“The Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Dolores Catania is shrinking down the culture of body shaming through self-confidence.
The 54-year-old reality star debuted on Thursday as the “chief of confidence” for Renuvion, a minimally invasive body contouring medical device and treatment for loose skin after recently undergoing the treatment around her knees — a source of insecurity since she shot to Bravo reality TV fame in 2016.
“I was once knee-shamed on social media very early in the game of ‘Housewives’ for me, first year, first season,” she told WWD. “I had ripped jeans around my knees, and they took a picture — a screenshot of my knees you could see through the hole in my pants, and they put it next to a sonogram of a baby’s face. And for years, I did not wear anything where you could see my knees.”
Dolores Catania
Jessica Bordner
Catania said she had sagging skin in the area due to gaining and losing weight throughout the years, so she previously underwent liposuction, but it only compounded matters. “I got the liposuction without the skin tightening, so it caused more loose skin, I thought that just getting liposuction would fix the issue, but it kind of made it worse because there was no Renuvion,” she explained.
Apyx Medical’s minimally invasive procedure reduces skin laxity through radiofrequency and helium plasma energy, and it can be used alone or in tandem with liposuction.
“Renuvion has given me back that confidence, but it’s something as simple as that, something so hurtful that could have happened in high school or could have happened during childhood that haunts you,” Catania said. “It’s not about being shallow. I’m not a shallow person. I have my priorities definitely where they should be in this life, but I also know that you don’t have to be a martyr, you can make yourself…