Elisabeth K Shim, MD

she tries very hard to make an old over-​used woman that still thinks very young, be able to face the world. jokes aside, she is as good as it gets. stop looking, go see her.

Dr. Shim was highly recommended to me by my plastic surgeon who noticed, what I thought was an ugly, hard to kill blemish, as the basal cell carcinoma it was. Dr. Shim did a full body check and took a biopsy. She was professional, thorough and took the time answer all of my questions. On this first visit I felt like I was in very capable hands.
I scheduled the surgery in her Pasadena office instead of Santa Monica due to availability. Her staff follows to and from both locations. I cannot say enough about them and their kindness and caring. They all have a great working relationship with Dr. Shim. She is clearly is a great mentor to these young professionals who are planning careers as doctors or therapists themselves.
The surgery itself is NOT fun. It’s time consuming and nerve wracking. The spot on my nose turned out to be much bigger than I anticipated but Dr. Shim wasn’t surprised. She was a professional until the very end of a long day. She talked me down from a minor anxiety attack and reminded me that everything was going to be fine.
All of the patients we chatted with in the office (over the course of 7 hours) had nothing but wonderful things to say about her. Some of them had traveled hours to see her. She is clearly an expert in her field.
After looking at the 30+ stitches on my nose the following day, I cried. I was sure I would be left with a huge scar and then I accepted it. Happy that the cancer I had was «the good» kind. Surprisingly just 4 weeks later the scar is barely visible and the redness can be treated with laser. Yay me! Yay Dr. Shim.
So, after doing a little digging it turns out Dr. Shim has a fair amount of celebrity clients. Lots of them actually. However, you would never know it as she is the most down to earth professional who treats everyone like they are important. I am so happy I was in such good hands.

Dr. Shim impresses me as an excellent practitioner, in an industry that like most is overrun with mediocrity. While she does not waste time with idle chit chat, you have no doubt that Dr. Shim is on the case and will provide the best treatment in a compassionate manner.
I’ve seen her 3 times, and each time I had wait longer and longer. The first time 30″, second time 45″ and third time one full hour, hence the 4 vs 5 stars.
Office staff is nice, good attitude.

I had an excellent experience with Dr. Shim and her staff. I met her in Dr. Bennett who is a Moh’s specialist down the hall’s office. I liked her demeanor and she was approachable with a question even though she was not seeing me, so I scheduled her for general dermatology needs. I was seen on the minute. I found her to be patient while efficient. She focused on my medical/​dermatology needs without pushing product or cosmetic services. She was also reasonable. I had met my deductible with Blue Cross and she is not a provider so that was appreciated. She worked on four spots and after I was out of the room I remembered a 5^th and she went back in which I thought was very kind. I would highly recommend Dr. Shim and will send my family to her.

Went in last week for my first appt (general skin check-​up, plus removal of a few skin tags). I thought the doctor was warm, friendly, professional, and took the time to answer all my questions. (I don’t love going to doctors, so I completely forget to do the skin tags, but that was my fault.)
Her staff was also equally friendly and helpful. No complaints at all.
(Note: I have kick-​ass insurance, so my out-​of-​pocket was very little. I cannot speak to the costs for those without insurance, or for things not covered by insurance.)

My husband and I both think Dr. Shim is excellent. My husband has had serious issues (skin cancer) and I have had cosmetic ones and we think she has given us thoughtful, caring, and effective treatments. She was very realistic in her approach to my cosmetic issues — she did not promise more than she could deliver and wanted to be sure that I did not expect too much. I was very pleased with the results. She has performed Mohs procedures on my husband and his cancers have been non-​recurring. More than this you cannot ask from a skin doctor!
As far as her pricing goes, I think it is in line with other dermatologists of her level of expertise and education. I wanted to have her do a little Botox on me once and she told me I could get it done much cheaper elsewhere! I appreciated this! My husband and I both think her staff is charming and efficient and, as we have been going to Dr. Shim for many years now, can’t imagine who would feel otherwise.

Not sure where I’d be if it were not for Dr. Shim. I’ve had a terrible skin condition for the last two years. I saw two other dermatologists who prescribed all kinds of lotions shampoos and pills. Dr. Shim understood immediately what the problem was and fixed me in one day! She was smart and engaging. And I recommended her to anyone looking for serious help.

