Breast Augmentation with Implants in Paris
In short: at Dr David Ganon's practice in Paris 8th, breast augmentation is performed with round silicone-gel implants placed behind the pectoral muscle (dual plane), under general anesthesia, in 45 minutes to 1 hour, with one night at Clinique Alphand (Paris 16th). The scar lies at the lower edge of the areola or in the fold under the breast. The fee is €5,600, implants included.
WHAT BREAST AUGMENTATION CORRECTS
Breast hypoplasia, breasts felt to be too small, is a breast volume that is insufficient for the shape of the chest. It may result from insufficient development of the gland at puberty, or from a loss of volume after a pregnancy, weight loss or hormonal changes. It is sometimes associated with ptosis: a drooping breast, with a sagging gland, stretched skin and areolas that sit too low.
Breast augmentation with implants increases the volume of a breast that is felt to be too small. It can be performed from the age of 18, and sometimes from 16 in cases of severe hypoplasia or malformations such as tuberous breasts or breast agenesis, which may be asymmetric.
When the operation is purely aesthetic, it is not covered by French national health insurance. Only rare cases of true breast agenesis, with a cup size below A and a significant psychological impact, may qualify for partial coverage after prior approval.
For a moderate increase in volume, the alternative is fat grafting (lipofilling): your own fat, taken by liposuction and reinjected into the breast, with no scar on the breast. It is described in French on the breast fat grafting page.
THE IMPLANTS: ROUND, SILICONE GEL, CE-MARKED
A breast implant is made of an envelope and a filling. The envelope is always silicone, smooth or micro-textured; macro-textured (rough) envelopes have been abandoned. The filling is mostly silicone gel, which gives the breast a soft feel, close to a natural consistency.
Dr David Ganon uses round implants, which give a full cleavage; their projection and volume are chosen case by case, according to your anatomy and your wishes. Because the implant is round, a rotation does not change the shape of the breast.
All implants available in France meet precise standards: CE marking and authorization by the ANSM, the French agency for medicines and health products. Since November 2016, an anonymous national registry has recorded every breast implant placed in France, so that all implants can be followed up.
CHOOSING THE SIZE: SIZERS IN CONSULTATION
The size of the implants, that is their volume in cubic centimeters (cc), is chosen in consultation with trial implants worn in a bra, not from a cup size: there is no fixed equivalence between a volume in cc and a cup. The volumes Dr Ganon places most often range from 250 to 400 cc.
The choice takes into account your height and weight, previous pregnancies and breastfeeding, the shape of the chest, the amount of gland and fat, the quality of the skin and the muscles. Large implants have a price: more marked discomfort in the first days, a firmer breast, and, over the years, breasts that sag sooner under their own weight.
When the skin is already loose and the areolas sit low, an implant alone is not enough: a breast lift (mastopexy) is combined with the implants, with scars around the areola, vertical and in the fold under the breast, in an inverted T. This combined operation is described in French on the breast lift with implants page.
THE OPERATION: GENERAL ANESTHESIA, 45 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR, ONE NIGHT IN CLINIC
Before surgery, a consultation with the anesthesiologist takes place at the latest 48 hours before the operation, with preoperative blood tests. A mammogram and ultrasound dated less than a year before the operation are required after the age of 30. No aspirin, anti-inflammatory or anticoagulant medication may be taken in the five days before surgery, and you must fast for six hours beforehand. Smoking must be stopped completely at least 6 weeks before and 6 weeks after the operation; electronic cigarettes count the same.
The operation is performed under general anesthesia. It lasts between 45 minutes and 1 hour, preceded by about 15 minutes of anesthesia and followed by 2 hours in the recovery room. It requires one night in the clinic, with discharge the next day.
• The scar: at the lower edge of the areola (hemi-areolar incision) when the areola is large, otherwise in the fold under the breast (inframammary incision). The scar is placed in a natural junction or fold so that it is as discreet as possible. The incision in the armpit has been abandoned.
• The placement: behind the pectoral muscle, with the dual plane technique: the implant is covered by the muscle in its upper part and by the gland in its lower part.
• Drain and dressing: a drain may be placed depending on local conditions; it is usually removed the next day, at the first change of dressing. At the end of the operation, a compressive dressing shapes the breasts.
RECOVERY DAY BY DAY
• The first days: a feeling of tension in the chest rather than sharp pain, more marked with large implants; painkillers are prescribed for a few days. Swelling, bruising and difficulty raising the arms are frequent in the first weeks.
• Days 1 to 10: the dressing is changed every day for 10 days, at the practice, by a nurse or at home. The sliding stitch is removed on day 10.
• 6 weeks: a support bra with a compression band is worn day and night; no sport and no swimming during this period.
• Time off work: 2 weeks for a desk job, 6 weeks for physical work. For an aesthetic operation, this leave is not compensated by French national health insurance.
• Months 3 to 6: the final result, once the breasts have regained their softness and the implants have settled.
RESULTS, SCARS, RISKS AND FOLLOW-UP
The operation improves the volume and the shape of the breasts, with firmer, smoother skin; the scars are usually very discreet. Apart from a major change in weight, the volume remains stable in the long term, but the shape and firmness of the breasts change with the years, as with natural breasts, at a pace that depends on age, skin quality and the volume of the implants. Minor imperfections can occur: a residual asymmetry, excessive firmness with large implants, a palpable implant in slim patients, or a deformation of the breast when the pectoral muscle contracts in slim, muscular patients. They can be corrected at least one year after the first operation.
