My recommendation for my abdominoplasty in Istanbul, Turkey

Abdominoplasty in Istanbul
Experience report on tummy tuck and liposuction performed by Dr Yazar in Istanbul from patient Emina, 34, Switzerland

Motivation
After two pregnancies with a lot of weight gain and weak connective tissue, my stomach looked quite unattractive. With plenty of exercise and a healthy diet I managed to lose the weight, but the excess skin on my abdomen did not retract. I felt very unattractive and unhappy in my body. I live very much by the motto: Happy wife – happy life, and over time my children also suffered, because in summer I did not want to go to the swimming pool. My relationship suffered because I became depressed… and I suffered the most, because I could not change it myself. The excess skin hung down overlapping like a pouch. It looked ugly, it itched and due to sweating I often developed skin inflammations and unpleasant odour. Various dermatologists, nutritionists, fitness coaches and massage therapists confirmed to me that only surgical treatment could solve my problem. So I decided to have an abdominoplasty.

Why MedicalTravel and Istanbul?
I researched on the Internet, asked people who had undergone similar procedures, and consulted my family and friends. For several years I gathered information and attended consultations and examinations in different countries. I had appointments at three clinics in Switzerland, in Germany and in Serbia. On the recommendation of a friend, I then also attended a consultation with MedicalTravel in Zug, where I met Dr Yazar. It was my sixth consultation for a tummy tuck and for the first time I felt truly understood, even though we did not even speak the same language. He spoke Turkish, I spoke English, and a friendly interpreter translated into German whenever something was not clear. His professional and highly experienced manner convinced me immediately.

Consultation / organisation
I went home with a good feeling and waited for a cost estimate, which arrived by email a few days later. Everything was right. As it was a major procedure for me and I still had many questions afterwards and wanted more detailed explanations, I went for a second consultation with the same doctor in the summer.
In this second appointment, he discussed the exact treatment procedure with me and explained everything. After that, all my worries and concerns disappeared and I scheduled the operation for December. I said to the interpreter: Thank you so much, I am really happy… then in December you will be my best friend in Istanbul for two weeks? and Dr Yazar added: No, no, not just for two weeks, we will always be friends. This sentence stayed with me for a long time and gave me a comforting strength.

Flight / journey
The flight and journey were perfectly organised and managed by MedicalTravel. A small travel guide with all information and good recommendations was sent to me by post. Shortly before departure, the airline cancelled the flight, but MedicalTravel took care of everything and I was still able to travel smoothly. Unfortunately, what did not work so well at the airport was the pick-up service from the Acibadem hospital. All patients who are treated at an Acibadem hospital in Istanbul may use the Acibadem Health Point transfer service. Although my flight was perfectly on time, I had to wait two hours for the pick-up service. However, with a Turkish tea and WiFi, the time passed quickly.

Resultat

Treatment in Istanbul

I was treated at the Acibadem Maslak Hospital. All I can say is: wow! I have never visited such a beautiful, clean, large and advanced hospital before. Everything was carried out with great hygiene and precision. My stay was so pleasant that I would have happily extended it. The nursing staff did not always speak very good English, but with Google Translate we were able to communicate very well.
The day before the operation, the medical history and all preliminary examinations, blood tests, Covid test and anaesthesia consultation were carried out at the hospital. It involved a huge amount of paperwork, but this is very important to prevent complications. I was very surprised by the thorough and detailed medical history and patient information, which at the same time gave me a strong feeling of safety. On the day of the operation, when I finally became a little nervous (until then I had been very calm and carefree), Dr Yazar came into the room to plan the surgery and my worries disappeared. His relaxed, cheerful and calm manner reassured me greatly. He made markings of how and where he intended to operate. I quickly realised that this was far from his first time performing this procedure, which once again confirmed to me that I had made the right decision.

Result
Today it is one month after the operation. The final result will only really be visible after around three to six months. I can already clearly see a completely different body. My husband is absolutely amazed, and my friends are also very impressed with the result, despite the strong swelling. As I still have a lot of water retention and the swelling is not going down as quickly as I expected, I need to be patient. Today I started lymphatic drainage, which should help reduce fluid retention and support wound healing. I will be happy to send before and after photos in the spring.

Feelings / Well-being
I suddenly have a new quality of life. The suffering of the past weeks has definitely been worth it. I am very satisfied with the result. I constantly walk past the mirror and am amazed at my flat stomach (even though it is actually still swollen). I receive very positive compliments from my friends and family. My husband is completely fascinated and yes, our love life has gained a new value.

Aftercare
Due to my sensitive skin, I experienced some minor wound-healing problems. My skin reacted to the absorbable sutures and two small 1–2 cm defects with fibrin coating formed on parts of the scar. Dr Yazar instructed me via WhatsApp on how to treat the wound. For reassurance, I also showed the wound to my GP. She confirmed exactly the same as the doctor in Istanbul had already stated via WhatsApp. In 10 days Dr Yazar will be back in Zug and I will have my follow-up appointment.

Personal tips and my experiences
This treatment is ONLY possible with a stable and trustworthy companion.
→ In the first few days after the operation you are very dependent. Since the entire abdominal wall and abdominal muscles were treated, it is impossible to cope with everyday life independently. I was only able to dress myself after 12 days. Personal hygiene, walking, lying down and getting up, opening doors, opening bottles etc. were not possible for me without help during the first 5–6 days.

Take cough lozenges with you!!

The operation lasted about five hours and I was intubated during it. After the anaesthetic my entire throat and mouth were so dry and irritated. Coughing, in addition to the terrible pain, was also very risky because it could cause the internal wound to open. To ease the urge to cough, I constantly drank water and sucked lozenges.

Light, airy, seamless and wide clothing
→ Because of the liposuction, the entire skin feels very painful. Bruising and water retention also occur everywhere where fat was removed. Accordingly, the skin is very painful and sensitive. Even the waistband of my underwear was at times unbearable. Wearing a vest under the compression garment helped me a lot to soothe the itching.

Book wheelchair service for the return flight
→ The airport in Istanbul is enormous. Therefore, I recommend booking a wheelchair service, because after the operation you can only walk very slowly and become tired quickly.

Patients who book an abdominoplasty treatment in Istanbul are very welcome to contact me personally as well (my number is available at MedicalTravel) if they have any further questions.