Reza Jarrahy, MD

Dr. Reza Jarrahy is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon who specializes in craniofacial surgery, pediatric plastic surgery, and aesthetic surgery of the face and neck. He is a Clinical Professor of Plastic Surgery, Neurosurgery, and Pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Dr. Jarrahy earned his bachelor’s degree from Stanford University. After medical school at State University of New York at Stony Brook, he completed a general surgery residency at New York University and the University of California at San Diego, two of the most competitive surgical training programs in the country. Dr. Jarrahy then went on to complete a plastic surgery residency at UCLA and was subsequently accepted into the prestigious UCLA Craniofacial Surgery Fellowship under the mentorship of Dr. Henry Kawamoto, one of the founders of modern craniofacial surgery. Since joining the UCLA full- time plastic surgery faculty in 2007, Dr. Jarrahy has continued to honor Dr. Kawamoto's legacy by providing leadership and continuity to the UCLA craniofacial surgery program as a mentor to all UCLA plastic surgery residents, fellows, and visiting international scholars. He represents UCLA around the nation and world via his scholarly and philanthropic work.

Dr. Jarrahy also completed three years of dedicated research fellowship during his training, which serves him daily in his role as Director of the Regenerative Biology and Repair Lab at UCLA. His laboratory focuses on stem cell research, tissue engineering protocols, and clinical translation of innovative basic science concepts to patient care. His work has resulted in the publication and presentation of hundreds of peer-reviewed journal publications, book chapters, scientific presentations, and invited lectures around the world.

Dr. Jarrahy has extensive experience in the treatment of the most complex congenital craniofacial differences as well as complex reconstructive surgery of the head and neck, including cleft lip and palate, craniosynostosis repair, jaw surgery, ear reconstruction, craniofacial trauma, and tumor reconstruction.

Through his close collaboration with other specialists, Dr. Jarrahy has also developed a keen interest and expertise in scalp and skull reconstruction, abdominal wall reconstruction, and reconstruction of the lower extremities. He is also committed to treating patients who suffer from chronic pain syndromes and other problems related to peripheral nerve disease, including facial neuralgias, migraine headaches, peripheral neuropathies, and more.

Dr. Jarrahy has more recently applied his two decades of experience in facial reconstruction and aesthetics to help serve individuals seeking gender affirming care, providing facial feminization surgeries and other support to this patient population.

Dr. Jarrahy was recently awarded the Faculty Teaching Award by his residents at UCLA, which he considers to be one of his greatest professional honors. He serves as Assistant Chief of Plastic Surgery at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, Co-Director of the UCLA Craniofacial Clinic, and Co-Director of the UCLA Face Transplant Program. He also serves as a faculty advisor to the UCLA Blum Center for Poverty and Health in Latin America, UCLA Latin American Institute, and UCLA School of Medicine Center for World Health, where he continues to support the development of global health programs for undergraduates, graduate students, and medical students. Additionally, he serves as Surgical Director of the Providence St. John's Health Center Cleft Palate Program, which is one of the nation's longest-running multidisciplinary centers serving children with cleft lip and palate. Dr. Jarrahy sits on the Advisory Council of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, for which he is a Senior Examiner for the ABPS Oral Board Examination. He is also proud to serve as President of the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons, which he will hold through 2024.

Dr. Jarrahy travels overseas multiple times per year to operate and engage in community service projects in developing nations. He was recently honored as a Global Health Champion for Operation Smile, tasked with helping coordinate all global health efforts in Guatemala. Due to these and other humanitarian activities, Dr. Jarrahy was a recipient of the prestigious UCLA Health Teaching Humanism award in 2016.

Dr. Jarrahy is recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally as a leader in plastic surgery, but his passion is to deliver the highest quality health care to his patients here and around the world in the most safe, caring, and compassionate manner possible.

Dr. Jarrahy has joined the illustrious team of surgeons at The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction and The Plastic Surgery Center, with whom he hopes to broaden his impact to patients throughout the United States.