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THE TREATMENT REGISTRY
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cosmetic surgery

Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation involves the placement of silicone or saline implants to increase breast size or restore volume. Fat transfer (lipofilling) is an alternative for modest increases. The procedure is performed under general anaesthesia and typically takes 1-2 hours. Implant placement can be subglandular or submuscular.

By The Treatment Registry

Quick Facts

Price range
$3,000–$8,000 USD
Recovery
14 days
Sessions
1
Category
cosmetic surgery
Anaesthesia
General or local
Min. stay abroad
14 days
Price Range (International)
$3,000–$8,000 USD
Average Recovery
14 days
Typical Sessions
1
Category
cosmetic surgery

Overview

Breast augmentation under general anaesthesia typically takes sixty to ninety minutes. The surgeon creates a pocket either above (subglandular) or below (submuscular or dual-plane) the pectoralis major muscle, accessed through an incision at the inframammary fold, around the areola, or within the axilla. The implant — pre-filled silicone gel, saline-filled, or a structured variant — is inserted into the pocket and positioned symmetrically. The incision is closed in layers and a supportive surgical bra is applied.

Candidacy assessment includes evaluation of existing breast tissue volume and ptosis, chest wall anatomy, skin quality, and the patient's aesthetic goals. Patients with significant ptosis may require a concurrent mastopexy (breast lift), which adds surgical complexity and scarring. Submuscular placement is associated with lower capsular contracture rates and more natural appearance in patients with minimal native breast tissue but involves a more involved recovery. Dual-plane placement is a common compromise. Women with a personal or strong family history of breast cancer should discuss screening protocols with their oncologist before proceeding.

Initial recovery involves moderate discomfort, particularly with submuscular placement where muscle movement causes pain for one to two weeks. Patients are typically advised to avoid raising the arms above shoulder height and strenuous upper-body activity for four to six weeks. Implants generally settle into their final position over three to six months. Long-term surveillance is recommended, as silicone implant rupture may be silent and detectable only on MRI.

Key Considerations

  • Implant choice (cohesive silicone, smooth/textured, projection) drives long-term outcomes
  • Pocket placement (submuscular / dual-plane / subglandular) affects capsular contracture risk
  • BIA-ALCL surveillance applies particularly to textured implants
  • Implant passport (manufacturer, model, lot, surface) is essential for life-long surveillance

Cost Breakdown

Breast augmentation pricing typically encompasses the surgeon's fee, implants, anaesthesia, theatre facility costs, and a surgical bra. The implant brand is a significant cost variable: premium brands (Mentor, Allergan/Natrelle, Motiva, Sebbin) carry higher per-unit costs than generic alternatives but offer more comprehensive manufacturer warranties. Patients should confirm the specific brand, series, and catalogue number of the implants to be used, as quoted prices from different clinics are not directly comparable without this information.

Costs commonly excluded from headline prices include pre-operative blood tests, medical consultations and suitability assessments, the anaesthetist's fee if charged separately, post-operative medications, compression garments beyond the initial surgical bra, and any overnight hospital stay required beyond the standard day-surgery model. Implant warranty programmes (which may cover rupture-related replacement costs for ten or more years) typically require registration and are manufacturer-specific; patients travelling abroad should ensure the warranty is valid internationally and retain all documentation.

Reported outcomes

Detailed outcomes →

Complication rate

10.00%

Range 5.00–15.00%

n=1 study

Revision rate

15.00%

Range 10.00–20.00%

n=2 studies

Aggregated from peer-reviewed systematic reviews on PubMed. How we extract these rates.

Common Risks

  • Capsular contracture (hardening of tissue around implant)
  • Implant rupture or leakage
  • Changes in nipple or breast sensation
  • Implant malposition or asymmetry
  • Infection requiring implant removal
  • BIA-ALCL (rare lymphoma associated with textured implants)
Detailed risk profile →

Alternative treatments

Other clinically reasonable options for the same condition. The right alternative depends on the patient's specific anatomy, comorbidities, and goals — discuss with a treating clinician rather than self-selecting from this list.

Credentials a clinic should hold

Specialty-board certifications and facility-level accreditations relevant to this procedure. Verify on the issuer's public register before booking — most issuers publish a searchable directory.

  • ISAPS member surgeon

    Issuer International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

    Individual surgeon membership; requires national-board certification in plastic surgery plus peer endorsement.

    Verify on the issuer's register →

  • National plastic-surgery board certification

    Issuer Country-specific (e.g. ABPS in US, BAAPS in UK, SBCP in Brazil, KSPRS in South Korea, ASPRS in Australia)

    Specialty-board certification in plastic surgery from the surgeon's country of practice. The single most important credential for any cosmetic or reconstructive procedure.

    Verify on the issuer's register →

Current clinical trials

Ongoing research studies registered on ClinicalTrials.gov whose intervention involves breast augmentation. This is a neutral pointer to public research — not an endorsement, not a recruitment drive, and not medical advice. Trial status changes often; confirm eligibility and current status with the study team via each record.

