Medical travel can be safe when it is researched well, because safety follows the surgeon and facility rather than the country. Look for a plastic surgeon certified by their national board, an accredited hospital or surgical facility, and transparent before and after photos. One important point is that surgical specialties differ from country to country. In Turkey, for example, the only specialty that qualifies a physician for aesthetic surgery, through six years of medical school followed by five years of residency training, is Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery. Titles such as facial plastic surgeon or oculoplastic surgeon do not exist as official specialties in Turkey. These are names adopted by ENT or ophthalmology specialists when they perform aesthetic operations, but there is no special educatin or residency program for this in turkey and this is the most important difference from the United States. Also plan to stay near your surgeon for at least one to two weeks before flying home, since traveling too early increases risk.
