Christian Subbio, MD

Hello, fellow RS'ers! I wrote this review 10 days ago, but I had some IT issues. Today I am 3.5 weeks pt-op and feeling great! I'll make a seperate review for how I feel now.
Anyway, this is what I'd written on 12/27/24 :)I am currently 16 days post-op abdominoplasty with the gifted Dr. Christian Subbio. While I still have a LOT of healing to go, I'd like to share some important and hopefully helpful details. There will be more to come if anyone finds this helpful.I should start by making a disclaimer. I work in the same field as a nurse, with a background primarily in facial plastic surgery (although I have experience with general plastics as well) and aesthetic injectables.Also, I am no stranger to receiving both elective and health-required surgery. I have experienced massive surgeries (ex: lumbar spinal fusion surgery) and also elective procedures, so maybe over a dozen surgeons have operated on me with general anesthesia. I say this to point out that I have had several surgeons to compare Dr. Subbio to, both good and not so good.While I thought I knew exactly what to expect pain-wise/ recovery/ bruising/ swelling/ etc., I was still very nervous about the recovery from this surgery, because of exactly what I knew. Sometimes knowing too much is not a good thing, ya know? Ironically, knowing Dr. Subbio's work and his results are second to none, I had virtually no concerns or worries about my results. But pain and pain management... that was a different story.Ok! So, first thing first: Dr. Subbio is incredibly patient. He listens to all of your concerns and answers all of your questions, whether you think they're silly or not. His bedside manner is gentle and calming yet humbly confident. Despite knowing me and knowing I have plenty of clinical knowledge on this procedure, he still took the time to answer all of my questions. He treated me no differently from any other patient, professionally and seriously.Dr. Subbio's staff is definitely a reflection and an extension of himself, second to none. Chelsea, Margot, Amber, EVERYONE there are incredible, kind, nonjudgmental, helpful, attentive, and knowledgable.Pre-op instructions were crystal clear. All labs and anything needed were outlined and highlighted clearly, and Chelsea (and Margot, etc.) delivered them articulately. My husband (who is not medical at all) had no issues following directions for medications or post-op instructions. He said all of the instructions were laid out perfectly for anyone to follow easily.Dr. Subbio operates out of Paoli Hospital. We live in center city Philly, which is about an hour-ish away. Because we needed to be at the hospital at 5 am and Dr. Subbio's office the next day for post-op day 1 check-up, we opted to stay at the Marriott AC across the street from his office the night before and the night after surgery. (The Marriott AC there is new, beautiful, immaculate, and deserves a glowing review of its own, if I'm being honest!). I wanted to be close to the hospital/ his office because I was nervous about a long car ride the day of and after surgery and not being able to tolerate it. Knowing what I know now, the hotel for this distance was NOT necessary, but it did provide us a great deal of peace of mind.From the moment we walked in the door at Paoli Hospital, the entire staff (both the administrative and healthcare staff) was super friendly, calming, and accommodating. Once I was taken back, I kissed my husband, and they said they’d call and text him as soon as he was out of surgery and update him on when to come back. My husband really appreciated that so he could get himself something to eat, get me something to eat for when I was awake, and kind of set up the hotel room to be ready for me after, etc., and didn’t feel like he was sitting around waiting without a clue.When Dr. Subbio came into the pre-op area to say hello and make me up for the procedure, I casually mentioned I was a little nervous. He stopped to take the time to ask me what I was nervous about, like which part was making me nervous. For those of you with little to no experience with surgery, please hear me when I say this is a BIG deal. The OR in a hospital runs on a VERY tight schedule, and this is NOT the time for a patient to ask questions or voice hesitations. ALL concerns and questions should be fully satisfied prior to this moment, if for no other reason than out of respect for the dozens of hospital staff working on this schedule, other surgeons also operating that day, and the patients that come after you. It’s kind of like the airport; if that first flight is delayed, the rest of the flights, people, and the airport are a mess. My concern was about the pain for the first 24 hours, and the first 3-5 days. I knew once I was “over the hump,” I’d be ok, but I was scared of unattainable pain management.Friends, let me please tell you, do not worry unnecessarily like I did! While it’s true I have had traumatic experiences waking up from anesthesia in the past and endured two back-to-back spinal fusion surgeries, I am a total baby and have zero pain threshold left. Pain-wise, I am over it. But THIS, the tummy tuck with Dr. Subbio was maybe a 4 out of 10 pain at most, and even less when the meds were fully on board. There is a delayed-release, injectable pain medication Dr. Subbio uses during surgery that, when injected strategically and expertly, will keep you pretty dang comfortable! I was SHOOKETH! Like, mind FULLY blown! The delayed-release meds start to kick in about a day after surgery when the meds they use in the OR start to wear off, so there was no “dip” in pain control.Dr. Subbio will also prescribe you narcotic pain meds, then tell you about when to expect to transition to ibuprofen and Tylenol only (in addition to other meds like antibiotics, etc.). I was only on the heavy Rx meds for 1.5 days, and no one was more surprised than ME! Post-op day 3 I was on Tylenol and Ibuprofen ONLY for pain… never would I ever have believed that.Don’t get me wrong; you are sore AF, swollen, bruised, have drains (usually for the first 7-9 days), are in a compression binder, and Gd forbid you need to sneeze or really need to cough hard… that HURTS. Also, if your husband is half as funny as mine is, I recommend having someone else take care of you (lol) because laughing really hard also HURTS. (only half kidding here lol, laughing till you cry has a new meaning now) However, given the extent of the surgery and the change that is happening, the recovery pain was virtually nothing.Personally, my drains came out on Post-op day 8, and that was a great comfort to have them gone. They don’t hurt or anything; they’re just super annoying, and after day 5 I was over them. When my drains came out (gently and expertly removed by Margot), I was taken out of the binder and given a “Faja” to wear with some foam to go over my belly.And that’s where I am today! I am standing about 90% straight up now. I’ve been sleeping in bed (as opposed to a recliner) for the last 3ish nights, and I’m independent in the house. It’s still super swollen, and the bruises are fading greenish and all those lovely colors lol, but I could not be happier at this point! Please ask if anyone has any questions or if I left out something you want to know more about! I’ll be posting pics ASAP, too.Good luck on your journey, everyone! I hope it’s as smooth for you as it’s been for me!

