Breast Implants | Boob Job
Leading Breast Enlargement Surgery in Edinburgh with Quaba Plastic Surgery
If you feel that your breasts have not fully developed or are looking to restore shape and volume, then you may benefit from a breast augmentation.
Call us in confidence on 0131 346 0020 to discuss the options
A Breast Augmentation or “boob job” is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgery procedures. It is not something that should be undertaken lightly due to the possible life long maintenance that may be required. Modern breast implants mean that excellent long term results are possible. Most women considering breast enhancement ask for a natural breast size and feel to their breasts. Silicone gel breast implants are used throughout the world and generally have an excellent safety profile.
Find out more about our Breast Augmentation procedures below…
The discussion surrounding breast implants can be complicated as there are many factors to consider. At your initial consultation, will we discuss what your concerns are and what you are aiming to achieve. We will help guide you to choose the most suitable size of breast implant that matches your wishes, but more importantly, matches your pre-existing chest and breast tissue.
Please take the time to read more about the process below…
We use a sizing kit (see image below) to help you decide what implant size is best for you. The sizing kit gives you and us an idea of what you are looking for. It can be useful to bring some of your own tops to see how you look with certain implant sizes. We also have access to 3D imaging which can give you a visual representation of what you might look like with different implants.
The type of implants (round/ anatomical or teardrop) and where we place them (above/ below the chest muscle/ dual plane) will be explained to you in full.
If your breasts have become droopy, then you may be more suited to a breast enlargement combined with breast uplift (Augmentation Mastopexy). This will depend on several factors such as the position of your nipples relative to your breast crease, what size implant you wish to have and whether you have had previous pregnancies/ weight loss.
Breast implants do not need to be replaced after a set period. However, they can cause problems over time and may need to be removed or swapped for technical (implant rupture/ tight scar tissue) or cosmetic (change in breast shape over time/ after pregnancy/ weight loss) reasons. It is, therefore, crucial to be fully aware that you may require further breast surgery in the future.
If you are looking for a very modest increase of one cup size or so, then fat transfer to your breasts may be an option. Fat transfer is a well-established plastic surgery procedure that has been used in breast cancer patients for many years. Fat is removed from your tummy or thighs using liposuction. The fat is then prepared to remove blood and oil and is then injected into the breasts. Some of the injected fat will be lost over the first few months. The advantage of fat transfer is that you are not putting anything “foreign” or unnatural into your body. The main disadvantage is that only a modest enlargement can be achieved and the increase in volume is not as reliable as using implants.
The idea is appealing. There is nothing more natural than your tissue, nothing foreign and no long term problems! Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Here are the pros and cons of fat transfer and breast implants.
Fat transfer breast augmentation is a realistic option if you desire an increase of ½ to 1 cup size.
Breast augmentation using implants is a more reliable choice if you are looking for more than a cup size increase.
Fat transfer alone will not correct significant droopiness of the breasts (nipples at or below the breast crease).
Natural: Only uses your body’s tissues
No Implants: Avoids the risks associated with implants such as implant rupture and capsular contracture.
Can recontour the body: The liposuction that is used to harvest fat can reshape the body.
Avoids noticeable scarring: Only tiny incisions are used through which fat is harvested and injected.
A limited degree of augmentation.
Reabsorption of fat: Even in the best of hands, some of the transferred fat will be resorbed by the body. There is a chance that a large percentage of the transferred fat will be resorbed with the result falling below expectations and the need for multiple treatments.
Not effective in correcting droopiness
More expensive. Fat transfer augmentation involves two procedures (liposuction plus breast augmentation) and is usually more expensive than breast augmentation using implants. Additional cost will be incurred should a repeat treatment prove necessary.
Remember:
You may not have sufficient fat to transfer to your breasts.
You may be perfectly happy with your figure and not wish to have it changed.
You may have sufficient fat for one transfer. What if you need a repeat treatment?
Breast implants have the following advantages over fat transfer:
Implants can provide a more substantial degree of augmentation compared to fat transfer.
Implants can provide more cleavage (i.e. fullness of the upper pole of the breast) compared to fat transfer.
Implants provide more consistent results, as there is no possibility of fat resorption.
Implants usually cost less than fat transfer.
A face-to-face consultation remains the best way to discuss your options and assess whether or not you are a candidate for breast augmentation by fat transfer.
Surgery is carried out under a general anaesthetic with an overnight stay in the hospital. The risks of general anaesthetic include clots to the legs and lungs, and we take precautions to minimise the risk of this. Other risks include chest infection, and the risk of an adverse complication under general anaesthetic is 1 in 100,000.
The risks of breast augmentation surgery itself include:
Bleeding – And a possible return to theatre to deal with this (approximately 2 or 3 out of every 100 patients).
