Snapchat. So I felt comfortable booking my breast lift with implants I was very scared about the scars but Mr. Kaplan knew exactly what I wanted and how to achieve it. I listened to his medical opinion And trusted him. The staff was very friendly and helped me find the right size for me and made me feel very comfortable which was very important to me. I am now about two months post op and I absolutely love my results! If you are looking for an amazing surgeon he is definitely one to go to! If I had any questions after he was never fast to respond.

Updated on 15 Jul 2018:
Sorry about the typo at the end! It meant to say.. if I had anything questions he was very fast to respond!

I went to see Dr Kaplan and his staff. I already had breast implants and I thought one has deflated. I wanted to downsize my implants and have liposuction 360 done. Dr Kaplan discusses all my options and answered all of my questions. His staff contacted the company that made the implants I had and took care of all of the warranty paperwork for me. They were so helpful. The day of my sugary everyone was great. Emily, Jan, the anesthesiologist and Dr Kaplan were great and made me at ease before I went into surgery. Dr Kaplan called me the night I got home and checked on me and was prompt to answer my texts when I had questions. Dr Kaplan and his staff are the best. My results were better then I could of imagined and I can’t thank them enough for everything.

Excellent. The front desk staff was very friendly and welcoming, and Dr. Kaplan was knowledgeable, thorough, and I didn't feel pushed to get or do more. He was also personable which I have not found to be common among many physicians.