Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation enlarges the breasts using implants, fat transfer, or a combination of both. It is the most-performed cosmetic surgery in the world, and one of the highest-satisfaction procedures when planned carefully and performed by an experienced surgeon.

Our team performs augmentations every week using a disciplined approach: accurate pre-operative measurement, careful implant selection, clean anatomical pocket dissection, and a recovery protocol that prioritises comfort. You should finish the process feeling natural, balanced, and proportional to your frame — not bigger for the sake of bigger.

Who is a good candidate?

Good candidates are in stable health, have realistic expectations about size and shape, and understand the lifetime considerations of breast implants (follow-up imaging, likely replacement decades down the line).

• Patients seeking volume after weight loss or pregnancy.
• Patients with naturally small or asymmetric breasts who want volume and balance.
• Patients rebuilding after breast cancer surgery (reconstruction is a separate consultation).
• Patients seeking volume without implants — fat transfer may be an option, discussed below.

Implant choices

Modern implant options are better, safer, and more natural than a decade ago. The main decisions are:

How long do breast implants last?

Modern implants are not lifetime devices but they are built to last decades. Typical replacement window is fifteen to twenty years — sometimes sooner if a complication arises (capsular contracture, rupture detected on imaging), sometimes longer if everything remains well. We recommend annual check-ups and MRI or ultrasound surveillance every few years after the ten-year mark.

Material: silicone vs. saline

Silicone gel implants — specifically cohesive "gummy bear" silicone — are our default. They look and feel closer to natural breast tissue and do not ripple under thin skin. Saline is available but used less frequently in modern practice.

Shape: round vs. anatomical (teardrop)

Round implants give upper-pole fullness. Anatomical implants follow the natural slope of a breast. Both produce natural results when chosen appropriately for your anatomy and goals.

Placement: over vs. under the muscle

Under-muscle (submuscular or dual-plane) gives a more natural upper slope and reduces visibility in thin patients. Over-muscle recovery is faster but less forgiving in slim patients. Your surgeon will recommend based on your tissue.

Incision: inframammary, periareolar, or transaxillary

Inframammary (under the breast fold) is the gold standard — hidden in the fold, excellent surgical access, low complication rate. We prefer this for most cases.

For specific anatomies we also use:

• Axillary (transaxillary) — incision in the armpit, leaves no scar on the breast itself. Works for saline or certain pre-filled silicone implants.
• Periareolar — incision along the lower border of the areola. Excellent scar camouflage when the areola-to-skin transition is clear, though it can affect future breastfeeding more than the inframammary approach.
• Transumbilical (TUBA) — rarely used today. Incision in the navel, implants tunnelled up to the pocket. Saline only.

Fat transfer breast augmentation

For patients who want a modest size increase without implants, fat transfer — harvesting fat from the abdomen, flanks, or thighs and grafting it to the breasts — is a real alternative. Expect a one to one and a half cup increase per session, with a natural feel and no implant to manage long-term. Not all fat survives: around sixty per cent graft take is normal.

Fat transfer is ideal when you have sufficient harvestable fat, want a natural look, and are comfortable with the modest size change. For larger augmentations, implants remain the right tool.

The procedure, step by step

Performed under general anaesthesia, typically one to two hours. One night in hospital.

The surgeon makes the chosen incision, creates the implant pocket in the selected plane, places the implant, and closes in layers with dissolvable sutures. A supportive surgical bra is applied in theatre.

Recovery timeline

First week

Expect chest tightness and mild to moderate soreness — manageable with prescribed painkillers. Sleep on your back with your upper body slightly elevated. No heavy lifting, no driving.

Weeks 2–3

Most patients return to office work by the end of week one. Arm movement is gentle — no pushing, pulling, or overhead work.

Weeks 4–6

Light exercise resumes. Swelling continues to settle. The implants drop and settle into their final position over the next three months.

Months 3–6

Final shape. Softness improves steadily. Scars begin fading to fine lines.

Risks and realistic expectations

Augmentation is safe in experienced hands but not risk-free. Honest risks include capsular contracture (scar tissue tightening around the implant), rippling in very thin patients, asymmetry requiring minor revision, and the eventual need for implant replacement — typically fifteen to twenty years, sometimes sooner if complications arise.

Breast implants are not lifetime devices. Plan for follow-up imaging and the likelihood of a replacement decades later. Your surgeon will walk you through the BIA-ALCL monitoring protocol and the small but real risks involved.

Why Istanbul

Board-certified plastic surgeons, JCI-accredited theatres, and European-standard implants (Motiva, Mentor, Allergan). Volume and experience match anything in Milan or London — at a price that makes the travel worthwhile.