Breast reconstruction rebuilds the shape of a breast after mastectomy, lumpectomy or injury, using an implant, your own fat or your own tissue. It suits women whose cancer treatment is complete and whose oncology team agrees. It often takes more than one stage.
Free medical review within 24 hours · No obligation · ★ 5.0 from 157 Google reviews
Editorially reviewed by the Vivid Clinic Surgical Board · Last reviewed September 2026
Reconstruction recreates a breast shape where breast tissue has been removed, or corrects a dent after lumpectomy and radiotherapy. It is a personal choice, not an obligation. Some women want it straight away, some years later, and some decide it is not for them.
| Procedure time | Typically 2–4 hours for implant-based stages; longer for flap-based surgery |
|---|---|
| Anaesthesia | General anaesthesia |
| Hospital stay | Usually 2–3 nights, depending on technique |
| Recommended stay in Istanbul | About 7–10 days for implant or fat-grafting stages; longer for flap-based surgery |
| Number of stages | Often 2–3 (breast mound, refinement, nipple and areola) |
| Back to desk work | Usually 2–3 weeks |
| Exercise | Walking from day 1; full exercise after 6–8 weeks |
| Final result | Shape develops over 3–6 months after each stage |
| Results last | Long-lasting; implants may need replacement over time |
| Stitches | Usually dissolvable; drains removed before you fly |
Some hormone medicines increase clot risk around surgery, so your surgeon checks the timing with you.
Your Vivid Clinic surgeon only recommends options that are safe and realistic for your body and treatment history. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons also summarises the main breast reconstruction techniques.
A temporary expander under the skin and muscle is filled with saline over several weeks, then exchanged for a permanent implant.
Fat from the tummy or thighs is purified and injected to soften an implant reconstruction, fill dents after lumpectomy or improve irradiated skin.
Your own skin and fat, and sometimes muscle, create a softer, warmer breast that changes naturally with your weight.
Flaps are not suitable for everyone; your surgeon explains honestly whether one is advisable and how it would be arranged. Implant details are on our breast implants page, and the fat technique on our breast fat injections page.
Each stage takes place under general anaesthesia at a partner hospital in Istanbul. Later stages can refine the shape, adjust the other breast and recreate the nipple and areola.
Oncology records and imaging reviewed before you travel.
Examination, blood tests and anaesthetic assessment.
Chest, other breast and any fat donor areas marked.
Expander, implant, fat graft or flap placed.
Stitches, dressings, a support bra and drains when needed.
Hospital observation, with extra checks after flap surgery.
This example is for an implant-based or fat-grafting stage. Flap-based surgery needs a longer stay.
Day 1
A private VIP airport transfer takes you to your hotel. Your patient coordinator, who also interprets, welcomes you.
Day 2
A face-to-face consultation, blood tests and anaesthetic review, then surgery at a partner hospital.
Days 3–7
Usually two to three nights of observation, then rest and clinic check-ups. Drains are removed when output is low.
Days 8–10
Final wound check, a written aftercare plan and your operation notes for your doctors at home. The 24/7 support line stays with you.
Share your records and, if you are comfortable, photos. A plastic surgeon explains which options are realistic, how many stages to expect and how long to stay. No obligation, no pressure.
Recovery depends on the technique and the stage. After you return home, your usual cancer surveillance continues with your own doctors.
Reconstruction should always fit around your cancer care, not the other way round. With your permission, your surgeon can write to your oncology team.
Please send your operation notes, pathology report, treatment dates, recent imaging reports, any genetic test results and current medicines. A short letter from your oncologist is ideal.
In short: immediate reconstruction happens during the mastectomy and is usually arranged by the hospital treating the cancer. Most international patients who come to Istanbul are looking at delayed reconstruction, once treatment is complete.
| Immediate | Delayed | |
|---|---|---|
| When | In the same operation as the mastectomy | Weeks, months or years after mastectomy |
| Usually arranged by | The hospital team treating the cancer | You and your reconstructive surgeon, with your oncology team |
| Travel to Istanbul | Not usually; done where the mastectomy takes place | The usual route for international patients |
| Time to decide | Decided alongside cancer surgery | Time to recover, finish radiotherapy and decide calmly |
Surgeons commonly wait around six to twelve months after radiotherapy before reconstruction. Your surgeon decides the timing with your oncology records in hand.
An accurate quote is only possible after your surgeon has reviewed your records and photos. In many countries reconstruction is available through public health services or insurance, so it is worth asking your own team first.
Typically covers:
Your price depends on
This page was medically reviewed by a plastic and reconstructive surgeon on the Vivid Clinic team.
Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgeon
Every option carries risks, and radiotherapy increases several of them. Your surgeon explains the risks that apply to the technique recommended for you.
The US National Cancer Institute gives a clear overview of breast reconstruction after mastectomy, worth reading alongside this page.
Please share your mastectomy operation notes and the pathology report. Add dates and details of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and any hormone or targeted therapy, recent breast imaging, genetic test results if you had them, and a list of current medicines. A short letter from your oncologist confirming that reconstruction can go ahead is very helpful. English or Turkish copies are ideal, and your coordinator can advise on translation.
Surgeons commonly wait around six to twelve months after radiotherapy, so that the skin and tissues have settled before reconstruction. Radiotherapy makes tissues tighter and less elastic, which can affect the choice of technique. Implants in irradiated skin carry a higher risk of complications, so fat grafting or flap-based options may be discussed. Your surgeon decides the timing with your oncology records in hand.
Expander reconstruction usually involves at least two operations. The first places the expander; it is then gradually filled over several weeks or months, sometimes in coordination with a clinic near your home. The second operation exchanges it for a permanent implant. Nipple reconstruction or symmetry surgery may be a third, shorter stage. Your coordinator plans each trip around your treatment calendar.
It starts online and privately. You share your records and, if you are comfortable, photos. The surgeon reviews your cancer treatment, skin quality, body shape and goals. They then explain which options are realistic, how many stages are likely and how long to stay in Istanbul. There is no obligation, and you are welcome to bring a partner or friend to the call.
Yes, usually as a final stage, around three to six months after the breast mound has settled. The nipple is typically created from a small local skin flap, and colour is added with medical areola tattooing a few weeks later. Some women choose tattooing alone, and some choose not to reconstruct the nipple at all. All of these are valid choices.
A reconstructed breast can restore shape, balance under clothing and, for many women, a sense of feeling like themselves again. It will look and feel different from a natural breast, and sensation is usually reduced. Implants are not lifetime devices and may need replacement in future. Flap and fat reconstructions change with your weight, as the rest of your body does.
Often, yes. A reconstructed breast rarely matches the other side perfectly. A breast lift or breast reduction on the natural breast can improve balance, often during a later stage of your plan. Because reconstruction often takes more than one operation, symmetry surgery can be timed with another stage. Your surgeon discusses symmetry at consultation, and it is one of the factors that shapes your quote and the number of stages.
Send your records and questions through WhatsApp or the form. A Vivid Clinic surgeon reviews them in confidence. There is no obligation and no pressure.
Free · No obligation · Reply within 24 h
Open a summary of this guide in your AI assistant.
ChatGPT