For patients in South Africa

Cosmetic surgery in Turkey from South Africa: a plain guide

More South Africans are travelling to Turkey for cosmetic surgery, and most of what is written about it is either an advert or a warning. This page is neither. It sets out what treatment with Revitalize in Turkey costs in Rand, how the journey from South Africa works, how long you should plan to stay, and what happens if you need help after you are home. It is written for patients travelling from Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and elsewhere in Southern Africa.

Guides for South African patients

Cosmetic surgery

• Facial cosmetic surgery — overview of facelift, eyelids, nose and other facial procedures
• Body contouring — which body procedure you need, and planning after weight loss
• Breast surgery — augmentation, lift, reduction and revision compared
• Male cosmetic surgery — gynecomastia, pec implants and other procedures for men
• Tummy tuck in Turkey from South Africa — which type you need, length of stay and the flight home after abdominal surgery
• Mummy makeover in Turkey from South Africa — combined surgery after children, childcare at home and the flight back
• Breast augmentation in Turkey from South Africa — implant placement, records to keep and follow-up at home
• Breast lift in Turkey from South Africa — lift alone or with implants, scars and recovery
• Rhinoplasty in Turkey from South Africa — techniques, the splint and swelling, and flying home after a nose job
• Facelift in Turkey from South Africa — deep plane, SMAS and mini facelift, and the week around the operation
• Eyelid surgery in Turkey from South Africa — upper or lower blepharoplasty, dry eyes on the flight and sun care
• BBL in Turkey from South Africa — suitability, safety questions and managing the flight home when you cannot sit normally
• Liposuction in Turkey from South Africa — techniques, length of stay, clot risk and compression in summer heat
• Hair transplant in Turkey from South Africa — diagnosis first, curly and Afro-textured hair, sun protection at home

Dental treatment

• Dental implants in Turkey from South Africa — planning two trips, All-on-4 and aftercare with your dentist at home
• Hollywood smile in Turkey from South Africa — planning the whole smile tooth by tooth, for a natural result
• Dental crowns in Turkey from South Africa — crowns versus veneers, materials and what to ask
• Clear aligners and braces in Turkey from South Africa — how treatment is supervised once you are home
• Veneers in Turkey from South Africa — veneers versus crowns, what to ask, and aftercare with your dentist at home
• All dental treatment in Turkey from South Africa — the full dental guide: fillings, root canals, crowns, bridges, dentures, All-on-4 and All-on-6, braces, whitening and oral surgery

Eye treatment

• Laser eye surgery in Turkey from South Africa — LASIK, PRK and SMILE, eye tests on arrival and the flight home
• Lens replacement surgery in Turkey from South Africa — trifocal and multifocal lenses and cataract surgery

Women’s health and fertility

• Labiaplasty in Turkey from South Africa — procedures, recovery and travelling home comfortably
• IVF in Turkey from South Africa — eligibility under Turkish law, what a cycle involves and time in Turkey

Other medical treatment

• Other medical treatments in Turkey from South Africa — weight loss surgery, orthopaedics, ENT, hernia repair, gum and oral surgery, dry eye, glaucoma and more

Travel

• Turkey visa for South Africans — how to apply for the e-Visa and fit your stay around surgery

At a glance

Where treatment happens	Contracted private hospitals in İzmir, on Turkey’s Aegean coast. See clinic facts
Getting there	Direct Turkish Airlines flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Istanbul, then a short domestic flight to İzmir. From Durban, connect through Johannesburg
Visa	South African passport holders need an e-Visa, applied for online before travel. See the e-Visa guide for South Africans
Time difference	Turkey is one hour ahead of South Africa, so consultations and messages happen during your normal working day
Time in Turkey	Usually one to two weeks, depending on the procedure and when the surgeon clears you for the long flight home
Price confirmed when	After a surgeon has reviewed your photographs and medical history. A firm price before that is a guess

What it costs, in Rand

Our prices are set in pounds sterling. The Rand figures below are approximate, converted at around R22 to the pound in October 2026, and will move with the exchange rate. Your written quotation states the amount and currency you will actually pay.

