Nobody wakes up on a Monday and books breast augmentation in Calicut by lunchtime. This one simmers. Months, sometimes years, and in the meantime you mull it over on the commute, look things up at midnight and tell no one.
Sometimes the reason is plain enough: your breasts have always seemed small for your frame. Sometimes pregnancy, breastfeeding or weight loss got there first. And sometimes breast surgery left a shape you’d like back.
If you’re here, a few questions are probably rattling around. Which implant? What’s it going to cost? How long are you off work, and how risky is all this, really? Good questions. We’ve lined them up in roughly the order you’ll bump into them.
The short version. Plan on one to two weeks of initial recovery. Hard exercise usually has to wait four to six weeks. Implants aren’t a one-and-done purchase, since they may need replacing or revising at some point. As for price, it hangs on the implant, the hospital, the surgeon and your own plan, and health insurance generally won’t cover a cosmetic procedure like this, so ask yours.
What is breast augmentation?
Breast augmentation (augmentation mammoplasty, if you like the full medical name) is a cosmetic operation that changes the size, shape or fullness of the breasts. Usually that means an implant placed behind each breast. There’s another route, too: fat transfer, which borrows fat from elsewhere on your own body. It tends to suit people who want a smaller increase.
Why do people do it? All sorts of reasons. Some feel their breasts are small next to the rest of them. Some have lost volume after pregnancy, breastfeeding or significant weight loss. Some have breasts that are noticeably different in size, and some want their shape back after breast surgery such as mastectomy.
Implant types: silicone or saline
Two kinds of implant dominate the conversation: silicone and saline. Which one suits you comes down to your body, your skin and what you’re hoping for, and the surgeon will help you weigh it up. Here’s the basic difference.
Silicone implants
- Filled with cohesive silicone gel
- Often described as feeling closer to natural breast tissue
- If one leaks, you may not notice, so follow-up checks matter (the surgeon will advise on them)
Saline implants
- Filled with sterile salt water
- Can feel firmer
- A leak usually shows, because the implant deflates
- Many types are filled during surgery, which helps fine-tune the volume
Filling is only the start. There’s also size and projection (how big the implant is, how far forward it sits), shape (round or teardrop), position (in front of or behind the chest muscle) and the incision itself: under the breast fold, around the areola or through the armpit. No single combination wins. It depends on your anatomy and your goals, and a proper examination will tell you more than any amount of reading online.
How much does breast augmentation cost?
Most people check the price first. Fair enough. Annoyingly, the answer is: it varies.
Start with the implants (type, brand, size). Add the surgeon’s experience and the hospital’s facilities, operating theatre and anaesthesia team included. Then there’s the length of any hospital stay, the tests beforehand, the follow-up visits afterwards, and whether something else, a breast lift, say, happens in the same operation. All of it moves the total.
So at your consultation, ask for an itemised estimate and read what’s actually in it. A cheap headline number that leaves out the implants, the tests or the follow-up can cost you more than a fair one that includes everything.
Then there’s insurance. Breast augmentation is cosmetic, so health insurance generally doesn’t cover it. Reconstruction after breast cancer surgery is a different situation, and your insurer is the one to ask.
Your first consultation
The first visit is mostly talking. You’ll be asked about your medical history, any medicines you take and any earlier operations. Then comes an examination, and then the part that matters most: what you’d like to change.
If you can, come with some answers ready. What do you want different, and what do you want left alone? Do you plan to have children or breastfeed down the line? Do you smoke? (Be upfront, whichever way it goes.) Photos of looks you like help too, often more than a description does.
Nothing has to be decided on the day. Talking isn’t a commitment.
What happens during the surgery
You’ll be under anaesthesia, with the anaesthesia team beside you all the way. The surgeon makes an incision, creates a pocket, places the implant, checks its position and closes up. It usually takes one to two hours, give or take, and that varies from person to person.
Before the day, you may be asked to have a few medical tests, stop smoking, avoid aspirin and certain other medicines (only if your surgeon says so) and fast. Sort out a ride home, too, plus some help at home for the first few days.
And a rule that beats all the others: never stop a prescribed medicine on your own. Ask your doctor first.
Recovery after breast augmentation
Everyone heals at their own pace, so read this as a rough map, not a timetable.
