For patients in South Africa

Male facelift in Turkey from South Africa: a plain guide

A male facelift lifts sagging tissue in the lower face, jawline and neck and removes loose skin, with the aim of a firmer face that still looks like you and still looks masculine. For South African men, the extra planning is the stay in İzmir and the long flight home.

What a male facelift does

A facelift works on the tissue beneath the skin, which creams and fillers cannot reach. In men the plan is designed to keep the jawline strong and avoid a tight or feminised look.

There are several techniques, including a mini facelift, a SMAS lift and a deep plane facelift. The surgeon recommends one only after assessing you. Men’s facelift scars are planned around the beard and sideburns, and shaving over the incisions has to wait until the surgeon allows it. The UK page is male facelift surgery.

Who it suits

• Men with sagging in the mid and lower face, jowls along the jawline or loose skin on the neck
• Men in good general health
• Non-smokers, or men able to stop well before surgery
• Men who want a refreshed version of their own face, and understand that no particular appearance can be promised

If a smaller procedure or no treatment is the better answer, the surgeon will say so. Other options are listed in our male cosmetic surgery guide for South African patients.

How long to stay, and the flight home

On arrival you have health checks, blood tests and a face-to-face meeting with the surgeon before anything is confirmed. Patients then recover at Mandarin Grove, our recovery retreat near İzmir. Most patients are ready to fly after five to seven days, but the surgeon decides when you are cleared.

From Johannesburg or Cape Town the direct flight to Istanbul takes around ten hours, followed by a short domestic flight to İzmir. Book a return ticket you can change.

• Keep your head raised on the flight, walk the aisle and drink water
• Tell us at the start about blood thinners, any history of clots and whether you smoke
• Protect healing scars from strong South African sun with shade and a hat

Risks to weigh

A facelift is major surgery. Risks include pain, bleeding, haematoma, infection, scarring, hair loss near the incisions, skin or tissue loss, delayed healing, asymmetry, altered sensation, injury or weakness of the facial nerve, anaesthetic complications, blood clots, dissatisfaction and further surgery. Ageing carries on afterwards.

What decides the cost, and who pays

The written quotation you receive after a surgeon has reviewed your photographs lists what is included and what is not. What decides the cost is the technique (a mini facelift, a SMAS lift and a deep plane facelift are different operations), whether a neck lift or eyelid surgery is added, and the number of nights you need in İzmir. Our pricing is transparent.

South African medical schemes generally do not cover elective cosmetic surgery abroad, and standard travel insurance usually excludes planned treatment, so check with both.

Guarantee and follow-up from home

Our treatment guarantee covers surgical treatment for one year: medical complications and any revision the treating team judges clinically necessary are treated in İzmir at no charge, though flights and accommodation are your own cost. It does not cover a preference for a different look within what was discussed beforehand.

Follow-up continues by photograph, message and video call; İzmir is one hour ahead of South Africa. Keep your GP informed and take your operation notes home. See our clinic facts and complaints process.

What we will not do

We will not confirm a plan before a board-certified surgeon has reviewed you, we will not promise a result or a number of years, and we will not add procedures because the trip is long.

Frequently asked questions

How long after a male facelift can I fly home to South Africa?

Most patients are ready to fly after five to seven days, but the surgeon confirms travel clearance individually. Book a return ticket you can change.

Will a facelift make me look feminine?

It should not. A male facelift is planned to keep a strong jawline and masculine features and to avoid an over-tightened look, but no particular appearance can be guaranteed.

Will the scars show?

A facelift leaves scars. In men they are planned around the beard and sideburns, but how visible they end up depends on technique, healing and your skin.

How long does a male facelift last?

That varies with technique, anatomy, healing and lifestyle, and ageing continues after surgery. No fixed number of years can be promised.

Will my medical aid pay for a facelift in Turkey?

South African medical schemes generally do not cover elective cosmetic surgery abroad, and standard travel insurance usually excludes planned treatment. Check with both before you book.

Start with a free online consultation. Planning the trip? Read the guide for South African patients and the e-Visa guide.