Mia Femtech^® minimally invasive breast augmentation in the UK

Mia Femtech® (also marketed as Mia Femtech®) is a minimally invasive form of breast augmentation. Small silicone implants are placed through a short incision hidden in each armpit crease, usually under local anaesthetic with sedation rather than a general anaesthetic. There is no incision on the breast itself.

The system was developed by Establishment Labs, the company that makes Motiva® implants. It uses purpose-designed implants called Mia Femtech® Diamonds, which are smaller than most implants used in traditional breast augmentation, together with specialised instruments that create a precise space for the implant with minimal disruption to the breast. In the published 3-year study, every implant was placed in the prepectoral plane: behind the breast tissue and in front of the chest muscle.

Each implant carries a Zen® RFID microchip, so its manufacturer, model and serial details can be read with a scanner in future. The aim of Mia Femtech® is a modest, proportionate change with a shorter recovery, not a large increase in size.

iQonic Aesthetics was the UK’s first Mia Femtech® clinic, and our Medical Director, Mr Adrian Richards, was the first surgeon in the UK to provide it. Dr Ali Arnaout is also Mia Femtech® certified. Consultations take place at 15 Harley Street, London.

Mia Femtech® is most suited to slim, healthy adults over 18 with a narrower breast shape and little or no sagging, who want a subtle increase rather than a dramatic one. You may be a suitable candidate if you:

• would like an increase of around one to two cup sizes that stays in proportion to your frame;
• have lost some upper-breast fullness after pregnancy, breastfeeding or weight change;
• have good skin quality, with nipples sitting above the breast fold;
• would prefer to avoid a general anaesthetic where possible;
• are at a stable weight and a non-smoker, or able to stop.

The 100-patient study included only women with a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5–24.9 and a breast width under 14 cm, so the evidence applies most directly to that group.

Mia Femtech® is unlikely to suit you if you want a large increase, have significant sagging, marked asymmetry or a tuberous breast shape, or have very little tissue to cover an implant. In those situations traditional or Preserve by Motiva® augmentation, or a breast lift, may give a better result.

Suitability is decided in person by your operating surgeon. There is a reflection period of at least 14 days between your first consultation and consent, with further consultations always available.

iQonic offers three implant techniques. Mia Femtech® is the lightest procedure, but it also gives the smallest change, and its published follow-up (one study, to 3 years) is far shorter than for traditional augmentation.

The main published evidence for Mia Femtech® is a single prospective study of 100 women followed for 3 years, published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal in 2026. The results are encouraging, but the study was funded by the manufacturer, and 3 years is a short time in the life of an implant.

What the study found (Chacon-Quiros and colleagues):

• 100 women had Mia Femtech® between December 2020 and April 2021; 93% were followed up at 3 years.
• The overall complication rate at 3 years was 3.2%, and 1% needed a further operation (one implant that had moved upwards).
• No capsular contracture, implant rupture, infection or BIA-ALCL was reported during the study.
• 84% of women were satisfied with their result at 3 years.
• The average implant was about 148 cc, much smaller than typical traditional implants. On average women returned to daily activities in 2.8 days and to exercise in about 20 days.
• 90 women had sedation with local anaesthetic and 10 had a general anaesthetic.

What to bear in mind:

• Several authors are employees of Establishment Labs, which makes the Mia Femtech® system. Independent studies have not yet been published.
• All procedures were done by one surgeon on carefully selected women (slim, with narrow breasts), so results may differ in other hands and other body types.
• There was no comparison group of traditional augmentation patients.
• Problems such as capsular contracture, rupture and BIA-ALCL can appear many years after surgery. Traditional silicone implants have decades of data; Mia Femtech® does not yet.

We think Mia Femtech® is a reasonable option for the right patient, and we will talk you through this evidence honestly. Our guide to Mia Femtech® vs Preserve by Motiva® vs traditional augmentation compares the evidence for each.

The procedure itself usually takes around 15–30 minutes, and you go home the same day. In the published study the average operating time was about 27 minutes.

Before the procedure. You complete the Silhouette™ questionnaire through our Adoreal platform, then meet your surgeon for an examination, measurements and a 3D preview of implant options. After at least 14 days’ reflection you confirm your decision and give written consent; further consultations are always available.

On the day:

1. Your surgeon confirms the plan and marks the implant position with you standing.
2. You are given sedation to keep you relaxed and drowsy, and the area is numbed with local anaesthetic.
3. A short incision is made in each armpit crease.
4. A specialised instrument creates a precise channel and space for the implant in front of the chest muscle.
5. The implant is placed using a no-touch technique designed to reduce the chance of contamination.
6. The incisions are closed and a support garment is fitted.

Including preparation and time in recovery, you are usually with us for around 90 minutes. You will need an adult to take you home and stay with you overnight because of the sedation. The site for your procedure is confirmed at consultation.

1. Day of treatment

   Home the same day with an adult. Expect tightness, soreness and some swelling in the chest and armpits once the local anaesthetic wears off. Do not drive, drink alcohol or sign important documents for 24 hours after sedation.

2. Days 1–3

   Most people manage light daily activities and simple pain relief. Keep your arms below shoulder height and wear your support garment as advised.

3. Week 1

   Many people return to desk work within the first week. Your first review is usually around a week after the procedure.

4. Weeks 2–3

   Swelling settles and the implants begin to soften. Walking and gentle lower-body exercise can usually restart.

5. Weeks 3–6

   Gradual return to exercise when your surgeon advises; in the study, the average return to exercise was about 20 days. Avoid heavy chest and upper-body work until cleared.

6. 3 months

   The implants have settled and the result feels increasingly natural. Armpit scars continue to fade over the following months.

The change is visible straight away and settles over about 3 months. It is intentionally modest: in the study, 75% of women reported an increase of one to three cup sizes at 3 years, and the average implant was about 148 cc. The largest implant suitable for you depends on your anatomy.

Mia Femtech® results are long-lasting, but Mia Femtech® implants, like all breast implants, are not lifetime devices. Ageing, pregnancy, weight change and hormones will continue to change the breast around the implant. If you later want a larger size or a lift, that is a separate operation.

Your implant details are recorded on the national Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry, and the Zen® RFID chip allows the implant to be identified in future. You can still take part in NHS breast screening; tell the radiographer you have implants. Most women with implants can breastfeed, although the NHS notes implants may slightly reduce milk production. See results shared with patient consent on our before and after page.

If Mia Femtech® is not right for you, or you want a larger change, there are other options. Choosing not to have surgery is always reasonable.

• Preserve by Motiva®: a tissue-sparing technique with a wider range of implant sizes.
• Traditional augmentation: the most flexible option for size and shape.
• Fat transfer: uses your own fat, avoiding an implant, but the gain is usually small and some fat does not survive.
• Breast lift: if the main concern is sagging rather than volume.
• Non-surgical: padded or shaping bras carry no surgical risk. Injectable breast fillers are not recommended.

Mia Femtech® at iQonic costs from £11,950. Your final price depends on your anatomy, the implants chosen, where the procedure is carried out and your aftercare plan.

After consultation you receive a written quote, valid for three months. Your deposit is non-refundable once the 14-day reflection period has passed. When comparing clinics, check what is included: consultations with the operating surgeon, sedation, implants, garments, follow-up and the cost of managing complications.

For comparison, traditional augmentation at iQonic starts from £9,750 and Preserve by Motiva® from £9,850. Our breast augmentation cost guide explains what drives prices in the UK. Finance is available through our credit partner; see pricing and finance.

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