Get to Know Dr. Mariotti
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When did you realize you wanted to be a plastic surgeon?

I knew from age 8 that I wanted to be a doctor and I knew from my mid-teens that I wanted to be a surgeon. Originally I thought I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon like my dad until I started my residency.

Within 48 hours of being on a plastic surgery rotation, I told my wife, “I’m taking a left turn; I’m going into plastic surgery.”

See Dr. Mariotti’s Credentials

Why plastic surgery?

Plastic surgery is the best combination of medicine, technical know how and creativity. I love the response and the gratitude from my patients. Some of the most thankful are breast reconstruction patients and massive weight loss patients. They often send me heartfelt thank you cards; it’s the sweetest thing.

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Where does reconstructive surgery fit in?

Reconstructive surgery has always been and will always be important to me. In reconstructive surgery, you essentially put patients back together and can make them feel whole again. There is nothing more rewarding than that.

Why do you think your patients choose you?

Obviously, I strive to achieve the best results with their surgery, but it’s also very important to me that they actually like coming to see us. My staff is a big part of that. If you are going to have surgery, whether cosmetic or reconstructive, then we’d like you to feel cared for.

We see to the little details, like providing real cloth gowns, not the uncomfortable paper ones. We think about how we would want to be treated, on the phone or at an appointment and we care for our patients at that level.

• Why Choose Us provides more information about what makes our practice an excellent choice.
• Choosing a Plastic Surgeon describes important qualifications to look for in a surgeon.

Did you have that in mind when you designed your office?

Our office is designed to be comfortable and elegant, but not stuffy. A patient of mine, who was an interior designer, needed breast reconstruction but did not have that offered with her particular insurance, so we worked out a trade.

I did her breast reconstruction and she designed every last detail of my office so that it didn’t look, feel, or smell like a doctor’s office – a place where my patients would actually want to go and have a cup of coffee.

Why did you choose to practice in the Bay Area?

I’m a local boy; the Bay Area is home for me. I grew up 15 miles away from my office, in Pinole. I had the opportunity to go to the East Coast for medical school and saw what other parts of the country are like.

After residency, my wife and I knew we were headed back home. Geographically, California is just a great place to live. My wife, three boys, and I love that we can go skiing or go to a San Francisco Giants game – it’s all close by.

What are you like outside the office?

I like to build, to put things together, as well as garden. I have been growing heirloom tomatoes for many years. I can get pretty grubby-looking from working in the garden on the weekends.

My wife jokes that nobody would believe I was a plastic surgeon if they met me outside the office; I’m just a local guy who just happens to be blessed with having a job I love.