Deutsch
Español
Français
العربية
Română
Русский
Breast implant revision (implant replacement) in Istanbul
For women whose implants have hardened, ruptured, moved or no longer suit them: when replacement makes sense, what surgery involves and how recovery usually goes.
- Operation time Depends on the steps planned; no set length
- Hospital stay Hospital or day surgery; an adult with you the first night
- Time in Istanbul At least 5–7 days before flying home
- Back to work Individual; agreed with your surgeon
What is breast implant revision?
Breast implant revision is an operation to remove existing breast implants and replace them with new ones. It often includes other changes: a different size, shape or fill, a reshaped pocket to correct position, removal of a hardened capsule, or a lift or reduction. It is usually done under general anaesthesia. Swelling takes at least six weeks to settle, and the breasts can take 6–12 months to feel normal.
What it can do
- Replace ruptured, ageing or unwanted implants
- Change size, shape, style or fill, such as saline to silicone
- Reposition an implant that has moved
- Remove part or all of a hardened capsule
- Add a lift or reduction in the same operation
What it cannot do
- Make implants last a lifetime
- Rule out capsular contracture coming back
- Always reach the ideal result in one operation
Is it right for you?
Revision is considered when the implants or the breast around them have changed. Suitability is decided only at an in-person examination with imaging.
Usually a good fit if
- Hard, painful or distorted breasts from capsular contracture
- A rupture or deflation shown on imaging
- An implant that has moved out of position
- A wish for a different size or style, or silicone instead of saline
- Good general health, a stable weight, no smoking and realistic expectations
Better to wait or consider alternatives if
- No symptoms, with lymphoma worry about textured implants as the only reason: regulators do not advise removal for that alone
- Smoking that you cannot stop around surgery
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding or a weight that is still changing
- Hoping that one operation will settle everything for good
Techniques
Revision has no standard form; it depends on why surgery is needed, the capsule and the tissue over the implant.
Implant exchange
Old implants are replaced, often with a different size, shape, style or fill. Your implant card or operation note shows what is in place now.
Best for
Size or style changes, rupture, ageing implants
Capsule surgery (capsulectomy)
The scar capsule around the implant is left, partly or fully removed, or taken out with the implant in one piece (en bloc). A hardened capsule can return after treatment.
Best for
Capsular contracture, grades III–IV
Pocket correction
The space that holds the implant is reshaped so the implant sits better on the chest.
Best for
Implants that have moved
Revision with a lift
If the skin has stretched, a breast lift or reduction can be added, with incisions around the areola, down to the breast fold and sometimes along it.
Best for
Stretched or sagging skin
Op. Dr. Bilgehan İlker
Specialist in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery
- Specialist training: Dokuz Eylül University
- Medical degree: Trakya University
- Health tourism authorization: ST-2657
- Dr. İlker speaks English and Turkish.
How Dr. İlker approaches breast implant revision
Op. Dr. Bilgehan İlker is a specialist in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, trained at Dokuz Eylül University. Revision starts from what is already there: your implants, the capsule around them and the tissue covering them.
Options are discussed after an in-person examination and up-to-date imaging, never from photographs alone, and you sign written consent before any operation.
- Implant history first Your implant card or operation note shows the brand, size, fill and placement.
- Imaging before decisions A mammogram, ultrasound or MRI may be requested to check for rupture.
- Every option compared New implants, a lift or removal without replacement are compared side by side.
- Monitoring explained You leave knowing how new implants should be checked and which warning signs matter.
The operation, step by step
The usual sequence; details depend on your examination and plan.
-
Consultation and imaging
Your goals, symptoms and implant history are discussed, your breasts examined and your scans reviewed.
-
Planning and consent
Implant choice, capsule work, incisions and any lift are agreed, and you sign consent forms.
-
Anaesthesia
Usually general anaesthesia; intravenous sedation is sometimes used.
-
Exchange
The old implants are removed, the capsule and pocket treated as agreed and the new implants placed.
-
Closing
Stitches, skin glue, tape or clips close the incisions. A thin drain may be used, with a dressing and support bra.
