Breast augmentation in Iran: implants, recovery and long-term follow-up

Breast augmentation makes the breasts larger or changes their shape, usually with silicone or saline implants. It is major surgery, and it is also a long-term commitment: the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says implants are not lifetime devices, and that you should expect more surgery at some point. This page explains the operation, the known risks (including the uncertain ones), recovery and flying home, and the follow-up you'll need for years after you return from Iran. It draws on FDA, NHS, ASPS and BAAPS guidance. Only your surgeon can say whether it is right for you.

What the operation involves

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) says augmentation uses either implants or fat moved from another part of your body (fat transfer). This page covers implants.

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) explains the choices you and your surgeon make together:

• What the implant is made of. The outer shell is silicone or, in some cases, polyurethane. The filling is silicone gel (the most common) or saline (salt water). BAAPS says silicone implants usually feel more natural, while saline implants are more likely to ripple and can deflate.
• Shape. Round or teardrop-shaped.
• Where it sits. Either behind the breast tissue or behind the chest muscle. Your surgeon will discuss which suits you.
• Where the cut is made. Usually in the crease under the breast. BAAPS and ASPS also describe a cut in the armpit or around the edge of the areola.

The NHS says the operation is done under general anaesthetic and takes 60 to 90 minutes, and that you may go home the same day or stay one night. ASPS adds that intravenous sedation is another option.

Implants are not lifetime devices

Since 2021, implants sold in the US carry a boxed warning: a warning printed in a box so that it stands out. The FDA's guidance says it should tell patients that:

• breast implants are not considered lifetime devices;
• the chance of complications increases over time;
• some complications will require more surgery;
• implants have been linked with a cancer of the immune system called BIA-ALCL, which occurs more often with textured implants than smooth ones, and deaths have occurred;
• implants have been linked with systemic symptoms (see below).

US patients must also be given a patient decision checklist to go through with their surgeon before surgery. The FDA's advice is direct: "You should assume that you will need to have additional surgeries."

Other bodies say the same. The NHS says implants don't last a lifetime, and that some women may need further surgery after about 10 years. BAAPS says implants usually last about 10 years, "sometimes less, sometimes more", calls augmentation "a lifetime commitment", and says you should be prepared, personally and financially, for more surgery later.

For a patient travelling abroad, this matters more than usual. A future operation may happen in your own country, years later, with a different surgeon. That surgeon will need to know exactly which implants you have. The section on aftercare and follow-up at home, below, explains what to keep.

BIA-ALCL: a rare lymphoma linked to implants

The FDA says breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is not breast cancer. It is a lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system, that usually develops in the scar tissue and fluid around the implant, often years after surgery. The main symptoms are persistent swelling, a lump, or pain around the implant. The FDA describes an individual's risk as low, but says the disease is serious and can lead to death if it isn't treated promptly.

The risk is higher with textured implants than with smooth ones. The UK expert group on breast implants (PRASEAG, published by BAAPS) adds that, until the evidence is clearer, any implant should be assumed to carry some risk. Neither the FDA nor PRASEAG recommends routinely removing implants in people who have no symptoms. PRASEAG says the commonest sign is a painless build-up of fluid that makes the breast swell over a few weeks, and that there is no screening test.

"Breast implant illness": what is and isn't known

Some people with implants report symptoms such as tiredness, memory and concentration problems ("brain fog"), joint and muscle pain, hair loss, anxiety and depression. This is often called "breast implant illness".

The evidence is unsettled, and the sources say so:

• The FDA says the cause of these symptoms, and how far they relate to the implants, is unclear. It is not a formal medical diagnosis, and there are no specific tests for it. The FDA has received reports of symptoms improving after the implants were removed without replacement, and other reports in which they did not improve.
• The president of BAAPS said in 2022 that the World Health Organization doesn't recognise it as a diagnosis, and that no scientific link between implants and these symptoms has yet been identified. He advised people with symptoms to see their doctor first, to rule out other causes.

We can't tell you more than that, because nobody yet can. If this concerns you, raise it with your surgeon before you decide.

