Preservé Breast Augmentation Before and After: A Documented Case at 6 Weeks | Dr Ali Arnaout
Last updated: 26 July 2026. Written by Dr Ali Arnaout, Consultant Plastic, Oncoplastic and Cosmetic Surgeon. MBChB, PGDip, AFHEA, FRCS(Plast), MBA. GMC Specialist Register (GMC 7274609). iQonic Aesthetics, 15 Harley Street, London.
Photographs published with the patient's written consent. Images are of a single patient and have not been digitally retouched or filtered. Results vary between individuals and the outcome shown is not a prediction of any other person's result. All surgery carries risk. This page is general information, not personal medical advice.
Quick Answer
This case shows a Preservé breast augmentation performed by Dr Ali Arnaout using Motiva Ergonomix2 implants, 295cc (E2SD), photographed before surgery and again at six weeks after surgery in four standard views. Preservé is performed under local anaesthetic with sedation and works by displacing rather than dividing the internal breast structures, so the natural support framework is preserved. Six weeks is an early timepoint: shape at this stage is representative of the direction of the result, but implants continue to settle and final appearance is generally seen at three to six months.
Case Summary
Procedure: Preservé breast augmentation
Implants: Motiva Ergonomix2, 295cc (E2SD)
Anaesthetic: local anaesthetic with sedation — patient awake and comfortable
Approximate operating time: 30 to 45 minutes
Photographs taken: before surgery and at six weeks post-operatively
Views shown: frontal, right oblique, left oblique and lateral
Surgeon: Dr Ali Arnaout, iQonic Aesthetics, 15 Harley Street, London
The pre-operative photographs show surgical planning markings, made on the day of surgery. Mild natural asymmetry is visible before surgery, which is present in the majority of people and is assessed and planned for rather than eliminated.
Before and After Photographs
Four matched views are shown below. Each pairs the pre-operative photograph with the same view at six weeks after surgery.
Frontal View
Right Oblique View
Left Oblique View
Lateral View
What Do These Photographs Show?
Across the four views, the change is in upper pole fullness, projection and overall volume, with the breast footprint and nipple position essentially unchanged. This is the expected pattern for an implant-only augmentation without a lift: an implant adds volume and projection but does not itself raise the nipple position. Where significant ptosis is present, a different operation is required, and that is a conversation to have at consultation rather than something an implant alone resolves.
The lateral view is the most informative of the four and the one most often omitted from marketing galleries, because it shows projection and upper pole contour honestly. When comparing surgeons, a gallery that only shows frontal views is showing you the least revealing angle.
Why Are These Photographs Taken at Six Weeks?
Six weeks is the point of the first in-person surgical review, so it is when a standardised photographic set is taken. It is deliberately an early timepoint and should be read as such. At six weeks most swelling has resolved and the shape indicates where the result is heading, but implants continue to settle into the pocket and soften over subsequent months. Settled results are generally seen at three to six months, and scars continue to mature well beyond a year.
Photographs presented at six weeks are therefore a conservative representation rather than a flattering one. Galleries that show only images taken at three to six months are showing a more settled result, which is legitimate, but the timepoint should always be stated so that comparisons are like for like. Read more about the full aftercare and follow-up pathway.
About the Implant: Motiva Ergonomix2, 295cc
Motiva Ergonomix2 implants are designed to change shape with body position, sitting more naturally when upright and flatter when lying down, which is intended to produce a more natural appearance in motion than a fixed-form implant.
Implant selection is based on chest wall dimensions, existing breast tissue, skin quality and the patient's goals, not on volume alone. A 295cc implant produces a very different result on different chest widths and tissue thicknesses, which is why implant volume is a poor way to compare one person's result with another's.
How Preservé Differs From Traditional Augmentation
Preservé is performed under local anaesthetic with sedation, so the patient is awake and comfortable rather than under general anaesthetic. A channel dissector creates the implant pocket, and a balloon is then inflated to displace Cooper's ligaments, blood vessels and nerve fibres rather than dividing them, preserving the natural internal support structure.
Typical operating time is 30 to 45 minutes. Traditional augmentation uses a 4 to 6 cm incision under general or local anaesthetic and takes 30 to 90 minutes.
Across more than 150 tracked tissue-preserving cases at this practice, patients reported average pain of 4 out of 10, returned to normal daily activity in three to five days and desk-based work in five to seven days, with light exercise from around fourteen days and full exercise from six weeks. These are averages from our own patients and are not a prediction of any individual outcome. See the full Preservé guide or read about choosing a dual-accredited Motiva surgeon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long after Preservé surgery are before and after photos taken? The photographs on this page were taken before surgery and again at six weeks post-operatively, which coincides with the first in-person surgical review.
Is six weeks the final result after breast augmentation? No. Six weeks is an early timepoint. Most swelling has settled and the shape indicates the direction of the result, but implants continue to settle and soften. Settled results are generally seen at three to six months.
What implants were used in this case? Motiva Ergonomix2, 295cc (E2SD), placed using the Preservé technique.
Will I get the same result with 295cc implants? Not necessarily. The same implant volume produces different results depending on chest wall width, existing breast tissue, skin quality and body proportions. Implant selection is individualised at consultation and volume alone is not a useful comparison between patients.
Does Preservé lift the breast? Preservé is a breast augmentation, not a lift. It adds volume and projection but does not raise nipple position. Where significant ptosis is present, a different or additional procedure may be required, which is assessed at consultation.
Are these photographs edited? No. They are published unretouched, without filtering or digital alteration, with the patient's written consent.
Was this patient awake during surgery? Preservé is performed under local anaesthetic with sedation, so patients are awake and comfortable rather than under general anaesthetic.
Consent and Image Use
These photographs are published with the patient's specific written consent for use in clinical and educational material. Identifying features are obscured. Consent for image use can be withdrawn by the patient at any time, at which point the images are removed.
Book a Consultation
iQonic Aesthetics, 15 Harley Street, London, and Dublin. General enquiries: +44 1844 335100. Email: bookings@iqonicaesthetics.com.
To discuss whether Preservé, MIA FemTech or another approach suits your anatomy and goals, book a consultation.
All surgery carries risk, and results and recovery vary between individuals. The result shown is one patient's outcome at six weeks and is not a guarantee or prediction of any other outcome. This content is general information and not a substitute for individual clinical assessment.
Comments