Lisa Kang, MD

Doctor Lisa recovered my missing upper lip that has been hidden (no upper lip showing even in video clips of me as a little kid). Most people would not believe that I get filler because it's not over done. With lip filler, just know that it's going to look 'off' for at least a few days. You can recover faster if you take arnica tablets a few days prior, drink tons of water, and avoid inflammatory foods/drink (e.g. alcohol/MSG/sweets/spicy) for two days before, the day of, and two days after.

Over the years I've had fantastic care at Serenity Med Spa. The IPL treatment helped to significantly even out my coloring, slightly tightened my pores with some tightening/firming of my skin with minimal time looking pink (I'm porcelain white and a shirt tag leaves me with a red welt for hours, so a little redness is expected for me). Thankfully IPL also helps shortly with hormonal acne.

I was on a tight budget, so I only had a minimal amount of Botox injected. 20 units between my eyes and 10 around each side. My frown lines have softened, and my crow's feet have been eliminated! I think my brow may have even been lifted slightly as a nice unexpected result! I am VERY pleased with the results I received, though I wish I'd had the funding to have a little more injected. I am already saving money for my next treatment session!

Updated on 15 Apr 2016:
I missed reviewing a treatment I had in 2015, but I was so disappointed with the results, that I just wasn't inspired to write anything! Today I had another go at Botox. I'm going to be turning 48 in a few months, and things have changed some since my first review/use of Botox back in 2014. For one, I've decided that I LIKE my crow's feet! I think they give my eyes character. And though they're indicative of my age, they're not the lines in my face that I take issue with, so I'm letting them be for now. What I DO have a problem with are the "scowl" lines in the shape of a wicked #11 between my eyebrows. Today I had 20 units injected there, and I hope they disappear like they did back in '14!!! My eyelids are beginning to droop a bit, and I recently noticed that my right brow is a little lower than my left, so my injector placed another 10 units strategically in the furrows across my forehead when I lift my brows, intentionally avoiding the area right OVER my brows, which she said should give me some lift & even me out, while still allowing me to raise my eyebrows. The 6 or 7 injections across my forehead hurt more than the 4 or 5 between my eyes, and left a couple of little bruises, but the procedure was still entirely manageable pain-wise. Now comes the hardest part in my opinion....THE ONE WEEK WAIT for results!! My vanity makes me reluctant to post "before" pix...but I'll do it anyway! Hopefully in a week's time you'll see a VAST improvement!!

Updated on 16 Apr 2016:
I already see results in my forehead area....no change to my frown lines yet.

My legs have always been by best feature and are naturally toned and have a fair amount of lean muscle. However, in the last 5 years I have developed this patch of cellulite on my right outer thigh which has gotten progressively worse over the years. There was one or two pretty deep "button like holes" in my leg that I absolutely hated and the skin was starting to look like a steam roller had gone over it and forgotten quite a few little hills and valleys. So I decided to do Cellulaze and try to at least smooth my thigh out a bit. I had the procedure on Friday along with Smartlipo of my love handles to try to create a more hour glass shape since I have a square shape in my torso due to my wide hip bones and a lack of a waist.


Day of surgery: The doctor comes in the room to mark up my legs, I had very apparent cellulite on the outer right thigh but also some bumpy looking skin right under my butt which the doctor didn’t mark for some reason (which worries me). He told me that I didn’t have a lot, if any cellulite on the left thigh and asked if I wanted to do anything there, since both sides are included in the price, of course I wanted him to blast that side with the laser as well to smooth it out and maybe prevent any cellulite from coming in the future. So he marked up both sides and told me he could also smooth out pockets of fat from my outer thigh area if I wanted and of course I said yes to that as well.


I noticed that the smartlipo triplex machine has both the cellulaze and the smartlipo lasers on it but assumed he was only doing cellulaze on my legs and smartlipo on my flanks as originally agreed upon. When he started on my left thigh (the one with little to no cellulite) I heard the laser and popping sound but then he was sucking fat out too after the popping so I think this was the “smoothing “ part but I am a bit confused if he actually preformed the cellulaze on this leg or if he just did smart lipo on there ( I was kinda loopy from the xanex), I don’t remember him switching out the laser or fiber as he did on the right side so I am a little concerned he didn’t do the cellulaze on this leg. Anyway he also used the suction device on the right leg but I definitely recall him switching fibers and lasers at this point so I know the cellulaze was performed on my right leg. I have read on here you can’t do both treatments on same area in same day so I am a little worried that that appears to be what I had done. Anyway despite that concern I feel great and did from the very moment after, I walked to the doctor’s office the next day, I am bruised but not sore at all. However I still see cellulite and the two button holes I was most concerned about and also there is a whole patch of bumpy skin under my butt that appears to not be bruised or numb or anything so I am afraid he may have missed this, is that possible? In all the area including outer thigh and right beneath butt was about the width of a man’s hand so not sure why he wouldn’t do this whole area unless he missed it from the position I was in. There was no mirror in the surgery room so I could really see the area he marked up which may have been a mistake on my part.


