Breast Augmentation in Turkey

Breast augmentation is an operation that increases breast volume, most often with silicone implants and occasionally with your own fat. It is also called breast implant surgery or, informally, a boob job. If you are looking at breast augmentation in Turkey, Plastic Surgery Turkey Group (PSTG) coordinates your assessment, travel and aftercare, and the surgery is performed by the treating surgeon at a contracted healthcare institution in Istanbul or Antalya.

It is chosen by women whose breasts have always felt small for their frame, whose volume has dropped after pregnancy or weight loss, or whose breasts differ noticeably in size. Augmentation adds size and fullness. It does not raise a breast that has dropped or move a nipple that points downwards, and that distinction decides whether an implant alone is the right operation. You can compare the options across our plastic surgery procedures.

This page explains the operation itself: who it suits, the implant choices, recovery and risks. If you would rather see what a whole trip looks like day by day, our all-inclusive breast augmentation guide walks through it.

Breast augmentation at a glance#

• What it is: an operation that adds breast volume with implants, or less often with fat transfer.
• Anaesthesia: general anaesthesia.
• Operating time: usually around one to two hours.
• Hospital stay: most patients stay one night.
• Time in Turkey: many patients plan around five to seven days. The surgeon sees you after surgery and confirms when you can fly.
• Back to desk work: often within one to two weeks. Strenuous exercise, swimming and heavy lifting wait several weeks.
• Final result: implants settle over roughly two to three months, and scars keep maturing for a year or more.
• Usually not advised if: you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you smoke and cannot stop, you have uncontrolled diabetes or high blood pressure or a clotting disorder, or you have an untreated breast lump or abnormal screening result.

Who is a good candidate#

You are likely to be suitable for breast augmentation if you:

• are in good general health and at a stable weight;
• would like fuller breasts, better upper-pole fullness or improved symmetry;
• have nipples that sit at or above the fold beneath the breast, with reasonably firm skin;
• are not currently pregnant or breastfeeding, and understand that future pregnancy can change the result;
• have realistic expectations about size, shape and the likelihood of further surgery over a lifetime.

Augmentation on its own is usually not the right choice if your breasts have dropped significantly, if the nipple sits below the breast fold, or if the skin is very stretched. In that situation an implant tends to sit behind the tissue rather than lifting it, and the surgeon will usually discuss a breast lift or a combined breast lift with implants instead.

Surgery may also be postponed or declined if you smoke and cannot stop, have uncontrolled diabetes or high blood pressure, have a clotting disorder, have an untreated breast lump or abnormal screening result, or are hoping for a change the surgeon does not think your tissue can safely support. Recent breast imaging is often requested, particularly if you are over a certain age or have a family history of breast disease.

Techniques and options#

Most of the planning conversation is about four decisions: the implant, its size, where it sits and where the incision goes. The surgeon makes the clinical recommendation after measuring your chest, breast width and skin thickness. The tables below set the main options side by side.

Implant type and shape#

Size is chosen from your breast width and tissue cover, rather than from a cup size alone. An implant that is too wide or too heavy for your tissue raises the risk of stretching, rippling and a poor long-term result.

Implant placement#

Incision#

Fat transfer as an alternative#

Fat grafting takes fat from areas such as the abdomen or thighs by liposuction and injects it into the breasts. It can give a modest, natural increase, but the volume change is limited, some of the fat is reabsorbed and it needs enough donor fat. It is not a substitute for a larger change.

Breast implants in Turkey: types and what to ask#

Patients often ask whether breast implants in Turkey are different from those used at home. The types are the same ones used worldwide: silicone or saline, round or anatomical, placed over or under the muscle, as the tables above show. What matters is that the details are documented and that you understand why your surgeon recommends them.

Before you agree to a plan, ask in writing:

• which manufacturer and model of implant is planned, and whether the size and profile were chosen from your measurements;
• whether you will receive an implant card with the manufacturer, model, size and batch details, so that your home GP or any future surgeon knows exactly what you have;
• which placement and incision the surgeon recommends for your anatomy, and why;
• what the plan is if you want a different size after seeing sizers at the consultation;
• how rupture and capsular contracture would be monitored and handled over the years, and who you would contact;
• whether revision surgery is covered, under what conditions and for how long.

A surgeon who explains the trade-offs, shows realistic sizing and does not rush you to a decision is giving you the information you need. Our guide on what to check before plastic surgery in Turkey covers questions about the surgeon and the institution.

How the procedure is carried out#

Before surgery you meet the surgeon in person for an examination, measurements and a final decision on implant type, size and placement. Blood tests and any other checks the anaesthetist requests are done at the institution, usually the day before or on the morning of surgery.

On the day:

• the operation is carried out under general anaesthesia;
• it usually takes around one to two hours;
• the surgeon makes the planned incision, creates a pocket in the chosen plane and places the implant, checking symmetry with you sitting up on the table;
• the incisions are closed in layers and dressed, and you are fitted with a support bra.

Most patients stay in hospital for one night so nurses can monitor pain, bleeding and early recovery, then return to the hotel.

Recovery and results#

Recovery follows a fairly predictable pattern, though your surgeon's instructions always come first.

• First few days: tightness and soreness across the chest, often worse with under-the-muscle placement. Prescribed medication keeps this manageable. Short walks are encouraged.
• First week: a follow-up visit checks the wounds. Many patients feel well enough for light activity and a desk-based routine within one to two weeks.
• Weeks two to six: you continue wearing the support bra day and night, avoid lifting your arms under load, and keep away from strenuous exercise, swimming and heavy lifting until your surgeon clears you.
• Two to three months and beyond: the implants gradually settle lower and softer as the tissues relax. Scars start red and firm and usually fade over twelve months or more.