Infection – In less than 2 out of every 100 patients, the implant may become infected – this will require removal of the implant and replacement no sooner than three months afterwards.
Scars – All scars are permanent. The scars are usually placed in the breast crease and measure approximately 5cm long. They typically settle well but can be red for up to 6 months and rarely can be thickened and itchy (keloid scarring).
Under or over correction – We cannot guarantee the final size or cup size but will always do our best to get you to the size you require. We will not place implants that are too large for your breast tissue as this increases the risk of you having problems further down the line.
Asymmetry – A degree of asymmetry is typical before surgery, and if this is the case, it will be pointed out to you. After your surgery, the asymmetry may remain and, in some cases, can be more noticeable.
Capsular contracture – This is the most frequent complication of breast implants and occurs when the capsule or scar that forms around the implant becomes thicker and starts to contract. This can make the breast feel firmer than it should and can also cause tenderness and distortion of the implant. The risk of noticeable firmness can happen in 1 out of every ten patients. The chance of needing a further operation is about 1% a year. So, after ten years, about 1 in 10 women will have had revision surgery.
Changes in sensation – Some altered feeling to the breasts after breast augmentation surgery is typical. This usually relates to some numbness near the scar, and oversensitivity of the nipples. This gradually settles down but may take several months to do so. Permanent numbness to the nipples can occur, but this is rare.
Feeling or seeing the implants under the skin – In thin patients, it is common to be able to feel the edges of the implants. This is less likely in patients who start with a reasonable amount of their own tissue covering the implant. Over time some women may be able to see or feel ripples or folds in their implants, particularly when leaning forwards. This risk of this happening can be reduced by placing the implants under the muscle where appropriate and ensuring that the implants are not too large.
Implant rupture/ failure– Modern breast implants are designed to last for life. They do not need to be replaced unless there is a specific problem such as severe scapular contracture. A small number of implants may rupture (around 1 in 10). This poses no health risks. In most cases, the leak is contained within the capsule, and the patient does not notice a problem. Some patients will see a change in the size, shape or consistency of the implant. A lump might appear, and the breast may look swollen. A scan will usually be carried out, and if this suggests the implant has ruptured, removal and exchange of the implant will be recommended.
Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL) – This is a rare type of breast implant associated with breast cancer. The risk with the implants we use is currently estimated to be around 1 in 60,000. Most cases can be cured by removing the implants and the capsule around them. The latest official guidance on ALCL can be found here.
Silicone illness – Also known as Breast Implant Ilness (BII). There is currently no firm evidence that the silicone used in breast implants can cause medical harm. However, there are a number of patients who experience a number of symptoms including aches and pains and whose symptoms improve when their silicone breast implants are removed. This is an area which is still being investigated. Further information can be found from BAAPS here.
Lifelong maintenance – Please bear in mind that you will need to fund any revision surgery after one year if you experience problems with your implants.
You may be up and about in 2 days, but it will be a few weeks before you are entirely up to speed.
Your mood may fluctuate after surgery – this is normal. A small amount of blood staining on the inside of your dressings is not unusual during the first few days.
Discomfort/ Pain
Some pain is typical in the first few days after surgery especially if your implants have been placed under the muscle. You may experience some numbness of your nipples and incision areas. You may experience temporary soreness, tightness, swelling and bruising as well as some discomfort in the incision area. Your breasts may be sensitive to stimulation for a few weeks.
Bruising/ swelling
Your breast will feel tight and swollen for several days and bruising is not uncommon.
Appearance
Most of the discolouration and swelling will subside in 4-6 weeks.
Scars may be red and angry looking for 6 months. In time, these usually soften and fade.
Your breasts will drop by 1-2cm over 6 months.
Your final result should be judged at six months.
Quaba Breast Implant Aftercare…
If you have had breast implant surgery with us or are considering it – please find some detailed instructions and advise on aftercare following breast augmentation.
Standard breast augmentation (round implants) from £4700
Standard breast augmentation (tear-shaped implants) from £4900
Breast augmentation with Exchange of implants from £4700
Breast implants combined with a Breast lift (small lift) £6500 (full lift) from £7000
Removal of breast implants only £3500
Consultation £150
All inclusive costs for one year following surgery
British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS)
Information leaflet on Breast Implants by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
Download an information leaflet about breast augmentation
Information about silicone illness
Information about textured breast implants and breast cancer
There are two main types of breast implants as defined by their filler material : saline solution or
silicone gel.
Both have shells that are made of silicone elastomer (a rubber-like material composed of silicone ). Saline implants are filled with sterile saline solution during surgery. Silicone implants are pre-filled with cohesive medical grade silicone gel. Saline implants are rarely used in Europe as they do not feel as natural as silicone implants.
A cut is made in this sample silicone implant to illustrate its two components: the shell
(red arrow) and the silicone gel (yellow arrow).
