Breast augmentation in Türkiye: what UK patients ask before they book

Breast augmentation is one of the operations UK patients most often travel to Türkiye for. Before booking, most people have the same practical questions: how long to stay in Antalya, when they can fly, which implants are used, what size to choose and what happens if something goes wrong back home. This guide answers them. It does not replace a consultation with your surgeon or advice from your GP.

How many days do I need in Antalya?

Plan for around a week. BAPRAS advises waiting five to seven days after breast surgery before flying home. The operation itself takes about an hour and a half under general anaesthetic, and some patients go home the same day, while many stay one night.

Day	What usually happens
Arrival / day 1	Consultation, examination, measurements, blood tests, final plan and consent
Surgery day	Operation under general anaesthetic, usually one night in hospital
Days 2–5	Rest at the hotel, short walks, dressing and wound check at the clinic
Days 5–7	Final check; surgeon confirms you are fit to fly

BAPRAS also recommends a cooling-off period of at least two weeks and a second consultation before cosmetic surgery. If you meet your surgeon for the first time on arrival, ask for an online consultation well before you travel so you are not deciding everything the day before the operation.

When can I fly home?

Once your surgeon has seen you and confirmed you are fit to fly – usually after five to seven days. Flying soon after surgery raises the risk of blood clots. BAPRAS says drinking water, avoiding alcohol and walking during the flight help, but do not remove the risk entirely. Ask your surgeon whether you need compression stockings or blood-thinning medicine. More in flying after cosmetic surgery.

Carrying luggage is a practical problem: you should avoid heavy lifting for at least a month, so book assistance or travel with someone who can lift your case.

What is usually included in the package?

Packages vary, so ask for a written list. Typically they cover the consultation, pre-operative tests, the operation, implants, anaesthesia, hospital stay, the first post-operative bra, hotel nights and airport transfers. Check what is not included:

• extra nights if you are not fit to fly on the planned day
• medicines and dressings to take home
• follow-up after you return to the UK, and what happens if you need another operation
• travel and hotel costs if you have to come back for a revision

Which implants are used – how do I check the brand and implant card?

Ask before you book, not after. Most patients are offered silicone gel implants; saline implants tend to feel less natural and can deflate, according to BAPRAS. You should be told in writing:

• the manufacturer and model
• shape (round or teardrop), surface (smooth or textured) and volume in cc
• whether the implant carries a CE mark for use in Europe

After surgery, ask for the implant card or the stickers from the implant packaging showing the manufacturer, model, size and serial or lot number. Keep this with your operation report. The UK’s Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry, set up in 2016, records breast implant operations carried out in England and Scotland so patients can be traced if a safety problem with an implant type emerges. Operations done in Türkiye are not part of it, so your own paperwork is the only record you will have.

Tip: Photograph the implant card or stickers, your operation report and discharge letter before you leave Türkiye, and give copies to your GP practice once you are home.

Over or under the muscle, round or teardrop – who decides?

You and your surgeon decide together, but the surgeon should explain what suits your body. BAPRAS describes three positions:

Position	What it means	Often considered when
Over the muscle (sub-glandular)	Behind the breast tissue, on the chest muscle	There is enough breast tissue to cover the implant
Under the muscle (sub-muscular)	Behind the chest muscle	You are slim or have little breast tissue; the implant is less likely to be seen or felt
Dual plane	Partly under the muscle, partly over	To combine the benefits of both

Implants under the muscle move slightly when you tense your chest; this is normal. Round implants give more fullness at the top of the breast; teardrop (anatomical) implants allow the surgeon to choose height and width separately. The cut is usually in the crease under the breast, sometimes in the armpit or around the nipple.

How do I choose the right size?

The surgeon measures your chest wall, breast tissue and skin, then suggests a range of sizes; your preference matters within that range. Implants are measured in volume, not cup size, and BAPRAS says a cup size cannot be guaranteed. Implants that are too large for your frame look less natural and are more likely to cause drooping, stretched tissue and implants that can be seen or felt. Bring photos of results you like, but expect an honest discussion if they do not match your body.

Do implants last for life?

