Plastic Surgery Safety in Turkey
What to verify before choosing a surgeon, clinic or hospital.
- In-depth guides
- 5
- Tools
- 2
- Sources
- 12
Start here
Three checks you can run yourself, today
Two of the most important checks for surgery in Türkiye use public lists: the national plastic surgery society’s member directory, and the Ministry of Health’s list of facilities authorised to treat international patients.
The surgeon
Is it a TSPRAS member?
BAAPS and TSPRAS say any Turkish surgeon you see should be a member of the Turkish Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons.[BAAPS & TSPRAS]
The hospital
Is it Ministry-authorised?
The Ministry of Health publishes the facilities, and the agencies, authorised for international health tourism.[Ministry of Health] The list is in Turkish; the facility guide explains it.
The paperwork
Is it in writing?
Your surgeon’s name and contact, an aftercare plan, and a consent form completed before you travel — which BAAPS and TSPRAS say is compulsory in Türkiye.[BAAPS & TSPRAS]
If you are unwell after surgery
Emergency care first. In Türkiye call 112; in the UK, 999.
Before you choose
Choosing who treats you, and where
Surgeon credentials
Confirm the specialty first: BAAPS and TSPRAS warn that some practitioners in Türkiye claim to be plastic surgeons when they are not.[BAAPS & TSPRAS] Then run the six checks the two societies recommend.
How to choose a surgeonSurgical facility
Where you consult and where you are operated on can be different places. Get the hospital’s name and check its Ministry of Health authorisation.[Ministry of Health]
Checking a facilityAnaesthesia
Ask who will give your anaesthetic and what type it will be — the person responsible for it, not only the surgeon.
Add it to your questionsPre-operative testing
The CDC advises seeing your own doctor or a travel medicine clinician at least 4–6 weeks before the trip, and bringing your records and test results with you.[CDC]
Records to bringRed flags
Meeting only salespeople, paying for a hospital you have never seen,[NHS] or no consent form and no aftercare plan before you travel.[BAAPS & TSPRAS]
All nine red flags
Around surgery
The days in Türkiye
Emergency support
Ask what back-up the clinic has if things go wrong, and whether a doctor is always on hand.[BAAPS]
Questions before payingInfection
Every procedure carries some risk of infection, and the CDC warns of drug-resistant infections among medical tourists.[CDC] Ask the clinic about its infection rates.[BAAPS]
InfectionBlood clots
Major surgery and air travel each raise the risk of a blood clot, which can be life-threatening.[NHS] Know the symptoms that need an ambulance.
Clot symptomsFlying after surgery
The NHS advises not flying for 5–7 days after breast surgery or liposuction, and 7–10 days after facial procedures or a tummy tuck.[NHS]
Flying after surgery
After you are home
Recovery, and if something goes wrong
Post-operative complications
Symptoms sorted by what to do about them: emergency care now, a doctor the same day, or a call to your surgeon.
ComplicationsAftercare
Find out where follow-up appointments will be before you book,[NHS] and expect your surgeon to offer an aftercare plan.[BAAPS & TSPRAS]
Questions before payingRevision policy
Ask what happens if you need more surgery after the original procedure, and how easily you could travel back.[NHS]
Revision surgeryMedical tourism insurance
Ordinary travel insurance does not normally cover things going wrong in surgery.[NHS]
Insurance
Tools
Take these into your consultation
Questions to ask before paying a deposit
Ten questions with space for each answer. Saved on your device; print it or keep a copy.
Pre-treatment checklist
Twenty checks across the provider, the plan, the money and aftercare.
General information for people researching surgery. It does not replace a consultation with a qualified medical professional; individual suitability, risks, recovery and outcomes vary. See the medical disclaimer.
Data transparency
How we researched this page
- Written by
- Editorial team
- Medical review
- Not yet reviewed by a clinicianEvery claim is attributed to its source instead
- Published
- 14 September 2026
- Sources last checked
- 14 September 2026
How pages are written and corrected: editorial policy, medical review policy, corrections.
Sources used (7)
- UK and Turkish plastic surgeons unite to issue consumer guidelines (opens in a new tab)
British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) and the Turkish Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (TSPRAS)
Professional societyChecked 14 September 2026
- Doktor Bul — member surgeon search (opens in a new tab)
Türk Plastik Rekonstrüktif ve Estetik Cerrahi Derneği (TSPRAS)
Professional societyChecked 14 September 2026
- Cosmetic surgery abroad (opens in a new tab)
NHS (UK National Health Service)
Health authorityChecked 14 September 2026Publisher reviewed 14 December 2022
- Cosmetic tourism (opens in a new tab)
British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS)
Professional societyChecked 14 September 2026
- Medical tourism: travel to another country for medical care (opens in a new tab)
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Health authorityChecked 14 September 2026Publisher reviewed 1 June 2023
- 112 Acil Çağrı Merkezi (112 Emergency Call Centre) (opens in a new tab)
Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Interior
GovernmentChecked 14 September 2026
Where to go next
Read the guide
How to choose a surgeon
The checks Turkish and UK plastic surgeons jointly recommend, and where to run each one.
Read the guide
Clinic red flags
Consultation office or operating hospital, Ministry authorisation, and the signs to walk away.
Read the guide
Flying after surgery
How long to stay before flying home, why, and the blood clot symptoms that cannot wait.