Operations to change the size, shape or position of the breasts, to replace or remove implants, to correct asymmetry and to rebuild the breast after cancer surgery. Each procedure page covers recovery, scars and risks in full.
Op. Dr. Bilgehan İlker starts from what you would like to change and from your anatomy: the amount of breast tissue, the quality of the skin and the position of the nipple. The same wish, such as fuller breasts, can lead to different operations in different people.
breast augmentation with implants, or fat transfer breast augmentation using your own fat for a more modest increase.
If you are considering implants to add volume, restore fullness after pregnancy or weight loss, or even out a size difference, this page explains the choices, the recovery, the risks and the long-term checks.
For women who want a small, natural-looking increase using their own fat instead of implants: how much change to expect, how long it lasts and what it means for breast screening.
a breast lift raises the breast and nipple and removes stretched skin. It does not add volume, so it is sometimes combined with an implant.
If your breasts have dropped or lost their shape after pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight change or simply with time, this page explains how a lift works, the scars to expect, the recovery and how long the result lasts.
breast reduction removes breast tissue, fat and skin and lifts what remains.
If large, heavy breasts cause back, neck or shoulder pain, strap grooves or skin irritation, or limit what you can do, this page explains how a reduction works, the scars, the effect on breastfeeding and the recovery.
implant revision replaces implants, and implant removal takes them out, often together with a lift.
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.
For women who want their implants out because of hardening, rupture, symptoms they link to them or a change of mind: what removal involves and how the breasts may look afterwards.
breast asymmetry correction, including tuberous breasts.
For women whose breasts differ noticeably in size, shape or position, including tuberous (tubular) breasts: the options, what surgery can realistically achieve and what recovery involves.
breast reconstruction with implants or your own tissue, planned together with your breast cancer team. Reconstruction is a choice, not a requirement.
For women who have had, or are facing, a mastectomy or lumpectomy, and those born with a breast difference: the options, the timing and each stage of recovery, at your own pace.
nipple correction for inverted nipples or large areolas.
If your nipples turn inwards, or your areolas are larger than you would like, this page explains the options, what surgery involves, how it can affect breastfeeding and what to ask before you decide.
gynaecomastia surgery removes enlarged breast tissue and fat. See also plastic surgery for men.
If you have enlarged breast tissue that has not settled with time or treatment, this page explains what causes gynaecomastia, how surgery removes it, the recovery week by week and how to keep the result.
Implants can last many years, but they are not expected to last a lifetime, and the chance of needing another operation grows the longer you have them. In one long-term study, about a quarter of women having first-time augmentation had a further operation within ten years. For silicone implants, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends a first ultrasound or MRI scan 5–6 years after surgery and every 2–3 years after that, even without symptoms.
A rare lymphoma called BIA-ALCL has been linked to breast implants, most often those with a textured surface. Ask which implant type and surface are planned for you and why, and keep your implant card.
Most breast operations are done under general anaesthetic, often with one night in hospital. NHS, ASPS and BAPRAS guidance is to wait 5–7 days before flying after breast surgery. After an augmentation, for example, most people return to desk work within 1–2 weeks, avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for at least four weeks, and wear a supportive bra day and night as instructed.
Planning to travel? Read travelling to Istanbul for surgery for arrival, flights and blood-clot prevention.
Not automatically. Implants are not lifetime devices, but there is no fixed expiry date: in one long-term study, 81.8% of original implants were still in place after ten years. Implants are replaced or removed when a problem develops, such as capsular contracture or rupture, or when you would like a change. Regular checks, and scans for silicone implants, help find problems early.
For a modest increase, it can be. It uses your own fat, taken by liposuction, so you need enough fat to spare. Part of the transferred fat is reabsorbed: studies report that around 53–62% remains after a year, and in one review about 12% of women needed an extra session. Small firm areas of fat necrosis can form and sometimes need investigation.
Sensation can change after any breast operation. After augmentation, the NHS notes that nipples can become more sensitive, less sensitive or numb, and the change can be temporary or lasting. Reductions and lifts that move the nipple carry a similar risk. Ask how the planned technique is likely to affect nipple sensation, and breastfeeding, in your case.
Yes. Reconstruction can start at the time of the mastectomy or be delayed until months or years later. If you have had radiotherapy, the skin may be too tight for an implant, and your own tissue may then be the better option. Reconstruction does not change the risk of the cancer returning, and it is planned together with your breast cancer team.
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