Breast augmentation in Berlin
For many women, full, beautifully shaped female breasts are part of the ideal of beauty. But just as unique as your personality are female breasts – and not every woman is satisfied with the natural shape of her bust.
For some women, the breasts are rather small in proportion to the rest of the body; for others, pregnancy and breastfeeding have changed the shape of the breasts. Over time, the skin also loses elasticity, which reduces the volume of the bust and makes it appear saggier.
These and other reasons can lead to dissatisfaction with one's own body, which can become a lasting psychological burden and significantly limit the quality of life.
With a breast augmentation (medical term: mamma augmentation) and optimization of breast shape, these problems can be solved satisfactorily and permanently. For many patients, a breast augmentation means a gain in newfound self-confidence and quality of life.
Are you considering increasing or restoring the volume of your bust through a breast augmentation? Our practice in Berlin offers professional breast augmentations and will be happy to advise you individually so that your body can fully meet your own demands. Feel free to visit us in our practice in Berlin to get advice on breast augmentation!
- Duration of the procedure
- Approx. 1 hour (implants) / approx. 2 hours (lipofilling)
- Anesthesia
- General anesthesia
- Clinic stay
- 1 day (implants) / possibly outpatient (lipofilling)
- Socially presentable
- After approx. 1 week
- Able to work
- after approx. 2-3 weeks
- Sports
- after approx. 6 weeks (implants) / after approx. 2-3 weeks (lipofilling)
- Wound healing
- approx. 1 week
- Costs
- From 6000 Euros
- Aftercare
- wearing a special support bra and possibly a breast bandage for several weeks, regular check-ups; for implants also: suture removal, scar care
Breast augmentation begins with the preparation for the procedure – meaning one or more preliminary consultations. Blood-thinning medications must be discontinued one week before the procedure. This includes not only anticoagulants for thrombosis prophylaxis but also other preparations with blood-thinning effects such as aspirin. If possible, you should also stop smoking or reduce it to a minimum 14 days before the procedure to avoid hindering wound healing. Please arrive sober for your operation appointment at our practice in Berlin. The course of breast augmentation depends on the chosen surgical method. The insertion of implants is usually performed under general anesthesia. After the implants are inserted, the surgical incisions are sutured. The sutures are removed after the immediate wound healing is complete – about ten days after the operation. After the operation, you will stay in the clinic for one night. Lipofilling, on the other hand, does not necessarily require general anesthesia but can also be performed under local anesthesia in combination with twilight sleep. You decide which anesthesia method you prefer. The operation is performed in two steps as described (autologous fat harvesting and breast augmentation using lipofilling). The procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis. If you opt for an inpatient stay, one day with an overnight stay is usually sufficient. The operating time for breast augmentation with implants is about one hour. Breast augmentation with autologous fat takes longer due to the harvesting and preparation of the body's own fat cells – here you should expect two to three hours.
Breast augmentations are a low-risk procedure. However, as with all other operations, risks and complications cannot be completely ruled out. In rare cases, bleeding or pressure damage to soft tissues and nerves may occur during the operation. Further risks include secondary bleeding, wound healing disorders, or medication intolerances. As an experienced specialist in plastic and aesthetic surgery, Dott. mag. Andrea Caletti possesses the expertise and instruments to minimize such risks. You also make a significant contribution by consistently adhering to the recommendations for aftercare and post-treatment. A possible complication after the insertion of implants is capsular fibrosis, through which the organism attempts to encapsulate the foreign material with a layer of connective tissue. If this tissue contracts and thereby causes a deformation of the breast, a second operation may be necessary.
