The Man behind Beauty, and the Beauty behind This Man
Haute Living Los Angeles
–By – Alison Agudo
April 2010
If youth is merely a state of mind, then having the resources available to look as young as you feel can mean the difference between merely living life and living life to the fullest. Prominently located in the heart of Beverly Hills is one of the world’s most renowned facilities for doing just that – making clients look as vibrant as they feel. Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery, Inc. combines classic beauty principles of balance, symmetry and proportion with the advancements and sophistication of our modern world. The result: beauty that can both defy and transcend time.
While the abundance of plastic surgery centers in Los Angeles from which to choose may seem overwhelming to a prospective client, BHPS stands firmly ahead of the pack as the leader in patient care, medical expertise, and comprehensive medical amenities. Led by the distinguished plastic and reconstructive surgeon and Beverly Hills resident Dr. Gabriel Chiu, BHPS is a full-service, concierge-oriented practice that has a simple yet profound goal: to enhance beauty by employing the most natural and minimally-invasive techniques, creating customized treatment programs, and ensuring every BHPS experience results in a happy, healthy, and beautiful patient. Dr. Chiu’s beauty philosophy, in both surgical and non-surgical treatments, follows one of graceful reversal of aging. It is his dedication to enhancing the authentic beauty of the patient that has garnered BHPS a global base of more than 6000 clients ranging from celebrities to athletes to politicians and royalty.
Dr. Chiu’s stunning wife, the managing partner and spa director of BHPS, attributes the primary design inspiration for their Wilshire Boulevard medical and spa facility to Chanel. “The BHPS facility is a space that harmonizes luxury and modernity. The décor illustrates our commitment to populating sophistication, refinement, and timeless beauty,” explains Christine (who was appropriately dressed in Chanel, from head to toe). With sparkling imported white marble floors, decadent gold beaded walls, crystal chandeliers, and luxurious tweed and linen furnishings, guests often forget that they are in a medical facility where the most advanced technologies are being administered by top nurses and medical aestheticians. At BHPS, of which a portion functions as the West Coast flagship for SkinCeuticals skincare line, clients find more than they could ever imagine from a cosmetic surgery office: childcare and activities, personalized audio video system, and a plethora of delicious treats and refreshments at all times!
The SPA at BHPS, Inc. offers an assortment of beauty treatments ranging from anti-aging and customized facials, to organic fruit and chemical peels, to injectables and fillers. All equipment is medical-grade, and products are physician-strength. Dr. Chiu is particularly revered for his “dynamic” (layering and manipulative) techniques with injectables and fillers, and reduces discomfort for patients with use of topical cream, dental block, and other anesthetics.
When asked how the recession has impacted client activity, Christine responds: “There is no better investment right now, than the one you make in yourself. It is an incredible feeling to have sole control of your personal appreciation in value!”
Though groomed from a prominent commercial real estate family with direct dynasty heritage, Dr. Chiu’s passion for medical aesthetics led him down a different path. Dr. Chiu’s detailed educational background and experience in the medical industry have earned him buzz with the beautiful people of Beverly Hills for quite some time. Following medical school, Dr. Chiu held such prestigious positions as Chief Resident in General Surgery and Chief Fellow of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Hahnemann University. Frequently praised for his professional integrity, vibrant personality, and warm demeanor, Dr. Chiu’s clients are privy to exceptional doctor-patient face time, thorough follow-ups, and unequivocal surgical expertise and results.
Most famously known for his “mommy makeover” combinations (restoration of a woman’s pre-pregnancy body via abdominoplasty, liposuction, breast augmentation and lift), as well as for his rhinoplasty procedures, Dr. Chiu is also highly regarded for his minimally-invasive face, neck, and brow lift techniques. Throughout the consultation and surgery process, however, Dr. Chiu is adamant that perceptions about one’s physical image should focus primarily on enriching natural beauty, rather than imitating that of another. Dr. Chiu states: “We educate patients against desiring a specific celebrity’s nose, breasts, or buttocks, for instance. Instead, I present surgical options that would enhance the patient’s own features while preserving the patient’s heritage and identity, as well as respecting his/her lifestyle and career choice. My goal is to create an authentic harmony for the patient’s facial and/or bodily features.” Christine adds, “The current trend is definitely ‘how can I look like a more youthful version of myself?’ as opposed to ‘how can I look like somebody else?’”
Dr. Chiu advocates maintaining a healthy lifestyle through proper diet and lifestyle choices, particularly for the expediency and quality of a patient’s recovery process. His keen commitment to homeopathic, natural, and holistic remedies for pre and post operative care is progressive and effective.
BHPS’ discerning clientele, of which 90 percent is referral-based and 40 percent is repeat business, includes some of Hollywood’s elite as well as countless individuals who praise Dr. Chiu and staff for their unwavering dedication to surgical excellence. Dr. Chiu is most recently the recipient of the Patient’s Choice Award, a prestigious honor awarded to less than 5 % of the approximately 720,000 active physicians in the United States in both 2008 and 2009 and represents the feedback of more than 40,000 patients across the country who rate various components such as bedside manner, doctor-patient face time, degree of follow-up, courtesy of office staff, and overall opinions. In addition to these crucial best-practice factors, BHPS maintains strict adherence to patient safety by working with a select pre-screened, highly-trained, and reputable medical staff that is encouraged to maintain open communications with patients at all times. Procedures in the state-of-the-art outpatient surgical center are carried out with the highest-grade products, supplies, and instruments because BHPS refuses to cut corners.
But all work and no play would not make for a very balanced lifestyle, so the Chiu’s are actively involved in numerous charities and organizations. Their respect within the community as leaders and philanthropists is well-documented. One of their personal rules is to take the time to travel at least once per month, whether on yachting trips, Parisan excursions, or stays at their overseas villas. As an amateur photographer, Dr. Chiu captures both the simplicity and complexities of nature’s beauty experienced throughout their travels on film. The Chiu’s also enthusiastically celebrate and patronize culinary arts, fashion, and culture – thereby living by the same principle that this husband-and-wife team work tirelessly to help patients understand: to live is to live life to the fullest.
