Ilke Bahceci Simsek, MD

Dear readers — especially those searching for hope, If you are reading this, perhaps something in you has been broken too. Perhaps you are searching for the face you once knew the one that smiled back at you before everything changed. I know that feeling. I lived it. After my previous surgery, I lost not only the natural shape of my eyes, I lost myself. Too much skin had been removed, the tissues were misplaced, and what followed was a year of pain I can hardly put into words. My eyelids could not close completely at night. I woke up with dry, burning eyes, sensitive to light and even to water. There were adhesions under my lashes, fibrosis tightening the skin, and every blink reminded me that I was no longer the woman I had been. My reflection became a stranger. I stopped working. I stopped going out. I stopped living. My eyes, once the most loved part of my face, the part that made me feel beautiful, confident, and alive, were gone. And with them went my identity. If you are there now, afraid, lost, or ashamed of your reflection, please believe me: there is a way back. My way back began with Dr. Ilke. From our very first exchange, she spoke to me not as a doctor to a patient, but as one soul to another. She saw my pain without judgment. She understood what had been taken from me, not just my appearance, but my peace. She performed a revision eyelid reconstruction, adding back the skin that had been removed, releasing adhesions, correcting the ectropion, and restoring both eyes to move and close naturally again. Every detail mattered to her: every curve, every angle, every tiny line. She rebuilt what had been broken with precision, patience, and love. And when I woke up and looked into the mirror, I whispered through tears, “There I am.” For the first time in so long, I recognised myself, not only in my reflection, but in my heart. Dr. Ilke, you didn’t just restore my eyes. You restored my faith in people, in compassion, in the possibility of healing after despair. I believe God blessed you with something rare - a gift beyond talent, a heart that heals. You are the kind of person whose work becomes a prayer. To everyone reading this, the ones who hide from mirrors, who cry in silence, who think it’s too late — it isn’t. Hope exists. Healing exists. And sometimes it comes through the hands of someone who truly cares. With endless gratitude, MK from Virginia who found herself again.

I travelled all the way from Australia for my under-eye bleph ‘skin pinch’ with Dr. ?lke and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. From the moment I met her, she made me feel completely safe, heard, and cared for. I was nervous to do this kind of procedure abroad, but she was there for me every step of the way — always so sweet, nurturing, and reassuring. She responded quickly to my messages, tended to my needs with genuine kindness, and made the whole experience feel easy and comforting. You can tell instantly that she has experience beyond her years — her skill and attention to detail are truly impressive. I’m so happy with my results and even more grateful for how she made me feel throughout the process. By the end, we’d built such a special connection; she’s an incredible doctor and a beautiful human being inside and out. ????

My mother received both lower and upper blepharoplasty from Professor Ilke at the end of July 2025. From the initial enquiry about procedural cost to post operative care, Dr Ilke demonstrated professionalism, exceptional care, attention and consideration to my mother. Dr Ilke speaks fluent English and handled all enquires promptly and directly, which helped instil confidence in choosing her as our oculoplastic surgeon (for such a sensitive area, a specialist is required). Given my mum’s age Dr Ilke took the necessary precautions and managed the hospital arrangements including explaining everything in details. My mother was very happy with the lower blepharoplasty and we are just waiting for the procedure to settle for a few months on her upper blepharoplasty to see the final result. Dr Ilke made herself readily available for questions and consultation, especially post-operation which was reassuring. She has a lovely, warm and personable bedside manner and I’d highly recommend her.

