Preparing for Breast Augmentation Consultation in Sydney

Dr Scott J Turner | Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) | Sydney

Breast augmentation involves a series of decisions that are best made after a detailed clinical assessment. Implant size, shape, profile, placement, incision location, whether fat grafting or a breast lift is part of the plan, recovery, and surgical risks all depend on your anatomy rather than a single preferred outcome.

This guide is written to help patients prepare for a breast augmentation consultation. It walks through the main decisions usually discussed at consultation, what’s useful to bring to your appointment, and how I approach breast implant planning. For a complete overview of the procedure itself, including surgical technique and detailed implant options, see the main breast augmentation procedure page.

As a Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS), I consult at Bondi Junction in the Eastern Suburbs and Manly on the Northern Beaches. Every breast augmentation I perform is carried out at an accredited Sydney private hospital with a specialist anaesthetist.

Who This Guide Is For

This guide is for patients in Sydney who are:

• Considering breast implants for the first time and want a structured overview before consultation
• Comparing implant options, sizes, placements, and incision approaches
• Trying to understand recovery and cost expectations before booking
• Weighing whether implants alone are the right approach, or whether fat grafting or a breast lift may be part of the plan

If you’re early in your research, this provides the grounding to walk into a first consultation with the right questions. If you’re further along, it works as a reference for the specific decisions you’re still considering.

Breast Augmentation Consultation: Quick Preparation Summary

• Procedure options. Implants alone, hybrid augmentation (implants plus fat grafting), or breast lift with implants, depending on anatomy and goals.
• Planning focus. Implant base width, profile, placement, incision approach, and soft tissue support.
• Recovery planning. Two to three weeks off desk-based work, six to eight weeks until full strenuous exercise.
• Cost planning. A detailed quote is provided after consultation, not before, because the figure depends on the surgical plan.
• AHPRA pathway. GP referral, two consultations minimum, psychological evaluation, seven-day cooling-off period, and a $1,000 surgical deposit payable only after your second consultation.

What to Understand Before Your Breast Augmentation Consultation

Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure that increases breast volume using implants, fat grafting, or a combination. The operation is performed under general anaesthesia and usually takes one to two hours. The implant is placed under the pectoralis muscle, partly under the muscle (dual plane), or over the muscle beneath the breast tissue. The incision is typically made in the natural crease under the breast.

That’s the clinical shorthand. The nuance sits in matching the right combination of those decisions to your anatomy, your aesthetic preference, and what’s realistic for your soft tissue cover. The procedure page covers the surgical technique in detail.

Questions to Ask About Breast Implant Size

The sizing conversation is where the most confusion sits for patients, because the instinct is to think about size in cup terms rather than the way the surgery actually works. There’s no cup-size guarantee in breast augmentation.

Three measurements matter:

• Base width. The diameter of the implant at its widest point. The implant base width should match, or sit just inside, the natural breast base width. Going wider than your anatomy supports produces a silhouette that looks off-proportion and increases risk over time.
• Volume. Measured in cubic centimetres (cc). The number most patients focus on, but on its own it’s misleading. Two implants with the same volume can look quite different on the same patient depending on base width and profile.
• Profile. How far forward the implant projects from the chest wall. Moderate profiles produce softer, less forward results. High profiles push more volume forward and create more upper-pole fullness.

At consultation, ask: What base width does my anatomy support? What’s the volume range that fits? Which profile suits the outcome I want? Volume sizers help you visualise different options in clothing. Detail on profile selection is covered in the implant profile and projection blog.

Questions to Ask About Implant Shape

Implants come in two main shapes: round and anatomical (teardrop).

Round implants are the most commonly used option in current practice. They produce reliable upper-pole fullness, are less affected by rotation, and suit a wide range of patient anatomy.

Anatomical implants are shaped to mimic the natural slope of the breast, with more volume at the lower pole. They suit specific anatomy and aesthetic preferences, but they need to maintain orientation, so rotation is a consideration.

At consultation, ask: Which shape does my anatomy suit? What are the trade-offs for my specific case? The choice is made after measurements, not before.

Questions to Ask About Implant Placement

Three placement options, with the modern choice usually between submuscular and dual plane.

