Breast Augmentation in Abu Dhabi – Enhancing Confidence with Excellence

Breast augmentation in Abu Dhabi enlarges and reshapes the breasts with a cohesive silicone implant, sometimes combined with your own fat. Dr. Paulo Michels, a Brazilian board-certified plastic surgeon, performs it at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi: a 1 to 2 hour operation under general anaesthesia, usually with same-day discharge and a return to desk work within 3 to 5 days. The size, implant and placement are chosen from measurements of your chest, not from a cup size. The clinical detail is on the breast augmentation page.

Who is breast augmentation for?

You may be a candidate if you have naturally small breasts for your frame, lost volume and upper fullness after pregnancy, breastfeeding or weight loss, or one breast noticeably different from the other. You should be in good general health, at a stable weight, and have realistic expectations.

There is no strict upper age limit. Patients in good general health with good skin elasticity, cleared for elective surgery by their primary care physician, can have augmentation in their 50s, 60s or beyond. Asymmetry is common and correctable: implants of different volumes or profiles can be used on each side.

What happens at the consultation?

Dr. Paulo Michels measures your chest width, the base of your existing breast tissue and your skin elasticity. Those measurements define the range of implants your body can safely carry. He then uses 3D simulation to show different sizes and profiles on a model of your own body, so you can compare options before deciding.

Bring reference photos of results you like. They describe a look far better than a cup letter, and together with the measurements they let the plan aim at a shape rather than a label. How the range is worked out is explained in choosing breast implant size.

Which implant will be used?

Cohesive silicone gel, sometimes called gummy bear implants, is the standard. The gel holds its shape, mimics the density of breast tissue and carries the lowest risk of visible rippling. If the shell is cut, the form-stable gel does not leak into the body. Dr. Michels recommends premium silicone brands only: Motiva, Mentor and Polytech.

Saline implants are safe but feel firmer, look less natural and are prone to rippling, so they are generally not recommended.

Surface. Smooth or nano-textured implants are used. Heavily macro-textured implants have been linked to a rare condition called BIA-ALCL, and premium practice has largely moved to smooth surfaces.

Profile and volume. Profile is how far the implant projects from the chest. A moderate or low profile has a wider base and a subtle slope; a high or extra-high profile has a narrower base and more upper fullness, which can suit petite frames. Volume, in cubic centimetres, is chosen to harmonise with your chest measurements so your tissue can support the implant.

What is hybrid breast augmentation?

A smaller silicone implant combined with fat taken from your own body by liposuction. The purified fat is injected around the implant to cover its edges, giving a softer look and deeper cleavage without an oversized implant. It suits slim patients with very little natural tissue coverage. See what is hybrid breast augmentation.

Where will the incision be?

Incision	What it involves
Inframammary fold (under the breast)	The preferred method: a 2–4 cm incision hidden in the natural crease. Best surgical visibility, minimal scarring, and it preserves nipple sensation and milk ducts for future breastfeeding.
Transaxillary (armpit)	No scar on the breast itself; performed by endoscopic video surgery.
Periareolar (around the nipple)	Not recommended unless combined with a breast lift, because of higher risks of sensation loss and milk-duct damage.

How is the implant placed?

Dual Plane is the standard. The top half of the implant sits beneath the pectoral muscle, which hides its upper edge and creates a natural downward slope; the bottom half sits under the breast gland, allowing natural movement. It reduces the “stuck-on” look and lowers the risk of capsular contracture.

Subglandular placement, over the muscle, is suitable only when there is plenty of natural breast tissue to cover the implant. Otherwise its edges may show.

The Internal Bra. Internal sutures reinforce the fold beneath the breast and act as a permanent hammock under the implant, to prevent it from dropping too low (bottoming out) over the years.

The implant is inserted with the Keller Funnel, a no-touch technique that keeps it from rubbing against the skin on its way into the pocket.

Do I need a lift as well as implants?

An implant adds volume and fullness. It does not lift the nipple or tighten loose skin. If your nipples point downward or sit below the breast crease, you will likely need both procedures, an augmentation-mastopexy, performed in a single surgery. Combining them means one recovery instead of two. See breast lift with implants.

What is the recovery like?

• Day 1 — surgery takes 1 to 2 hours under general anaesthesia given by a board-certified anaesthesiologist; after a few hours in recovery you go home the same day.
• Days 3–5 — light daily activities, showering and desk or remote work; the surgical compression bra is worn day and night.
• Weeks 2–3 — swelling subsides, and implants that sat high and tight begin to drop and soften into position.
• Weeks 4–6 — the surgical bra is stopped when you are cleared; cardio, weightlifting and swimming resume.
• Months 3–6 — the breasts settle into their final shape and the scars fade.

Sleep on your back with the upper body slightly raised for the first 4 to 6 weeks. Wait at least 7 to 10 days before flying. If your job involves physical labour or heavy lifting, plan for 4 to 6 weeks off. A week-by-week account is in breast augmentation recovery week by week.

What are the risks?