As for the love handles, I see a very small difference but not much, I still hate my waist and think I had unrealistic expectations and thought I would have this massively slimmer, longer looking torso which is not the case, I look the same. I just don’t think it’s possible given my body shape. I am 5’8 and wear a size 2-4 and weigh 130 pounds. Maybe I needed a little lipo from lower abs but I felt I could just cut carbs and hit the gym a little harder to get rid of that extra inch of fat on lower abs. My sides are numb I can’t feel them at all, I also am being pinched by the compression garment where it folds at waist and its causing a pretty nasty red mark/ bruise on both sides which I can’t feel but is kind of worry sum. I go in Friday to have stitches removed so I will ask about this then as well as what was performed on what leg etc.
Over all I think the doctor was great and although I feel fatter now (3 days after) in my thigh and love handles I am trying to have patience and just hope this is swelling and I will see more shape when it heals and the cellulite will go away, I can see a small difference but not much. I am open to any feedback as sometimes you can’t see changes on yourself but others can. Will answer any questions as well.



Updated on 16 May 2012:
Day 12, feeling great and going to workout today for the first time today. My brusing is almost completing gone and I can see a difference in my legs but they are still slightly swollen. I can still see some cellulite however I do know that Cellulaze is not instant so I am giving it a few more weeks but right now I already see a reduction from what it was and I could have never got this much reduction with creams, massage, lotions etc. so its already worth the 2K I spent on my legs.

Dr. Kang (Serenity medspa) has been simply amazing, he has seem me a few times to check up on me and offered me two free sessions of vasershape to soften area and help healing which was going above and beyond. I would highly recommand Serenity Medspa in San Francisco for anyone in bay area that wants to have either of these procedures in San Francisco. Dr. Kang was very fair and reasonable with his pricing for me. I will add finally photos of before and after in a few weeks.

I went to ask about Ultherapy and Dr. Lisa advise me to do Secret RF instead that I will see better results and it would be less painful. I took her expert advise. After I have finished my 3rd treatment — which wasn’t cheap, I had no visible improvement. My main concern when I went to them was to tighten my lower face area. I made and appointment to follow up and DrLisa basically said that “skin ages” and that I will see results in 2-3 months, maybe more. And to instead now do Sculptra injectables. So after, 2months from the 3rd and last session and after spending $3000 there are no visible results. Skins just like the 1st day I went. And as I said, now she wants me to add injections for additional $$$ —which honestly I can trust after I was told I was going to see results and don’t see any.

I agree with other customers reviews in Google Reviews that I feel they are always in a hurry, trying to get as many customers as they can and not really listening to you. If this was the case with high results It would be fine, but if on top of the rush, cost, pain? you see 0 results is very disappointing.

I did my lower and upper tummy and love handles today. it took almost 8 hours.  I am all wrapped up in pads now, they are already wet but still wait till tomorrow for follow up to change them. 

My price also includes inner thighs, upper arms, back and chin.  I plan to do them this Friday.  Another 8 hours of operation. 

Today, the dr got out over 3 lb of fat from my tummie and love handles. The process is not bad at all. The worst part was injecting the fluid into the body.  That part hurts a little.  after inserting the fluid, the dr used the smart lipo laser to melt the fat,( i didn't feel any discomfort on this part) then he used the ultra sound (vaser  system) to melt the deeper layer of fat.  the machine itself has a weird sound, I wanted to wear ear plugs. Besides the weird sound, no discomfort. 

Then dr use a tube as thick as an USB wire to suck out the melted fat and some pinky fluid.  it is not painful but there was a weird feeling.  dr did my tummies in the AM, then we take a lunch break.  I feel dizzy as I got up,  but soon feeling better after drinking some Gatorade and had a light lunch.  then we started love handle in PM. 

The whole thing finished around 5:30pm. What a long day. After I got home, my friend took me out for dinner. I am totally fine, not dizzy or pain.  It does feel like having a cramp and sore when I laugh.

I am going back for follow up visit tomorrow, and have rest of the area done on Friday.   Really looking forward to it. 



Updated on Feb 19, 2009:

1/19. I vomitted twice after i took the Hydrocodone last night. everything went ok except the vomitting.  It is hard to bend so it is a little bit hard to put socks and shoes on this morning. My tummy is sore.  I went to office and worked 3 hours before I went to my follow up appt.  The drainage stop already.  Dr removed all the pads and put small bandage on each wounds.  as i lay down, my upper and lower tummies are flat but swelling.  Most of the wounds don't hurt when the dr clean them except 1 at the back.  dr was so surprised I went to work in the morning.    I will have my back, inner thigh, upper arm and chin done tomorrow.



Updated on Feb 25, 2009:
2/20.  a week after on tummies and love handle.  Went in for follow up today, my body still very swelling, dr said it will take 3-4 months to completely get rid of the swellings. and the first 2 weeks are the worst.  So I have to be patient.   i don'y have much bruises on front and back, just 2 spots like quarter sizes. and they are mostly gone.   But I have a big spot of bruise on inner right thigh, and it just appeared 3 days ago and there are some burises on arms.  most area are still sore, but not so bad, I already stopped tylenol on Tuesday.  still a little sore when I bent.