What your surgeon will assess

Only a surgeon can decide whether augmentation suits you, after examining you and taking your history. BAAPS describes what the consultation covers, so you know what to expect. It is not a checklist to judge yourself against:

• What you want, and what is possible. BAAPS says a surgeon can't promise an exact cup size, only a range.
• Your breasts, chest and skin. The surgeon looks at the size of your ribcage and how firm your skin is before discussing implant size.
• Your weight and pregnancy plans. BAAPS says that if you are overweight or planning a pregnancy, your surgeon may suggest delaying. The NHS notes that with implants, you may produce slightly less breast milk.
• Your health and medicines, including herbal remedies and anything not prescribed.
• Smoking. BAAPS says stopping at least six weeks before surgery helps reduce the risk of complications.
• Whether you also need a lift. BAAPS says implants can improve mild droop, but some people need a lift as well. Our breast lift planning guide explains that operation. When a lift and implants are done together, Sahleva coordinates them as one procedure, with one medical quote from your surgeon.

Before your consultation, you may find it useful to read the FDA's patient decision checklist (listed in the sources below) and ask your surgeon to go through the same points with you.

Recovery in brief

ASPS says bleeding into the space around the implant is possible in the first several days, which is one reason your surgeon will want to see you before you fly.

Planning breast augmentation in Iran

How long to stay before flying

The NHS says air travel and major surgery both raise the risk of a blood clot, which can be life-threatening. Health bodies give these waiting periods:

To plan your stay, add the days before surgery, the operation day, the waiting period your surgeon sets, a check-up before you leave, and a buffer for delays.

Entry rules

Some visa-free stays are short and can't be extended. See the Iran medical visa guide. For payments and staying in touch, see our Iran guide for international patients.

Know which implant you'll receive

ASPS warns that devices used in other countries may not have been tested or approved in the same way as in the US. Before you travel, ask your surgeon in writing which manufacturer and model they plan to use, whether it is smooth or textured, silicone or saline, and what regulatory approvals it has. You'll need the same details for the rest of your life (see below).

What your surgeon will ask for

Usually your medical history, your current medicines and photos for the medical record. With Sahleva, nothing medical is collected until you have given specific consent, and your intake goes to your surgeon.

Aftercare and follow-up at home

Most of your recovery, and all of your long-term follow-up, happens after you fly home. Plan it before you leave.

What to bring home

• Your implant card, one for each implant. The FDA says your surgeon should give you a patient device card after surgery, with information on each implant. The FDA recommends it shows the serial or lot number, style and size, the device identifier, and the manufacturer's contact number. UK expert advice (PRASEAG) notes that clinics may destroy their records after seven years, so keep the card yourself, with a photo or copy.
• Your operation note, in English. The US CDC advises getting your overseas records in English to give to any doctor you see later. Ask that it states the implant details, where the implant was placed, and where the cut was made.
• A medication list, and written instructions for wound care, your support bra, activity limits and when stitches come out.
• A follow-up plan: how your surgeon will check on you remotely, and how to reach them from home.

Long-term check-ups and scans

• Silicone implants. The FDA recommends that, even without symptoms, you have your first ultrasound or MRI scan 5 to 6 years after surgery, then every 2 to 3 years. If you have symptoms, or an uncertain ultrasound result, it recommends an MRI. The FDA notes these scans may not be covered by insurance.
• Saline implants have no screening recommendation, because the FDA says a rupture can be detected without a scan.
• BIA-ALCL has no screening test. UK expert advice (PRASEAG) says people with implants and no symptoms don't need tests for it. Ask a doctor at home which follow-up schedule they recommend for you.
• Regular check-ups. The FDA's patient checklist says you will need regular follow-up with a doctor for as long as you have implants.
• Breast screening. The NHS says you should keep having regular mammograms, which are safe and don't cause implants to rupture.

