What Is Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation (augmentation mammoplasty) is a surgical procedure performed to increase breast volume, correct asymmetry, or restore fullness lost after pregnancy and weight changes. The aim is to achieve a proportionate, balanced and natural appearance in keeping with the person's body. Augmentation is performed with a silicone implant.
Augmentation with a silicone implant
This is the most common method. Implants are available in different sizes, profiles and textures (round or teardrop-shaped). The implant can be placed under the breast tissue or under the chest muscle. The placement and implant type are planned according to the existing breast tissue, skin structure and the desired appearance.
Support with fat injection
Op. Dr. Yasemin Aydınlı does not prefer to perform the whole augmentation with fat; the volume comes from the silicone implant. When needed, the patient's own fat is used additionally in the same operation to correct asymmetry between the breasts and to support the implant.
Who is a suitable candidate?
- Those who want to increase breast volume in keeping with their natural structure
- Those who want to regain breast fullness after pregnancy or weight loss
- Those with marked asymmetry between the two breasts
- People in suitable general health with realistic expectations
Who may not be a suitable candidate?
Surgery is postponed during pregnancy and breastfeeding, because breast volume keeps changing in this period. Uncontrolled chronic illness, an active infection or a breast finding that needs treatment are evaluated first. Because smoking impairs healing, stopping before and after surgery is recommended.
The surgical process
- Consultation: your expectations, the implant type and size and the possible risks are assessed together.
- Preparation: preoperative blood tests and imaging are carried out (breast ultrasound under 40, mammography over 40).
- Surgery: under general anaesthesia, the implant is placed in the appropriate plane in a procedure lasting about 45–60 minutes.
- Recovery: mild pain, swelling and bruising are possible; with the doctor's advice and a surgical bra the process is comfortable.
Recovery process — step by step
- The first days: swelling, tightness and tenderness are normal. Most patients are up and about on the first day.
- Week 1: a return to desk-based work is usually possible. A supportive bra is worn.
- Weeks 2–6: strenuous exercise and overhead arm movements are avoided; there is a gradual return to daily life.
- Months 3–6: the implant settles, the swelling disappears completely and the final natural appearance emerges.
Choosing the implant: shape, surface and volume
Shape
There are two basic implant shapes: round and teardrop (anatomical). When it is not chosen too large, a round implant also adapts over time to the natural slope of the breast. The main reason a breast looks overly round and artificial is an implant that is too large for the person's tissue.
Surface
Implants have either a smooth or a textured surface. Textured implants adhere better to the tissue, especially when placed above the muscle, and have been associated with a lower rate of capsular contracture.7 On the other hand, a very rare type of lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) has been described in association with textured implants.1 A sudden, one-sided swelling, usually appearing years later, should be evaluated with this in mind.
Volume
Volume is not just a number. Studies have found body mass index, the thickness of the breast tissue and the size of the volume increase to be factors affecting satisfaction.2 That is why the size is decided at the examination, according to the person's tissue.
Where is the implant placed?
The implant can be placed under the breast tissue, under the fascia of the chest muscle, under the muscle, or in a combined position called dual plane. In a meta-analysis of more than 51,000 patients, capsular contracture (hardening of the tissue around the implant) occurred in about 6.9% of placements under the breast tissue and in about 2% of submuscular and dual-plane placements.3 There is no single right plane. Op. Dr. Yasemin Aydınlı chooses the plane best suited to each patient according to tissue thickness, breast shape and the desired look.
Where is the incision made?
The incision can be made in the fold under the breast, at the edge of the areola or in the armpit. Op. Dr. Yasemin Aydınlı mostly prefers the inframammary fold incision:
- The scar is well hidden within the fold of the breast.
- The implant pocket is reached without passing through the breast tissue and milk ducts.
- Capsular contracture is less common with this incision. In a pooled analysis of studies, capsular contracture was about twice as frequent with an incision at the edge of the areola as with the inframammary fold.8
Risks and the long term
As with any operation, bleeding, infection and scarring problems can occur. Implant-specific risks are capsular contracture, implant displacement and, over time, implant rupture. In a 10-year follow-up study, the confirmed rupture rate among patients screened with MRI was 5.7%, and the most common reason for implant removal was the patient's wish to change size or style.4 Implants are not lifetime devices; regular check-ups are recommended.
If there is also sagging: augmentation or lift?
If the nipple has dropped, an implant alone does not correct the sagging; in that case it can be planned together with a breast lift (mastopexy). In a review of 4,856 single-stage augmentation-mastopexy cases, the overall complication rate was 13.1% and the reoperation rate 10.7%; with careful patient selection these rates were considered acceptable.5
Aesthetic surgery is not about changing a body; it is about revealing that body's most natural, most balanced form.
Most women with implants can breastfeed. In an analysis pooling 11 studies, this rate was about 82%, compared with 88% in women without implants. When interpreting this difference, it helps to know that women who need breast augmentation often already have little breast tissue; part of the difference may therefore come from the existing breast structure rather than the implant. If you are planning a pregnancy, this should be discussed before surgery.
The incision site varies according to the technique (inframammary fold, areola edge, or armpit). Scars fade over time.
It is a procedure performed under general anesthesia, lasting approximately 45–60 minutes.
Implant size, profile and placement are planned during the examination according to your body measurements and expectations.
Most patients return to desk work within 5-7 days; about 4-6 weeks is recommended before strenuous exercise.
Yes; it is enough to mention that you have an implant, and when necessary imaging techniques suitable for patients with implants are used.
Breast implants are not guaranteed for life; their average lifespan is generally stated as 10–15+ years and they are replaced when necessary. Regular check-ups are recommended.
It is the thickening and hardening over time of the natural capsule that forms around the implant. In advanced cases it can cause distortion and pain and may require further surgery.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding change the breast tissue, and this can also affect a breast with an implant. That is why the timing of surgery is discussed according to your pregnancy plans.
References
- Clemens MW, Myckatyn TM, Di Napoli A, ve ark. American Association of Plastic Surgeons Consensus on Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2024;154(3):473–483. PMID 38412359
- Marangi GF, Savani L, Gratteri M, ve ark. Main Factors Influencing Patient Satisfaction After Primary Breast Augmentation: A Prospective Study Based on Patient-Reported Outcome Measures. Aesthet Surg J. 2024;44(4):375–382. PMID 38114077
- Alderhali R, Jamel WA, Dehnadi S, ve ark. Implant Pocket Plane Selection in Primary Breast Augmentation: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Complication Profiles. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2026;50(11):3979–3987. PMID 41748776
- Maxwell GP, Van Natta BW, Bengtson BP, ve ark. Ten-year results from the Natrelle 410 anatomical form-stable silicone breast implant core study. Aesthet Surg J. 2015;35(2):145–155. PMID 25717116
- Khavanin N, Jordan SW, Rambachan A, ve ark. A systematic review of single-stage augmentation-mastopexy. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2014;134(5):922–931. PMID 25347628
- Chen J, Zhu XM, Huynh MNQ, ve ark. Breastfeeding Outcome and Complications in Females With Breast Implants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Aesthet Surg J. 2023;43(7):731–740. PMID 36752943
- Barnsley GP, Sigurdson LJ, Barnsley SE. Textured surface breast implants in the prevention of capsular contracture among breast augmentation patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2006;117(7):2182–2190. PMID 16772915
- Li S, Chen L, Liu W, ve ark. Capsular Contracture Rate After Breast Augmentation with Periareolar Versus Other Two (Inframammary and Transaxillary) Incisions: A Meta-Analysis. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2018;42(1):32–37. PMID 28916908