Where is Rasheera Dopson now? Dr Paul Nassif helps 'Botched' patient regain hearing after 104 procedures
ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Rasheera Dopson, who has two extremely uncommon disorders, was born without a right jaw bone or ear. 'Botched' Dr Paul Nassif took skin from her other ear and tummy to replace the old tissue before reshaping and restoring the appearance of her right ear.
He also placed a new hearing device on her left side. He injected fat from Rasheera's tummy into her jaw to improve facial symmetry.
Rasheera went to Dr Colleen Moryl for a hearing test two months after her operation. She believes her ear now better suits her features as a result of 'Botched' doctors.
Previously, it was somewhat flat. It has more body and volume now. The Atlanta native can now wear sunglasses and earrings. Rasheera is confident that her ability to hear fully now will assist her with her PhD studies.
Since her 'Botched' appearance, Rasheera seems to be doing well, as per her Instagram. She continues to use her platform to create awareness around disability, through her own experience.
Who is Rasheera Dopson on 'Botched' Season 8?
Rasheera, MPH, works as a qualitative researcher at Morehouse School of Medicine's National Center for Primary Care.
Her intersectional research methodology has helped institutions, organizations, and teams promote equality and reduce health inequalities in a variety of underrepresented populations through education, and community-engaged, policy-focused advocacy work.
She is also the founder of the Dopson Foundation, an organization dedicated to advancing and improving professional, health, and social fairness for women and girls with disabilities.
Rasheera is a podcaster, author, qualitative researcher, and Excellence in Inclusion Fellow at Northern Arizona University's Institute of Human Development.
31-year-old Rasheera was born with two uncommon disorders and underwent over 103 ear and jaw surgeries before contacting 'Botched' specialists.
She has Goldenhar syndrome and VATER syndrome, which means she was born without a right jawbone and ear.
Her over-century procedures were scheduled every six to eight weeks for four years, during which she underwent jaw and ear reconstruction surgery.
However, the doctors were able to graft her a new ear using two of her ribs, a bone from her hip, and some of her hairline. But Rasheera simply wants her right ear to resemble her left ear. She also wanted to be able to hear with her right ear.
Her hearing equipment (which she got first at the age of 27) was out of date before she went to the 'Botched' doctors. It has caused her considerable discomfort in recent years and continues to leave her deaf on the right side.
Rasheera also informed E! that her right ear grows hair, so she needs to shave it every one to two weeks. Growing up, her right ear has remained unchanged since she was seven years old.
Rasheera recalls children saying not to touch her because she had a contagious illness. "They would call me gorilla face," she explained.
What happened to Rasheera Dopson on 'Botched' Season 8?
Dr Terry Dubrow questioned Rasheera why, with such a fantastic early-stage auricular repair, doctors did not take it a step further. She explained that she was feeling unwell since she was having surgery every six to eight weeks.
The 31-year-old also had open-heart surgery since her heart became so weak from the procedures. This ultimately prompted her doctors to stop.
During Rasheera's medical checkup, Dr Nassif noted some discoloration surrounding the implantation. The 'Botched' doctors believed that Dr John Reinisch could help Dr Nassif make Rasheera's ear more natural.
Dr Reinisch, a microtia expert, joins Dr Nassif for Rasheera's operation. Due to her airway reconstruction, the 'Botched' doctors performed the surgery using just local anesthesia.
The 'Botched' doctors began with Rasheera's right ear and removed the hair-bearing skin. Meanwhile, Dr John Frederick harvested skin from beneath Rasheera's left ear and stomach.
They then extracted the ear skin from the left ear, made a full-thickness graft, and implanted it on the right ear, where the hair-bearing skin had been removed. Following that, the doctors plucked skin from her stomach and placed it in the defect behind her left ear.
Then Dr Reinisch and Dr Nassif modified the appearance of the right ear to match the left side. Next, they extracted fat from Rasheera's tummy and injected it into her face to create symmetry.
Finally, Dr Reinisch inserted a bone-conducting hearing implant behind her right ear. She was brought in for LED therapy two days after her operation to help her with pain relief.
Who is Dr John Reinisch on 'Botched' Season 8?
Dr Reinisch is a world-renowned microtia surgeon headquartered in Beverly Hills, California.
In 1991, he developed the unique MEDPOR® reconstruction process, which provides several benefits to children and their families.
Dr Reinisch's medical practice in Southern California treats patients from all over the world and has treated thousands of patients with microtia, aural atresia, traumatic deformity restoration, and revision of unsatisfactory operations.
Patients and other physicians come from all over to meet Dr Reinisch and benefit from his expertise, innovative procedures, and compassion.
'Botched' Season 8 airs on E! Entertainment on Thursdays at 10 pm ET.
