| Born and raised in Italy,
Dr. Renato Calabria grew up with an appreciation for
different forms of art. It was in Italy, that he received
his medical school training, before moving to the United
States in 1984. He completed fellowships and residencies
both at UCLA and St. Francis Memorial Hospital, in San
Francisco. Board certified by the Board of Plastic Surgery,
he is a member of the Los Angeles Society of Plastic
Surgeons and the
Society of Plastic Surgery. Due in part to his European
roots and celebrity clientele, he has gained an international
following and is highly respected and recognized by
his peers as a premier surgeon in his field. In addition
to his busy Beverly Hills practice.
Dr. Calabria also has offices in Westlake Village and
Palm Desert, where he travels each week to see patients.
He is currently in the process of opening offices in
Rome and St. Moritz. The author of numerous plastic
and reconstructive surgery articles, he lectures and
teaches his innovative techniques to sugeons technique
to surgeons who use them in their own plastic sugary
practices.
In a conversation with Dr. Calabria, he gave an insider
look onto new procedures offering the best results with
the least recovery time. He also shared his thoughts
on why our society seems so obsessed with looking young
and staying in perfect body form.
JG: How do you feel about this obvious fixation
with beauty and perfection that our society has?
RC: This obsession with beauty and perfection is mostly
taking place here in Southern California. This is a
very youth oriented environment. People here work out
and live very healthy lives, exercise plays a very important
part of our daily routine. It stands to reason that
if we are spending our time eating right and exercising
to stay healthy, that we want to look as good as we
feel. Looking good is a tremendous boost for one's self
confidence and self esteem, but that happens regardless
of where you live.
JG: Unfortunately, gravity and age work against
us. Going to the gym helps the body, but does nothing
for the face or skin. What are some procedures you feel
confident to offer patients that can restore a more
youthful look?
RC: Volume Restoration plumps up the underlying droopy
tissues in the face caused by age and gravity by adding
volume. The Vertical Face-Lift restores the upper face
by reshaping deeper facial tissues in a vertical direction
for a more natural result and there are no visible scars
and shorter recovery time. The Vertical Face-Lift is
popular because it has a three-dimensional look rather
than a wind-blown look.
JG: Can you tell me more about the Vertical Lift?
RC: The Vertical Face-Lift is an ideal alternative to
the traditional face-lift. It restores volume and lifts
underlying tissues vertically. The procedure reshapes
and repositions deeper facial tissues 99% of face-lift
techniques pull skin in a bi-dimensional way, creating
a flat, unnatural look. Because there is no single technique
that can solve every problem in the face, I incorporated,
modified and changed multiple face-lift techniques.
I introduced this third dimension technique to create
a softer and more youthful look, by restoring, repositioning
and adding volume in the face, with fat grafting to
correct that "sunken in look."
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JG: Is there a permanent
procedure instead of Botox injections every three to
six months to get rid of wrinkles?
RC: I've revamped a procedure I call Permanent Botox
in which I place a single incision (cut) in the eyebrow
muscle, which gets rid of the wrinkle permanently.
JG: Are Brow-Lifts possible without scarring?
RC: The Brow-Lift is the least invasive facial surgery.
Only three tiny incisions in the hairline gets rid of
all the lines that cross the forehead. The eyebrow lift
takes years off the upper face. Botox can do the same
thing, but is a temporary solution to a permanent beauty
problem.
J.G: Any procedures that enhance the skin without
invasive surgery?
R.C: Today's new laser and skin resurfacing procedures,
especially the Foto-Facial Pulsed Light Treatments,
rejuvenate and restore by removing sun damage redness,
wrinkles and blotchy, freckled skin. With no down time,
little discomfort and minimal risk, skin pigment and
tone blend evenly. Results are seen after the very first
treatment. Treatments are performed at three week intervals.
Patients come in, have the treatment and go back to
work. It is ideal for younger patients because it does
not leave a white pasty look and there is no pigmentation
problem as some times happens with traditional laser
treatment.
JG: What about those who exercise regularly and still
have cellulite or can't seem to loose unwanted fat that
is distributed in specific areas on the body. We've
heard about liposuction, but haven't you developed something
that is better at removing fat?
R.C: Power-Assisted liposuction is the procedure and
makes it easier for me to devote more attention to the
detail of creating a smooth and sculpted result. I can
take more fat in a shorter amount of time and the procedure
is safer. Patients receive a local anesthetic with a
sedative, instead of general anesthesia. The bruising
and soreness lasts only three to six days instead of
the usual ten days for traditional lipo.
J.G. Did growing up in Italy influence your artistic
sensibilities?
R.C. Growing up in Italy and being exposed to the arts
definitely shaped my vision of beauty. I like to bring
this perception to my practice. I strongly believe that
Plastic Surgery is a blend of art and science. It is
important for a plastic surgeon to have an innate sense
of aesthetics in order to achieve individual artistry.
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