Corrective Breast Surgery in Edinburgh

Yes. The consultant who assesses you at your first appointment is the consultant who plans your surgery, performs it at Waterfront Private Hospital, and reviews you afterwards. There are no handovers between consultants.

A nurse reviews you at one week, and more often if needed in the early healing period. Your consultant sees you again at around six months once the result has settled. Between then, your consultant is always available — if anything concerns you, they will respond directly and arrange to see you as soon as needed.

Removal of breast implants starts from £5,300, implant exchange from £6,800, removal with uplift from £10,000, and en-bloc removal with uplift from £13,500. Each price covers the surgeon’s fee, the anaesthetist’s fee, the hospital and theatre fee at Waterfront Private Hospital, and all post-operative reviews until you are fully discharged. The full price for your case is confirmed after a face-to-face consultation.

Breast implant illness (BII) is the term used for a range of symptoms — including joint and muscle pain, fatigue, brain fog, and skin or autoimmune-type symptoms — that some patients associate with their breast implants. The exact cause remains unclear, and diagnosis involves ruling out other conditions. Many patients report an improvement in symptoms after implant removal, although not all do.

En-bloc removal means taking out the implant and the capsule of scar tissue around it together, in one piece. Some women request it, particularly where breast implant illness is a concern. It is a longer and more involved operation than standard implant removal, and whether it is appropriate depends on your anatomy and the capsule itself — your consultant will advise at consultation.

Breast implants need not be replaced after a set period. However, they can cause problems over time and may need to be removed or exchanged for technical reasons (implant rupture, tight scar tissue) or cosmetic reasons (change in breast shape over time, after pregnancy, or after weight loss). It is important to know that you may require further breast surgery at some point.

There are similarities to the original surgery, but there can be significant differences depending on the complexity of the revision. A simple exchange of implants for a comparable shape and size can be straightforward, as no major work is required on the existing implant pocket. If more complex surgery is needed — correction of capsular contracture, implant malposition, or a combined uplift — the operation takes longer and the recovery is more protracted.

If your implants are being exchanged, a sizing kit is used at consultation to help you decide what size suits you — it helps to bring some of your own tops. 3D imaging is also available to give a visual representation of how different implants might look. The type of implant (round or anatomical) and its placement (above or below the chest muscle, or dual plane) are explained in full.

If your breasts have become droopy, you may be better suited to implant surgery combined with a breast uplift (augmentation mastopexy). This depends on the position of your nipples relative to your breast crease, the implant size you wish to have, and whether you have had pregnancies or weight loss. If you are unsure, you can try our cosmetic surgery selector tool.

For a modest increase of around one cup size, fat transfer to the breasts may be an option. Fat is removed from the tummy or thighs by liposuction, prepared, and injected into the breasts. It uses only your own tissue, avoids implant-specific risks, and leaves only tiny scars. The main disadvantages are the limited enlargement, the unpredictable retention of fat — some is reabsorbed in the first few months and repeat treatments may be needed — and the higher cost, as fat transfer involves two procedures and is usually more expensive than implants.