Your days in Istanbul
Travelling to Istanbul? Plan around your examination and the wait before flying; your personal plan sets the dates.
-
Examination and tests
Before surgery
Arrive early enough for your examination, imaging review, blood tests and marking before surgery day.
-
Your operation
Surgery day
You go home the same day or stay overnight; an adult should be with you the first night.
-
Rest close by
The first days
Rest, take short walks and wear your support bra. Leave sightseeing, swimming, sunbathing and alcohol for later.
-
Clearance to travel
Before you fly home
UK NHS guidance advises not flying for 5–7 days after breast surgery. Leave with aftercare instructions and your new implant details.
Recovery, day by day
Timings depend on what was done; treat them as typical, not fixed.
- Day 1
Dressings and support
You wake with dressings and a support bra, sometimes a thin drain. Tightness and soreness are expected.
- Days 2–3
Short walks
Rest, but get up for short walks. Care for any drain as shown and avoid heavy lifting.
- Week 1
Before you fly
Keep the support bra on day and night as advised. Wait 5–7 days after surgery before flying.
- Weeks 2–4
Swelling easing
Healing continues as swelling goes down. Return to desk work and exercise only when your surgeon agrees.
- Months 2–3
Softening
From around six weeks the swelling has usually settled and the breasts begin to soften.
- Month 6
Feeling normal
The breasts can take 6–12 months to feel normal, and sensation may return gradually.
- Month 12
Scars and checks
Scars keep fading. For silicone implants without symptoms, the US FDA advises a first ultrasound or MRI at 5–6 years, then every 2–3 years.
Contact us straight away if you notice
- Shortness of breath, chest pain or an irregular heartbeat: call emergency services
- Rapid, painful swelling of one breast
- Fever, or spreading redness and warmth
- Discharge from a wound, or a wound that opens
- Pain or swelling in one calf
- Later on: new swelling, a lump or fluid around an implant
In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
Aftercare at home
- Wear your support bra day and night for as long as advised.
- Care for any drain and dressings as shown, and keep follow-up appointments.
- Avoid alcohol, sunbathing, pools and the sea in early recovery.
- Once healed and allowed, use silicone gel or tape and SPF 30+ on scars.
- Keep your new implant details and mention them before any mammogram.
Risks and how they are reduced
Revision carries general surgical risks and implant-specific ones. Manufacturer-funded ten-year studies show some problems are more frequent after revision than after a first augmentation.
Imaging before surgery, stopping smoking, a medicines review, implants suited to your tissue and careful aftercare all lower the risks, as does knowing whom to contact once you are home.
| Risk | How often |
|---|---|
Capsular contractureThe capsule around the implant tightens and hardens, sometimes painfully. In ten-year studies of revision patients it affected 24.4–28.7%, and it can recur after treatment. | Common |
Further surgeryIn one ten-year study, 43.6% of revision patients had another operation, for reasons such as contracture, position, rupture or size. | Common |
Bleeding, infection and blood clotsBleeding into the breast (haematoma) usually appears in the first 24 hours. Infection, seroma (fluid collection), leg clots and anaesthetic reactions are also possible. | Uncommon |
Changes in sensation and appearanceNipple and skin sensation can change, temporarily or for good. Asymmetry, rippling, persistent pain, poor scarring or a disappointing result can occur. | Varies |
Rare implant-related cancersBIA-ALCL, a lymphoma linked to implants rather than breast cancer, and BIA-SCC can develop in the capsule years later. BIA-ALCL is more likely with textured implants. | Rare |
Results and how long they last
The early result shows straight away, but swelling takes at least six weeks to settle and the breasts can take 6–12 months to feel normal.
One operation does not always reach the ideal result, and your breasts will keep changing with age, weight and pregnancy. Results vary from person to person.
How long it lasts: New implants are not lifetime devices: for many people, replacement or removal comes up after around 10–15 years, and regular checks continue.
With any surgical or interventional procedure, results vary from person to person. We recommend a detailed consultation with your doctor before any procedure.
Before and after
Before and after photos are shared only with patients’ written consent. You can ask to see examples during your consultation.
