Where authority meets affection: why Pamela Massuia — through strategy, care, and high performance — has become the most trusted surgeon among Brazilian businesswomen
- Evely Oliveira
- 3 hours ago
- 9 min read
'HEALTH' EDITION COVER - NOVEMBER 2025 ISSUE
There are journeys that don’t begin with certainty — they begin with courage. And there are women who, even before knowing who they would become in the world, already carried within themselves the most essential gesture of medicine: care.
She is the daughter of a Psychologist and an Engineer; she grew up surrounded by deep conversations, discipline, and affection. The older sister of twin brothers who became engineers, a Taurus with a steady soul, and today, at 43, she looks at her story with the serenity of someone who walked through difficult roads and still chose, always, to keep going.
Motherhood, loss, persistence, love, and vocation shaped the woman who would become not only a Plastic Surgeon, but a safe haven for other women — especially mothers — to rediscover their self-esteem.
Medicine was not a straight path. It took years of doubts, attempts, entrance exams, changes, longing, intense work, and debts that surpassed half a million reais. But there was one thing that never dissolved: the calling. The calling to care.
During her residency, she realized her gaze wasn’t just technical — it was sensitive. Reconstruction, burns, anatomy, and the delicacy of detail guided her toward Plastic Surgery. And the Operating Room, with its sounds, smells, and rituals, became synonymous with Belonging.
Her deepest specialization, however, wasn’t born in a hospital. It was born at home.
Valentina and Lucca: the silent revolution of motherhood
With the arrival of Valentina and, later, Lucca, everything changed. Her body, rhythm, priorities, and identity were reorganized. And it was precisely in that intimate mirror — the same one where so many women also see themselves — that she found her most human purpose.
As she experienced her own post-pregnancy changes, she began welcoming other mothers who were seeking not just a renewed body, but a rediscovered identity. That was how her most defining specialty was born: the mommy makeover, a surgical gesture that restores not only shape, but energy, belonging, and self-esteem.
Since 2018, she and Ricardo — a Neurosurgeon, husband, and partner for 22 years — have transformed RP & Clinic into a space where science, care, and humanity walk side by side. They met in their first year of medical school. He became her emotional strength, her structure, her silent support. She often says she had many angels along the way.
And there was one greater angel: her father.
Alzheimer’s arrived early, at 54. She witnessed everything. She cared for him until the very last day — the day he passed away in her arms after she asked him, with love and pain, to rest. That farewell deeply shaped the way she sees life, the body, and beauty.
She does not believe in excess. She does not believe in procedures that deform identities. She does not believe in aesthetic trends that sacrifice health. Her style is quiet luxury: elegant, discreet, minimalist results that respect each woman’s body.
In her consultations, she dedicates more than an hour to every patient. She sketches every contour. She draws futures. They leave with markings. And they laugh. And they recognize themselves again.
In the postoperative period, she is there — literally. When it’s time to close their eyes. And when it’s time to open them again. She gives her personal number. She answers everything. With two children, a busy life, consultations, and surgeries. But she answers. Because, as she says: “They chose me.”
For her, beauty is not born from the scalpel. It is born from the sum of attitude, energy, and presence. There are people who look beautiful but cannot sustain that beauty in daily life. And there are ordinary people who become extraordinary through generosity, lightness, and character.
The future of aesthetics, for her, fits into one word: harmony.
The simple. The elegant. The lasting.
Fashion has always been part of her life. A self-declared shopaholic (now a little less because of the kids, she says with a laugh), she believes that dressing is an emotional mirror — and that aesthetic well-being also involves the way we move through the world.
This story is not about plastic surgery. It is about courage. About a woman who went through debt, loss, motherhood, exhaustion, and difficult choices. It is about someone who found in Medicine not just a career, but a space of emotional healing for herself and for other women.
Her story isn’t beautiful because it is perfect. It is beautiful because it is real.
And now, after seeing her through the “lens” of narrative, it is time to hear her own voice — the one that deepens, completes, and reveals her journey even more.
1. When you look back on your journey, what is the first memory that connects you to medicine? Was there a moment — a “click” — when you realized Plastic Surgery was your place in the world?
Medicine wasn’t my first choice. Veterinary Medicine and Journalism were the careers that came to my mind.
When I was little, I had a dog who suffered from seizures. I helped care for him during his episodes. He stayed with me until he was 18, and his name was Luck. I always had this feeling of healing and caring inside me, but I knew it wouldn’t be with animals, because I felt too sorry for them. I couldn’t imagine myself operating on a dog (laughs). Plastic surgery came much later.
Getting into medicine was an achievement — a very hard path. I took entrance exams for three years. When I began considering private universities, I also applied in Portugal. I lived there for three months, and it was an incredible experience, but a sad one. Missing my family and seeing myself alone every day made me anxious. I came back.
I applied for Dentistry at Fuvest and private universities, hoping for a scholarship — and I passed. On the day of freshman initiation, my mother arrived with a little towel embroidered with a tooth. I was very upset.
That wasn’t the future I wanted.
Later that afternoon, after showering and still washing off the paint, I went on the PUC-SP website and, to my surprise: I had passed! It was a mix of happiness and sadness. I called my father right away. He asked me:
“What do you want, sweetheart?” And I answered: “Medicine.”
In that moment, the desire appeared stronger than ever. And that was it.
I spent months taking the Cometa bus from São Paulo to Sorocaba — full days of classes, an exhausting routine right from the start. After three months, I realized it would be impossible to continue living in São Paulo.
I would have to move to Sorocaba — another expense.
