Breast Lift with Implants in Turkey

A breast lift with implants, also called augmentation-mastopexy, combines two operations in one: a lift to raise the breast and reposition the nipple, and an implant to restore volume, especially in the upper breast. It is designed for breasts that have both dropped and emptied, which is common after pregnancy, breastfeeding or significant weight loss. If you are planning a breast lift with implants 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.

This is a more complex operation than either procedure on its own. The lift removes and tightens skin while the implant stretches the tissue outwards, and the surgeon has to balance these opposing forces carefully. You can see where it sits among the other options in our plastic surgery procedures.

Breast lift with implants at a glance#

• What it is: a lift and an implant combined, to raise the breast and restore volume.
• Anaesthesia: general anaesthesia.
• Operating time: typically around two to four hours, depending on the lift pattern.
• Hospital stay: most patients stay one night.
• Time in Turkey: many patients plan around seven days. The surgeon checks your wounds and confirms when you can fly.
• Back to desk work: often within one to two weeks, still avoiding lifting and reaching. Strenuous exercise and swimming wait several weeks.
• Final result: the implant settles and swelling reduces over roughly three to six months, and scars keep maturing for a year or more.
• Usually not advised if: you are pregnant or plan pregnancy soon, you smoke heavily and cannot stop, you have uncontrolled diabetes or another condition that affects healing, or your skin is very thin or damaged.

Who is a good candidate#

The combined operation is usually considered when two problems are present together:

• the breast has dropped: the nipple sits at or below the fold beneath the breast, or the tissue has slid to the lower half; and
• the breast has lost volume: the upper part looks flat or hollow and you would like more fullness, not just a better position.

You are more likely to be suitable if you are in good health, at a stable weight, not planning further pregnancies soon, and able to stop smoking well before surgery.

It helps to understand how the three breast operations differ:

• A breast lift alone suits women who are happy with their size and mainly want their breasts higher and firmer.
• Breast augmentation alone suits women whose breasts sit at a good height and simply want more volume. An implant placed behind a dropped breast can leave the tissue hanging over it.
• A lift with implants is chosen when an implant alone would not correct the drooping, and a lift alone would leave the breast looking empty.

This combined approach may not be advised if your skin is very thin or badly damaged, if you want a very large implant that your tissue cannot safely support, if you are a heavy smoker, or if you have uncontrolled diabetes or another condition that affects healing. In some cases the surgeon recommends doing the lift and the implant in two separate stages, several months apart, to reduce the risk to the nipple and wound healing. This is a clinical judgement made after examining you.

Many women choose this operation as part of a mommy makeover, because it addresses both post-pregnancy drooping and lost volume. Whether it can be combined with abdominal surgery in the same session is the surgeon's decision.

Techniques and options#

Planning covers both the lift and the implant, and each choice affects the other.

Lift pattern#

The pattern of incisions is chosen according to how much the breast has dropped and how much skin needs to be removed.

Because the implant also contributes some lift, the surgeon may be able to use a slightly shorter scar pattern than for a lift alone. This is not always the case.

Implant choice#

• Silicone gel implants are most commonly used. Round and anatomical shapes are both options.
• Size tends to be more moderate than in augmentation alone. A heavy implant puts extra strain on freshly lifted skin and can cause the breast to drop again sooner.
• Placement is often under the muscle or in a dual-plane pocket, which gives extra tissue cover and helps support the implant. Over-the-muscle placement can suit women with more natural breast tissue.

Our breast augmentation guide compares implant types, placement and incisions in more detail, and lists the questions to ask about the implant itself.

One stage or two#

The surgeon explains which approach fits your case and why.

How the procedure is carried out#

You meet the surgeon in person before surgery for an examination and measurements. The surgeon confirms the lift pattern and implant choice and marks the incisions while you stand. Blood tests and anaesthetic checks are completed beforehand.

On the day:

• surgery is carried out under general anaesthesia;
• it typically takes around two to four hours, depending on the lift pattern and whether other procedures are added;
• the surgeon creates the implant pocket and places the implant, then tailors the skin and breast tissue around it, adjusting with you sitting up to check shape and symmetry;
• the nipple and areola are moved up and often reduced in size, while remaining attached to their blood supply;
• the incisions are closed in layers, dressings are applied and you are fitted with a surgical bra. Drains may be used.

Most patients stay one night in hospital before returning to the hotel.