• Submuscular. The implant sits fully under the pectoralis major muscle. Extra soft tissue cover, but firmer feel in the early weeks and potential for muscle animation.
• Dual plane. A hybrid where the implant is under the muscle at the upper pole and behind breast tissue at the lower pole. The placement I use most often. Good soft tissue cover on top, softer lower-pole contour.
• Subglandular. Over the muscle, beneath breast tissue. Used less commonly because of higher capsular contracture risk in patients with limited breast tissue. Specific indications apply.

At consultation, ask: What placement does my soft tissue cover support? Why this placement over the others for my anatomy? Detailed reading in the implant placement blog.

Questions to Ask About Incision Options

Three incision options:

• Inframammary fold. Under the natural crease of the breast. My most frequently used approach. Precise placement access, scar hidden in the fold.
• Periareolar. At the border of the areola. Scar blends with the pigment transition. Slightly higher risk of nipple sensation changes.
• Transaxillary. In the armpit. No scar on the breast itself. Less precision and difficult revision access.

At consultation, ask: Which incision does my surgical plan suit? Which scar location works for me? What’s the long-term scar quality expectation?

When Breast Augmentation Alone May Not Be Enough

Implants alone address volume. They don’t correct skin laxity, asymmetry of position, or a low nipple-areola complex.

Where significant skin laxity coexists with volume loss (common after pregnancy or weight changes), implants alone may produce a fuller but still drooping silhouette. A breast lift with implants addresses both in one operation. For patients with very thin upper-pole tissue, hybrid augmentation (implants plus fat grafting) can soften the transition between chest wall and implant.

At consultation, the assessment includes whether augmentation alone is the right pathway, or whether a combined approach better suits your anatomy.

What Photos Can and Cannot Tell You

Before-and-after photos are useful for understanding the range of outcomes that breast augmentation produces. They’re not a prediction of your result.

What photos can tell you: the range of outcomes across different implant types, placements, and starting anatomies. A general sense of what implant size or profile looks like across different body frames. Scar location for each incision approach once healing is complete.

What photos can’t tell you: what your specific result will look like (your anatomy is different). What the breasts feel like. How an implant settles over the first twelve months, which the photo captures at one point in time.

The breast augmentation before and after gallery shows results across a range of implant types and patient anatomy. Use it for orientation, not prediction.

What to Know About Recovery Before Booking Surgery

Recovery follows a reasonably predictable timeline, though individual experience varies.

• Days 1 to 3. The most uncomfortable. Tightness, swelling, manageable with prescribed pain relief. Support garment worn continuously.
• Week 1. Light daily tasks. First post-operative review.
• Weeks 2 to 3. Most patients return to desk-based work.
• Weeks 4 to 6. Light exercise progressively reintroduced. No strenuous upper-body work yet.
• Week 6 onwards. Return to full activity is individualised. Most patients resume all exercise between six and eight weeks. Implants continue to settle over three to six months.

Before booking surgery, plan for at least two weeks of reduced activity, someone to drive you home and stay with you for 24 to 48 hours, and time blocked out for follow-up appointments. The breast augmentation recovery blog covers exercise timing and sleep positioning in more detail.

What to Know About Breast Augmentation Cost Before Consultation

Breast augmentation cost depends on the surgical plan confirmed after assessment. A straightforward implant-only augmentation is different from hybrid augmentation with fat transfer, augmentation with internal bra support, or augmentation combined with a lift.

A quote covers surgeon, hospital, anaesthetist, implants, and follow-up. Cosmetic breast augmentation is paid privately and is not covered by Medicare or private health insurance, unless surgery is being performed for specific reconstructive or recognised developmental indications.

For detailed pricing, see the breast augmentation cost Sydney guide.

AHPRA Requirements Before Cosmetic Breast Surgery

Medical Board and AHPRA requirements apply to all cosmetic surgical procedures in Australia, including breast augmentation. Four things to plan for:

• GP referral. Required before your first consultation. Your GP provides medical history context and confirms general suitability.
• Two consultations minimum. Your first consultation covers assessment, options, and risks. The second consultation, scheduled at least seven days later, confirms your decision.
• Psychological evaluation. Required where indicated, particularly for patients with a history of mental health conditions or where there are concerns about decision-making capacity.
• Seven-day cooling-off period. A minimum of seven days sits between your second consultation and any surgical booking.