Updated on 27 Jan 2025:
Here’s a bunch of me before the procedure. I’m sort of changing the way Instand or whether I contract my abs or not. The lax skin was just too much for me. Posting after pics next.

Updated on 27 Jan 2025:
Sorry I don’t have pictures of days one through four after surgery. I was just resting and not moving much, just trying to recover.
Like I said, my pain was managed much better than I expected! It looks worse than it was. But I just wasn’t moving much or taking pictures those first few days.

Updated on 27 Jan 2025:
Some of the bruising on my thighs is from the blood thinner injections I was giving myself per the doctors orders for the first several days. I bruise easily also.

Updated on 27 Jan 2025:
In some of these pics I’m contracting my abs and some of these I’m not, and just loose/relaxed. If you see the same post twice, you’ll see how my stomach looks a little bit different.

So far I’m AMAZED with the results!!
I’m back to the gym this week and it feels great to be moving again and I hope to get in even better shape!

We’re going on vacation in a few weeks and I have never been more excited to wear a bathing suit! Now there’s something I thought I’d never say lol

Updated on 12 Feb 2025:
I always wondered in some after pics of people were contracting their abs/ holding it in or not. It does make a difference! So I have pics of both- me contracting my stomach muscles and also me just loose and relaxed.

Updated on 12 Feb 2025:
There’s a thing called hemosiderin staining, which is when the bruises go away but there’s a stain left behind. It’s temporary but takes a longtime to go away entirely. Here a pic of the bruises rot after and then what you can still see 9 weeks later.

Updated on 12 Feb 2025:
The bellybutton looks so good!

Updated on 18 Mar 2025:
As expected, as the welling comes down and I heal, it continues to look even better! I’m still in compression day and night, per their instructions. I also have a little silicone “plug” that’s taped to sit in my bellybutton to help it shape and heal nicely.