In the images below, a knife is used to cut through a silicone breast implant to show the
cohesiveness (gumminess) of the medical grade silicone gel.
The details of the manufacturer, size and serial numbers are printed on the base of the implant. This can be helpful at the time of surgery when replacing implants in women who do not have the details of their original implants.
The surface (or shell) of a breast implant can be smooth, micro-textured or textured. Surgeons in Europe have traditionally used textured implants whereas surgeons in the USA have tended to use smooth surface implants.
There has been a recent shift from using heavily textured implants to smooth or micro (nano) textured implants. This is due to the association of textured breast implants with a rare type of breast implant-associated cancer – Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma.
We use nano-textured implants made by Sebbin. These are essentially categorised as smooth implants. The only other manufacturer that produces similar nano textured implamnts is Motiva.
Round breast implants are by far the most commonly used shape for cosmetic breast enlargement. The other shape of implants is known as anatomical (or teardrop). Anatomical implants have to be textured to reduce the chance of them rotating. They can be useful in a particular subset of patients where the surgeon is trying to fill out extra loose tissue at the lower part of the breast.
Round implants tend to assume a teardrop shape after implantation. There have been several studies that show that people (including surgeons) are generally unable to tell the difference between patients that have round or tearshaped breast implants.
The size of a particular breast implant is described by its volume in millilitres (ml) or (cc). For any shape, there are many sizes which go up by small amounts say 15-20ml. Popular sizes of breast implant range from around 250ml to 400ml.
1. There is no clear link between the size of the implant and the increase in the cup size of a particular patient after surgery.
2. There is no formula that can precisely predict the change in cup size. A surgeon can make an educated guess but will never promise a specific cup size.
Here are some of the reasons:
A. Manufacturers make bras to their own particular standard, which means that the same person may be measured as a C cup from one manufacturer and a D or even a DD cup from another.
B. There are different ways of measuring breast size which can lead to different cup sizes for the same person.
C . There are variations in the way women like to wear their bras (loose, tight, padded, etc.), and this can influence the way the cup size changes after surgery.
Therefore the same sized breast implant will have different effects on cup size in different women. For instance, it may only enhance the upper portion of the breasts in one woman (same bra cup but fully filled), it may increase cup size by one in another woman, and change it by two cup sizes in a third.
Attention to detail and refinement are our key elements to the provision of successful cosmetic surgery
Your care is led by Consultant Plastic Surgeons and is Hospital-Based.
Call us in confidence on 0131 342 0020 to discuss the options
What our patients have to say…
Feedback is from external review sites such as Google and RealSelf
Breast implants – Top Surgeon Highly Recommended
Excellent from start to finish. Listened to everything that I had to say. Any questions I had to ask even after surgery I got a very prompt response. The results I have achieved are amazing. Highly recommended.
Breast augmentation – Recommend
His work as a surgeon fantastic,
,manner and explained ever step from the start to the finish ..
I was very well informed and took time to explain everything.
Can’t say anything bad about my experience . Recommend anyone that has any worries to go with Omar as he will make sure u understand.. what’s going to happen .
Breast augmentation – Fantastic Experience
Omar was an absolute pleasure to work with. From day 1 at my first consultation he made me feel at ease, and was very keen to ensure he gave me the result that I wanted. He talked me through all my options and explained the potential risks. He offered me a free second consultation to discuss further questions that I might have. On the day of surgery he came to see me before and after the surgery and was very reassuring. I found Omar to be very friendly and open, and most of all he listened to what I wanted my end result to look like. I am very happy with my whole experience and would thoroughly recommend him to anyone else.
Breast augmentation – Top quality surgeon
After having a consultation with another surgeon from a well known clinic I left feeling like the surgeon had no interest in my personal needs. I went to see Omar Quaba after doing a fair bit of research into his work.
On seeing him I was extremely nervous and self conscious of my body. Omar was very sympathetic and arranged for me to see a psychologist in order to make sure I was doing it for the right reasons. This would have cost £150 but Omar paid for it himself. This was a general conversation going over how I felt and why I was having the procedure done. It was a good experience.
After this, I returned to Omar to discuss the procedure and dates. I only paid for one consultation and everything after was free.
I felt like I had no chest at all and I wanted to feel more feminine. I wanted a fuller more natural look. I think I was a 34AA at the time but I never got measured as I was too self conscious. Omar took my dimensions and gave me options for implant size. I wasn’t entirely sure of what I wanted so I gave an indication of two sizes and Omar said he would go for what he thought looked best on the day. I had 240cc and I ended with a full C cup. Omar was very good at understanding my needs. I tried on some implants in his office with the assistance of a nurse to give me an indication of size, this was very helpful. There was no rush for me to make a decision.