I am disappointed to report that my experience was not as good as my fellow Unilocalers. As it all began here and because this how I choose this doctor I feel it’s only fair to report my experience. First impression was wonderful! I was told by the doctor that my condition could be treated by a series of $ 700 treatments that were not covered by my insurance. I left the office knowing that I would not be seeing a difference after the first session, but felt satisfied as I was told I was getting a discount.
The following visit left me extremely unsatisfied. I sat in the waiting room for almost an hour as she was running extremely late. Her staff did not mention this when I came in so I sat watching everyone be seen first. After waiting for almost an hour I tried to reschedule with her receptionist for another day. I was told that her next available appointment was a month away! I left with an appointment scheduled from a month from then and felt that her patients were not a priority. To add salt to the wound I received a bill from a medical collection company for a $ 15 co-​pay that I had already paid. When confidence was lost and I decided I would look for another doctor I discovered that this condition is treated by my insurance and is much less expensive other places than what I payed out of pocket. I discovered that my procedure was never billed to my insurance as I was told it would be as a courtesy. When I asked for my lab report I was told once again how busy they were. May someone else benefit from my bad experience…

This place is terrible. Staff is incompetent and extremely rude. Prices are unreasonable. Avoid this place like the plague.

I got really lucky to have found Dr Shim and get in on such short notice. I saw her reviews on Unilocal and was in desperate need of a Derm for some blemish problems :/​They were able to get me in the next day due to a cancellation. Her receptionist Hawn (sp?) was super sweet and helpful. Dr Shim was just as sweet and took her time with me and really seemed like she cared. I will def be seeing her again! The only thing I suggest is to try and find parking at the meters. Parking is expensive anywhere in Santa Monica.

I love Dr. Shim! She is an incredible doctor, very knowledgeable, and also super nice and fun. She has a wonderful bedside manner and instills trust and confidence in her patients. I’ve had some skin tags and moles removed, as well as treatment for the occasional acne flare up. She is a skin cancer surgeon so I really trust her when it comes to taking care of my skin, especially with all the sun we get in LA! There are so many dermatologists in LA, but Dr Shim is the one to see!
ps– her skincare line, Verdure, is fantastic! Her cleanser and serum have done wonders for my skin and her sunscreen is the only formula that doesn’t clog my pores and cause acne.

i had a minor procedure to remove a small mole or whatever from my left temple in october of 2010 .it was growing and i was very concerned. the doc told me my options and left me to decide if i wanted to go ahead and have the mole removed. she did not rush me or pressure me in any way. i decided to go ahead with the
was quick and painless with very little bleeding. The mole is gone and there is no scarring. u cant even tell i had a mole. The doc said if there was any left over reddening she would use a laser to remove it for free but it was not needed. The docs office informed me a week later it wasn’t cancer or anything. Dr Shim is the best. Most dermos iv been to scare me. They don’t act like real doctors. Not doc shim. Shes the real thing. i would trust her with my mom.

i saw dr shim a few years ago to look at all my freckles/​moles as a precaution from all my years of sunning as a teen w/​o protection. she is great. spends a lot of time, never rushes. i ended up having to get a mohs surgery on my leg that was pre cancerous. i now go back every year to get myself checked. she also does cosmetic stuff too. i am trying out a laser for blotchyness on my face. i really like her and love that she is in pasadena, so easy. she gets busy and sometimes there is a wait, also you have to pay for services that day, they don’t bill your insurance. those are my only complaints.

Dr. Shim is an incredible doctor and wonderful person. When it comes to Dermatology she is as good as it gets. I have known her for only a few months, but I have cycled through over five other dermatologists throughout my life and she really is the best one I have ever come across.
To start, all of my visits have begun with incredible service. I have never waited longer than a few minutes before Dr. Shim sees me. While most of my visits involve laser treatment for acne, I also have a rare skin condition that no other doctor has been willing to help treat. Dr. Shim not only gladly accepted me as a patient, but is pushing the boundaries on modern Dermatology in treating my condition effectively. For this reason, I strongly believe she is not only an excellent physician, but she is a leader in her field of work.
Beyond her incredible professional wisdom, she is also extremely concerned for patient well-​being. Moreover, she’s very engaged in not only helping with your dermatological needs but in making sure you are safe and healthy. I find this factor very important and it lends well to her overall phenomenal persona.
I can’t stress enough how wonderful this doctor is. Anyone who is able to find their way into her care is truly lucky.
Five stars, one thousand thumbs up!