These pics were from a long weekend we took over Valentine’s Day weekend, so I was just 2 months post-op here!

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

If you're shopping around for plastic surgeons in the Philadelphia & beyond area, stop now and wait for a consult with Subbio. He did my breast augmentation revision 2 months ago & I could not be more pleased (legit tears of happiness) with the results. I was unhappy every day since my first augmentation (PS: it can really take a toll on your mental health when you change your body and spend a bunch of money and the results are awful). Now, I feel so much better & joyful looking in the mirror.

Subbio & all his amazing staff (Chelsea, Amber, literally everyone in that office) are the best people in the world and made my experience top-notch from scheduling my consult to post-op care. When I called around for revision augmentations, a lot of plastic surgeons wouldn't give me the time of day, as they didn't want to "fix someone else's work." Chelsea made me feel heard and recognized from that very first phone call and made me feel not crazy for being unhappy with my results.

In 2022, I made the mistake of choosing another local Philadelphia surgeon who did not really take the time to assess my discontent with my breast shape, size, and overall aesthetic. Some doctors just aren't as obsessed with perfection as Subbio and don't treat each case as unique as breasts are. TBH, I didn't realize how complex breast augmentation surgery is before I got to know Dr. Subbio. As a result, I ended up with breasts that should have been lifted and implants spaced too far apart. I literally had the silicon valley between my implants and had better cleavage before surgery.

Flash forward to today, Subbio totally fixed the shape of my breasts, lifted them with minimal scarring, and revised the pockets to give better cleavage and overall look. Some surgeons told me I would need a much bigger implant to achieve these results (which I didn't want due to my 5'3 body and smaller frame) and told me they would never be even due to my breast folds. Well folks...Subbio made magic happen with a very similar-sized implant and by revising my breast folds (something other surgeons won't do). I am obsessed with the size, shape and feeling my new boobs give me.

The pain compared to my first surgery was also way more minimal. After my first augmentation in 2022, I was on lots of painkillers and felt excruciating pain. When Subbio called me the night of my surgery (yes, he'll call you personally which made me feel in such good hands), I was on 0 drugs and felt like a million bucks. I was shocked at the difference, as I was expecting to feel the same pain. He really is meticulous, as my scarring is barely noticeable (even with a lift).

I love how educational Subbio is and how he takes a no BS approach to informing patients about the pros, cons and reality of plastic surgery. I've learned so much from being his patient and would recommend him and his team to anyone - near and far.

Dr Subbio and all of his staff were truly amazing throughout the entire process - I am extremely happy with my results and had a great experience from start to finish. Several close friends and a few acquaintances have asked me about my procedure and I was happy to recommend such a wonderful place. Well worth it!

Dr. Subbio is by far a true artist! His work hands down is so spectacular. I met with other plastic surgeons before meeting with Dr. Subbio and they all told me I would not be happy with my end results. Dr. Subbio reassured me he could not only get me the look that I wanted but I would be pain free after as well.

I had 23 year old saline breast implants over the muscle that had developed severe capsular contracture. I was living in pain, discomfort, formed symptoms of breast implant illness from having implants in my body for over 23 years. Dr. Subbio took his time to discuss removing the implants, lifting my breasts and adding a small fat transfer and I couldn't be more thrilled with my results 5 weeks post op!

Thank you to Dr. Subbio and his amazing staff for their kindness, warmth and compassion during this crazy time! Paoli surgery center was wonderful as well. Thank you again to Dr. Subbio and his wonderful staff!.