My father could only afford the first month’s tuition. The rest I pursued through scholarships. I graduated with student debt from PUC and FIES — more than 500 thousand reais, with interest.
In medical school, I constantly thought about Gynecology. In my fourth year, I decided to intern in the field — I didn’t like it. It wasn’t something I could see myself doing for a lifetime. So I considered General Surgery and then, maybe, Vascular or Plastic Surgery.
Plastic Surgery — from burn care to reconstruction to aesthetic procedures — always fascinated me. Being in that environment was what I wanted. The smell of the operating room, the scrubs, everything enchanted me.
It wasn’t easy. Six years of medical school, two years of General Surgery, three years of Plastics. Then, back in São Paulo, I chose to pursue yet another post-graduate degree in Facial Surgery, Rhinoplasty, and Advanced Cosmiatry.
But today, my greatest focus came from my own transformation as a mother. After Valentina, my world changed. I have two children — Valentina, who is turning eight, and Lucca, who just turned five. My body changed. My purpose did too. I began attracting women who had also gone through profound body transformations and were seeking a new version of themselves after motherhood.
And that’s when mommy makeover surgeries began — the procedures I perform most today.
2. Is there a phrase, principle, or philosophy that defines your vision of beauty?
For me, beauty is only complete when combined with attitude. How many people are beautiful, but the sum of their behavior and energy doesn't make them that beautiful after all, right? On the other hand, some people are so charismatic, pleasant, and full of good energy that they become special — and beautiful, yes.
3. How do you balance Technique, Science, and Aesthetic Sensitivity at the center of each procedure?
Exaggeration has never been part of my training. I never liked the overly dramatic results I saw from some mentors. Elegance and beauty always go together.
Beauty, in a minimalist and non-extravagant context, is where I find myself. And it’s not easy to work within that line, because it’s very fine.
Many times I say “no” to patients — and yes, I lose the surgery — but I remain loyal to what I believe. Because I know that sometimes a request might cause harm to that body or result in excess.
I like caring and providing safety as if I were the patient, or someone in my family.
The culture of my clinic is built on principles of Respect, Care, Empathy, and Nobility. My patients come to me because of this — not just the surgical technique. It’s like: “a mother taking care of me and helping me return better to my family.”
4. In your opinion, what is the biggest myth about plastic surgery that still needs to be dismantled?
That plastic surgery will give you a body transformation you didn’t build throughout your life. If you don’t change your habits, you will lose everything it gave you.
We surgeons create beautiful body contouring, but not all of the success comes from the Operating Room. Half is mine, and half is the patient’s. Discipline and consistency must be present for the results to last.
5. How do you believe your approach sets you apart from other professionals in the field?
I am known for giving a lot of attention and follow-up. I’ve always liked caring, listening, and understanding every phase of the postoperative journey.
I stand out in many aspects, starting from the very first consultation: I spend more than an hour with each patient. I already draw on her body everything I will do in the operating room — they leave the consultation fully marked (laughs). They love it!
I am present in the immediate postoperative period. I am there when they close their eyes and when they open them again.
Afterwards, they have my personal phone number. I am the one who replies. Not my nurse or my physical therapist — me, helping with every detail.
Even with two children and the busy life of a mother and a woman, I am there for them. They chose me.
6. Can you recall a specific case in which you witnessed a patient’s emotional transformation beyond the aesthetic results?
I have so many stories of change and rebirth from this “new woman” that it could easily become a full TV series! In fact, we’re launching a segment on social media called “After the kids, before myself”, where I’ll share these real cases of habit changes, behavior shifts — everything that happens after plastic surgery.
7. What do you consider a successful surgery? Is it the physical result, the spark in their eyes, the newfound confidence?
For me, a successful surgery is one without serious complications — when, in the postoperative phase, the patient feels well, without pain, and begins to notice her transformation day after day, feeling truly happy.
8. Being a woman in Medicine — especially as a Surgeon — is still a challenge? What was it like earning your place in a historically male-dominated environment?
Today, women have gained significant visibility in Plastic Surgery, especially Brazilian female surgeons. I believe we are capable, detail-oriented professionals, and because of our focus on safety and care, many patients prefer to undergo surgery with women.
This feminine eye for detail — the kind only another woman truly sees and understands — makes a real difference. Even when it comes to embarrassment, such as in intimate surgeries: many patients still don’t feel comfortable with male surgeons.
9. You have a very distinctive visual style. Do fashion and medicine intersect in your routine? How does your image communicate your positioning?
Fashion and plastic surgery are deeply connected. The body is shaped alongside each woman’s personal style. Most patient concerns come precisely from discomfort with clothes, necklines, and how pieces fit.
In my daily life, I like to express femininity with elegance and clean, structured cuts. I seek authority and respect, but without losing the essence of being a woman, a mother, and a professional.
I believe our visual positioning inspires other women and attracts those who feel connected to me in some way.
10. If you could summarize the future of beauty in one word, what would it be?
Harmony. Simplicity, without excess. Quiet luxury. Just like in fashion, exaggeration gives way to what is elegant and harmonious.
11. What message would you like to share with women who want to transform their own story — whether in aesthetics, in their career, or in life?
In life, regret always comes from what we didn’t do. What we did and didn’t go as planned becomes learning.
I encourage my daughter every single day to stay true to herself — to her desires — without hurting or stepping over anyone. What belongs to her will come through effort and with God guiding her path.
And I’ll be here, cheering and praying for her to make good choices.
To every woman, I say this: don’t procrastinate. Stay in motion. The universe will always be on your side.