Showing 6 recent ongoing studies. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov — all matching trials (U.S. National Library of Medicine, public domain). Retrieved 2026-08-02.

Published research on complications after treatment abroad

Papers indexed in Europe PMC whose title or abstract refers to Breast Augmentation in the context of medical travel together with complications or outcomes. Listing is a pointer to the literature — not a finding about any clinic, country or this procedure's safety, and not medical advice. Read the paper; abstracts are not summarised here.

Source: Europe PMC (open REST API), query run 2026-10-04. see all matching records.

Recovery Timeline

Average recovery for Breast Augmentation is 14 days. Individual recovery varies — always follow your surgeon’s specific guidance.

  1. 01Day 0–1

    Immediate

    First 24–48 hours post-procedure. Monitoring, anaesthesia recovery, initial pain management. Most clinics expect you to remain on-site or nearby.

  2. 02Day 2–4

    Early recovery

    Wound care, swelling or bruising peaks, restricted activity. Typical window for follow-up visits and drain removal if applicable. Travel is usually not advised.

  3. 03Day 5–10

    Intermediate recovery

    Gradual return to non-strenuous daily activity. Many international patients fly home during this window. Surgeon may require medical clearance for long-haul travel.

  4. 04Day 11–14

    Full recovery

    Return to full activity, exercise, and work. Final results may still be settling. Final follow-up with local doctor recommended.

In the first one to three days post-operatively, any surgical drains (used in some cases) are monitored and typically removed before discharge. Discomfort is most pronounced during this period, particularly with submuscular placement, where chest tightness and difficulty raising the arms are common. Patients are fitted with a supportive surgical bra, which is worn continuously for four to six weeks. Light walking is encouraged from day one; however, lifting anything heavier than approximately one kilogram and overhead arm movements should be avoided for the first four to six weeks.

By two weeks most patients are comfortable at rest and able to manage light daily activities, though driving is generally not recommended for two to three weeks. Return to non-strenuous work is typically possible within one to two weeks. High-impact exercise and heavy lifting remain restricted until the six-week mark, when the surgeon usually reassesses the wound and implant position. The implants gradually soften and descend into their natural position over three to six months as the surrounding tissue accommodates them — this settling process, sometimes called dropping and fluffing, determines the final appearance.

Medical Tourism Considerations

Breast augmentation is commonly sought abroad as a single-trip procedure, and this is generally feasible for uncomplicated cases. Patients should plan to remain at the destination for a minimum of seven to ten days to allow for wound inspection, early identification of complications (haematoma, seroma, early infection), and suture or drain management if applicable. Long-haul flights in the early post-operative period carry a heightened risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism due to immobility combined with a pro-coagulant surgical state; compression stockings and prophylactic low-molecular-weight heparin should be discussed with the surgical team before flying.

Critically, the implant brand and product details must be documented and retained by the patient. If implant rupture, malposition, or capsular contracture develops months or years later in the home country, the treating surgeon will need exact implant specifications. Some implant warranty programmes require that any revision surgery be reported to the manufacturer; an overseas original procedure may complicate this process. Patients should identify a plastic surgeon in their home country before travelling who is willing to provide long-term follow-up and manage any late complications.

Questions to Ask Your Clinic

  1. 01What implant brands do you use?
  2. 02What is your capsular contracture rate?
  3. 03Do you use textured or smooth implants?
  4. 04What is the implant warranty?
  5. 05How do you determine the appropriate implant size?

Breast Augmentation — registry coverage by country

Bar length shows how many clinics in our registry offer breast augmentation in each country. Shading shows the verification status mix. International price range is $3,000–$8,000 USD across all countries; we do not currently hold per-country clinic pricing suitable for side-by-side comparison.

Verified Partial Unverified Flagged
Turkey1Hungary1South Korea1Poland1

Browse all destinations offering Breast Augmentation →Detailed cost breakdown →

Clinics Offering Breast Augmentation

4 clinics in our registry

What do these verification statuses mean?

  • Verified

    Accreditations, corporate registration, and published reviews independently checked against primary sources.

  • Partially verified

    Some fields confirmed from primary sources; others self-reported by the clinic and awaiting verification.

  • Unverified

    Listing is based on public information but has not yet been independently verified against primary sources.

  • Flagged

    Credible concerns identified. Red flags are documented on the clinic page. We never soften or remove warnings.

Full verification methodology →

Estetik International

Istanbul, Turkey·Est. 1999·Verified 2y ago

FlaggedTier 2Flagged

A multi-specialty cosmetic surgery hospital in Istanbul operating since 1999. A JCI accreditation claim could not be verified in the JCI accredited-organisations directory (flag raised 25 July 2026; directory re-checked 14 August 2026) and is flagged as unconfirmed in this registry. The hospital has a dedicated international patient department. The hospital does not publish pricing online, requiring consultation for quotes.