Outstanding! I’ve suffered from cystic acne, rosacea, and skin reactions since having my son 16 years ago. I’ve done levulan with PDT 5 times. 4 of the treatments kept me clear for a year or more each. The 5th treatment, with a different practice, left me burned and with an infection permanently discoloring my skin. I’ve been on antibiotics, retin-A , done chemical peels, and been prescribed 2 rounds of accutane. Finally I called Subbio’s practice and was seen by Dani, the medical aesthetician. She was familiar with all that I’ve gone through (levulan is not a well known treatment for acne, hence the burns) and took the time to look at my history as well as my skin. I’ve done 3 rounds of BBL Forever Clear with BBL Forever Young. After the very first treatment the daily irritation that I had was gone, my skin didn’t look “reactive” and red. I even noticed the scarring from my burns didn’t look so brown. I will continue with my treatments knowing that I have found optimal care in Dani’s hands. Subbio’s practice has the equipment to help my skin recover from 16years of damage and Dani has the knowledge, patience, and a genuine commitment to patient care.

I'm 36 and or over 20 yrs I suffered from mild-severe acne, cystic/hormonal acne, LARGE pores, uneven skin tone and texture, dark spots, etc. Finally decided to get Pixel laser to give my face a "fresh start". The Morpheus procedure was the most painful, pixel not too bad and the PRP was last but hurt like hell bc my face was disintegrated at this point. Hope the pain is worth it can't wait to see my results over the next few weeks!! NOTE: The procedure was done by Dionna (N.P.) from Dr. Subbio's office. Dr. Subbio did NOT perform any of my listed procedures for today.

Updated on 27 Aug 2020:
Day 2 the pain has subsided just about completely. There is some tightness if I smile or eat but nothing uncomfortable. Was very tired today. Did a few vinegar soaks and used Stratacel both yesterday and today. Did one wash with Cetaphil foam and put aquaphor on top of the stratacel. Starting to “bronze” and get tiny scabs but not as bad as I expected. Still red and pimples coming to head but I’m not going to touch. It’s 12am and I’m starting to ITCH but I have Benadryl on deck!!

Updated on 29 Aug 2020:
Skin is becoming more itchy and now peeling, mainly lower half of my face. Cheeks, nose, and under bottom lip are very soft now. Yesterday my pores were nonexistent but they are showing again. My face literally LOOKS exactly the same prior to procedure which is bumming me out. It only feels softer where skin has peeled. Still see pores, dark spots, and redness. I used Cerave moisturizer lotion today vs aquaphor ointment bc I have a lot of errands to run today and I didn’t want the thickness on my face. The edges along hairline are still scabby and rough. Hope this changes over the next few days I’m ready for new skin!! Did light makeup too but it was pointless. I had 2 very prominent pimples the day of procedure, they’ve come to head and popped while I was washing face so they’re red and ugly. Hopefully it goes away soon!

Updated on 7 Sep 2020:
ATP the only positive from this procedure is the texture of my face has drastically softened and is smoother. My bb cream looks better when I put it on now. My dark spots and pores are still very much visible. I still get redness and blotchiness patches on my face. I am almost 2 weeks in and I’m feeling like it was a waste of money. I’m not sure if it’ll get better only time will tell.

Updated on 6 Jul 2021:
Originally I had questioned if this was even worth it or not. It’s been about 11 months now and I’ve def noticed changes. My skin isn’t how I thought it’d be but it is def noticeably better texture wise. I think laser has also helped my serums penetrate more effectively giving me better results. I still have very noticeable pores and some spots, but the texture has dramatically improved. It’s so nice and smooth when previously it was rough and just felt very uneven and yucky. I advise anyone in their 30s to get this done to basically burn off all those years of product buildup and caked up bs on your face!! I think getting another round or BBL/HALO will get me where I want to be.

I met with three PS on the Main Line, and purposely left Dr. Subbio for last. After all my research, I just had a feeling I would know he was the surgeon I needed - and I was right! Meeting with his office staff during COVID was very mind settling; they have amazing protocols in place and everything was meticulously cleaned and spaced out for safety.

Dr. Subbio’s personality makes you feel instantly at ease. He was very honest with me, and was happy to talk about what I wanted and expected. I have saggy, deflated breasts due to extreme weightloss, pregnancies and nursing my son for 4+ years. I wanted my breasts to have a better appearance, but did not like the thought of implants. Dr. Subbio never pushed or tried to persuade me into implants after I said I didn’t want them. He suggested a lift and a modest fat transfer, which would give me the result I wanted in a procedure that I was comfortable having.

