Planning facial surgery in Istanbul: a guide for international patients

Travelling for surgery should feel like a well-planned journey, not a leap of faith. The patients who have the smoothest experience are those who understand each stage before they book a flight. This is how we organise it.

1. Begin with photographs and a conversation

Send clear photographs (front, both sides, three-quarter views and, for the nose, a view from below) together with a short description of what bothers you. For revision rhinoplasty, include any information you have about your previous operation. Prof. Tezel reviews every case personally, and an online consultation follows so you can ask questions and understand what is realistic.

2. Agree the plan, then the dates

You will receive a written outline of the proposed procedure, the expected length of stay and what is included. Only then do we set a date. The plan is confirmed during an in-person examination in Istanbul the day before surgery; good surgeons change plans when the examination demands it.

3. How long to stay

• ·Closed rhinoplasty: 8 to 10 days
• ·Revision rhinoplasty: 10 to 12 days
• ·Deepest plane facelift: 12 to 14 days
• ·Eyelid surgery: about 7 days

These periods cover the operation, the first check-ups and the removal of splints or stitches. You are only cleared to fly after a final examination.

4. Preparing your body

Stop smoking at least four weeks before surgery and do not restart during healing. Nicotine restricts blood flow to exactly the tissues that need it most. Blood-thinning medication and some supplements must be paused as instructed. Arrive rested; a long-haul flight the night before surgery is not ideal.

5. After you go home

Healing continues for months after you leave Istanbul. Follow-up continues remotely through photographs and video calls, and you will have a direct line to the clinic. Many patients choose to return for an in-person review at six or twelve months, but it is not required.