- First few days: swelling, tightness and soreness. Rest, take short walks around the house, and wear your support bra as instructed.d
- Weeks 1 to 2: initial recovery. Most people head back to work and light activi.ty
- Weeks 4 to 6: strenuous exercise and heavy lifting return once your surgeon gives the nod
- The following months: swelling settles and the implants slowly take up their final position, so don’t judge the result too early
A few habits help. Wear the support bra exactly as instructed. Keep the incisions clean and dry. Leave heavy lifting alone until you’re told it’s safe, and turn up to every follow-up, even if you feel great. Call your surgical team promptly if you notice fever, spreading redness, discharge, severe pain or sudden swelling on one side.
If your surgeon’s advice differs from anything on this page, go with your surgeon. They’ve examined you. This page hasn’t.
Risks and things worth knowing
Every operation carries risk, and the surgeon should walk you through yours before you decide. In general, that means infection, bleeding and a reaction to the anaesthetic. Implants bring a few of their own. Capsular contracture is scar tissue forming around the implant, which can cause discomfort or a distorted shape. Rupture or leakage can happen too, since implants can fail over time. And because they aren’t lifetime devices, you may need them replaced or revised at some point, which means more surgery.
Then there’s the stuff that can feel or look different afterwards. Nipple or breast sensation may change, temporarily or for good. Scars are permanent, although they usually fade, and some unevenness can remain. Many women can still breastfeed, but it can depend on the type of surgery and where the implant sits, so say so before you book. Mammograms can be harder to read with implants in place, so tell the radiologist you have them.
One more thing, and it’s easy to forget. Implants don’t replace regular breast checks. Keep up your self-examination and any screening your doctor advises, and see a doctor promptly if you spot a new lump or any change in your breasts.
Augmentation, lift or reduction?
These three get tangled up all the time. They’re all breast surgery, but each fixes something different. Augmentation adds volume. A breast lift raises sagging breasts without changing their size much (our guide to the breast lift procedure shows how it works). A breast reduction makes large, heavy breasts smaller, and we’ve written about that in our post on breast reduction surgery.
Some people need more than one. Lost volume and dropped breasts? A lift combined with an implant may suit you better than an implant alone. After pregnancy, some women look at a mommy makeover, which combines several procedures in a planned way. The surgeon can tell you what fits.
Questions to ask your surgeon
Take this list with you. Your phone’s notes app is fine.
- Which implant type and size would you recommend for me, and why?
- Where will my scars sit, and what will they probably look like?
- Will the implant go in front of or behind the muscle?
- How long will I be in hospital, and how long should I plan to be off work?
- How many of these operations do you do, and how do you handle complications?
- What are my own risks, breastfeeding included?
- When will my implants need checking or replacing?
- What does the estimate cover, and who do I call if something worries me once I’m home?
Choosing a surgeon and clinic in Calicut
Look for a qualified plastic surgeon, a properly equipped hospital, clear explanations and proper aftercare. Asking about qualifications and experience is completely normal.
BMH Aesthetics is part of the Department of Plastic, Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgery at Baby Memorial Hospital, Kozhikode. Our senior consultants hold MCh degrees in plastic surgery, and you can meet them on the Our Doctors page.
Whichever clinic you’re weighing up for plastic surgery in Calicut, ask whether the operation really suits you medically and what it can realistically do. A price tag can’t tell you that.
Frequently asked questions
How long do breast implants last?
Not forever. They may need replacing or revising at some point, and some need attention sooner, which is why regular follow-up matters.
Which is better, silicone or saline?
Neither wins for everyone. Silicone is often chosen for a more natural feel; saline is filled with sterile salt water. The surgeon will recommend one once they’ve examined you.
How soon can I go back to work?
Initial recovery takes about 1 to 2 weeks, and most people are back at work and doing light activity by then. Strenuous exercise usually waits 4 to 6 weeks.
Can I breastfeed after breast augmentation?
Many women can, though it depends on the type of surgery and where the implant sits. Raise it with your surgeon before you book.
Will I have visible scars?
Yes, a scar, because the implant goes in through an incision. Surgeons pick the position carefully, and scars usually fade, though how yours looks depends on your skin and how you heal.
Does insurance cover breast augmentation?
Cosmetic augmentation generally isn’t covered by health insurance. If the surgery is part of reconstruction, check with your insurer.
Do implants affect mammograms?
They can make mammograms harder to read, so always tell the radiologist you have implants. They can then adjust the technique.
Talk to us
If you’re thinking about breast augmentation, start with a conversation. Call +91 8157 822 822 or use our contact page to book a consultation at our aesthetic clinic in Calicut. We’re at the Department of Plastic, Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgery, Baby Memorial Hospital, Indira Gandhi Road, Arayidathupalam, Kozhikode.