For patients in South Africa

Breast surgery in Turkey from South Africa: a plain guide

Breast surgery covers several different operations: making the breasts larger, lifting them, making them smaller and lighter, or correcting an earlier operation. The surgery is the same for South African patients as for anyone else; what needs extra planning is the ten-hour flight home and follow-up once you are back.

We have detailed guides for South African patients on the three most common breast operations: breast augmentation, breast lift and the mummy makeover. Start there if you already know what you want.

Breast procedures we offer

• Breast implants — augmentation with silicone implants
• Fat transfer to the breasts — a modest increase using your own fat
• Breast uplift (mastopexy) — reshaping and raising breasts that have dropped
• Breast lift with implants — a lift and added volume in one operation
• Breast reduction — smaller, lighter breasts
• Implant replacement — replacing older implants
• Implant removal — taking implants out, with or without a lift
• Tuberous breast correction — reshaping tuberous breasts
• Nipple correction — for inverted or uneven nipples
• Breast reconstruction — rebuilding the breast after mastectomy

Which one do you need?

The right operation is decided by what bothers you, not by which sounds simplest:

• Not enough volume, with the nipple still in a good position — implants or fat transfer
• Breasts that have dropped, often after pregnancy, breastfeeding or weight loss — a lift, sometimes with implants if you also want more fullness
• Breasts that are too heavy, causing back, neck or shoulder pain — a reduction, which also lifts and reshapes
• Problems with earlier surgery or ageing implants — replacement, removal or revision

Many people sit between two of these. The surgeon decides from your photographs and history, and will say if a smaller operation would do.

Breast reduction

A breast reduction (reduction mammoplasty) removes excess breast tissue, fat and skin to make the breasts smaller and lighter, and repositions the nipples. It may suit you if the weight of your breasts causes back, neck or shoulder pain, skin irritation or difficulty exercising. The operation typically takes around two to three hours, and most patients are cleared to fly home after five to seven days. Scarring cannot be avoided, and the pattern depends on how much is removed. Some women can breastfeed afterwards and some cannot. Full details are on the breast reduction page.

Some South African medical schemes assess a medically indicated breast reduction differently from cosmetic surgery. We cannot promise anything here: ask your scheme directly, and note that schemes rarely cover treatment abroad.

Planning the trip from South Africa

Direct flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Istanbul take around ten hours, followed by a short domestic flight to İzmir. South African passport holders need an e-Visa, explained in the e-Visa guide. After surgery, patients recover at Mandarin Grove near İzmir.

• The surgeon decides when you are fit to fly; book a return ticket you can change
• Wear your surgical bra on the flight, and do not lift your own luggage — ask for help
• Choose an aisle seat, walk regularly and drink water
• If implants are used, keep your implant records and operation notes
• Standard travel insurance usually excludes planned surgery abroad; ask your insurer specifically

Follow-up at home

Follow-up continues by photograph, message and video call with the same team; Turkey is only one hour ahead of South Africa. Heavy lifting and upper-body exercise wait until the surgeon clears you. Complications and clinically necessary revisions within a year are covered by our treatment guarantee. Keep your GP informed, and ask us before you book how follow-up would work in your city. See also our clinic facts and complaints process.

What we will not do

We will not confirm a plan before a surgeon has reviewed you, we will not promise a result or a cup size, and we will not operate if your health makes it unsafe. A long journey is not a reason to combine more procedures in one operation than the surgeon judges safe.

Frequently asked questions

Which breast surgery do I need?

It depends on whether the concern is size, droop, heaviness or a previous operation. The surgeon decides from your photographs and medical history.

How long after breast surgery can I fly home to South Africa?

The surgeon decides. Most breast surgery patients are cleared to fly after five to seven days, but because the flight home takes around ten hours, South African patients may be asked to stay a little longer.

Will my medical aid pay for a breast reduction in Turkey?

We cannot promise this. Some South African medical schemes assess a medically indicated breast reduction differently from cosmetic surgery, but schemes rarely cover treatment abroad. Ask your scheme directly, and in writing, before you book.

Can I have a breast lift and implants at the same time?

Often, yes. A lift with implants raises the breast and adds volume in one operation. Whether it is safe to combine them, or better to do them in stages, is the surgeon’s decision.

What should I keep after breast surgery with implants?

Keep your implant records and operation notes. Any doctor who treats you later in South Africa will need them.

Start with a free online consultation. Planning the trip? Read the guide for South African patients and the e-Visa guide.