Hello. I'm 52 years old. I had upper eyelid surgery and lower eyelid bags removed (transconjunctival). I had the surgery at the end of May, but I'm only now posting my review because I wanted to see how things are going over time, when I can better assess the results and the service. Now, over three months after the surgery, I can give a more reliable opinion. So, I'll elaborate a bit to help others make a decision. I'm very impressed with the entire process and with the doctor herself. Both immediately before the surgery, immediately after the surgery, and, crucially, during the early and late healing periods. This is very important, and you should always choose a doctor who cares about their patient and the healing process, as well as the patient in the long term after the procedure. Her portfolio shows that she has extensive experience. I've been considering lower eyelid surgery for several years. It's a much more complex procedure than upper eyelid surgery. I'd rather not have lower eyelid surgery at all if I couldn't find a specialist who specializes in it. For lower eyelid surgery, you absolutely must see an oculoplastic surgeon, not just a plastic surgeon. The doctor examined me thoroughly the day before the procedure and planned the correction, informing me of the realistic possibilities and the results I could expect. I appreciated that the doctor was very careful in planning the procedure and emphasized the importance of not overcorrecting, as overcorrection can lead to poor results that are difficult to correct. I was provided with a personal assistant who accompanied me the day before the procedure during pre-procedure examinations and on the day of the procedure. He drove me to and from the examinations, procedures, and to the hotel after the procedure. He also purchased all the necessary post-procedure medications for me. The lower eyelid surgery (and, incidentally, the upper eyelid surgery) was performed under full anesthesia in a high-class hospital in Istanbul. Everything went according to plan. Before and after the procedure, I had my own private room in the hospital where I woke up. The day after the procedure, the doctor personally checked to make sure everything was okay. I spent a week in Istanbul until the stitches were removed. Then I returned home. Immediately after the procedure, there was a huge improvement. However, you have to wait several months to see the final results, as full healing takes six months or even longer. So far, I'm very pleased with the improvement after my eyelid surgery. I look much better than before. I'd say the results have already exceeded my expectations. Patience is essential. As the doctor said, my lower eyelids may be slightly swollen for up to six months, or in rare cases, a little longer (don't believe the ads that claim you'll see final results after a month or two). The doctor is still monitoring how my eyelids are healing. In summary, this is only my opinion based on my experience. I consider the doctor a very experienced specialist in eyelid surgery. She is very empathetic (which is very important to me). The surgery was performed in a top-class hospital (this is important for lower eyelid surgery under general anesthesia; as far as I know, upper eyelid surgery doesn't require hospitalization). It's only been 14 weeks since the procedure, and I can see a huge positive change in the appearance of my eyelids. I look better than I expected. The care I received before, during, and after the surgery was excellent. Communication with the doctor was and remains excellent even after the surgery (the doctor is a very active and busy person, so sometimes you have to wait two or three days for a response, but during the critical days immediately after the surgery, communication is immediate, which is, of course, essential). The doctor continues to monitor the healing process of my eyelids, so I feel safe and confident that if there were any complications, she would resolve the issue. I believe the price of the procedure is very good considering the quality of the procedure and the patient care. Everything is transparent, and there are no additional hidden costs. Based on my experience, I sincerely recommend the doctor as a high-class specialist in her field and a very empathetic person who cares for her patients.

I had an easy and smooth experience with Dr. Ilke. I did a lower belph with fat repositioning. One of the most important traits you will find in Dr. Ilke is how caring and accessible she is. It makes the pre-op, operation, and post-op easier and smoother. I did not find this with other doctors I consulted with. With Dr. Ilke, all you have to do is reach out and ask, you just have to be proactive about it. Overall, I would recommend Dr. Ilke, from your first step you will feel that you are in good hands.

She performed an upper and lower blepharoplasty, ptosis and cantoplasty operations at the same time which made look 10 years younger. My recovery period was also very smooth . I could reach her anytime I needed to . It was an amazing experience. She is the best

A highly professional and kind doctor who made me feel completely at ease throughout my eyelid surgery. I'm very happy with the results and would confidently recommend her to anyone. I had an eyelid surgery with her and couldn’t be more pleased with the entire experience. She is professional, caring, and truly made me feel safe and comfortable. The results are amazing.

Dr Ilke Simsek is a first class surgeon and a delightful person. Throughout my entire process she was easy to communicate with directly, always helpful and informative, always cheerful and reassuring. She is highly qualified and experienced, regularly engaged with her profession both in Turkey and Internationally, and still finds time to provide high quality personal attention. I am very happy to provide this review based upon my own personal experience.

I had an upper blepharoplasty surgery last month. Dr. ?lke Bahçeci ?im?ek is a great doctor. I am really happy with the results. The surgery went very well. I have beautiful eyes now:)) She is really good at performing these operations.

?lke hoca müthi? bir doktor. Y?llard?r olmay? istedi?im ama cesaret edemedi?im bir ameliyat olan alt ve üst göz kapa?? ameliyat?m? yapt?. S?cak tavr? ile tüm endi?elerimi yok etti. Ayn? zamanda çevremde ayn? ameliyat? ?lke hocaya olan arkada?lar?mda olan de?i?im de beni ikna etti. ?yi ki ba?ka dr tercih etmemi?im, o kadar do?al bir ?ekilde yapt? ki gören inanam?yor. Resmen 10 ya? fark etti. Hem operasyon hem de sonras?nda gösterdi?i ilgi, kolay ileti?im ve tecrübe payla??m? mükemmeldi. Foto?raf 1.5 ayl?k de?i?imi gösteriyor. Morluk ya?amad?m, ac?-a?r? ya?amad?m. Prof Dr ?lke Bahçeci ?im?ek art?k vazgeçemedi?im doktorlar?m aras?nda. Yapt??? i?te en iyisi!