Breast augmentation is one of the most carefully considered decisions a woman can make about her body, and it deserves a surgeon who listens before she measures. At her practice on Harley Street in London, Ms Anna De Leo plans every augmentation around the individual: your chest wall, the quality of your skin and breast tissue, your lifestyle and, above all, the result that will feel like you.
Whether you have always felt your breasts were smaller than your frame suggests, have lost volume after pregnancy or weight loss, or simply want better balance between upper and lower body, the aim is the same: a natural, proportionate shape that moves and sits well in clothes and out of them. Ms De Leo is a Fellow of the European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, and brings more than twenty years of cosmetic and reconstructive experience to each consultation.
01What Is Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation, also called augmentation mammoplasty or breast enlargement, increases the volume and improves the shape of the breasts, most commonly with silicone implants. Modern implants have a durable silicone shell filled with cohesive silicone gel, which holds its form and feels considerably more natural than earlier generations of devices. Ms De Leo uses well-established implants from a long-standing manufacturer with decades of clinical data behind them, and every implant is recorded on the UK Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry with your consent.
A breast augmentation can achieve more than size alone. Thoughtful choice of implant and pocket can restore fullness to the upper pole, improve cleavage, soften minor differences between the two sides and rebalance the figure. What it cannot do on its own is lift a significantly drooping breast; in that situation a breast lift, sometimes combined with an implant, is usually the more honest recommendation.
02Who Is a Good Candidate for Breast Enlargement?
You may be well suited to breast augmentation if you:
- feel your breasts are small or out of proportion with the rest of your figure;
- have lost volume after pregnancy, breastfeeding or weight loss but have relatively good skin tone;
- have a noticeable difference in size between your breasts (see also asymmetry correction);
- are in good general health, a non-smoker or willing to stop, and at a stable weight;
- have realistic expectations and are choosing surgery for yourself, not to please anyone else.
It is usually wise to wait until you have finished having children and at least six months after you stop breastfeeding, as breasts continue to change. Mums considering surgery as part of a wider plan may find our post-pregnancy page helpful. You should also be up to date with any breast screening appropriate for your age.
03Your Consultation on Harley Street
Your first appointment takes place in person with Ms Anna De Leo at 64 Harley Street, in the heart of Marylebone. It is an unhurried conversation rather than a sales meeting. Ms De Leo will ask about your goals, medical history, previous pregnancies and any family history of breast disease, then carefully examine and measure your breasts, assessing chest width, breast base diameter, skin elasticity, nipple position and soft tissue thickness.
Implant size is discussed in cubic centimetres rather than cup sizes, because bra sizing varies so much between brands. Using your measurements, she will help you understand which volumes and profiles your tissues can comfortably accommodate, and why going beyond that range risks stretching, visible edges or an unnatural result. You will leave with written information and time to reflect. In line with General Medical Council guidance, there is a cooling-off period of at least two weeks between your consultation and surgery, and a second consultation is encouraged before you commit.
Many patients ask about breast augmentation cost factors. Rather than a one-size price, your personalised plan reflects the implant chosen, the complexity of the technique, anaesthetic and hospital fees at an accredited London hospital, and the aftercare included. All of this is set out clearly in writing after your consultation.
04Implants, Incisions and Placement: Tailoring the Technique
No two breast augmentation operations are identical. The key decisions Ms De Leo will make with you are:
Implant shape and profile
Round implants are generally favoured: when carefully sized they create a soft, natural slope once settled, and they avoid the problem of an anatomical (teardrop) implant rotating and distorting the breast. The implant profile, from low to ultra-high, controls how far the breast projects from the chest relative to its width, and is matched to your breast base.
Incision
Ms De Leo usually prefers an inframammary incision, placed in the crease beneath the breast. This gives excellent control of the pocket, sits hidden in the natural fold, and avoids cutting through the milk ducts, which may help preserve breastfeeding and reduce changes in nipple sensation compared with an incision around the areola. Scar care starts early, and advanced healing technologies are used to help the scar settle and blend with your skin tone.
Pocket placement
In breast augmentation, the implant can sit over the pectoral muscle (subglandular) or partly beneath it (submuscular or dual-plane). Women with very little natural breast tissue usually benefit from muscle coverage, which softens the upper edge of the implant and reduces the risk of visible rippling. Where there is ample tissue, placement over the muscle can avoid movement of the implant when the chest muscles contract. The choice is made on your anatomy, not on fashion.
In selected cases, fat transfer may be used to refine the result; you can read more about body lipofilling.
The right implant is not the biggest your body can hold, but the one your tissues will carry gracefully for years to come.
ADLSynergy · Harley Street
05Breast Augmentation Recovery Time
Breast augmentation is performed under general anaesthetic at an accredited London hospital and usually takes around an hour, with most patients going home the same day. A typical recovery looks like this:
- First week: tightness, swelling and bruising are normal, and discomfort is usually well controlled with simple pain relief. Most women find it settles noticeably within 7–14 days.
- Weeks 1–2: return to desk-based work and gentle walking.
- Six weeks: a supportive post-operative bra is worn day and night; avoid heavy lifting, upper-body exercise and sleeping on your front.
- 6–8 weeks: most women resume their full routine, including exercise, following review.
- 3–6 months: the implants drop and soften into their final position and scars begin to mature.
Recovery is where ADLSynergy differs. Our team, including an experienced theatre practitioner specialising in scar massage and lymphatic care, supports you with post-operative scar therapy, lymphatic drainage and breathing and posture work after breast surgery. Optional therapies after breast augmentation, such as oxygen therapy and nutritional optimisation through our longevity programme are designed to support healing.
06Risks and Honest Expectations
Breast augmentation is major surgery, and every responsible surgeon should discuss its risks openly. These include bleeding and haematoma, infection, delayed wound healing, thickened or stretched scars, changes in nipple or breast sensation, and asymmetry. Implant-specific risks include capsular contracture (scar tissue tightening around the implant), rippling, implant malposition and rupture. Breast implants are not lifetime devices and further surgery may be needed in the future.
You will also be counselled about rare conditions linked to implants, including breast implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) and the symptoms sometimes described as breast implant illness, in line with current UK guidance. Careful planning, meticulous technique and close follow-up reduce risk but cannot remove it entirely.
When you look at breast augmentation before and after photographs, remember that each one reflects a particular body, implant and healing response. Results vary from person to person, and the goal is a meaningful, natural improvement rather than an identical copy of anyone else's outcome.
07Why Choose Ms Anna De Leo on Harley Street
Patients searching for the best breast augmentation surgeon in London are, quite rightly, looking for credentials, judgement and continuity of care. Ms Anna De Leo is a GMC-registered consultant plastic surgeon and a Fellow of the European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, a member of BAPRAS and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and has worked in leading NHS hospitals including Chelsea and Westminster, the Royal Free and Oxford University Hospitals. Her background in reconstructive surgery and microsurgery informs a precise, tissue-respecting approach to cosmetic work.
As a female plastic surgeon, she understands that many women value being able to speak openly about their bodies, and her consultations are shaped around that trust. For many women, choosing a female surgeon for breast augmentation makes the whole process feel more comfortable. From your first visit to our Harley Street practice to your final review, you are seen by the same surgeon, supported by a dedicated recovery team. Harley Street has been the centre of British consultative medicine since the nineteenth century, and the practice is open every day by appointment for patients across London and beyond, including those looking for breast augmentation near Marylebone.
If you are considering breast augmentation on Harley Street, the first step is a conversation. Contact the practice to arrange a consultation with Ms De Leo.
