Medical tourism · United Kingdom
Medical Tourism from the United Kingdom
A 3.5-hour direct flight, an EBOPRAS-certified professor, and a written all-inclusive quote — the considered alternative to Harley Street pricing and long private waiting lists.
- 3.5–4h
- Direct from LHR, LGW, MAN, BHX, EDI, DUB
- Visa-free
- UK passport holders, up to 90 days
- +3h
- Istanbul time versus UK time
- 5–10 days
- Typical stay, procedure dependent
Why patients from United Kingdom choose this clinic
EBOPRAS-certified professor
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Veli Karaaltın holds a full professorship in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery and is a Fellow of the European Board (EBOPRAS).
JCI-accredited hospitals
Every operation is performed in an internationally accredited Istanbul hospital with full intensive-care backup and anaesthesiology teams.
Published, peer-reviewed techniques
Signature techniques — Advanced Safe BBL™, K Face Lift, Twirl Internal Bra, K-Glide — are developed and published by the surgeon himself.
One surgeon, start to finish
Your consultation, planning, operation and follow-up are handled by Prof. Dr. Karaaltın personally — never delegated to a rotating team.
English-speaking coordination
From the first enquiry to your final follow-up, every conversation, document and consent form is handled in English.
Short-haul recovery travel
A four-hour flight is materially easier to recover from than long-haul travel, and makes an in-person review trip realistic if ever needed.
How booking works, step by step
1. Send your photos and goals
Complete the consultation form with your area of interest. Standard photos and any prior surgical history help us prepare a first assessment.
2. Video consultation with the surgeon
A private video call with Prof. Dr. Karaaltın, scheduled around UK working hours. You receive a surgical plan, technique explanation and an all-inclusive quote.
3. Confirm dates and travel
Once you approve the plan we reserve theatre time, share the pre-operative checklist and coordinate airport transfers and hotel or recovery-suite booking.
4. Surgery and monitored recovery
Pre-operative examination and blood work, surgery in a JCI-accredited hospital, then in-person recovery checks before you are cleared to fly.
5. Aftercare at home
You leave with a full operative report for your local doctor, plus scheduled video follow-ups and 24/7 WhatsApp access to the clinical team.
Questions patients from United Kingdom ask most
How does an Istanbul surgeon's certification compare with a UK GMC specialist registration?
Prof. Dr. Karaaltın is a Fellow of the European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (EBOPRAS) — the pan-European specialist standard — and holds a full university professorship. Ask for the EBOPRAS certificate and the hospital's accreditation for any surgeon you are comparing; both are supplied on request here.
What is included in the quoted price?
Surgeon's fee, anaesthesia, hospital stay, standard implants or materials, pre-operative tests, airport and clinic transfers, and scheduled follow-up. Flights and hotel nights beyond the included stay are the two items normally arranged separately, and are stated explicitly in the written quote.
Will my GP look after me when I get back?
NHS GPs will treat complications, but they are not obliged to provide routine aftercare for private surgery performed abroad. That is why you leave with a full operative report and implant documentation in English, and why scheduled video follow-ups with the operating surgeon are part of the package.
How soon can I fly home to the UK?
Usually 5–10 days depending on the procedure. Because the flight is short-haul, the return journey is considerably less demanding than for transatlantic patients — but you still fly only after the surgeon's recovery check and with compression and mobility instructions.
What happens if I need a revision?
Revision policy is agreed in writing before surgery. Any clinically indicated revision is performed by the same surgeon who carried out the original operation, which is the single most important factor in a good revision outcome.
Is it cheaper simply because standards are lower?
No. The cost difference is driven by property, staffing and insurance costs in Istanbul versus central London, not by cutting clinical corners. The hospitals are JCI-accredited and the implants are the same internationally certified brands used in UK private hospitals.
Plan your surgery with the surgeon, not a call centre
Every consultation is held personally by Prof. Dr. Mehmet Veli Karaaltın.