How to Choose a Plastic Surgery Clinic in Turkey: A 10-Point Checklist

Istanbul performs more aesthetic surgery than any other city in the world. Volume is not a credential — it is the reason the quality range is so wide. These ten checks are the ones that actually predict a safe outcome. ### 1. Is your surgeon a board-certified plastic surgeon? Ask for the specialist registration, not a clinic brand. "Aesthetic doctor" is not the same qualification. ### 2. Who operates, from incision to closure? Some high-volume clinics rotate patients between surgeons or delegate parts of the case. Get the answer in writing. ### 3. Is the hospital accredited? JCI accreditation is the international standard also used by leading UK private hospitals. A "clinic" without full theatre and overnight capability is the wrong venue for general anaesthesia. ### 4. Who gives your anaesthetic? A dedicated consultant anaesthetist should be present throughout and named in your plan. ### 5. Do you have a real consultation before you fly? A video consultation with the operating surgeon — not a WhatsApp quote from a coordinator who never examines you. ### 6. Is the quote a single, itemised total? It should state hospital, anaesthesia, implants or grafts, garments, transfers, and follow-up. If a figure arrives before anyone has assessed you, it is marketing. ### 7. Are you told what *not* to have? The strongest signal of a trustworthy surgeon is being declined for an operation that will not help you, or being offered a smaller one. ### 8. What does aftercare look like once you are home? Scheduled video follow-up with the surgeon and direct messaging access. Complications are manageable; silence is not. ### 9. How long are you kept in Istanbul? You should be cleared to fly by the surgeon after an in-person final check, not by a calendar. Typical stays: 7 nights for rhinoplasty, 8–10 for a facelift, 7–8 for body contouring. ### 10. Is there a plan if something goes wrong? Ask directly what happens with a revision, and who pays for what. ## Warning signs to walk away from - A price quoted before any assessment - Package deals combining several major operations in one anaesthetic without medical justification - Hotel-based or non-accredited "surgical suites" - No named surgeon, or the surgeon''s name changing during the conversation - Pressure to pay a deposit within hours ## How our clinic answers these Prof. Dr. Mehmet Veli Karaaltın is a professor of plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery. He consults each patient personally by video, operates personally in a JCI-accredited Istanbul hospital with a consultant anaesthetist, issues one written all-inclusive plan, and continues follow-up by video and direct WhatsApp once you are home. See the [patient journey](/patient-journey), the [procedures](/procedures), or [book a consultation](/contact).