Breast augmentation in London

Breast augmentation is an operation to increase the size of the breasts, or restore volume that has been lost, by placing an implant behind the breast tissue or behind the chest muscle. It is also called breast enlargement, augmentation mammoplasty or, informally, a boob job.

Three decisions shape your result: the implant (size, shape, projection and surface), where it sits (in front of or behind the muscle) and the incision used to place it.

At iQonic we offer three approaches: traditional augmentation, Preserve by Motiva® (Preserve by Motiva®) and Mia Femtech®. Your plan is made with the consultant plastic surgeon who will operate on you. Consultations take place at 15 Harley Street, London.

Breast augmentation suits healthy adults over 18 whose breasts have finished developing, who want more volume or better balance, and who accept that implants need looking after for life. You may be a suitable candidate if you:

• would like fuller breasts that stay in proportion to your frame;
• have lost volume after pregnancy, breastfeeding or weight loss (see our guide to surgery after pregnancy);
• have one breast noticeably smaller than the other (see breast asymmetry correction), or a constricted, tuberous breast shape that needs more than an implant alone;
• are at a stable weight, in good general health and a non-smoker, or able to stop well before surgery;
• are making the decision for yourself, with realistic expectations.

It may not be the right time if you plan a pregnancy soon, your weight is still changing, your breasts have not settled after breastfeeding, or someone else is encouraging you. If your main concern is sagging rather than size, an implant alone will not lift the breast, and a breast lift, with or without an implant, may be more appropriate.

Suitability is decided in person by your operating surgeon. After your first consultation there is a reflection period of at least 14 days before you give consent, with further consultations always available, so you never have to decide on the day. See what happens at each step.

iQonic offers three ways to place a breast implant. None is simply a better version of another: each suits a different anatomy, size goal and tolerance for recovery time.

The main trade-off is between the size of change you want and how much surgery it needs. Traditional augmentation offers the most flexibility; Mia Femtech® is the lightest procedure but gives the smallest change; Preserve by Motiva® sits between.

The published studies of Preserve by Motiva® and Mia Femtech® were funded or sponsored by the implant manufacturer, Establishment Labs. Our detailed guide, Mia Femtech® vs Preserve by Motiva® vs traditional breast augmentation, sets out the evidence for each.

The right implant is the one that fits the width of your chest and the amount of tissue that will cover it. Volume alone is a poor guide, because the same number of cc looks very different on different frames.

Silicone gel

Modern implants are filled with cohesive silicone gel, sometimes called “gummy bear” gel, which holds its shape if the outer shell is damaged.

Round or anatomical

• Round implants give more fullness in the upper part of the breast. Because they are symmetrical, the shape does not change if the implant turns.
• Anatomical (teardrop) implants carry more volume in the lower half, which can look more gradual in women with very little breast tissue. They can rotate and distort the breast shape, so they usually have a textured surface to help them stay in place.

Size and profile

Implant volume is measured in cubic centimetres (cc), which is more reliable than bra cup sizes. Your surgeon measures your breast width, the thickness of your tissue and how far your skin stretches, then suggests a range. Within that range, the profile (low, moderate, high or extra-high) controls how far the implant projects forward: a higher profile puts the same volume on a narrower base.

Surface

Implant shells are smooth, micro-textured or macro-textured. The surface affects how the body forms its capsule around the implant. The MHRA reports that almost all cases of BIA-ALCL, a rare lymphoma, have been found with textured implants, so surface is part of your consent discussion.

Motiva® implants and 3D preview

iQonic uses Motiva® implants, including through the Motiva JOY® experience. Before you decide, you can see how different sizes and profiles might look on your own body using a 3D preview, arranged through our Adoreal patient platform. It is a planning tool, not a promise of the final result.

Implants can sit in front of the chest muscle or partly behind it, and can be placed through the breast fold, the edge of the areola or the armpit. The choice depends mainly on how much natural tissue you have to cover the implant.

Incisions:

• Inframammary (breast fold): the most common approach. It gives your surgeon the most direct view of the pocket, and the scar usually sits in the crease under the breast.
• Periareolar (edge of the areola): the scar follows the edge of the areola. The route passes through breast tissue, which may make sensation or breastfeeding changes slightly more likely.
• Axillary (armpit): leaves no scar on the breast. It is the route used for Mia Femtech®.

Traditional breast augmentation takes about 1–2 hours under general anaesthetic, and most people go home the same day.

Before surgery. You complete the Silhouette™ questionnaire through Adoreal so your surgeon understands your goals before you meet. At consultation your surgeon examines and measures you, discusses implant options and shows you a 3D preview. After at least 14 days’ reflection you confirm your decision, ask any remaining questions and give written consent; further consultations are always available. You will need to stop smoking and arrange for an adult to take you home.

