Experience Report: Face and Neck Lift in Istanbul

My personal story explaining why I decided to have a facelift.

Every morning, when I looked in the mirror, I saw the many wrinkles on my face and often wished I had a face without wrinkles. After applying makeup, it seemed as if my wrinkles became even more pronounced. And which woman would want that? After several attempts with various creams that promised to eliminate or reduce wrinkles—whether with or without moss, with or without hyaluronic acid, or other ingredients—which I tried for months, spending a lot of money in the process, I unfortunately never saw any success.

A few months ago, I discussed it with my boyfriend, and he supported my decision to have a facelift, as it was the only way for me to permanently get rid of my wrinkles. We contacted several clinics in Istanbul and gathered detailed information about facelifts. I was in discussions with various clinics, but only one truly convinced both me and my boyfriend: Acibadem Hospital in Istanbul, where Professor Dr Kayiran performed the surgery. I read everything available about Professor Dr Kayiran, and it only strengthened my conviction.

I was in constant contact with medicaltravel.ch, as the entire process was handled through this organization, and on 31 May 2025, I had a consultation in Switzerland in Zug. There, Professor Dr Kayiran provided us with excellent advice and information. An interpreter was also present, who translated everything perfectly into German for us. I found the consultation, the doctor, and the interpreter very pleasant and friendly, and all our questions were answered perfectly. Since I didn’t want to wait too long for my surgery, 4 July 2025 was scheduled for me, which made me very happy.

On 3 July 2025, the day finally arrived, and we flew to Istanbul with Pegasus. It was my very first time in Turkey, and I was very excited. Surprisingly, I wasn’t very nervous about my facelift, as I had been able to prepare for it over the previous two months. When we arrived in Istanbul in the evening, I told the guide my name, and he arranged our driver, who took us to the hotel. We had to wait for him a little, but that was absolutely fine, as Istanbul is a huge city and it’s normal for it to take a few extra minutes. Once at the hotel, we brought our luggage to the room, and I was amazed at how pleasantly cool it was. Everything was perfectly air-conditioned. Since I was still allowed to eat that day, we went to a restaurant.

The hotel was located in a rather quiet area on a side street. It was modern and very comfortable, very clean, and the staff were always very friendly and helpful. The reception staff spoke excellent English.

Then the day arrived—4 July. I got up very early, as I was picked up at 8:00 a.m. by a very kind driver and taken to Acibadem Hospital. Some preliminary examinations were carried out, and I had to answer a few questions. I took one last selfie for a before-and-after comparison, put on the hospital outfit, and around noon, I was taken down to the operating room. The surgery lasted four and a half hours and went very well.

When I woke up in my room, I had no idea how I looked, but I had a very well-padded bandage around my head to support my face. I was also told that my hair had been washed during the surgery, as I would not be able to wash it for at least a week, which I found very kind and greatly appreciated from the staff.

One should not expect to look like a picture of perfection immediately after a facelift. The face is swollen, and it takes about three days for the swelling to gradually go down. I experienced occasional headaches, but I was given painkillers for them. Day by day, I felt better, and I took a selfie every day to see how my face was changing after the facelift. And you can really see the progress each day.

Every other day, I was picked up from the hotel by the driver for a check-up with the doctor, and the interpreter was always there, which I thought was fantastic. My bandage was also changed and freshly applied every second day. After exactly one week, the bandage was finally removed, and I was able to show myself a little without it for the first time, which made me very happy.

My face still felt very numb, which would continue for some time until everything fully healed. I was also very pleased to see how good I already looked after such a short time. I was able to put on makeup for the first time and take short outings, which was a real highlight for me.

I was then given a facial support garment, which I have to wear every day for three weeks, though I am allowed to take it off occasionally. Most of the time, I need to wear it, which didn’t bother me much. On Sunday, our driver picked us up from the hotel and took us to the airport, as the ten days had already passed—they flew by. The flight back home departed on time.

I am very glad I decided to have this facelift. Some skepticism is always natural. I can only recommend Professor Dr Kayiran to anyone considering a facelift or any other cosmetic surgery. With him, you are truly in the best hands. He is very experienced, friendly, and makes you feel completely well cared for. I never had a single doubt. I am so happy and very grateful to him for my new self.

At Acibadem Hospital, the staff were always very friendly and helpful. Some even spoke English, and for those who didn’t, a translation app was used. I stayed in the hospital for two nights, and the nurses regularly checked on me, asking how I was and if I had any pain. I felt very well cared for there as well. The hospital was always very clean and modern. I can highly recommend this hospital too.

I would like to sincerely thank medicaltravel.ch for their excellent organisation. Everything ran smoothly from start to finish. Even regarding the driver, airport – hotel – clinic, everything was always perfect. I didn’t have to think about anything, as everything was already arranged. The VIP service is truly invaluable and indispensable for me.

I will definitely travel to Istanbul again for my next cosmetic surgery. I also want to sincerely thank Professor Dr Kayiran for his kindness and his outstanding work. Thanks to him, I feel more confident in my new appearance.