Khiem D. Lai, MD, DABFP, MMed, MSurg (Aesthetic)

✨ Introduction

Hello, I'm Dr. Khiem Lai.  

I hope we can offer the care and aesthetic services you may be seeking. If you're already eating well, sleeping soundly, and exercising regularly, you're doing the most important work to stay healthy and youthful. You may not need me at all. But if you're looking to gently enhance your appearance, I may be able to help.

It’s taken me over a decade of intensive study and hands-on experience to reach this point. I don’t promise perfection—but I do promise my best.

I believe that knowledge, no matter how vast, is useless—and sometimes even dangerous—if not applied with care and purpose. It must serve to improve the human condition and promote well-being for us all.

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🩺 Dr. Lai’s Bio

Dr. Lai has received formal education and training in both aesthetic medicine and aesthetic plastic surgery, complemented by countless postgraduate courses and workshops in facial aesthetics, breast surgery, and body contouring—both in the U.S. and abroad. He has mastered the essential techniques of both disciplines, yet remains deeply grateful to his patients, from whom he continues to learn the most.

Though not a U.S. residency-trained plastic surgeon, Dr. Lai brings comprehensive education and extensive hands-on training in dermatologic, plastic, and reconstructive surgery to his aesthetic practice. He also integrates knowledge from tissue engineering and regenerative medicine to enhance outcomes in facial rejuvenation.

He is fully committed to aesthetic surgery as both a clinician and a craftsman, and he never stops refining his skills. Outside of medicine, he enjoys playing guitar and electronic music, drawing, and folding paper. He’s currently exploring Arts and Crafts more deeply, and has a keen interest in cognitive neuroscience and linguistics. Multilingual and fluent in several languages, he’s always eager to learn another. Though he’s traveled widely, he calls Orange County home—and lives happily there.

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🌏 Personal Journey

Born and raised in Saigon, South Vietnam, Dr. Lai studied for four years at the Institute of Financing and Accounting before escaping the communist regime as a boat person. He found refuge in West Germany, where he spent two years learning German and helping fellow Vietnamese refugees navigate local systems while awaiting reunification with his family in Southern California.

Once in America, his passion for learning led him to community college, where he began studying math and science with the goal of becoming an electrical engineer. But a deeper calling led him to medicine. He changed his major to Chemistry and Biochemistry at California State University, Long Beach, while also exploring applied mathematics and computer languages.

After earning his BS in Biochemistry, he worked as an analytical chemist at a pharmaceutical company and conducted summer research in organic chemistry before entering medical school. He earned his MD from Ross University School of Medicine, then returned to Cal State Long Beach to study Healthcare Administration before completing his residency in Family Practice at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Las Vegas.

Returning to Orange County, Dr. Lai practiced family medicine and became intrigued by the emerging field of aesthetic medicine. He was admitted to an MPH program at A.T. Still University but couldn’t find time to pursue it. Instead, he began working with lasers and injectables for facial rejuvenation, soon realizing the transformative potential of surgical techniques.

To deepen his understanding of skin and surgical precision, he completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Dermatology at Queen Mary University of London and trained in skin cancer surgery and facial reconstruction in Australia. He later earned a Master’s degree in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery from the Instituto de Estudios Superiores en Medicina—one of the first and only programs of its kind at the time.

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Dr. Lai's CV 

Khiem D. Lai, MD, MS (Aesthetic Surgery)

12502 Brookhurst Street

Garden Grove, CA 92840

Phone: 714-590-1949

Email: khiemlaimd@yahoo.com

Education

01/91-06/95 California State University Long Beach, California

B.S.in Biochemistry

01/96-11/99 Ross University School of Medicine, Dominica

M.D.

08/00-06/01 California State University Long Beach, California

Health Care Administration Master of Science Program

07/01-06/04    University of Nevada School of Medicine

Department of Family and Community Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada

Residency

07/2004       Diplomate, American Board of Family Practice

05/08-04/09    Queen Mary, University of London

School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, United Kingdom

Post-graduate Diploma in Clinical Dermatology Program

02/14-08/17 Instituto de Estudios Superiores en Medicina,Veracruz, Mexico

Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Program

08/2017         Master’s Degree in Aesthetic Surgery

2018-2020 European College of Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery

Certifications_Facelifts and Rhinoplasty

10/22-Present     TECH Universidad Tecnologica, Mexico/Spain 

Postgraduate Diploma in Loco-regional Anesthesia and Pain Therapeutics Program

In-Progress

Postgraduate Diploma in General Surgery

In-Progress 

Postgraduate Diploma in Opthalmologic Surgery 

Enrolled 

12/2022        Postgraduate Certificate in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

04/2023        Professional Master’s Degree in Aesthetic Medicine

01/2024        Professional Master's Degree in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 

Postgraduate Medical Training Courses

Facial Aesthetic Surgery

NIAMTU Cosmetic Facial Surgery, Joe Niamtu, III, DMD, Virginia

11/2011 Comprehensive Facial Rejuvenation

St. Louis University School of Medicine, Practical Anatomy & Surgical Education, Missouri