Proceduresrhinoplastybreast augmentationabdominoplastybreast augmentation submuscular
4.3/5(2,340 reviews)
KCM Clinic Krakow

Krakow, Poland·Est. 2010·Verified 2y ago

Partially VerifiedTier 2

A cosmetic and reconstructive surgery clinic in Krakow serving patients from across Europe. The clinic offers rhinoplasty, breast surgery, and body contouring procedures. All surgeons are registered with the Polish Chamber of Physicians and hold specialist board certifications.

Proceduresrhinoplastybreast augmentationabdominoplastybreast augmentation submuscular
AccreditationsISO 9001:2015
4.6/5(340 reviews)Pricing published
Budapest Aesthetic Surgery Institute

Budapest, Hungary·Est. 2009·Verified 2y ago

Partially VerifiedTier 2

A cosmetic surgery clinic in Budapest's District V offering rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, and body contouring procedures. Surgeons are registered with the Hungarian Medical Chamber. EU patients benefit from cross-border healthcare protections.

Proceduresrhinoplastybreast augmentationabdominoplastybreast augmentation submuscular
4.5/5(410 reviews)Pricing published
Gangnam Beauty Surgical Clinic

Seoul, South Korea·Est. 2015·Verified 2y ago

Partially VerifiedTier 2

A cosmetic surgery clinic in Seoul's Gangnam district specialising in rhinoplasty and breast augmentation. The clinic does not publish pricing on its website, requiring direct consultation for quotes.

Proceduresrhinoplastybreast augmentationbreast augmentation submuscular
4.3/5(156 reviews)

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do breast implants last?

Modern silicone and saline implants do not have a fixed expiry date and do not need to be routinely replaced on a set schedule. However, the likelihood of complications such as rupture or capsular contracture increases over time, and many surgeons advise revisiting the question of replacement at ten to fifteen years.

Will breast implants affect mammograms or cancer screening?

Implants can partially obscure breast tissue on standard mammography, so patients should inform the radiographer before each screening appointment. Additional imaging views are used to visualise as much tissue as possible, and MRI may be recommended for monitoring silicone implant integrity.

What is capsular contracture?

Capsular contracture occurs when the natural scar tissue that forms around any implant tightens excessively, causing the breast to feel firm, look distorted, or become painful. It is the most common long-term complication of breast augmentation and may require surgical treatment in more severe cases.

Can I breastfeed after breast augmentation?

Most women can breastfeed after breast augmentation, as the implants are placed below or beside the glandular tissue rather than within it. The periareolar incision approach carries a slightly higher risk of affecting milk ducts; patients concerned about future breastfeeding should discuss incision choice with their surgeon.

Silicone or saline — which is better?

Silicone gel implants are generally considered to have a more natural feel and are the most widely chosen option globally. Saline implants are filled after insertion, allowing a smaller incision, and any rupture is immediately evident as the saline is harmlessly absorbed. The choice depends on individual anatomy, preference, and the surgeon's recommendation.

Will breast augmentation leave visible scars?

All breast augmentation approaches involve incisions that will leave scars. The inframammary (under-breast fold) approach is most common and leaves a scar that is concealed within the crease. Scars typically mature from pink and raised to pale and flat over twelve to eighteen months.

How soon can I return to exercise after breast augmentation?

Light walking is encouraged from the first day to reduce DVT risk, but upper body exercise and anything that engages the chest muscles should be avoided for four to six weeks. High-impact activities such as running are typically cleared at the six-week follow-up appointment.

Is it safe to fly after breast augmentation?

Most surgeons advise avoiding long-haul flights for at least seven to ten days post-operatively due to the elevated DVT risk. If flying is unavoidable, compression stockings and staying well hydrated are essential, and prophylactic anticoagulation should be discussed with the surgical team.

Key terms

Glossary entries associated with breast augmentation

ACHSIAnaesthesiologistArbitration (Medical)ASA ClassificationAutologous Fat TransferBaseline ImagingBoard CertificationCannulaCapsular ContractureCase ManagerCédula ProfesionalCertified TranslationClaim DenialCOFEPRISComplicationCross-Border Healthcare DirectiveDeep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)DNV GL HealthcareDrain (Surgical)Duty of Care

Subtypes

Variants of Breast Augmentation with distinct techniques, indications, and trade-offs.

Submuscular Breast Augmentation

Submuscular breast augmentation places the implant beneath the pectoralis major muscle, in contrast to subglandular placement under the breast tissue alone.

Compare Breast Augmentation vs Submuscular Breast Augmentation →

Conditions treated

Clinical conditions for which breast augmentation is a treatment-ladder option.

Breast volume or asymmetry concerns

Related Procedures

Other cosmetic surgery procedures in our registry

Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)Rhinoplasty

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