The risks are those of any operation, hematoma in the first hours, infection, scar abnormalities, altered sensitivity of the areola, and those specific to implants: folds or ripples under a thin skin, capsular contracture (the membrane that forms around the implant thickens and tightens), rupture of the envelope after several years, which requires replacing the implants, late seroma, ASIA syndrome, a rare condition with general symptoms for which no scientific proof of a link with implants has been established, and a transient redness of the breast in the first weeks. Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is very exceptional, about 1 case in 10,000, and mostly linked to macro-textured implants, which were withdrawn from the market in 2019. The incidence of breast cancer is not increased by implants, but you must always tell the doctors and radiologists who follow you that you have implants, so that imaging can be adapted.
Implants are not placed for life: their lifespan is estimated at 10 to 15 years on average. Replacement is not systematic; it is considered in case of a clinical or radiological abnormality, or at your request. A check-up with the surgeon is advised every two to three years, and whenever a breast changes. Ultrasound is the first examination; an MRI confirms any abnormality.
A pregnancy is possible after breast augmentation, at least six months after the operation. Breastfeeding remains possible, especially when the scar lies under the breast; with an areolar scar, breastfeeding and the sensitivity of the areola may be partly, or in rare cases fully, lost. After a pregnancy or breastfeeding, Dr Ganon waits six months before operating.
On capsular contracture, Dr David Ganon is the first author of an article published in 2021 in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery on the epidemiology and prevention of its recurrence, listed among his scientific publications.
FEES, INSURANCE AND THE COOLING-OFF PERIOD
At Dr Ganon's practice in Paris 8th, breast augmentation with implants costs €5,600. This fee is all-inclusive: the implants, the surgeon's fees, the anesthesiologist's fees and the clinic fees, operating room and one-night stay. Follow-up visits are not charged, and the exact amount appears on the detailed quote. The first consultation costs €100.
When the operation can be covered by French national health insurance, true breast agenesis after prior approval, or malformations such as tuberous breasts or a marked asymmetry, the fee is €3,350. Dr Ganon is a secteur 2 surgeon: his fees exceed the national insurance rate, and the extra fees appear in full on the quote; a complementary insurance may cover part of them, depending on your contract. An aesthetic augmentation is not covered. Related fees: breast lift with implants €6,300, replacement of implants €4,480 (€3,000 when covered), breast fat grafting €5,600.
The operation takes place at Clinique Alphand (Paris 16th), or at Clinique Monceau (Paris 17th) when it is covered by national health insurance. Consultations take place at 10 rue Quentin Bauchart, Paris 8th (métro George V), and on Fridays in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés.
As for any aesthetic surgery in France, the detailed quote is followed by a cooling-off period of at least 15 days before the operation. If you are coming from abroad, see planning your stay in Paris.
FURTHER READING
In English: English-speaking plastic surgeon in Paris (consultations, fees and travel planning), blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), facelift and neck lift: the G-Lift, Quantum radiofrequency neck lift and facial fat grafting.
French version: Augmentation mammaire par prothèses, with detailed pages on the size of the implants, pain and recovery, the scar, implants under the muscle, the lifespan of implants, the risks and the fees. To book a consultation in English, use the online booking page (Paris 8th) or call +33 7 83 79 83 71.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BREAST AUGMENTATION
How much does breast augmentation cost in Paris?
At Dr David Ganon's practice in Paris 8th, breast augmentation with implants costs €5,600, all-inclusive: the implants, the surgeon's fees, the anesthesiologist's fees and the clinic fees for the operating room and the one-night stay. When the operation can be covered by French national health insurance, after prior approval, the fee is €3,350. The first consultation costs €100; follow-up visits are not charged.
What size of breast implant should I choose?
The volume is chosen in consultation with trial implants worn in a bra, not from a cup size: there is no fixed equivalence between a volume in cc and a cup. Dr Ganon most often places 250 to 400 cc, depending on your height and weight, the shape of the chest, the amount of gland and skin, and your wishes. Large implants bring more discomfort in the first days, a firmer breast and, over the years, breasts that sag sooner.
Are the implants placed under the muscle?
Yes. Dr Ganon places the implants behind the pectoral muscle, with the dual plane technique: the implant is covered by the muscle in its upper part and by the breast gland in its lower part.
Where is the scar after breast augmentation?
At the lower edge of the areola when the areola is large, otherwise in the fold under the breast. Both are placed in a natural fold or junction, and the scars are usually very discreet. The incision in the armpit has been abandoned.
Is breast augmentation painful, and how long is the recovery?
The first days bring a feeling of tension in the chest rather than sharp pain, more marked with large implants; painkillers are prescribed for a few days. The dressing is changed daily for 10 days, the stitch is removed on day 10, and a support bra is worn day and night for 6 weeks, with no sport or swimming. Time off work is 2 weeks for a desk job and 6 weeks for physical work. The final result is assessed at 3 to 6 months.
How long do breast implants last?
Implants are not placed for life: their lifespan is estimated at 10 to 15 years on average, and it cannot be guaranteed. Replacement is not systematic: it is considered in case of a clinical or radiological abnormality, or at your request. A check-up with the surgeon is advised every two to three years, with an ultrasound when needed.
Can I get pregnant and breastfeed after breast augmentation?
A pregnancy is possible, at least six months after the operation. Breastfeeding remains possible, especially when the scar lies under the breast; with an areolar scar, breastfeeding and the sensitivity of the areola may be partly, or in rare cases fully, lost. After a pregnancy or breastfeeding, Dr Ganon waits six months before operating.
Can I have breast augmentation during a short stay in Paris?
The timeline is set by French law and by the follow-up: an in-person consultation and examination, a written quote, at least 15 days of reflection, a consultation with the anesthesiologist at the latest 48 hours before, the operation with one night in the clinic, then daily dressings for 10 days and the removal of the stitch on day 10. Plan your stay around these first follow-up visits, and discuss before surgery how your follow-up will continue once you are home. Consultations are held in English.