All surgery carries risks. The main ones specific to augmentation are:

• Capsular contracture — the internal scar capsule tightens around the implant, making the breast feel hard or look distorted. Dual Plane placement, no-touch insertion and smooth or nano-textured implants are used to reduce this risk.
• Infection — rare under strict sterile protocols.
• Changes in sensation — temporary numbness or hypersensitivity of the nipples is common at first; permanent change is rare, especially with the inframammary incision, and sensation usually returns within a few months.
• Rupture — a cohesive silicone rupture is usually silent: the gel stays within the capsule. It is not an emergency, but the implant should be replaced once MRI or ultrasound detects it.

Implants do not prevent mammograms. Tell the technician you have implants so displacement views can be used.

How long do implants last?

Modern cohesive silicone implants do not expire every 10 years. They are replaced or removed only if a complication arises, such as rupture or severe contracture, or if you want a size change later. Long-term follow-up and routine breast screening matter more than a fixed replacement date.

What affects the cost?

There is no fixed price, because the operation differs between patients. The main factors are the hospital, the surgeon’s expertise, the implant brand and model, and the complexity of the plan: adding a breast lift or fat transfer increases the total. A transparent, all-inclusive quote is provided at the consultation, once the plan is defined.

In Dr. Paulo Michels’ practice

Dr. Paulo Michels plans every augmentation from measurements first. The measurements set a safe range, and 3D simulation helps the patient choose within it; it never replaces the examination. If a size the patient likes on screen exceeds what her tissue can support, he explains why, because an oversized implant raises the risks of rippling, bottoming out, malposition and thinning of the tissue.

He recommends cohesive silicone from Motiva, Mentor or Polytech, with smooth or nano-textured surfaces, and generally advises against saline. He prefers the inframammary-fold incision and does not recommend the periareolar route unless a lift is being performed at the same time. His standard placement is Dual Plane, with Internal Bra fold reinforcement and no-touch insertion with the Keller Funnel. When a patient’s nipples sit below the fold, he tells her that an implant alone will not lift the breast.

Questions patients commonly bring to him include how the size is chosen, whether implants must be changed every ten years, whether breastfeeding will still be possible, and how implants affect mammograms.

When should you contact the surgeon?

Contact the clinic the same day if you observe:

• one breast becoming clearly larger, tighter or more painful than the other, or swelling that increases suddenly;
• redness spreading outward from an incision, or warmth around it that is getting worse;
• discharge from an incision, or wound edges that appear to be opening;
• bleeding that soaks through a dressing.

Describe what you see and send a photograph if asked. Early assessment is almost always simpler than late assessment.

How does the consultation work from Dubai?

All consultations and surgery take place at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi. Dr. Paulo Michels is a Brazilian board-certified plastic surgeon with 18 years of experience and winner of the ISAPS Gold Medal for Best Body Contouring at the World Plastic Surgery Olympiads 2025. Patients from Dubai and across the UAE are seen routinely; where possible the consultation, 3D simulation, pre-operative tests, surgery and follow-up are grouped to reduce journeys. Consultations are available in English, Portuguese or Spanish.

Frequently asked questions

How long do breast implants last?

Modern cohesive silicone implants are very durable and do not have a strict 10-year expiration date. They need replacing only if a complication such as rupture or severe capsular contracture occurs, or if you want a different size later in life.

Is breast augmentation painful?

Most patients describe deep muscle soreness or tightness in the chest rather than sharp pain, similar to an intense upper-body workout. It is managed with prescribed oral medication and eases significantly within the first 3 to 5 days.

How soon can I return to work after surgery?

Most patients return to light desk or remote work within 3 to 5 days. Jobs involving physical labour or heavy lifting need 4 to 6 weeks off, and strenuous exercise waits 4 to 6 weeks.

Will breast implants look natural?

The aim is a natural look and feel. It depends on choosing an implant your measurements support, cohesive silicone rather than saline, and Dual Plane placement, which hides the upper edge of the implant under the muscle.

Can breast augmentation correct sagging breasts?

No. Implants add volume; they do not lift the nipple or tighten loose skin. If your nipples point downward or sit below the breast crease, a breast lift combined with implants is usually needed, and the two can be performed in a single operation.

Where can I get breast augmentation in Abu Dhabi?

Breast augmentation in Abu Dhabi is performed by Dr. Paulo Michels, a Brazilian board-certified plastic surgeon with 18 years of experience who operates exclusively at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi. He recommends premium cohesive silicone implants from Motiva, Mentor or Polytech, usually placed in a Dual Plane pocket; subglandular placement is reserved for patients with ample natural breast tissue.

Can I travel from Dubai for breast augmentation in Abu Dhabi?

Yes. Dr. Paulo Michels operates exclusively at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi, and patients come from across the UAE and abroad. Where possible, the consultation, 3D simulation, pre-operative tests, surgery and follow-up reviews are grouped to minimise journeys. Most patients resume light activities within days and return to full exercise at four to six weeks.