My facial treatment (autologous fat and peeling) October 2017 – Report from Friday, 24 November 2017

My facial treatment (fat transfer and peeling) October 2017

I hope that my experience report helps patients make the right decision. I would have been very glad if I had known someone who had already had a facial treatment.

I am a 74-year-old woman. For a long time, I was bothered by the wrinkles on my face. So, I started looking for a solution. I researched online and found, among other options, MedicalTravel.

I decided to go for a treatment with fat transfer injections, as well as peeling, at the Acibadem Hospital in Istanbul. Such treatments are very expensive in Switzerland.

It all started with the consultation in Switzerland. Here, we were already able to speak with the responsible doctor, Dr. Tatlidede, who would later perform the surgery. This way, I knew who I would be working with.

I booked the flight and hotel through MedicalTravel. Everything went smoothly, and I received all the necessary documents with detailed explanations. At the Istanbul airport, I was welcomed at the information point by MedicalTravel staff. Since I was traveling alone, I was very glad to have a contact person right away. From the airport, I took a taxi to the hotel.

The next day, in the morning, I had a small dental repair with Dr. Öztürk.

In the afternoon, I had the pre-operative examination for my facial treatment. The following day, I had the surgery. During the procedure, I was under anaesthesia, meaning I felt nothing.

Fat was taken from my abdominal area and injected into the wrinkles on my face. I woke up in the same beautiful room where I had been before the surgery. My face was a bit swollen, and it felt slightly tight. Most of the wrinkles were gone. I was told that unfortunately, only part of the injected fat would remain. Naturally, over time, some of the wrinkles reappeared.

After the surgery, I had a belly band. The very small incisions were finely stitched. I felt a slight pulling in my abdomen with certain movements. Soon, my stomach started itching. After about 2 weeks, these issues were resolved.

After the surgery, my face looked slightly injured. A few transparent bandages covered some of the injection points, and there were also some bruised areas. I hardly dared to go out among people.

I was operated on in the morning at the hospital and was brought back to the hotel in the evening. I would have preferred to stay at least one night in the hospital. I felt uncertain, as it was still a surgery. I was afraid that complications might arise, and at the hospital, I could have hoped for immediate help if needed.

I was satisfied with the hotel. However, I wish it had been closer to the hospital. The traffic in Istanbul is a disaster, and I was always relieved when I could get out of the taxi. The taxi rides were quite frightening for me.

It was ideal that the taxi service was always organised, and we were chauffeured around like royalty. These rides were included in the overall price.

The surgery was 7 weeks ago now, and my face looks better. Thanks to the peeling, the spots on my skin have lightened, and some have completely disappeared. I recently had a follow-up check-up here in Switzerland, in Zug. The doctor recommended repeating the surgery. About 30% of the newly injected fat would remain, and the face would see further improvement in firmness. I wasn’t initially aware that a second surgery would likely be needed. This should have been made clearer during the initial consultation in Switzerland.

When I got home – I had spent 5 nights in Istanbul – the skin on my face started to peel off in various areas. I believe it was due to the peeling treatment. It looked quite bad, similar to the skin that peels off after a sunburn. It took more than 3 weeks for everything to return to normal.

The hospital is very beautiful, clean, modern, and well-equipped. The doctors, nurses, and the entire staff were friendly and helpful. Most of them speak English. However, I was still very glad to have my German-speaking interpreter, as it’s always easier to express oneself in one’s own language.

I was afraid that my friends and acquaintances would comment on my changed appearance when I got home. Luckily, that wasn’t the case. I didn’t want to look unnatural but wanted to maintain my natural appearance. Anyone who didn’t pay close attention beforehand would hardly notice that my skin is now smoother.

By the way, the entire organisation ran smoothly, even perfectly, both in Switzerland and Turkey.

Now, I’m considering whether and when I should sign up for the next treatment. If I decide to go ahead with it, I would also like to have an eyelid lift done at the same time.

The hospital, doctors, nurses, and the organisation left such a great impression on me that I would approach the next surgery with even more confidence than the last time.

If anyone would like personal information from me, they are of course welcome to contact me through MedicalTravel.

Monika B.