John G. Apostolides, MD, FACS

I was referred to Dr. A by a Scripps Nurse and a friend. During my consult, Dr. A was very attentive to my concerns and explained the procedure to me in full detail. It was like a breath of fresh air. It was obvious that his education and experience far exceeded any of the other doctors I had spoken with. I walked out feeling very confident and ready to have surgery which was a feeling I had not experience with any of the other consults I had. I was confident that Dr. A was the right choice. I had my implants removed and a lift with fat transfer. Dr. A called a day after the surgery to check in and make sure I didn't have any questions or needs. He answers emails directly and makes sure all your questions are answered. I am currently 2 weeks post op and I am very happy with the results thus far. His office staff is super sweet and helpful.

Hi All! I had a breast reduction procedure beginning of July 2023 and couldn’t have asked for better results so far! Just for reference I’m 32 years old and pretty active (running,boxing,etc). I’m currently 4 weeks post-op and recovering pretty well. When I met Dr A, he was really nice and understanding about the pain and discomfort my breasts were causing. He also asked about the size I wanted to be from my current size (32 DD) and I chose to be a B cup. I liked the fact he respected my wishes and was fine with the size I chose for myself. He also answered all my questions during pre-op and has since been open to contacting him via email about any concerns that I’ve had. If I had to say there were any downsides it would be the bandage used, which is a wound vac. It’s basically a sponge like bandage that heals the incisions via negative pressure.Having the wound vac on was pretty uncomfortable for me personally but the upside was I didn’t have to worry about changing gauzes or having drains. After a week it was removed and since then I starting wearing the surgical bras 24/7. Currently there’s still swelling but I’m allowed to walk and do circuit training. I’m definitely looking forward to final results and getting back to running and other activities! His team is also really nice and attentive. They answered all my questions and were even flexible about my appointments since I was an out of town patient. Overall, if you’re thinking about getting a breast reduction… do it! It’s definitely worth it but also spend time researching the right surgeon for you that will be understanding of your needs. I went to two other surgeons before choosing Dr. A and ultimately I felt he the best fit for me.

I knew I would be facing a mastectomy and breast reconstruction for a while (gene mutation puts me at extremely high risk of breast cancer). I interviewed a few surgeons in my previous medical group, and they all were kind and professional but I never felt 100% confident in their approach for my individual case. A trusted family friend who is in the local medical community highly recommended I seek out Dr. Apostolides if at all possible. This meant a lot to me because this family friend sees procedures from the operating room perspective working with tons of local surgeons.When I had my consult with Dr. Apostolides office I wasn't sure if I would be able to change my medical insurance group to have hime be in-network, but I was so sure after my consultation that frankly I would have taken out a loan if I had to to make it work. From the aesthetic perspective- Dr. Apostolides' work was (by far) above any other portfolio I looked at. I thought at first some of the photos he showed me were elective augmentations because they were so good, but I asked him- each one was reconstructive after mastectomy. His view that just because one has to go through the shock of a mastectomy that we should still love our result at the end was a fresh and welcomed take on this. I won't disparage other doctors but let's just say I saw others who were basically telling me to prepare not to have results I was happy with. I was so relieved to have someone assure me and show me that I could actually be happy with my final results. From a technical perspective, though I am not a physician myself, the choices he makes in approach to the procedure made a ton of sense to me. I could tell he thinks about not only aesthetic results but best practices for healing, post op scheduling that makes sense, etc. No other surgeon I met with was approaching this procedure in the more cutting-edge way Dr. A proposed. From a human perspective, Dr. A is friendly, approachable, kind and confident. I felt I could ask questions both at consult and afterwards without reservation. His office staff is also wonderful, truly. Ashley and Vanessa calmed my nerves and answered all of my questions, and my post-op nurse has been wonderful too! I am two weeks post op from a bilateral mastectomy and initial phase of reconstruction (expanders). I have been well supported and cared for by Dr. A and his office staff every step of the way, including questions I have that seem like they may be silly, I have been reassured and taken care of so kindly! I will update afterwards but this first phase went very well and I can't express enough how grateful I feel to be a patient here.