In the first few days after the procedure, you may experience a feeling of tension or pain in the breast area, which can be well managed with pain medication. After breast augmentation with implants, you will receive a drainage, which is usually removed the next day. The bandage is replaced after a few days by a compression bra, which you wear for at least four weeks. It helps the implants move into their final position faster. Additional breast compression from above by a breast bandage – the so-called Stuttgart belt – can enhance the effect of the bra. It is decided on a case-by-case basis whether this is necessary or not. Push-up bras should not be worn during the first three months after the procedure. It is optimal if you sleep on your back in the first few weeks. After the immediate wound healing is complete, the healing process is promoted by gentle pressure massages and the regular application of a scar ointment or scar gel. With waterproof plaster dressings, showering is possible again 24 hours after the procedure. You should wait at least two months before visiting saunas and taking baths. Sunbathing is only allowed after six months to prevent irreversible scar pigmentation. The breast becomes more resilient from the eighth week after breast augmentation. In most cases, you are allowed to exercise again at this time. For breast augmentation using lipofilling, the same rules for aftercare generally apply. However, the healing process after this procedure is significantly faster. Most patients experience almost no pain. The discomfort immediately after breast augmentation is limited to a slight feeling of tension in the breast area, similar to muscle soreness. In this case, the body areas from which fat was removed may also need to be included in the aftercare. In the first few weeks after the procedure, you will come to several individually arranged follow-up appointments at my Berlin practice for both surgical procedures.
Procedure for breast augmentation
Beforehand: Individual consultation
Before every treatment, we conduct a comprehensive personal consultation in which we want to learn about your wishes and ideas. We then present the various breast augmentation options that are suitable for you and explain the procedure as well as the chances and risks of the intervention. Of course, we are always available to answer your questions. Together with you, we create an individual treatment plan for your individual breast surgery.
Before the operation: Preparation
If you have decided on breast augmentation, it is important to prepare for the operation to best support the procedure and wound healing. If you are taking blood-thinning medications, you should stop them at least one week before the operation. This includes not only anticoagulants for thrombosis prophylaxis but also other preparations with blood-thinning effects such as aspirin. If you are unsure whether the medications you are taking also have a blood-thinning effect, please contact us; we will be happy to inform you!
Note: If you smoke, please stop or reduce it to a minimum at least 14 days before the procedure, as smoking increases the risk of wound healing complications.
On the day of the operation: The procedure
Please arrive for your operation appointment on an empty stomach. Depending on the surgical procedure you have chosen, the process differs slightly:
Breast augmentation with implants
To insert the implants into the breast, incisions are necessary, which are usually made in the inframammary fold. The advantage of this location is that the incision, which is usually only 4-5 centimeters long, carries the lowest risk of complications here, but grants the treating physician the best access. The resulting scar is barely visible here.
An alternative is an incision via the armpit, where the breasts remain completely scar-free. Theoretically, it is also possible to insert the implants via an incision above the areola, but many women reject this for aesthetic and/or emotional reasons. In addition, this can lead to injuries to the glandular tissue and scarring inside the breasts. The risk of infection is also higher with this technique, which is why this approach is chosen very rarely.
Placement of implants: Above or below the pectoral muscle
Breast implants can be placed either above or or below the pectoral muscle. In most cases, placement below the pectoral muscle is more advantageous, because on the one hand, the implant is not or only very slightly palpable at this location, and on the other hand, the risk of a so-called capsular contracture is further reduced. In addition, placement below the pectoral muscle facilitates later examinations as part of cancer screening. However, placement above the pectoral muscle is simpler and less painful, but is only suitable for women with very well-developed breast glandular tissue, where the implants are neither visible nor palpable.
After the breast implants have been inserted into the desired position, the surgical incisions are carefully sutured.
The procedure is usually performed under general anesthesia and lasts about 1 hour. After the operation, you will stay in the clinic for one night for observation.
Breast augmentation with autologous fat (lipofilling)
Breast augmentation with autologous fat is performed in two steps. In the first step, autologous fat is removed from the body's own fat deposits. The abdomen, hips, buttocks, or thighs are particularly suitable for this. Before the fat cells can be reused, they must be processed in a sterile procedure. From these, the highest quality fat and stem cells are injected into the previously defined areas in the breast in a second step. Breast augmentation with autologous fat can be combined with other procedures, such as liposuction on the abdomen or liposuction on the legs.