My pre-op screenings, testing and scheduling was seamless! Chelsea is an absolute Goddess, she is always available to speak with and answer my million questions.

I had my surgery at the Paoli surgery center on 8/12, and now I’m recovering at home. I have spoken to Chelsea since, and I do have Dr. Subbio’s phone number in case I need anything.

Recovery is rough, but I would not change a thing!

Updated on 14 Feb 2021:
I just passed my six month mark and wanted to provide an update.

Overall, recovery went well! The muscle repair is intense, I was in a lot of pain for about a week. I had next to no pain in my breasts, I was too focused on the TT/MR pain to even notice.

I have lost quite a bit of volume from the fat transfer to my breasts, perhaps all of it. I know that fat transfer results are very varied, and I’m still so much happier with the look of them.

I also have a “roll” of loose skin/fat between my breasts and belly button, as well as a small but constant pooch in my lower abdomen between my hip bones. I mentioned my concerns at my last appointment, and next month we will discuss them further.

Dr. Subbio immediately validated my concerns, and didn’t make me feel “selfish” or “petty” for the issues I had. I have complete confidence that we will be able to come up with a plan to resolve them.

Seriously, you will NOT find a better doctor to take your body and transform it. I cannot recommend him enough.

I wanted lip injections forever but feared I would end up with weird looking duck lips or a weird tire looking effect. My lips were getting so wrinkly and they are a bit wide to begin with so I wanted to be sure to find the right injector. Dr. Subbio is absolutely amazing. He takes his time. He was sure to inject in the right places to flatter my lips. This was also a painless experience as well because, he numbs you so well you cannot feel a thing. He used Versa filler which is a HA. He also uses a canulla so there is very little bruising and swelling. I went back to work the next day. It is so fun putting on lipstick now. His pricing is also extremely reasonable and I would say for his level of expertise it is the best around!!

I just wanted to share my experience hoping to help others! I am a 40 year old mother of 3 breastfed children. I have never really had breasts until I was pregnant and nursing. I was a C cup for about 6 years. I shrunk down to be pretty flat chested. I finally did it! I had my BA yesterday and things are going well so far. I’m not in too much pain but did have a tough time sleeping last night. I feel bloated today. Taking prescribed medications as well as a stool softener and gas-ex.

I am 1dpo and totally in love with my new breasts. They still have lots of dropping and fluffing of course but i know they will be perfect. I am 5'5, 125 pounds, 400cc ideal implant, under the muscle. Best decision ever.

Updated on 17 Oct 2019:
I can’t resist the desire to take a photos every chance I get for progress. Here’s another day 1 post op take a bit later in the day

Updated on 18 Oct 2019:
Still in love with my boobs. Tracking my progress as often as possible. Woke up with my boobs hard and tight. Very uncomfortable. Took a pain pill and arnica immediately. 3 hours in Im feeling ok. Not sure if that was the dreaded "morning boob" but I'm glad it's over.

Updated on 27 Oct 2019:
I’m healing extremely well! Virtually no pain, just occasional tightness from slightly “over doing it.” I have 2 little ones so it’s a bit hard to full relax and recover lol. But again, no complaints, my surgeon is extremely responsive via text and I’ve appreciated it big time. Steri strips are almost ready to come off too. Very minimal bruising. Love love love them already!!!

Updated on 4 Nov 2019:
Loving my results more and more. Soft and dropping nicely, my incision scars are healing well and I’ve already started with silicon strips. Surgery and recovery has been a breeze so far. I’ve been sleeping on my side for some time and have no pain or discomfort. Probably will make my way back to the gym soon for basics like the stair climber and other low impact lower body/abs.

Updated on 18 Nov 2019:
Not sure exactly what size I am but home measurements puts me around a 32dd which seems about expected. The bralette is from target and size medium, previously I was a small. Will wait one more month and surgeons clearance to get fitted and possibly decide on underwire bra. So far so good, just waiting for the right one to round out at bottom.

Updated on 18 Nov 2019:
Deflated 32b but probably really an “A” cup. Mostly wore sports bras...