Before and afterQuestions to ask at your consultation
Take these to any surgeon you see — including us.
- What is causing the problem, and how was it confirmed?
- Which scans do I need first?
- Will you remove the capsule, and how much of it?
- Which implants do you suggest, and why?
- Do I need a lift at the same time?
- Where will surgery take place, and who gives the anaesthetic?
- How should my new implants be monitored?
- Whom do I contact after I fly home?
What shapes your plan and quote
Prices are not published. After your assessment you receive a personal written plan stating what is and is not included.
- Capsule work: none, partial or complete
- Any lift, reduction or pocket correction
- The implants chosen
- Anaesthesia, hospital stay and imaging
- Your length of stay in Istanbul
We do not publish prices: every plan is personal and is written for you after your assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Do breast implants need replacing every 10 years?
No, there is no fixed replacement date. Implants are not lifetime devices and their lifespan varies; for many people, replacement or removal comes up after around 10–15 years. In one manufacturer's ten-year study, 81.8% of women still had their original implants.
When should breast implants be replaced?
Revision is usually considered for a painful or advanced capsular contracture, a rupture, an implant that has moved, or a wish to change size or style. If your implants cause no problems, no rule says they must be replaced at a certain age.
What is capsular contracture?
Every implant is surrounded by a capsule of scar tissue. In capsular contracture this capsule tightens and hardens. It is graded from I (soft, natural-looking) to IV (hard, painful, distorted). Grades III and IV may need surgery, and contracture can return afterwards.
How do I know if my implant has ruptured?
A saline implant visibly deflates when it leaks, and the body absorbs the salt water. Most silicone ruptures are 'silent', causing no symptoms, so they are found on imaging. MRI is the most reliable test; ultrasound is acceptable if you have no symptoms.
Does a ruptured implant have to be replaced?
A ruptured implant should be removed as soon as reasonably possible. Whether a new implant goes in its place is a separate decision you make with your surgeon. Some women choose implant removal without replacement, sometimes combined with a lift.
Can I change size, or switch from saline to silicone?
Yes. Changing size or style and switching from saline to silicone are common reasons for revision. In one ten-year study, more than half of all further operations on implants were done for cosmetic reasons, such as a change of size or style.
Is revision riskier than a first breast augmentation?
Some risks are higher. In ten-year studies, capsular contracture affected 24.4–28.7% of revision patients and 43.6% had a further operation, higher figures than after a first breast augmentation. These studies were funded by manufacturers, and your own risk depends on your history.
I have textured implants and no symptoms. Should I replace them?
The US FDA and the UK MHRA do not recommend removing implants in women without symptoms because of BIA-ALCL risk alone. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons supports a shared decision based on your wishes, weighing the size of the risk against the risks of surgery.
How long is recovery after implant revision?
Most people recover over several weeks. Swelling takes at least six weeks to settle, and the breasts can take 6–12 months to feel normal. Return to work and exercise depends on what was done, so your surgeon gives you dates after the operation.
When can I fly home after implant revision in Istanbul?
UK NHS guidance advises not flying for 5–7 days after breast surgery, because surgery and air travel both raise the risk of blood clots. Book your return flight with that margin, leaving time for a final check-up before you leave.
Medical informationThe information on this page is general information only. It is not medical advice and does not replace a diagnosis or treatment. Every surgical and interventional procedure carries risks, which will be explained to you in detail during your consultation. Whether this procedure suits you can only be decided after an in-person examination and assessment. We encourage you to also seek independent advice from your own doctor before deciding.
A conversation, at your pace.
Thinking about replacing your implants?
Tell us what has changed and share your implant details if you have them. We will explain the next steps.
- Nef 22 Ataköy, D Blok, Kat 1, Daire 36, Çobançeşme E-5 Yanyol Cad. No:22, Bakırköy / İstanbul
- Monday to Saturday, 10:00–18:00
- +90 542 280 27 51
- Dr. İlker speaks English and Turkish.
Thank you — your question has reached the clinic.
The team will reply using the contact details you gave. If you would like to talk sooner, continue on WhatsApp — your request is already written for you.
Continue on WhatsApp