07/2012 Cosmetic Blepharoplasty and Fundamentals of Facelifts

02/2013 Masters Techniques in Periorbital Aesthetic Surgery

02/2015 Masters Workshop: Advanced Flaps and Aesthetic Facial Reconstruction

10/2016 Facial Rejuvenation in Depth with the Masters

03/2021 Comprehensive Facial Rejuvenation-Live/Zoom Cosmetic Surgery Workshop_ NIAMTU Cosmetic Facial Surgery

08/2021   Masters Workshop: Advanced Flaps and Aesthetic Facial Reconstruction  

Medical University of Vienna, Anatomical Surgical Training, Centre of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Austria  

04/2012 Aesthetic Surgery of the Face

11/2019   Master Class_ Rejuvenating the Face  

University of California, Irvine School of Medicine

06/2012 The 2nd UC Irvine Rhinoplasty Course

American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

01/2012 Fundamentals Dissection Lab, Rejuvenation of the Aging Face 2012

05/2015 Rhinoplasty Cadaver Workshop, Advances in Rhinoplasty 2015

05/2022 Rhinoplasty Cadaver Workshop, Advances in Rhinoplasty and Facial Rejuvenating 2022

Implantech, the Masters Educational Series, Henderson, Nevada

06/2013 Advanced Techniques Using Facial Implants, William J. Binder, MD & Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD

University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine

08/2014 Aesthetic Eyelid and Rejuvenation Course

03/2021 UCLA Aesthetic Eyelid and Rejuvenation Virtual Live Course

American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery

08/2017 AACS Facial Cadaver Workshop

European College of Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery, Ireland

03/2018 Face Lifting Techniques  

03/2019 Essentials & Advanced Rhinoplasty Master Course

Marina Medical Instruments, Inc.

10/2020 Virtual Rhinoplasty Cadaver Course_ Bringing you the Masters with Dean Torumi, MD & Richard Davis, MD

Dallas Rhinoplasty 2021

03/2021 Dallas Rhinoplasty Virtual Meeting

28th Stuttgart Advanced Course for Rhinoplasty

04/2021 Virtual Live Surgery Demonstration

04/2024 Cadaver Dissection and Live Surgery (Enrolled)

Enrico Robotti Live Surgery  

11/2020     Dr. Robotti 1-to-1 Open Rhinoplasty Course_Virtual  

11/2021     Enrico Robotti Live Surgery Open Rhinoplasty Course_Virtual

Duke Department of Surgery Division of Plastic, Reconstructive, Maxillofacial, and Oral Surgery

08/2022 Duke Flap Course

10/2022 Basic Training Course in Microsurgery Techniques

MZ EVENTS Villa Bella Clinic

05/2022 Botti’s Best Face (On-demand Meeting Video Course)

Body Contouring Aesthetic Breast Surgery

National Association of Cosmetic Physicians

08/2008 Fat Transfer with Awake Liposuction

University of California, Irvine School of Medicine

03/2012 Body Contouring After Massive Weight Loss

Implantech, the Masters Educational Series, Henderson, Nevada

07/2015 Advanced Techniques Using Body Contouring Implants, Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD & M. Mark Mofid, MD

American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery

09/2015 Breast Augmentation

11/2015 Body Contouring Following Bariatric Surgery and Massive Weight Loss

01/2016 Body Cadaver Workshop

09/2016 Outpatient Liposuction, Fat Grafting, and New Lipoabdominoplasty Techniques

08/2018 Cosmetic Surgery Review Course for the ABCS  

La Bella Vie Cosmetic Surgery, E. Antonio Manguba, MD, Seattle, Washington

10/2017 Breast Augmentation/Mastopexy

10/2018 Lipo-Abdominoplasty Surgery  

Medical University of Vienna, Anatomical Surgical Training, Centre of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Austria  

09/2019    Aesthetic Breast Surgery_ The Breast Course

California Academy of Cosmetic Surgery

11/2020 CACS Breast Augmentation_ TUBA Workshop  

International Society of Cosmetogynecology

11/2020 ISGC Cosmetic Gynecology Virtual Cadaver Course

IEO Education European Institute of Oncology

04/2021 Webinar “Breast Cancer: Oncologic and Reconstruction Surgery”

10/2022 Breast Cancer Live Surgery Webinar

Total Definer by Alfredo Hoyos, MD, sponsored by QMP, Marina Medical

10/2022 Total Graft, SIME, Fit Mommy, X Rib techniques-On line Course

iBreastBook _ Oncologic Breast Surgery and Reconstruction

04/2021-Present Webinar Series

07/2023 G.RE.T.A at University of Aberdeen, Scotland 

The Cadaveric Course on Oncologic Breast Surgery 

MBN 2021 Oncoplastic Breast Meeting, Milan, Italy

12/2021 Oncologic Breast Surgery (On-line Zoom Meeting)

MZ EVENTS Villa Bella Clinic

07/2021 Botti’s Best Breast (On-line Zoom Meeting)

MBN 2022 Aesthetic Breast Meeting, Milan, Italy

12/2022 What is the Breast Beauty?

