Breast Augmentation 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.

Breast augmentation at Quaba starts from £6,800. The price covers the surgeon’s fee, the anaesthetist’s fee, the implants, the hospital and theatre fee at Waterfront Private Hospital, and all post-operative reviews until discharge. The full price for your individual case is confirmed after a face-to-face consultation.

Implant size is chosen at consultation using a combination of three tools: physical sizers worn inside a supportive bra so you can see and feel different volumes; Crisalix 3D imaging so you can compare options on your own image; and the surgeon’s assessment of your underlying anatomy and chest wall measurements. Bringing fitted tops to consultation can help you judge how different sizes look in clothing you would actually wear. Both implant shape (round or anatomical) and placement (above the muscle, below the muscle, or dual plane) are also discussed.

If breast tissue has lost volume and the position of the nipple has dropped below the breast crease, an implant alone may not produce the result you are looking for. A combined breast augmentation with breast uplift (augmentation mastopexy) may be more appropriate. Whether you need an uplift depends on the position of your nipples relative to your breast crease, the size of implant you are considering, and how much pregnancy or weight loss has affected your breast tissue. This is assessed at consultation.

Breast implants do not have a fixed lifespan and do not need to be replaced after a specific number of years. Over time, some patients experience technical issues such as implant rupture or capsular contracture, and others experience changes in breast shape after pregnancy or weight loss that prompt revision. Future surgery may be required to maintain or adjust your result, but it is not automatic.

Fat transfer to the breasts is an alternative for patients seeking a modest size increase (typically half a cup to one cup). Fat is harvested from areas such as the abdomen or thighs through liposuction, processed, and injected into the breast. Fat transfer uses your own tissue, has only small incisions, and avoids implant-specific risks such as capsular contracture or rupture. Some of the transferred fat is reabsorbed by the body, so results vary and further treatments may be needed. For a larger size increase or for reliable upper-pole volume, implants remain the more predictable option.

Fat transfer suits patients who want a modest, natural-feeling enhancement, who have enough donor fat for harvesting, and who are comfortable with some uncertainty in the final volume. Implants suit patients who want a larger or more reliable size increase, more defined upper-pole fullness, or who do not have sufficient donor fat. Cost is also different: fat transfer is generally more expensive than implant augmentation because it involves both liposuction and the fat injection process, and may need more than one treatment.

The scar is typically placed in the breast crease (the fold beneath the breast) and is approximately 5 cm long. Scars are permanent. They are usually pink for several months and gradually fade over up to 18 months. In a small number of patients scars can become thickened, red, or itchy (keloid or hypertrophic scarring).

Most patients return to desk-based work after 1 to 2 weeks. A supportive non-wired bra is worn day and night for 6 weeks. Driving is generally resumed once you can perform an emergency stop without discomfort, typically at 2 weeks. Strenuous exercise — running, gym work, anything involving the chest or arms — should be avoided for 6 weeks.

Most patients are able to breastfeed after breast augmentation. The incision in the breast crease and the placement of the implant either above or behind the muscle are chosen partly to minimise disruption to the milk ducts and the nerves supplying the nipple. Breastfeeding is not guaranteed, however, and any concerns about future breastfeeding should be raised at consultation.

Breast implant illness is the term used by some patients to describe a constellation of symptoms — including aches, fatigue, joint pain, and cognitive symptoms — that some women associate with their silicone breast implants. There is currently no definitive evidence that silicone implants cause these symptoms, but some patients report improvement after implant removal. This is an area of ongoing investigation. Further information is available from BAAPS.