The targeted injection not only allows for breast enlargement but also for shaping the breast. With this technique, incisions are only necessary for inserting the cannulas, if at all. They are made in a minimally invasive form at the fat tissue removal points and then in the inframammary fold or at the edge of the nipple.
Due to the necessary removal and processing of the body's own fat cells, lipofilling takes a little more time than the use of implants, lasting at least two hours.
Note: The procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis and does not require general anesthesia. You have the choice of whether you prefer to have the procedure performed under local anesthesia in combination with twilight sleep. Of course, you can also choose an inpatient stay; usually, one overnight stay in the clinic is sufficient.
Risks
When performed routinely by experienced specialists, plastic breast augmentation is a low-risk procedure. Nevertheless, it is an operation and therefore - like any surgical procedure - associated with certain general surgical risks. These include bleeding / secondary bleeding, pressure damage to soft tissues and nerves, and wound healing disorders.
However, due to the expertise and experience of Dott. Mag. Andrea Caletti, the risks of complications can be reduced to a minimum. You yourself can also help to minimize the risk of complications in wound healing by consistently adhering to the recommendations for aftercare and follow-up treatment.
Risk of capsular contracture
A special (and at the same time the most common) complication when using implants in the breast is capsular contracture. This is a reaction of the body, which perceives the implant as a foreign body and tries to encapsulate it by strengthening the connective tissue layer. Sometimes this tissue layer contracts so strongly that the capsular contracture presses on the implant, which can result in pain and/or deformation of the breast. In these cases, a revision of the breast may be necessary (breast implant exchange or removal).
Aftercare
After the insertion of implants, you will receive a drain, which is usually removed the next day. With waterproof plaster dressings, showering is possible again 24 hours after the procedure.
In the first few days after the procedure, you may experience a feeling of tension or pain in the breast area, which can be well treated with over-the-counter pain medication. In the case of breast surgery with implants, the sutures are removed after wound healing is complete. This is the case for most of our patients after about 10 days. After the immediate wound healing is complete, the healing process is promoted by gentle pressure massages and the regular application of a scar ointment or scar gel.
Bandage & Support Bra
After a few days, the bandage is replaced by a special compression bra, which you should wear for at least four weeks. It helps the implants move to their final position faster and hold them there. In rare cases, it may be useful to apply additional compression to the breast from above with a breast bandage - the so-called Stuttgart belt - to enhance the effect of the bra. You should not wear push-up bras during the first three months after the procedure.
It is optimal if you sleep on your back in the first few weeks to avoid unnecessary strain on the breasts. After about eight weeks, the breasts will be more resilient again, and you can now start with (initially light) sports activities. However, avoid baths and sauna visits for the first two months and avoid direct sunlight for about six months to prevent irreversible scar pigmentation.
Aftercare after Lipofilling
For breast augmentation with autologous fat, the same rules and recommendations for aftercare generally apply, but experience shows that the healing process is significantly faster here. Just remember to include not only the breast itself in the aftercare but also the body areas from which fat was removed. However, like all our patients, you will receive a detailed aftercare plan, which also includes several follow-up appointments with Dott. Mag. Andrea Caletti.
It is optimal if you sleep on your back in the first few weeks to avoid unnecessary strain on the breasts. After about eight weeks, the breasts will be more resilient again, and you can now start with (initially light) sports activities. However, avoid baths and sauna visits for the first two months and avoid direct sunlight for about six months to prevent irreversible scar pigmentation.
Reasons for Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation is one of the most common cosmetic surgeries performed by specialists in Plastic and Aesthetic Medicine in Germany. The reasons for breast surgery are diverse, but often women perceive their breasts as too small compared to their other body proportions. Other patients want to regain more volume in their breasts after pregnancy or significant weight loss.