On arriving to the hospital I was taken into a lovely clean private room. The staff were nice and very attentive. I was given an indication of timing for surgery and relaxed in the room for an hour or two. After surgery I woke up feeling tired but completely normal and excited. Staff were in and out giving me medication and making sure I was ok, I didn’t feel any pain. As I was staying overnight I was given lunch and dinner, this was good quality food which you would expect from a restaurant rather than a hospital. I couldn’t rate this experience highly enough.
Since then I have been extremely happy with my results. I had the procedure one year ago and I have had no problems at all. Naturally there is a healing process which every patient goes through such as tenderness, swelling and sleeping in the correct position for a while but my stitches came out fine and the results look great. I didn’t want anyone at work knowing which I thought may be an issue but surprisingly this wasn’t a problem because I wore loose tops and nobody noticed.
I highly recommend Omar Quaba. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience and one year on I am still very happy with my results.
Breast implants – Great Experience
A very positive experience. Mr Omar Quaba was realistic and aimed with precision towards achieving the closest reality possibly for my expectations. Explained everything to me and kept me informed about everything related to my surgeries. Offered support throughout the decision making, and the healing process.
Breast Augmentation – Highly Recommend
I would highly recommend Mr Omar Quaba to anyone thinking of getting any cosmetic procedures. He fully explains everything you need to know from the beginning and takes into consideration your individual needs. I felt completely at ease throughout the process and I trusted him fully to make the best decisions about my procedure to ensure I got the best results.
Breast augmentation – Great Experience
Very professional and results were exactly as I had asked for! The consultations were helpful and informative. The care in the hospital was great and I would definitely recommend to friends or anyone.
Breast lift with implants – Amazing experience
Mr Omar Quaba was brilliant from start to finish with my procedure. I experienced a very professional and honest journey and had full trust in him as a surgeon for my complex procedure.
My results have turned out amazing and I can’t believe the difference from my before and after pictures which he kindly sent me over.
I Would highly recommend to anyone and can’t be thankful enough for making me feel a lot better within myself.
Breast augmentation – Outstanding results
Tremendous.
Mr Quaba (Omar) took time to understand what I was looking to achieve and guided me on what would be the best results for my physique and body shape.
I am athletic and wanted a really natural result and Mr Quaba genuinely exceeded my expectations. Thoroughly professional, down to earth and understanding of your requirements.
Breast augmentation – 5 star
I was more than happy with Dr Omar Quaba from my first consultation till my 6-month post opp. Dr Quaba is very professional and makes you feel very comfortable, there is no pressure what so ever. Every option is spoken about even the option of not needing to have the surgery done which makes you know he cares about each individual patient not just the business he is receiving. The results i have are more than what i imagined and have made me much happier. I would recommend Dr Quaba to anyone who is thinking of having surgery.
Breast augmentation – Very happy
After spending a lot of time researching I decided to book a consultation with Quaba Plastic Surgery. During my consultation, Dr Quaba explained all the risks involved with the surgery and made sure I fully understood these. I did not feel pressured at any point to go ahead with booking the breast augmentation. Dr Quaba was very knowledgeable and honest. On the morning of my operation, I met with Dr Quaba and the anaesthetist, I was given the opportunity to raise any questions or concerns. I felt very anxious but Dr Quaba made me feel at ease. I’m extremely pleased with the care and treatment I received during my stay in hospital. I just attended my 6 month check-up with Dr Omar and I’m very happy with my results.
Breast augmentation – Wish I’d done it earlier
The service I received from Dr O Quaba was excellent, from initial consultation to post-op aftercare.
He understood exactly what I wanted and 6 months on I am delighted with the natural result he created.
Highly recommend!
Breast augmentation – Great experience and great results
I was extremely happy with my experience with Dr Omar Quaba from my initial consultation, my procedure and follow up. He is professional, reassuring and kept me very informed throughout. I felt very comfortable with him and would thoroughly recommend him. I got a great result as well and am so so happy.
Breast implants – Trusting experience
Dr O Quaba was Very helpful when giving advice to what type and size of implant would be best for me and my lifestyle as a busy Mum and full-time fitness lecturer/instructor. He was Friendly, understanding and approachable. Dr O Quaba was happy to answer all questions and explained every query I had to give me full understanding before, on the day of surgery and during my post op aftercare.
Breast implant revision – Fantastic, couldn’t be happier
Fantastic. I am so happy I went to Mr A Quaba. Would highly recommend him. After 2 failed breast augmentation’s Mr Quaba had a lot of work to do inside my breast’s and he’s done a fantastic job. I am so happy with the results I can’t thank him enough. I was so worried after my 2nd operation that I would never have the result he has given me. He’s done more than fix my breast he’s also given me my confidence back. He’s a lovely man with a huge heart.
Quaba appear regularly in Tatler Magazine’s list of best surgeons for facelift surgery.
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