Breast Augmentation

1. Understanding Your Goals

• Your priorities: The consultation starts with what you would like to change, what matters most to you and what you hope surgery will achieve.

2. Clinical Assessment

• Clinical assessment: Dr Mercer assesses anatomy, tissue quality, asymmetry, scars and any factors that may affect the operation or healing.

3. Options, Limits & Planning

• Options and limits: Suitable surgical options, likely scars, trade-offs and realistic outcomes are discussed rather than assuming that surgery is the right answer.
• Planning: If you choose to proceed, clinical photography, measurements and a personalised operative plan are completed before a surgery date is confirmed.

4–6 weeks before

• Nicotine: Stop smoking, vaping and nicotine products for the period advised by your surgical team.
• Health review: Complete requested blood tests, imaging or medical clearance and provide a full medication history.

2 weeks before

• Medication check: Only stop medicines or supplements if specifically instructed by your surgeon or anaesthetist.
• Support at home: Arrange transport and help for the first 24–48 hours.

Day before surgery

• Practical preparation: Follow fasting instructions and prepare loose, front-fastening clothing and your postoperative support bra.

Anaesthesia

• General anaesthetic: Breast augmentation is usually performed under general anaesthesia with a consultant anaesthetist.

Implant placement

• Incision: The incision is commonly placed in the inframammary fold.
• Pocket: The implant may be placed above or partly beneath the pectoral muscle depending on anatomy and tissue coverage.
• Closure: Incisions are closed in layers and covered with dressings; a support bra is usually fitted.

Days 1–7

• Expected: Tightness, swelling and bruising are common; arm movement may feel restricted.

Weeks 2–3

• Daily life: Many patients return to non-physical work as comfort and mobility improve.

Weeks 4–6

• Exercise: Exercise is reintroduced progressively once healing is satisfactory.

3–6 months

• Settling: Implants gradually settle and the breast shape becomes softer and more natural.

First week

• Support bra: Wear the recommended bra and keep dressings clean and dry.
• Movement: Walk gently each day but avoid pushing, pulling and lifting.

Weeks 2–6

• Activity: Increase everyday activity gradually while avoiding heavy upper-body exercise.
• Scars: Begin scar care only when the incisions are fully closed and your team advises it.

Long term

• Implant review: Attend follow-up and seek assessment if breast shape, firmness or symptoms change.

Early review

• What happens: The team checks wounds, swelling, comfort and any dressings during the first postoperative period.

1–2 weeks

• What happens: Incisions and early healing are reviewed; sutures or dressings are removed when appropriate and activity guidance is updated.

6 weeks

• What happens: Dr Mercer reviews recovery, scars and return to exercise, and checks that healing is progressing as expected.

3–6 months

• What happens: Progress photographs may be taken as swelling settles and scars continue to mature.

Around 1 year

• What happens: A longer-term review can be used to assess the mature result once tissues and scars have fully settled.