The $1,000 surgical deposit is only payable after your second consultation. No surgical booking is confirmed until the cooling-off period has elapsed. My team coordinates each step so the process is straightforward.

What to Bring to Your Consultation

A few things help the first consultation be more productive:

• GP referral. Required for the consultation to proceed under Medical Board requirements.
• A clear sense of what you want. “More fullness in the upper pole” or “less drooping after pregnancy” is more useful than a cup size target.
• Reference photos. Useful as a starting point for discussion, even if your anatomy means the result will look different on you.
• A list of questions. Implant type, size range, placement, incision, recovery, and cost are the standard areas.
• Your relevant medical history. Previous breast surgery, current medications, family history of breast cancer, or planned future pregnancies and breastfeeding.

You don’t need to come with decisions made. The point of consultation is to work through those decisions together.

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Breast Augmentation Surgeon

The title “surgeon” in Australia isn’t protected. Cosmetic procedures can be performed by doctors with widely varying levels of surgical training. The relevant qualification to look for in a breast augmentation surgeon is FRACS (Plastic Surgery), the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in Plastic Surgery. Achieving FRACS involves a minimum of 12 years of training after medical school, including at least five years of accredited plastic surgery training.

Beyond the qualification, questions worth asking:

• How often do you perform this specific procedure?
• Which hospitals do you operate at, and are they accredited?
• Is a specialist anaesthetist used?
• What does follow-up care look like?
• Are quotes all-inclusive, or are hospital, anaesthetist, and implant fees added separately?

Dr Turner is a Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) consulting at Bondi Junction and Manly. Full credentials and background are available on the practice bio page.

Consultation Locations in Sydney

Dr Turner consults at two Sydney clinics:

• Bondi Junction. Eastern Suburbs. Surgery performed at Bondi Junction Private Hospital.
• Manly. Suite 504, Level 5, 39 East Esplanade. Surgery performed at Delmar Private Hospital, Dee Why.

Patients travel from across greater Sydney for consultation and surgery, including the Eastern Suburbs, Northern Beaches, Inner West, Lower North Shore, and Sutherland Shire.

Related Breast Augmentation Guides

For detail beyond the scope of this consultation preparation guide:

• Breast augmentation procedure page, main reference for surgical technique and clinical detail
• Breast augmentation cost Sydney 2026, pricing structure and what’s included
• Implant profile and projection
• Implant placement options
• Recovery after breast augmentation
• Hybrid augmentation, fat transfer vs implants
• Breast augmentation before and after gallery

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a GP referral before my first consultation?

Yes. Under Medical Board and AHPRA requirements, a GP referral is required before any cosmetic surgery consultation in Australia. Your GP can provide one after a brief discussion about your interest in surgery.

What’s the difference between the first and second consultation?

Your first consultation covers anatomical assessment, implant options, surgical technique, recovery, and risks. The second consultation, scheduled at least seven days later, confirms your decision, addresses any remaining questions, and only then is a surgical deposit payable and a date booked.

How do I know what implant size will suit me?

Size selection is based on chest wall measurements, breast base width, soft tissue cover, and existing breast volume. There’s no cup-size guarantee. The size range that suits your anatomy is determined at consultation through detailed measurements, and volume sizers can help you visualise different options in clothing before committing to a final size.

Can I bring someone to my consultation?

Yes. A partner, family member, or friend is welcome. Many patients find a second set of ears useful, particularly when working through implant options and surgical detail.

How long do breast implants last?

Current-generation silicone gel implants are not lifetime devices. Most patients need further surgery at some point, whether for replacement, revision, or management of a complication. Lifespan depends on individual factors including capsular contracture, rupture, and changes to the breast with ageing or weight fluctuation.

Next Step: Breast Augmentation Consultation in Sydney

If you’re considering breast augmentation, the next step is a consultation to assess your anatomy, tissue quality, implant options, and whether augmentation alone is the right pathway.

For a full overview of the procedure, see the main breast augmentation procedure page. To arrange a consultation, contact the practice.

A GP referral is required to book your first appointment.