Service
Breast augmentation
Breasts are enlarged in two ways: with an implant or with your own fatty tissue. These are not two versions of the same procedure — they differ in how much volume they give, how long they last and what recovery is like.
I am thinking about breast augmentation
The word "augmentation" covers three different wishes, and each has a different procedure. More volume: the breasts are small or have lost volume — after breastfeeding, weight loss, with age; augmentation helps here. A higher position: the volume is there, but the breasts sag and the nipple is lower than before — augmentation does not solve this, a lift does. Symmetry: one breast is visibly different from the other. That is why the examination first establishes whether it is a matter of volume, position or a difference, and only then which procedure.
See also:
Who is it for?
Breast augmentation is done when there is little glandular tissue, when volume has been lost after breastfeeding or major weight loss, and when there is a marked difference between the two breasts.
Implant or your own fatty tissue?
Augmentation with an implant
The implant is placed under the chest muscle or under the gland. At Poliklinika Barbel we lean towards placing it under the muscle, because in most women it gives a more natural transition in the cleavage and a less visible edge of the implant; we choose under the gland when there is enough tissue at the edges of the breast to cover the implant.
The implant is placed through an incision in the fold under the breast or around the areola. We rarely use an incision under the armpit — it is visible and does not give enough control over the position.
Differences in placement, filling, shape and size of implants → Breast implants — how to choose?
Augmentation with your own fatty tissue (fat transfer)
Fatty tissue is taken from another part of the body by liposuction, processed and placed in the breast.
Fat transfer suits smaller breasts of a good shape, when a moderate volume is wanted — it is not for sagging breasts or for narrow, elongated (tubular) breasts, because it does not change the shape. It is done in two sessions, sometimes three, with as long a gap between them as possible.
The volume achieved this way is smaller than with an implant, because the body breaks down part of the fatty tissue that was placed over the following months.
Combination: in some people an implant is done along with a fat transfer, to soften the transition at the edge of the implant.
When is the procedure not suitable?
Augmentation alone is not planned when the breasts sag — when the nipple is more than about two centimetres lower than where it was, an implant will not lift them; augmentation with a lift is then done.
General reasons for postponing a procedure (pregnancy, breastfeeding, inflammation, a clotting disorder, smoking): When is a procedure postponed?
How do we prepare for the procedure?
Before the procedure a breast ultrasound is done, and in older patients a mammogram as well. Trial inserts help you see the difference between volumes. A special bra is chosen before the procedure.
Anaesthesia
Before a procedure under general or regional anaesthesia, you are seen by the anaesthetist, who works full time at the clinic; the same doctor is also present during the procedure. The anaesthetic assessment and the anaesthesia for larger operations are included in the price of the procedure. What happens before, during and after anaesthesia is described on the Anaesthesia page.
Recovery
After an operation with implants you go home with drains, which are removed at a follow-up visit. For the first six weeks a special bra is worn, then an ordinary one — a breast with an implant is heavier and more prone to sagging. When needed, the breasts are massaged as instructed.
Procedures are grouped into four recovery profiles: A, outpatient (home straight away, no restrictions apart from dressing changes), B, minor procedure (home the same day or after one night, marks are visible for about a week), C, major procedure (one to two nights in the clinic, sick leave and planning in weeks) and D, functional procedure (sick leave and return to work). This procedure belongs to profile C. How long recovery takes and what it depends on is described on the Recovery after surgery page.
What can the procedure not do?
Augmentation adds volume. It does not lift sagging breasts, does not change the position of the nipple and does not correct a difference in position, only in volume.
An implant is not a permanent device. Follow-up visits, MRI and warranty → Breast implants; when a replacement is needed → Breast implant replacement
Risks
Occasional — hardening of the capsule around the implant (capsular contracture), visible folds or the edge of the implant when it is placed under the gland, a difference between the two sides, changed sensation of the nipple; with fat transfer, breakdown of part of the fatty tissue and small fat cysts that can be felt. Rare — rotation of an anatomical (teardrop) implant, rupture of the implant shell, an infection that requires removal.
Expected, and rare but serious → Risks and complications: what is the course of healing, and what is a complication?
If the procedure was done earlier and the result has changed → Problems after previous surgery
Price
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Breast augmentation with implants | €4,800–5,000 |
| Breast augmentation with fat transfer, medium volume | €3,500–4,500 |
| Breast augmentation with fat transfer, larger volume | €5,000–6,000 |
Specialist and team
Specialty: plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.
When the procedure is done under sedation or general anaesthesia, the anaesthesia is led by a specialist in anaesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care who works full time at the clinic.
In the operating theatre, the surgeon is assisted by head nurse Martina Šereg, with the help of nurses Kristina Jurešić and Mateja Tomorad, and in recovery the care assistant Mirjana Kovačić is with you. Martina also looks after preparation, scheduling and contact after the procedure.
Who will operate is decided at the examination, based on the findings and the type of procedure. You know the name of the surgeon before the procedure and meet them at the examination.
What happens at the examination?
The first examination lasts 30 to 45 minutes on average. The surgeon examines the area you are concerned about, asks about illnesses, medicines, allergies and previous operations, and talks with you about what you expect. If the procedure is appropriate and likely to help, you receive a plan: which procedure is proposed, under which anaesthesia, what recovery looks like and what is included in the price. If the procedure is not needed or would not give you what you expect, you will hear that at the examination too.
What if the result is not as agreed?
The result of a procedure is assessed at a follow-up visit, once the swelling has gone down and the scar has matured, not in the first weeks. If it differs from what was agreed at the examination, the same surgeon carries out the correction.
→ Poliklinika Barbel's correction policy
In the same visit
- Breast lift — when the breasts sag, augmentation alone will not lift them — augmentation with a lift is done, in one procedure.
- Liposuction — with augmentation using fatty tissue, the fat is taken by liposuction from another part of the body, so that area is shaped in the same procedure.
Frequently asked questions
How much volume does augmentation with fatty tissue give? A moderate amount — in most women roughly up to one cup size per procedure, depending on how much fatty tissue you have and how much the breast can take. For a larger volume at once, an implant is chosen.
Will I be able to breastfeed? In most women yes, because the implant is placed under the muscle and the gland is not cut. The procedure can still change the sensation of the nipple, so this is not promised — tell us at the examination if you are planning a pregnancy.
What affects the price? The placement of the implant (under the muscle takes longer and costs more), the complexity of the structure — a difference between the breasts or the chest wall takes more work — and the implant itself, which makes up a smaller part of the total price.
What kind of bra is worn after silicone implants, and for how long? For the first six weeks a special bra is worn all the time, chosen before the procedure. This bra does not lift the breasts but holds the implants low, in the place where they need to heal; a bra that lifts and pushes the breasts together in these weeks can leave the implants too high. After six weeks an ordinary bra is worn, because a breast with an implant is heavier. The breasts are massaged only if the doctor says so, and you return to training after six weeks on average.
How much does the result depend on care after the procedure? The larger the procedure, the more it depends on it, but it always does. Healing takes weeks and months and happens almost entirely at home, so the instructions you receive when you go home, about the wound, physical activity and the scar, are part of the procedure, not a recommendation.
Who is with me if I stay overnight in the clinic after the procedure? You stay overnight when the doctor judges it necessary and this is agreed with you. You then spend the night in a room in the recovery unit, which has a bed, a television and a bathroom. A nurse is with you all night and a doctor is on call. The overnight stay and night care are included in the price of the procedure.
→ How long do you stay in the clinic after surgery?
Medical review: doctors of Poliklinika Barbel · October 2026.