In addition to aesthetic desires, there are also medical reasons for breast augmentation. These include, for example, asymmetrical breasts, congenital or acquired breast deformities, and breast reconstruction after cancer surgery.
Important: Breast augmentation is generally possible for all women aged 18 and over, regardless of the previous condition of the breast or the age of the adult patient.
What results can be achieved with breast augmentation?
Breast augmentation can help you achieve a significantly fuller breast shape and larger breasts. The optimal size depends on various factors (body type, breast tissue, and personal wishes) that must be considered when selecting implants. In some cases, it makes sense to combine breast augmentation with a breast lift to achieve an optimal result. All these factors are individual and will be adapted to your body and your wishes.
Regardless of the desired shape and size, a breast augmentation can achieve a sustainable and long-lasting result. Modern implants are made of high-quality materials that last for many decades or even a lifetime. Removal or replacement may be necessary in case of complications (breast implant exchange, breast implant removal). For breast augmentation with autologous fat, the result also lasts a lifetime.
Implants or Autologous Fat: Which is the Better Method?
The volume required for breast augmentation can be achieved by using implants or the body's own fat cells (lipofilling). Both procedures have advantages that must be considered when choosing the method.
Advantages of Lipofilling
For the lipofilling method, no surgical incisions are necessary because the "filling material" is injected into the body via a cannula. In this way, the shape of the breast can be modeled very well, and no scars are created. However, the volume increase with lipofilling is limited to a maximum of one cup size. Autologous fat can be combined with liposuction of the legs or liposuction, for example, of the abdomen.
Advantages of Implants
There is no cup size limitation with implants – a larger volume increase can also be achieved with them. The use of implants is also independent of the amount of existing fat deposits and can easily be performed even on very slender women and on patients with very saggy breasts (in combination with a breast lift).
Ideal Method is Case-Dependent
Which of the two methods is better cannot be said generally, but always depends on the individual case. We would be happy to advise you comprehensively in our practice for Plastic Surgery in Berlin on the individual procedures of breast augmentation and jointly decide which procedure can achieve the best result for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Implants can have various shapes, ranging from round to (anatomically) teardrop-shaped. Which one is best suited for you depends on the anatomical condition and contour of the breast and, of course, on the desired treatment result.
Most breast implants consist of silicone or a silicone core with a cohesive gel filling that cannot leak even if the implant is damaged. Alternatively, fillings of sterile saline solution are used, which are also completely harmless to health in the event of an implant rupture.
Previously, implants were supposed to be replaced after about ten years to prevent possible signs of wear such as tears. However, modern implants are of such high quality that a general replacement after a certain period is no longer necessary. Most of these implants now last a lifetime.
Note: After every breast surgery, each patient receives an implant passport, which provides information about the time of the procedure and the type of implants used.
Only if health problems occur (e.g., capsular contracture) or if the patient wishes a renewed change in the size or shape of the breast at a later time, is removal or replacement of the implant necessary (changing/removing breast implants). It is important that you have the implants regularly checked by ultrasound to detect possible damage or problems early and to be able to counteract them.
The size of breast implants depends on their respective filling volume, which ranges from 80 to 750 milliliters. One cup size corresponds to approximately 200 ml of filling volume.
However, breast implants differ not only in their filling volume, but also in their height, each of which creates a different breast shape: implants with a central curvature achieve a round breast shape, while teardrop-shaped implants (narrow at the top and rounder at the bottom) replicate the natural shape of the breast as accurately as possible. That is why we often refer to teardrop-shaped implants as anatomical implants.
There is no general answer to this, as the optimal size of the implants depends on various factors such as individual body structure, the nature of the breast tissue, and your personal wishes and ideas. We try to determine the optimal size with you from all these factors, but we attach great importance to achieving a natural result where the breast fits the rest of the body proportions.
An excessively large breast not only looks unnatural but also entails health risks. For example, implants that are too large can lead to pain, restricted movement, and postural damage, which is why it is essential to consider the patient's physical conditions when deciding on implant size.
