Short Bio
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Veli Karaaltın is an Istanbul-based plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon and developer of the K Face Lift. He was part of the team behind the world's third full-face transplant and the first quadruple-limb transfer in 2010, and has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications.
CV Highlights
- Professor of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery
- Developer of the K Face Lift, Endoscopic and EndoChor signature techniques
- Caplan Prize, European Society of Lymphology (2024)
- Faculty trainer for cadaveric surgeon workshops — surgeon training
- Full profile: academic profile
Publications
- 80+ peer-reviewed articles, including the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery and Microsurgery
- Book chapter: Advanced Aesthetic Rhinoplasty (Springer, 2012)
- Book chapter: Decision-Making in Aesthetic Practice
- Research leadership including a 543-case BBL safety audit and stem-cell models
Speaking Engagements
- Swiss Rhinoplasty Masterclass 2026 — Invited Speaker (speakers page)
- Faculty at ESPRAS, ISAPS, WSRM and national microsurgery congresses
- London Masterclass & Mayfair Meet & Greet, 28–29 November 2026 — event details
The Face Transplant Story
In 2010, Prof. Dr. Karaaltın served on the surgical team that performed the world's third full-face transplant, and in the same period the world's first quadruple-limb transfer. These operations required years of microsurgical preparation, anatomical rehearsal and multidisciplinary coordination between surgeons, immunologists and rehabilitation specialists.
The experience of reconnecting nerves, vessels and facial muscles at microscopic scale directly shaped his later aesthetic work — a deep understanding of facial anatomy that underpins the K Face Lift today.