Signs to act on

The NHS says to contact the clinic that did your operation as soon as possible if you have unexpected pain or symptoms. Over the longer term, see a doctor promptly, and tell them you have implants, if you notice:

• a breast that is becoming larger or firmer, with pain or pressure (Cleveland Clinic);
• swelling, a lump, or pain around an implant, even years later. The FDA lists these as the main symptoms of BIA-ALCL;
• any change in the size, shape or feel of a breast. UK expert advice says new changes after years without trouble are most likely to have a non-cancerous cause, but should still be checked.

Our guide to aftercare and complications after surgery abroad covers who to contact once you're home, and what to arrange before you leave.

What it costs

A breast augmentation trip has three separate costs: the medical fee (surgeon, anaesthesia, hospital, the implants, tests, garments, medication), coordination, and travel. There are also costs years later: scans and, at some point, likely further surgery. We don't publish price figures without real, dated data. Our breast augmentation cost guide explains what makes up each part, and what makes it vary.

Choosing a surgeon and hospital

Check the surgeon in the Medical Council of Iran's official member search, which can be filtered by gender if you prefer a female surgeon, and check whether the hospital holds a certificate to admit international patients. Our guide on how to verify a doctor or hospital in Iran walks through both checks, and how we verify providers explains what Sahleva checks on every case.

BAAPS gives one more test worth applying anywhere: nobody needs an urgent breast augmentation, and if you are not given time to think, you should look elsewhere.

What Sahleva does, and doesn't do

We coordinate everything around your treatment:

• verifying the surgeon and facility you've chosen, or helping you find a verified one;
• managing the consent-based intake your surgeon needs to review your case;
• passing your surgeon's response back to you exactly as given;
• a coordination quote, kept separate from your medical and travel costs;
• travel, a recovery stay, local transport and an interpreter around your dates;
• helping make sure you leave with your records and implant cards.

What only your surgeon can tell you: whether augmentation is right for you, which implant, size and placement, what result to expect, when you can fly, and your recovery timeline. Sahleva doesn't diagnose, assess candidacy or predict results.

After your intake, your surgeon's response comes back as one of a small set of clear outcomes. They may ask for more information, recommend a remote consultation, give a preliminary acceptance, decline, or say the decision has to be made in person. Whichever it is, it comes from them. We don't summarise or soften it. How it works shows where this step sits in your case.

Questions to ask your surgeon

Drawn from FDA, NHS and BAAPS guidance:

• What is your training, and which professional bodies are you a member of? How often do you perform this operation?
• Which implant do you recommend for me: manufacturer, model, silicone or saline, smooth or textured? What approvals does it have?
• Where will the implant sit, and where will the cut be?
• Will you give me an implant card for each implant, and an operation note in English?
• When will it be safe for me to fly home?
• What follow-up do you recommend after I'm home, and which scans should I have, and when?
• What would make me need more surgery, and what happens if I need it? Who pays?
• How should I contact you after I leave, and what signs mean I should get help locally straight away?
• Will we share a language, or will an interpreter be present?

Risks, and when to get help

All surgery carries risk. ASPS lists these risks of breast augmentation, among others: anaesthesia risks, BIA-ALCL or other rare cancers, bleeding, changes in nipple or breast sensation, fluid build-up (seroma), tight scar tissue around the implant (capsular contracture), a collection of blood (haematoma), implant leakage or rupture, infection, persistent pain, poor scarring, wrinkling of the skin over the implant, the implant sitting in the wrong position, and the possibility of revision surgery. The FDA adds that it has received reports of other rare cancers in the scar tissue around implants.

Get emergency help straight away if you have chest pain or are short of breath. The NHS says this can mean a blood clot has reached your lungs. Also contact your surgeon urgently, or get medical help, if you have:

• throbbing pain and swelling in one leg, which the NHS lists as signs of a clot;
• bleeding that won't stop;
• a high temperature, spreading redness, or discharge from a wound;
• a breast that becomes larger, firmer or more painful.

This page was written from the sources listed below and hasn't yet been reviewed by a clinician. Each medical statement on it comes from one of those sources, and none of it is advice for your case: that comes from your surgeon.