EN«Breast surgery» covers very different operations: some are about shape and size, others relieve physical complaints, others rebuild the breast after an illness. Breast surgery in Germany includes all three, so the first job is to sort them out.
Below are the operations available in Germany, the assessment before surgery, what recovery has in common and where each operation is covered in detail. This page belongs to the plastic surgery in Germany section.
Which operations are meant
Breast surgery in Germany here means augmentation, lift and reduction of the breast and masculinising chest surgery. Breast augmentation uses implants or the patient’s own fat from elsewhere in the body. A breast lift changes the breast’s position, not its volume: the nipple is raised and excess skin removed.
A breast reduction is often done not for appearance but for back and shoulder complaints and irritated skin under the breast. Masculinising chest surgery is part of gender-affirming treatment: the surgeon removes the breast tissue and shapes a flat chest.
Removal of a lump, operations for breast cancer and reconstruction after mastectomy are a different field, not covered here. They are done in breast centres by gynaecological and breast surgeons; see the page on breast diseases and breast centres. A benign lump found before an aesthetic operation is dealt with first.
What happens before the operation
First comes a consultation. The surgeon measures and photographs the breast, asks what result the patient has in mind, explains what can and cannot be achieved with her tissue, and may propose a different operation from the one she came for. The agreement is written down and signed: the doctor explains the procedure and its risks, and the patient signs her consent.
Then come the examinations: an ultrasound scan of the breast and mammography by age or on indication, so that surgery does not hide an existing finding, plus blood tests, an ECG and an anaesthetic assessment. The surgeon asks about medicines, especially blood thinners and hormones; any pause is agreed with the doctor.
In advance, patients are asked to stop smoking, keep their weight stable, plan surgery away from pregnancy or breastfeeding, and bring earlier imaging and reports. Why the breast deserves this attention is explained in the WHO fact sheet on breast cancer: mortality is reduced when breast cancer is detected and treated early, and most breast lumps are not cancer.
What the operations have in common in the theatre
The basic routine is shared. Surgery is done under anaesthesia; before the incision the surgeon marks the skin and plans the approach so that the scar falls in the fold under the breast or around the areola. Drains are placed when needed, and a dressing or compression garment goes on straight afterwards. The clinic states how long the operation and the hospital stay take.
In Germany the operations are done by specialists in plastic and aesthetic surgery. Partner examples: at Diakonie Hospital Stuttgart, Prof. Frank Werdin heads the department of aesthetic and plastic surgery and hand surgery; at Robert Bosch Hospital in Stuttgart, Dr Ulrich E. Ziegler leads the department of plastic and aesthetic surgery; at the Villa Bella Clinic for plastic surgery in Munich, aesthetic breast surgery is done by Dr Nadja Zimmer, Dr Sebastian Pretzsch and Dr Maximilian Chlosta.
Risks and what is not promised
Many risks are shared: bleeding and haematoma, a collection of blood under the skin; infection; wound healing problems, especially in smokers; asymmetry; and changed sensation in the nipple. Scars mature over months, red at first and fading later.
Implants bring their own risks: capsular contracture, a hardening of the scar capsule around the implant, displacement and rupture. They need follow-up over the years, and a further operation may become necessary. With reduction and lifting, the effect on breastfeeding and nipple sensation is discussed before surgery, not after.
Nobody guarantees a shape, a cup size or an invisible scar. A revision is a normal part of this surgery, not a failure, and a surgeon who promises a perfect result is the wrong surgeon.
Recovery
Recovery runs from the first days, when rest and wound care come first, into weeks and months while the breast settles. At first there is swelling and tightness; pain relief follows a schedule, the compression garment is worn and patients sleep on their back. Lifting and sport wait for a period the surgeon sets individually; the wound check and stitch removal are booked in advance.
Over the following weeks and months the final shape settles, and scars change colour slowly and need sun protection. A check before the flight home and a written report for the doctor at home are part of the plan.
Frequently asked questions
Which breast operation is right for me?
The surgeon decides this at an in-person consultation, depending on what bothers you. Missing volume points to augmentation, a dropped breast to a lift, and a heavy, painful breast to a reduction; sometimes operations are combined. Photographs allow a first assessment, but the final decision comes only after the examination.
Will there be scars after breast surgery?
Yes, every incision leaves a scar, ideally placed in the fold under the breast or around the areola. Scars are red at first, then fade over months and become inconspicuous, though not invisible. Until they mature they are kept out of the sun, and how fine they end up depends partly on how your skin heals.
What happens if a lump is found before the operation?
The aesthetic operation waits until the lump has been clarified, usually with further imaging and sometimes a biopsy, in which a small tissue sample is examined. If the lump is benign, the surgeon decides when to return to the plan; if it is malignant, it is treated in a breast centre first.
How AlenMed arranges breast surgery
AlenMed starts with your documents: photographs, earlier imaging and reports go to the clinic, and the surgeon answers which operation is under discussion, what has to be examined on site and what is not advisable. Then come a written estimate and an invitation for the visa; consultation and operation are booked back to back, with an interpreter at appointments.
Plan enough days in Germany for the post-operative checks, someone to come with you, accommodation near the clinic and a doctor who will see you at home. The other operations are listed in the plastic surgery in Germany section.
This material is for information only and is not an offer. The indication and the choice of operation are decided by a doctor in person.