A realistic result is fuller, better-proportioned breasts that suit your frame. It will not make breasts perfectly symmetrical if they started very different, and it will not stop natural ageing. Implants are not lifetime devices: many women need further surgery at some point, for example to replace or remove an implant, or to treat a change in the breast over the years.

This is one patient's result. Starting shape, skin, implant choice and healing all change the outcome, so use photos to understand what is realistic rather than as a promise. You can see more in the breast implant before-and-after gallery.

Risks and limitations#

Breast augmentation is a common operation, but it is still surgery with real risks, including:

• bleeding or a collection of blood (haematoma) that may need a return to theatre;
• infection, which occasionally requires implant removal;
• capsular contracture, where the scar tissue around the implant tightens and makes the breast firm, painful or misshapen;
• implant rupture or leakage over time;
• implant malposition, rippling, visible edges, or a fold such as a double bubble;
• changes in nipple or breast sensation, which may be temporary or lasting;
• asymmetry, a size you are unhappy with, and scars that heal thicker than expected;
• the rare risks linked to implants that are covered in the FAQ.

The risks of the anaesthetic and of blood clots are also discussed before surgery. Smoking, uncontrolled medical conditions and skipping aftercare all increase complication risk.

How the price is built#

A breast augmentation quote is built from a handful of decisions, so two quotes can only be compared once you know what sits inside each. The main things that shape it are:

• the implant: type, manufacturer and model, and whether the surgeon recommends anything beyond a standard round silicone implant;
• the operation: placement, incision and whether a lift or fat transfer is added, which changes it into a different procedure;
• the hospital stay and the anaesthetic, including the anaesthetist and the theatre;
• how long you stay in Turkey and the hotel category;
• what is coordinated around surgery: transfers, interpreter or assistant, medication, support garments, nursing and wound care, follow-up visits and virtual follow-up once you are home.

PSTG gives a written treatment plan and quote only after the surgeon has reviewed your photos and medical history, so the plan matches the operation you are likely to need. When you compare quotes from any provider, ask in writing:

• which implant, by manufacturer and model, is included;
• whether the hospital stay, anaesthetist, medication and support bra are in the price;
• how many nights in Turkey are covered and what happens if the surgeon wants you to stay longer;
• what the revision policy is and who pays for what if a problem appears;
• how aftercare works once you are home, and who you would speak to.

For a full breakdown, see our guide to what shapes the price of breast augmentation in Turkey.

Flying in from the UK, the US or Australia#

Most of our patients travel a long way, and the journey home is part of the plan.

• From the UK: direct flights to Istanbul leave from several UK airports, and the journey is commonly three to five hours depending on where you start. That makes it realistic to travel with a friend or partner and to return for a check if the surgeon asks. Before you go, tell your GP about your plans. Bring home your operation notes, your implant card and a list of the medication you were given.
• From the US and Canada: flights are typically around ten hours or more. Surgeons are often more cautious about when you fly after body surgery, so compression socks, walking and hydration matter.
• From Australia and New Zealand: with connections, the journey commonly takes 20 hours or more each way. Plan a longer stay and ask the surgeon how long they want you in Turkey before a long-haul flight.

Many surgeons advise avoiding flying for a short period after surgery, and yours confirms when it is safe for you. On the flight, walk the aisle, stay hydrated and wear the support bra.

Once you are home, we arrange virtual follow-up with photo check-ins and can coordinate with your home doctor if you need local checks. If you notice signs that cannot wait, such as fever, rapidly increasing swelling on one side, spreading redness, wound opening, chest pain or a swollen, painful calf, seek urgent care locally and tell your PSTG coordinator at the same time. In the UK that usually means your GP, NHS urgent care or A&E; elsewhere it means your doctor or the nearest emergency department. Local services may treat an emergency but may not carry out planned revision work, which is why the revision policy in your written plan matters. Tell any future radiographer that you have implants.

Our comparison of breast implants in Turkey and in the UK, US and Australia sets out the aftercare handoff in more detail.

Planning your treatment in Turkey#

The process usually starts online. You send photos of your chest from the front and sides, your height and weight, your medical history and a note of what you would like to change. The treating surgeon reviews these and gives an initial opinion on whether augmentation alone looks suitable, which implant range may fit and whether a lift should be considered. A written treatment plan and quote follow once this medical assessment is done.

PSTG coordinates the practical side, which for breast augmentation typically includes:

• airport, hotel and clinic transfers;
• a 4-5-star hotel stay;
• a personal interpreter or assistant during your appointments;
• pre- and post-operative consultations and follow-up visits;
• post-operative medication and nursing and wound care;
• 24/7 support while you are in Turkey.

The details of each package are confirmed in your written plan, and our full coverage page lists what a package can include.

Where treatment takes place#

Surgery takes place at contracted healthcare institutions authorised for international health tourism in Istanbul and Antalya. The treating surgeon makes every clinical decision, from candidacy and implant choice to discharge and fitness to fly. PSTG is a health-tourism intermediary affiliated with TÜRSAB: we coordinate your treatment, travel and aftercare, and we do not perform medical procedures ourselves.

Related reading#

• Breast augmentation in Turkey: the all-inclusive guide, a day-by-day look at the trip.
• Breast augmentation cost in Turkey: what shapes the price.
• Breast implants in Turkey vs the UK, US and Australia: safety, aftercare and process.
• Is plastic surgery in Turkey safe? What to check.
• The double bubble deformity: why it happens and how to fix it.

If you are wondering whether an implant alone would give you the change you want, send us your photos and questions for a free, no-obligation assessment. The surgeon's opinion and a written plan will help you decide in your own time.