My outcome far surpassed my expectations and if I could I would give Dr A and his staff 100 stars. I decided to book an appointment with Dr A after seeing my daughters “Mommy Makeover” results. I needed to have my 30+ year old silicone implants replaced and I felt so comfortable with Dr A I decided to do what I jokingly called a “Grandma Makeover” which included liposuction, breast revision and a tummy tuck.

I had been wanting a breast reduction for many years and I was referred to Dr. Apostolides by doctor friend of mine. I had a smooth and easy experiences with his office from the beginning to end. Dr. A explained my procedure in great detail and when I had any questions he responded by email very quickly. I'm very pleased with every aspect with Dr. Apostolides and I also love my results.

I had the very unfortunate luck of testing positive for the BRCA gene mutation. Think Angelina Jolie minus the millions, the fame and the Brad Pitt.. After being told I had an 87% chance of having breast cancer and seeing my mom go through it 3 times, I knew I had to be proactive to possibly save my life. Dr.Apostolides came highly recommended by women in a Facebook support group and by other scripps hospital doctors who were familiar with his work and said he was the best for reconstruction. They were absolutely right! It's so traumatic to basically have parts of your body amputated , especially in your 30s and while I knew having mastectomies wouldn't be pretty, I didn't feel like the reconstruction of my breasts had to be terrible as well. Women deserve to look in the mirror and feel beautiful, not just feel alive. Dr. A instantly settled my nerves when I met him, and answered all of my questions and concerns. I left his office feeling empowered and confident about my future for the first time since my diagnosis. ( The other plastic surgeon I met with at UCSD left me crying in her parking lot.) A few days ago I had my 2nd stage implant reconstruction and although I know it takes time to settle, I'm floored by how beautiful my new breasts look thanks to him. We worked together to create my goal outcome and he delivered beyond my expectations. While I hope you never have to meet him because of cancer, I recommend you look no further for your plastic surgery needs, especially when it come to breast surgery. He's an artist and the nicest guy! Special shout-out to his staff too, Ashley and Vanessa, who make you feel like you are hanging out with friends anytime you go in to their office. I'm incredibly grateful for my experience @Defy!

I had my tummy tuck done almost 5 months ago now, and the results are unbelievable!! Let me start by saying that I've had 3 C-sections and a hysterectomy. My body was completely trashed. My expectation was just to have my clothes fit better.....Wow! I could not believe the results! Not only do I have a beautiful FLAT stomach, almost all of my stretch marks are gone ( and my stomach looked like a road map before)!! All of my previous pre-pregnacy clothes fit, and the best part: my back has stopped bothering me too! Dr Apostolides is the best! I really never even dreamed that I would look this good. I looked at at least 200 before and after pictures from dozens of plastic surgeons, and I have yet to see anyone with results even close to mine!

I will be having a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction soon and my surgeon referred me to Dr. Apostolides. My husband and I met with Dr. A and were very impressed with his professionalism, background and experience. He showed us before & after pics of cancer patients who had reconstruction and were amazed with his work. His staff at Defy was very friendly and welcoming. I feel very confident in having Dr. A as my plastic surgeon for reconstruction.

I highly recommend Dr Apostilides.Very professional, very caring , very good in all aspect on what he does in his profession.. even his staffs at his office are great..Vanessa,Ashley and Pham.. very friendly and accommodating on my needs..Such a great team work!!

I was starting to feel tired looking. my skin was sagging my chin was no longer tight my smile dropped to my mouth. I wanted to feel better about myself feel more confident and look younger. The proceedure was performed at a surgery center which made me feel very comfortable as the staff was very professional and caring and was well equipped. Recovery was much faster and easier than i expected with no pain. I was out and about with very minimal bruising in 2 weeks time. Feeling very confident in my refreshed appearance.I am very pleased with the process from my office visit to today 3 weeks after surgery. My husband says I look 20 years younger need I say more.