Step 1 — first enquiry
The first contact is by WhatsApp, email, or the contact form. We ask for a brief description of what you are considering, your approximate height and weight, your age, any major medical conditions, and — for post-bariatric patients — what bariatric procedure you had and when, plus your weight history.
We also ask for photographs. For initial assessment, three photographs are usually sufficient: front view standing, side view standing, and a view of the specific area of concern. Photographs should be in tight-fitting underwear or fitted swimwear, in even daylight, against a plain background. These are reviewed by the surgeon directly. They are not stored for marketing purposes and are deleted after the consultation process unless you specifically consent to their use for a before-and-after gallery.
If your situation is clearly outside what we can offer — for example, a BMI substantially above the safety threshold for elective body contouring, or weight that is not yet stable after recent bariatric surgery — we will tell you so at this stage rather than after a longer process. We sometimes recommend waiting six months and revisiting, or referring back to your bariatric team, or operating only on selected components rather than the full plan.
Step 2 — video consultation
If the initial review suggests that surgery is likely appropriate, we schedule a video consultation. This is between you and Doç. Dr. Erdal directly, not a coordinator. It lasts 30–60 minutes depending on the complexity of the plan.
The video consultation covers:
- Your reasons for considering surgery and what you are hoping to achieve.
- Your medical history in detail, including current medications, prior surgery, smoking status, and any conditions that affect surgical safety or healing.
- For post-bariatric patients: weight history, current nutritional status, supplement regimen, and time since bariatric surgery.
- Review of the photographs and discussion of what is and is not achievable in your specific case.
- The recommended surgical plan, including which procedures are recommended now and which (if any) are recommended as a separate stage later.
- Recovery requirements and whether they are compatible with your travel and home circumstances.
- The realistic risks, including the specific risks that apply to your case more than the average.
- The honest pre-operative position on scarring, expected outcome, and what the result will and will not address.
The output of the video consultation is a written summary sent to you afterwards, including the recommended surgical plan, the estimated cost, and the recommended length of stay in Istanbul. There is no pressure to make a decision in the consultation itself.
Step 3 — pre-operative preparation
Once you have decided to proceed, a date is set. The preparation period is typically 4 to 12 weeks before surgery.
Pre-operative requirements:
- Blood tests done locally and sent to us — full blood count, basic metabolic panel, coagulation, viral screen, and (for post-bariatric patients) nutritional panel including iron, B12, vitamin D, and protein.
- ECG for patients over 40 or with cardiovascular risk factors.
- Cardiology or other specialty clearance if specific medical conditions warrant it.
- Smoking cessation for at least 4 weeks before surgery and 4 weeks after — non-negotiable.
- Stopping certain medications — hormonal contraception, hormone replacement, and certain herbal supplements stop 2–4 weeks before surgery as instructed.
- Optimising weight stability for patients close to the BMI threshold or with recent fluctuation.
If any results show a problem, we discuss next steps before proceeding. Surgery is not booked irreversibly until all pre-operative requirements are satisfied.
Step 4 — arrival in Istanbul
Arrive in Istanbul at least 48 hours before the surgery date. This allows for the in-person consultation with Doç. Dr. Erdal, the formal pre-operative assessment, and adjustment to the time zone.
On the day of arrival, you settle into your accommodation. The next day, you come to the clinic for the in-person consultation. This is when the surgical plan agreed in the video consultation is reviewed in person, the operative markings are pre-drawn, photographs are taken, and the formal consent process is completed. You also meet the anaesthetist and discuss anaesthetic choices, and have any final blood work done if needed.
If anything in the in-person assessment changes the surgical plan — for example, examination reveals a different anatomical situation than the photographs suggested — this is discussed before surgery. The plan can be adjusted, deferred, or in rare cases declined, based on what is found.
Step 5 — surgery day and hospital stay
On the day of surgery, you arrive at the hospital in the morning fasted. The surgical markings are reviewed standing up, the surgery is performed, and you wake up in the recovery area.
You will stay in the hospital for 1 to 3 nights depending on the procedure. Standard abdominoplasty is typically 1 night. Larger combined procedures (lower body lift, mommy makeover with extensive scope) are typically 2 nights. Smaller procedures (isolated arm lift, gynecomastia, labiaplasty) may be same-day discharge or 1 night.
The hospital is a licensed accredited private hospital with full intensive care backup. Doç. Dr. Erdal performs his surgeries here exclusively for international patients. You will have an English-speaking nurse for your stay.
You are not alone at any stage. A companion is permitted to stay in the hospital room overnight with you. After hospital discharge, the recovery happens at your accommodation in Istanbul.
Step 6 — post-operative review in Istanbul
You will see Doç. Dr. Erdal in clinic at days 1–2 (for many patients, this is at the hospital before discharge), and again at days 5–7 before your return flight. The exact schedule depends on the procedure.
At the day 5–7 appointment, dressings are changed, the wounds are assessed, drains are reviewed (and often removed), and the decision is made about whether you are safe to fly home as planned. For most procedures and most patients, the day 5–7 review confirms the planned return flight. Occasionally, a complication or slower-than-expected healing means the return flight is delayed by a few days — which is why we recommend buying a flexible return ticket.
Step 7 — return home and follow-up
Once back home, follow-up is managed remotely. Doç. Dr. Erdal personally reviews progress at regular intervals — typically at 2 weeks (you usually leave Istanbul around day 7–10, so this is the first post-departure check), 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Reviews are conducted by WhatsApp with photographs and brief written report, supplemented by video calls when needed.
If a complication arises after you return home, you are not on your own — we manage many complications remotely with photographs and clinical guidance, and arrange in-person review with a local plastic surgeon if needed. For complications that need in-person review by us specifically, a return trip to Istanbul is arranged.
What is included in the cost and what is not
The surgical fee includes the operation itself, anaesthesia, hospital stay, all in-Istanbul post-operative reviews, drains, the first compression garment, and all remote follow-up for 12 months. The fee does not include travel to Istanbul, accommodation in Istanbul, your day-to-day costs while in Istanbul, or any treatments that turn out to be needed after you return home (rare, but possible).
The cost page covers this in detail.