On the day.

1. You meet your surgeon and anaesthetist, and your surgeon marks the planned incision and implant position with you standing.
2. You have a general anaesthetic. The incision is made and a pocket is created in the planned layer, with careful control of bleeding.
3. The implant is inserted using measures to reduce contamination, such as antibiotic irrigation, fresh gloves and a no-touch insertion sleeve.
4. The incision is closed in layers, usually with dissolvable stitches, dressings are applied and a support bra is fitted.

Operations take place at our partner hospital, Fitzrovia Hospital in London. Before you leave you are given written aftercare instructions and you can reach your care team 24/7 through the Adoreal app.

1. Days 1–3

   The chest feels tight, heavy and sore, most of all in the first 48–72 hours. Take regular pain relief as prescribed, sleep propped up on your back and wear your support bra day and night. Walk around the house every few hours to help circulation.

2. Week 1

   Discomfort eases day by day. Avoid lifting anything heavier than a kettle, and do not raise your elbows above your shoulders. Your first wound check is usually around a week after surgery.

3. Weeks 2–3

   Most people return to desk work. Drive only when you can wear a seatbelt comfortably and make an emergency stop, often at 1–2 weeks, and check your insurer’s terms. Walking and gentle lower-body exercise can usually restart.

4. Weeks 4–6

   The implants begin to drop and soften, and swelling settles. Keep wearing a supportive bra. Avoid chest exercises, running and heavy lifting until your surgeon clears you, typically around 6 weeks.

5. 3 months

   Most swelling has gone and the breasts feel softer and more natural. Scars are often still pink.

6. 6–12 months

   The shape is settled. Scars continue to flatten and fade over 12–18 months.

The increase in size is visible straight away, but the final shape takes 3–6 months as swelling settles and the implants soften. Early on the breasts often sit high and feel firm; this is expected.

Breast implants are long-lasting but not lifetime devices. The NHS advises that implants may need replacing at around 10 years, and BAPRAS patient information puts the chance of needing further surgery for any reason at about 1% a year, around 10% by 10 years. Many women keep their implants well beyond 10 years without problems; routine replacement is not recommended if nothing has changed.

Your breasts will continue to age with pregnancy, weight change and gravity, and some women later choose a lift or an implant exchange. See examples, shared with patient consent, on our before and after page; everyone’s result is different.

Implants bring a few long-term responsibilities worth knowing in advance.

• Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry (BCIR). Details of your implants are recorded on the national registry run by NHS England, so you can be traced if a safety issue arises with a particular implant. In England and Scotland your consent is not needed for this; you can ask to see your record. Keep your implant card, which lists the manufacturer, model, size and batch.
• Breast screening and mammograms. Women with implants can take part in the NHS Breast Screening Programme. Tell the radiographer about your implants: extra views are taken because X-rays cannot see through an implant, and there is no current evidence that a mammogram can cause a rupture. Screening does not check the implant itself.
• Breastfeeding. Most women with implants can breastfeed. The NHS notes that implants may slightly reduce milk production, and incisions around the areola may carry a higher risk. Tell your surgeon if you plan a family.
• Reporting problems. You or your doctor can report a suspected implant problem to the MHRA through the Yellow Card scheme.

Choosing not to have surgery is always a reasonable decision. Other options include:

• Fat transfer to the breast: your own fat, taken by liposuction, is injected into the breast. It avoids an implant, but the increase is modest, some fat does not survive and more than one session may be needed.
• Breast lift (mastopexy): if sagging is the main concern, a lift reshapes and raises the breast. It can be combined with an implant when volume is also low.
• Non-surgical options: well-fitted or padded bras and prostheses carry no surgical risk. Injectable breast fillers are not recommended; the UK government has proposed classing them as high-risk procedures.

Breast augmentation at iQonic costs from £9,750. Preserve by Motiva® starts from £9,850 and Mia Femtech® from £11,950.

Your final price depends on the technique, the implants you choose, the hospital, whether a lift or other procedure is combined, and your individual aftercare plan. You receive a written quote after consultation, valid for three months. Your deposit is non-refundable once the 14-day reflection period has passed.

The NHS website quotes typical UK costs of around £3,500 to £8,000. When comparing quotes, check whether they include consultations with the operating surgeon, the anaesthetist, hospital stay, implants and warranty, garments, follow-up and the cost of treating complications. Our breast augmentation cost guide explains what drives prices, and our guide to choosing a cosmetic surgeon covers the questions worth asking.

Cosmetic breast augmentation is not usually available on the NHS. Finance is available through our credit partner; see pricing and finance for details. Budget, too, for future implant surgery.

Your consultation is with the consultant who would operate. Check any surgeon on the GMC register.