Recovery and results#

Recovery tends to be a little longer than after either operation on its own, because both the skin and the implant pocket need to heal.

• First few days: tightness, swelling and bruising, often felt most across the chest when the implant sits under the muscle. Prescribed medication keeps this manageable.
• First week: wound checks and dressing changes at follow-up appointments. Walking is encouraged from the start.
• Weeks one to two: many patients return to light activity and desk-based work, but still avoid lifting and reaching.
• Weeks two to six: the surgical bra is worn day and night as instructed. Sleeping on your back and avoiding strain on the chest help the wounds heal. Strenuous exercise, heavy lifting and swimming wait until the surgeon agrees.
• Three to six months: the implant settles, swelling reduces and the breast takes on its final shape.
• Twelve months or more: scars fade gradually but remain visible.

A realistic result is breasts that sit higher and look fuller, especially in the upper half, with nipples facing forward. The combined operation does not stop ageing or gravity, and future weight change or pregnancy can alter the result. Because implants are involved, further surgery at some point over the years is common, for example to replace an implant or re-lift the breast.

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

Risks and limitations#

The combined operation carries the risks of both a lift and an implant, and some of them are slightly higher when the two are done together:

• bleeding, haematoma and infection, which occasionally leads to implant removal;
• delayed wound healing or wound separation, particularly where the scar is under tension;
• changes in nipple sensation, and rarely partial loss of nipple or areola tissue;
• capsular contracture, implant rupture, rippling or malposition over time;
• recurrence of drooping, or the implant settling too low;
• asymmetry and scars that stretch or thicken;
• the possibility of revision surgery to fine-tune shape, which is more common after combined procedures than after either one alone.

The anaesthetic and blood-clot risks are also discussed. Smoking and alcohol both affect healing; our article on alcohol before surgery explains why surgeons ask you to stop for a period. For wider questions about choosing where to have surgery, see what to check before plastic surgery in Turkey.

How the price is built#

A breast lift with implants is priced as a plan, because it combines two operations and the details differ from one patient to the next. The main things that shape a quote are:

• the lift pattern and whether the operation is done in one stage or two;
• the implant: type, manufacturer and model;
• the operating time, the hospital stay and the anaesthetic;
• how long you stay in Turkey and the hotel category;
• what is coordinated around surgery: transfers, interpreter or assistant, medication, surgical bra, nursing and wound care, follow-up visits and virtual follow-up after you fly home.

PSTG gives a written treatment plan and quote only after the surgeon has reviewed your photos and medical history. When you compare quotes from any provider, ask in writing whether the lift and the implant are both included, which implant is planned by manufacturer and model, whether a second stage would be needed and charged separately, what the hospital stay covers, and what the revision policy is. Our guide to what shapes the price of a breast lift in Turkey explains how quotes are built.

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. Before you go, tell your GP about your plans. Bring home your operation notes, your implant card with the manufacturer, model and batch details, 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 a longer operation, 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 a long flight, walk regularly, stay hydrated and wear your surgical bra. Once you are home, we arrange virtual follow-up and can coordinate with your home doctor for wound checks. If you notice fever, spreading redness, a wound opening, rapidly increasing swelling on one side, chest pain or a swollen, painful calf, seek urgent care locally and tell your PSTG coordinator at the same time. Keep your implant card and tell future radiographers you have implants.

Planning your treatment in Turkey#

The process starts with an online assessment. You send photos of your breasts from the front and both sides, your height and weight, your medical history and a description of the change you would like. The surgeon uses these to judge how much drooping and volume loss there is and whether a single-stage operation looks appropriate. A written treatment plan and quote follow once this assessment is done.

PSTG coordinates:

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

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, including whether to operate in one or two stages, the implant choice and when you can travel. PSTG is a health-tourism intermediary affiliated with TÜRSAB: we coordinate your treatment, travel and aftercare, and we do not carry out medical procedures.

Related reading#

• Breast augmentation in Turkey, for implant types, placement and incisions in detail.
• Breast lift in Turkey, if your concern is position rather than volume.
• Breast implants in Turkey vs the UK, US and Australia: how the aftercare handoff works.
• Breast lift cost in Turkey: what shapes the price.

If you are not sure whether you need a lift, an implant or both, send us your photos for a free, no-obligation assessment. The surgeon's opinion and a written plan give you a clear basis for your decision.