Breast augmentation with autologous fat is particularly suitable for women who desire a very natural result and/or reject foreign materials. Lipofilling is also a sensible and gentle alternative to breast implants for patients with an intolerance to silicone.
In addition, liposuction permanently removes unwanted fat deposits on the legs or abdomen (liposuction legs, liposuction abdomen).
However, with lipofilling, only volume gains of up to one cup size can be achieved. It is possible, however, to repeat the procedure one or more times until the desired extent of breast augmentation is reached.
After breast surgery, you should stay in the clinic for one night for observation. If you wish to have breast augmentation in combination with a breast lift, this may require a longer stay. You can find more information on this in a personal consultation.
No, please avoid lifting heavy objects in the first six weeks after breast surgery. In this case, heavy objects are those weighing more than 3 kilograms.
You should refrain from sports and other physical exertion for at least 6 weeks after breast augmentation. Allow yourself and your body 2-3 weeks of rest and take it easy. If you have opted for lipofilling, you can then start with light activities, which you can gradually increase. However, with augmentation using implants, you should wait at least six weeks before engaging in sports activities.
After the operation, the breasts are very sensitive; they feel very tense and swollen. It takes some time for the swelling to subside, the wounds to heal, and scar formation to complete, although there can be significant individual differences here. In our experience, however, the healing process is usually completed after about 6 months.
Immediately after the operation, the changed size and shape of the breast are already visible. However, it takes some time for the operation-related swelling to subside and the healing process to be completed. The final result can be seen after about 6 months.
That depends on the surgical technique and incision. If the incision is made in the inframammary fold or the armpit, the ability to breastfeed is not affected. However, if the incision is made around the nipple-areola complex, the ability to breastfeed may be impaired, which is why this method should only be used after family planning and breastfeeding are complete.
Aesthetics:
This depends on the reason for the operation. In Germany, if you want to have breast augmentation to change the aesthetics of the breast, you must be at least 18 years old. It is important that body and breast growth are complete, which is usually the case by the age of 20.
Medical necessity
If breast augmentation is to be performed for medical reasons, it is also possible at an earlier stage. Whether this is sensible or advisable depends on the individual case. Please feel free to consult our doctor in our plastic surgery practice in Berlin.
The costs for breast augmentation start at around 6,000 Euros, but depend on the doctor, the chosen method, the implant model, and the complexity of the operation, and can therefore vary. We will gladly provide you with an individual offer for your breast augmentation after a comprehensive examination and a detailed consultation with our doctor.
Health insurance generally only covers the costs of breast augmentation if the treatment is medically necessary. Breast augmentation performed for aesthetic reasons is not medically necessary, so you must bear the costs yourself.
However, if the operation is performed for medical reasons, health insurance companies (partially) cover the costs of breast augmentation. Examples of medically necessary treatment include operations for congenital malformations and after severe injuries or illnesses (such as cancer) that resulted in breast removal.
Whether the health insurance company covers the costs for breast reconstruction in these rare cases depends on the respective insurance. Usually, an expert opinion from a specialist is required, who must confirm the medical necessity of the procedure for each individual case. Dott. Mag. Andrea Caletti will be happy to advise you on the possibilities.
There are circumstances that argue against breast augmentation. These include certain pre-existing conditions or medications that must be taken without interruption. Breast augmentation cannot be performed during pregnancy and breastfeeding either. The basic rule is: If the patient's health condition significantly increases the risks of general anesthesia or complications during the operation itself, the procedure should not be performed.
Also, the motives for breast augmentation discussed in the personal consultation with Dott. Mag. Andrea Caletti are of great importance. Because if the motivation for the operation does not come from the patient herself, but she rather feels external pressure, breast augmentation will not be the right approach. The same applies to unrealistic wishes or expectations that women have for breast augmentation.
Do you have questions about breast augmentation?
Should you still have any questions, we will be happy to discuss them personally and without obligation in our Berlin practice.