Tummy tuck	from £3,400 — about R75,000. Full breakdown
Mummy makeover	from £5,850 — about R130,000. Full breakdown
Deep plane facelift	from £3,100 — about R69,000. Full breakdown

Each treatment page on this site states its own starting price. What a quote should include, and which costs sit outside it, is explained on each cost page; the same checklist applies whether you are travelling from London or Johannesburg.

Medical aid will almost certainly not pay

South African medical schemes generally do not cover elective cosmetic surgery, whether it is done at home or abroad. Ask your scheme in writing if you are unsure, but budget as if you are paying the full amount yourself. Standard travel insurance also usually excludes planned surgery abroad, so ask insurers specifically for cover that includes it.

The journey, and why the flight home matters

Turkish Airlines flies directly from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Istanbul, with more weekly flights on both routes from late October 2026. The flight takes around ten hours. From Istanbul, a domestic flight of about an hour takes you to İzmir, where you are met and taken to the hospital or your accommodation.

The return flight is the part that needs planning. Sitting still for many hours soon after surgery raises the risk of blood clots, and a ten-hour flight is a different proposition from the four hours home to the UK. Your surgeon decides when you are fit to fly, and for South African patients that may be later than for patients flying to Europe. Book a return ticket you can change, and do not plan to be back at work the day after you land.

• Wear the compression garments and stockings you are given for the flight.
• Walk the aisle and drink water during the flight.
• Tell us about any history of clots, smoking or hormone medication at the start, not on arrival.

After you are home in South Africa

The fair question about surgery abroad is what happens if something goes wrong once you are thousands of kilometres away. Before you fly home, drains are removed and you are checked by the surgical team. After that, follow-up continues by photograph, message and video call with the same team. Complications and clinically necessary revisions within a year are covered by our treatment guarantee, and the recurring complaints patients have raised, and how they are handled, are published openly on our complaints page.

Before you book, ask us exactly how follow-up would work for you in your city, and keep your GP informed. An honest answer to that question is worth more than any discount.

How to check us before you travel

• Named surgeons. Each surgeon who operates has a page on this site with their training. See clinic facts.
• Independent reviews. Read our Trustpilot and Google reviews at the source rather than trusting a score quoted by anyone.
• Patient stories. Watch our filmed patient interviews, in which patients describe their own trips, including the parts that did not go to plan.
• Safety, plainly. Read is Revitalize in Turkey safe? before you decide anything.

What we will not do

We will not confirm a price before a surgeon has reviewed you, we will not promise a result, and we will not operate if your health, BMI or medication makes it unsafe. A long journey is not a reason to squeeze more procedures into one operation than the surgeon judges safe; if part of a plan needs to wait, it waits.

Talking to us from South Africa

Consultations take place online, by video call, at a time that suits you. With only an hour’s time difference, you can speak to the team during your lunch break or after work.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to travel from South Africa to Turkey for cosmetic surgery?

Surgery carries risk wherever it is performed, and travelling adds risks of its own, particularly the long flight home. Check who the named surgeon is, which hospital the operation takes place in, what the written plan includes and how complaints are handled. Our answer is set out on is Revitalize in Turkey safe?

How long do I need to stay in Turkey?

Usually one to two weeks, depending on the procedure. Because the flight home to South Africa takes around ten hours, the surgeon may ask you to stay longer than a patient flying to Europe. Book a return ticket you can change.

Do South Africans need a visa for Turkey?

Yes. South African passport holders apply for an e-Visa online, on the official site evisa.gov.tr, before travelling.

Will my medical aid pay for cosmetic surgery in Turkey?

Almost certainly not. South African medical schemes generally do not cover elective cosmetic surgery at home or abroad. Ask your scheme in writing if you are unsure.

What happens if there is a problem after I return to South Africa?

Follow-up continues by photograph, message and video call with the same team. Complications and clinically necessary revisions within a year are covered by our treatment guarantee.

Is there a time difference between South Africa and Turkey?

Turkey is one hour ahead of South Africa, so consultations and messages happen during your normal day.

To get a real figure rather than a starting price: book a free online consultation. Planning the trip? Start with the e-Visa guide for South Africans.