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 a treatment plan with Revitalize in Turkey includes, 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
• Gender-Affirming Surgery in Turkey — facial, chest and other procedures, with assessment and planning explained

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
• Eye treatment in Turkey — all eye treatments in one guide, from laser to 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
• Gynaecology in Turkey — planned gynaecological surgery, assessment and recovery for women
• Women’s sexual health in Turkey — assessment and treatment options for women’s sexual health concerns

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
• Skin treatments in Turkey — non-surgical skin, injectable and laser treatments explained
• Men’s Health in Turkey — urology and sexual health treatments for men
• Orthopaedic Surgery in Turkey — joints, spine, sports injuries and foot surgery
• ENT Surgery in Turkey — ear, nose and throat procedures, including sleep and hearing
• General surgery in Turkey — hernia, gallbladder, haemorrhoid and other planned operations
• Weight loss surgery in Turkey — gastric sleeve, bypass and other options compared
• Varicose vein treatment in Turkey — assessment and treatment options for varicose veins
• Internal Medicine in Turkey — which internal medicine services are offered and when they suit
• General Health Treatments in Turkey — check-ups, IV drips and other general health services
• Pacemaker Implantation in Turkey — planning pacemaker implantation together with your own cardiologist

Travel

• Turkey visa for South Africans — how to apply for the e-Visa and fit your stay around surgery
• Guides for South African patients — South Africa or Turkey comparisons, and flying from Johannesburg or Cape Town to İzmir

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 your treatment plan includes, and why we quote after a consultation

We do not publish price lists. Medical treatment is not a product off a shelf: what you pay depends on the procedure a surgeon recommends after reviewing your photographs and medical history, on who operates, and on what the plan includes. A low headline figure often leaves out the things that matter most, so we explain what a plan covers and give you a written price after a free consultation. Our pricing is transparent: the written plan states the amount, the currency and exactly what is and is not included.

Your written plan sets out:

• Who operates, and where. The named, board-certified surgeon, their experience in your procedure, the contracted private hospital in İzmir and the number of hospital nights, all in writing before you book a flight. Our doctors are first-class specialists in their fields who have treated international patients for many years; they know what it takes for you to go home without problems, and they plan your operation and post-operative checks around your flight home to South Africa. We work with the same contracted specialists, including plastic surgeons Prof. Dr. Ahmet Seyhan, Dr. Cenk Tokat and Dr. Murat Melih Can and ophthalmologist Dr. Serkan Bilis, at private hospitals in İzmir such as Gazi, Egepol and Batıgöz.
• Before surgery. The pre-operative tests and anaesthesia involved.
• Your stay at Mandarin Grove, our own retreat. Instead of a standard hotel room, you recover at Mandarin Grove in Urla, İzmir: private ensuite rooms, freshly cooked meals every day and English-speaking support around the clock. Our experienced team keeps a close eye on you throughout, and even a small concern is reported straight to your medical team so it can be dealt with as quickly as possible. A companion can stay with you, and the beach is about five minutes away. Your plan also states how many days you should stay before the flight home.
• Transfers and personal care. Airport transfers and transport to every appointment, and English-speaking chaperones and carers with you 24/7 during your hospital stay.
• Aftercare and follow-up. Garments, medicines and check-ups in Turkey, and after you fly home, follow-up continues online and on WhatsApp with the same team through your recovery.
• A one-year treatment guarantee. Surgical and other treatments are guaranteed for one year from the date of treatment, covering medical complications arising from the treatment and any revision that becomes clinically necessary. If a claim is accepted, that treatment in İzmir is carried out at no charge; flights and accommodation for the return visit are your own. Read the full terms of our treatment guarantee, including what it does not cover.

If you compare clinics, compare like with like: the surgeon’s experience in that procedure, the hospital, how long you stay, and what happens if you need help later. Ask every clinic you consider for the same detail in writing.

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.

Since 2005: thousands of patients, and no third parties

Revitalize (Tunçelli Turizm) has looked after international patients in İzmir since 2005, without interruption. When we started, almost no one in Turkey had heard of medical tourism, and we were among the very first to do this work.

Since then we have cared for thousands of patients, and we have never passed a patient on to a third party. Our own team looks after you personally, from your first message to the years of follow-up after treatment, and we have built our team and our system around spotting and solving problems early. Every patient is a serious responsibility to us. When you compare options, ask whether the company cares for you itself or passes you on to someone else.

That is why more than 70% of our patients are former patients, or their family and friends. We also hold regular in-person patient meetings in London and Manchester for our UK patients, and we look after patients from South Africa with the same team and the same care.

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.

You can also message us on WhatsApp at +90 505 015 7330. It is the same number patients use from every country, and the team replies during Turkish working hours, one hour ahead of South Africa.

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 receive a written treatment plan and price: book a free online consultation or message us on WhatsApp. Planning the trip? Start with the e-Visa guide for South Africans.