No. The NHS says implants do not last a lifetime and some women need further surgery after about ten years. BAPRAS puts the risk of another operation at about 1% per year – around 10 in 100 women by ten years – and says exchanging implants before ten years is unusual. There is no fixed replacement date: if nothing changes, routine scans are not needed. Keep checking your breasts, attend breast screening and tell staff you have implants.

What are the main risks?

Most women recover without problems, but you should know the common ones. Figures from BAPRAS:

• Capsular contracture (the breast becoming firm because scar tissue tightens around the implant): up to 1 in 10, though most do not need further surgery
• Bleeding (haematoma) needing a return to theatre: less than 1 in 100
• Infection: less than 1 in 1,000, but an infected implant usually has to be removed
• Nipple sensation: about 1 in 5 have reduced feeling for up to a year; about 1 in 10 have some permanent numbness
• Rupture: often silent; around 1 in 10 implants had ruptured at ten years in one study

Rippling, creases and rotation can also occur. Breasts often look high and tight at first; BAPRAS says the long-term result takes three to four months to appear.

What is BIA-ALCL – should I worry?

It is uncommon, but you should know the signs. BIA-ALCL is a type of lymphoma that develops in the scar tissue around an implant. The MHRA’s UK reporting rate is 1 in 12,187 breast implants sold, and almost all UK cases involved textured implants; no confirmed UK primary cases involved smooth implants. It usually appears around seven to ten years after surgery, most often as fluid building up so that one breast swells over a few weeks. The MHRA says there is no need to remove textured implants if you have no symptoms. If you notice swelling, a lump or fluid more than a year after surgery, contact your surgeon and your GP, who can refer you to an NHS breast clinic.

Can I breastfeed afterwards?

Usually, yes. BAPRAS says implants do not interfere with breastfeeding, although milk production may be reduced in some women, and there is no evidence of increased illness in children of mothers with silicone implants. If you plan a pregnancy soon, discuss timing with your surgeon, as pregnancy and breastfeeding can change the shape of your breasts.

When can I exercise, use a sauna, swim or sunbathe?

Recovery steps depend on your surgeon, but the NHS and BAPRAS give a guide:

Activity	Typical timing
Walking	From day one
Work (desk job)	After about 1–2 weeks
Driving	Not for at least a week
Heavy lifting, strenuous exercise	Not for at least a month; full exercise within about six weeks
Sports bra	Some surgeons advise wearing it day and night for up to three months
Swimming pool, sea, sauna, hammam	Only once your wounds have fully healed and your surgeon agrees

The NHS says sunbathing is safe with implants, but new scars can darken in the sun. Keep them covered while they are still red, and do not plan beach days in Antalya during the first days after surgery.

How do I check the surgeon and clinic?

Ask for names and documents, not promises:

1. Who will operate, and are they a specialist in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery?
2. How many breast augmentations do they perform each year?
3. Is the clinic authorised by the Turkish Ministry of Health for health tourism (Yetki Belgesi)? Ask for a copy.
4. Which implant brand and model will I get, and will I receive the implant card?
5. Who handles complications once I am in the UK, and do I pay to come back?
6. Can I have the operation report and discharge letter in English?

Warning signs include time-limited deals, non-refundable deposits, a guaranteed cup size, no questions about your health history and pressure to decide quickly. Our clinic checklist has more.

What if I get capsular contracture or a problem back home – will the NHS help?

In an emergency, yes – call 999 or go to A&E for chest pain, shortness of breath or heavy bleeding. For a temperature, spreading redness, a wound opening or one breast suddenly swelling, contact NHS 111 or your GP the same day. For non-urgent problems such as capsular contracture, rippling or wanting a different size, the NHS usually does not fund corrective surgery after self-funded cosmetic surgery. That means going back to your surgeon in Türkiye or paying privately in the UK. Agree in writing before you travel what follow-up you get and who pays for travel if you need a revision.

Tip: Register with your GP and tell them about your planned surgery before you go – it makes urgent care easier if you need it.

More on this in complications after surgery abroad and the NHS.

Read more

• Flying after cosmetic surgery: when is it safe?
• Warning signs after surgery: when to get help
• Choosing a reputable clinic in Türkiye