Terry E. Restivo, DO

Dr. Restivo is the absolute best! She has the sweetest most sincere bedside manner and genuinely cares about her patients. Her calm confident personality will put any anxious person at ease. She is realistic with your expectations and not pushy about anything! She has made me a client for life after a few different procedures and I will never go anywhere else!!

I had not only a tummy tuck but breast augmentation done as well. So far my outcome has been good. No infections, thank goodness. I feel as though I am my own worse enemy though, I start to feel good but soon my body tells me no..
Dr. Restivo is very patient and understanding. Before my surgery I had already had 2 consultations with other doctors and when meeting with her I immediately knew she was the one. I look forward to getting past my 6 month mark.

There are not enough good things to describe Terry. She has amazing bedside manner and is very knowledgeable. She was open to talking with other professionals about my situation to make sure we proceeded properly and with care. So far I'm very happy with the result . She was always available by text, wait time in the office was minimal if ever any. She is amazing.

My first encounter with Dr Restivo was in 2008, when she was on the medical staff in the trauma bay at a hospital in Oakland. In the days after a devastating and traumatic injury, she repaired my face with skill and caring. A few years later, she brought me into her current cosmetic practice to discuss beauty enhancement options for the lasting effects of my trauma. I am beyond thrilled with the results. Dr Restivo has great taste. She understands the beauty needs of her patients, but also that the larger goal is self-confidence and empowerment of women. When you are her patient, you feel cared for, you feel you are a part of her life.

I recently went to see Dr. Terry Restivo and the staff at Aesthetic Surgery Center of Napa Valley to investigate going forward with a cosmetic surgery procedure involving having Voluma injections injected in the hollow areas of my face to bring back the volume I once had. After going forward and having the procedure performed, I can honestly say that I have nothing but great things to say about Dr. Restivo and the staff at Aesthetic Surgery Center. I found Dr. Restivo to be a highly competent and professional surgeon. I found her to be extremely caring. She listened to my concerns and goals, and she fully answered and addressed many of my questions that I had prior to undergoing the procedure. She explained the benefits as well as the risks and complications associated with my procedure. She fully addressed whether I was a good candidate for this procedure, as well as where and how she would perform my procedure. She also fully explained that there was a very minimal recovery period associated with this procedure which I liked to hear as I am a very busy mother. Obviously, she also explained the benefits and what needed to be done in order to accomplish my goals. After careful consideration with Dr. Restivo, I decided to proceed, and my end result is very pleasing. It is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you Dr. Restivo for being there for me!

Colleen Terri Reed

A few weeks ago, I had a consult with Dr. Restivo at Marin Plastic Surgery Specialists on Bon Air Road in Greenbrae, CA for cheek fillers. I have had cheek fillers in the past (by a nurse and wanted to switch to an MD). I get cheek fillers because I had significant weight loss several years ago and the skin on my face is loose and I'd rather not have surgery.

When Dr. Restivo first walked in she asked me if I was sick (there's a point to this later in the story). I explained that I have allergies. She suggested Voluma filler for my cheeks. She showed me a before and after picture of a woman who had had it. And of course she looked amazing. Dr. Restivo asked if I wanted to get it done, but did not tell me the cost. I had to ask for the written estimate. I told her I'd like to call my husband to discuss. She left the room and returned a few minutes later for a decision. I decided to do it. She took a before picture.

I paid for two syringes; I suppose one in each cheek. I am not really sure how we are supposed to trust exactly how much gets used. Most places allow you come back for touch ups, which did not happen here.

Once Dr. Restivo was done, I asked if she was going to take an after picture . She said, "no, you are wearing the after pic." I thought that was a bit odd.

At first, I noticed that my eyes seemed to look worse after the injections. I have hoods (drooping lids), bags, and dark circles. When I had my previous fillers(by someone else), my eye issues looked better! I assumed it would get better. Then I went to an event and people took photos of me. Oh my gosh, my eyes looked half closed!!!! My best guess is that the fillers are too high and caused a "heaviness" look. I don't know exactly why it happened, but it happened. *side note* post-procedure, the office called to ask how I was doing. I said all was fine. I was in the middle of doing ten things at once, and quickly answered. I also hadn't seen photos of myself yet. This was referenced today as a debatable point which is why I am mentioning it.

Fast forward to today when I went in to discuss my concerns about how my eyes looked. Dr. Restivo walked in and the first thing she asked me was if I am sick. I once again explained that I have allergies. I showed Dr. Restivo the pictures of myself that I referenced above. She barely looked at them. She proceeded to take an after picture of me and then compare my before picture. She argued with me that I was wrong. And the before/after pictures made it even more apparent!!! I wish I had asked her to send them to me. I said that I didn't want to debate, I just wanted to find a solution. Then she said my eyes looked liked that because of my Botox injections. I DID NOT get Botox injections!!!! I couldn't believe she said that. I explained that I did not have Botox. Then she said my eyes are puffy because of my allergies. At that point, I realized that she was looking for any reason to say she wasn't going to fix the issue. I once again said I'd like to find a solution. She said she was going to show the pictures to Dr. Poulos. She came back in and said he agreed that there was no issue. I asked how we were going to resolve this. She said in a very snarky voice, "surgery". So I left and said I was unhappy.

Kelly called me about five minutes later and offered to dissolve the fillers but not to refund any money or to re- do the fillers after they were dissolved. So if I chose to dissolve, that would be a complete waste of my money. I asked if there was any filler left in the syringes and if it could be used to put under my eyes. She said there was none left and that we shouldn't add more filler. Then she asked what other ideas I had. I said I wasn't sure because this is not my area of expertise. She offered no more suggestions and we ended the call.

I HIGHLY suggest doing extensive research before going to anybody for this kind of work. I admittedly did not. And I DO NOT recommend Dr. Restivo. You can end up in my similar situation, and clearly she won't fix it. As patients, we are in a vulnerable position and we put our trust in the doctor. It is a tough position to be in which is why I a writing this review. I hope nobody else will have to go through this. This is my first ever review as I believe we all make mistakes, and I haven't felt the need to publicize such. This feels different. I feel completely taken advantage of, and as Dr. Restivo said, I am wearing the work on my face. And it does not feel great. Thank you for taking the time to read.