Breastic24_Breast Oncoplastics

09/2023 On-line Webminar

The Umberto Veronesi Academy (UVAC) and The University of California San Diego (UCSD) Center for the Future of Surgery (CFS)

10/2023  On-line Course on Management and Controversies on Breast Cancer 2023

Face and Body Surgery, London, the View in the Royal College of Surgeons of England

11/2023 1st FABS European Symposium for Residents

Skin Cancer Surgery

University of Queensland, Australia

2012        Certificate in Primary Care Skin Cancer Medicine

2013 Certificate in Primary Care Skin Cancer Surgery

Skin Cancer College Australasia, Australia

11/2012 Advanced Skin Surgery: Grafts and Flaps

Australasian College of Cutaneous Oncology, Australia

11/2013 Face & Ear Workshop

University of California, San Diego School of Medicine

07/2014 Hugh Greenway’s 31stAnnual Superficial Anatomy and Cutaneous Surgery

08/2020 Hugh Greenway’s 37st Annual Superficial Anatomy and Cutaneous Surgery Virtual Live Course

HealthCert, Quality Assured by Bond University, Australia

10/2019    Expert Workshop of Skin Cancer Surgery  

02/2020     2020 Dermatopathology  Masterclass

10/2020     2020 Dermoscopy Masterclass

Aesthetic Medicine

The American Association of Aesthetic Medicine & Surgery

01/2007 Aesthetics 101: Course in Basic & Advanced Aesthetic Medicine & Surgery

01/2012 Plasmajuv: Medical Facelifting & Bioregeneration Course

American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine

03/2008 Certificate in Aesthetic Medicine

03/2008 Training Course on Traditional Mesotherapy

10/2013 Facial Rejuvenation with Fat Grafting & PRP to Optimize Results

10/2013 Fat Grafting for Breast Augmentation

GenXovite, the Viticus Center, Las Vegas, Nevada

09/2023 Regenerative Medicine workshop

Others 

Wolters Kluwer, Clinical Symposium on Advances in Skin & Wound Care, Las

Vegas, Nevada

10/2014 Comprehensive Wound Care Review Course; Endorsed by the APWCA

Hospital Procedures Consultants, Las Vegas, Nevada

07/2016 Hospitalist & Emergency Procedures Live Course, Las Vegas, Nevada

Work Experience

2004-Present    Khiem D. Lai, MD, Garden Grove, California

Family Medicine and Aesthetic Physician

Full Range of Family Medicine

Physical Therapy

Addiction Medicine: Office-Base Treatment of Opioid Dependence.

Skin Cancer Medicine and Surgery

Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery

2008-2021 Lampson Aesthetics Medical Group, Inc., Garden Grove, California

2021-Present Garden Grove Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery, Garden Grove, California

Aesthetic Physician & Surgeon

Laser:  

Nd:YAG/KTP Laser : Non-ablative Skin Rejuvenation, Acne, Hair Removal, Pigmented Lesions, and Vascular Lesions

CO2 Laser: Fractional Skin Resurfacing

Thermage_ RF Skin Tightening

Zerona_ Body Contouring

Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation:

Mesotherapy,  

Botox/Dermal fillers

Laser/Fractional CO2

Medical Facelift/ PRP Plasmajuv

Medical Rhinoplasty

Aesthetic Facial Surgery:

Blepharoplasty

Browlift  

Rhinoplasty  

Facial Implants

Facelift

Neck Lift

Liposculpting 

Fat grafting

Reconstructive Facial Surgery:

Local Flaps

Grafts

Aesthetic Breast Surgery:

Augmentation

Reduction

Breast Lift

Body Contouring Surgery:

Liposuction/Fat Grafting

Lipoabdominoplasty

Other Experiences  

04/07-Present Delta Locum Tenens, Dallas, Texas

Locum Physician  

07/07-12/10 Kaiser Permanente

Southern California Permanente Medical Group

Per-diem Physician

Family Practice and Urgent Care, Orange County, California

Occupational Medicine, Baldwin Park, California

07/02-06/03 Concentra Medical Center, Las Vegas, Nevada

Resident Physician

Occupational Medicine and Urgent Care

12/94-12/95 Stason Pharmaceuticals, Irvine, California

Analytical Chemist

Licensure

California: Active  

Utah

Nevada

Arizona

Certifications

American Board of Family Practice—2004-2011

BLS  

ACLS

Memberships

Past:

American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery

European College of Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery

American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine

National Association of Cosmetic Physicians

American Association of Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery

American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery

American Academy of Anti-aging Medicine

American Academy of Family Physicians

American Association of Public Health Physicians  

American Medical Association

American Geriatrics Society

Languages

Vietnamese, German, and Spanish