POSTED UNDER Facelift Reviews
Do Your Research
UPDATED FROM sara559
2 months post
Update
What a horrible, horrible surgeon- so not only is it two months later, and I still have zero movement in one eyebrow, all the fat that was harvested and grafted has now re-absorbed. Additionally, anything that was looking lifted previously has now fallen back to the baseline it was before the surgery. I might as well have flushed $20,000 down the toilet.
sara559's provider
ORIGINAL POST
Do Your Research
I traveled abroad specifically to have Dr. Cetinkaya perform a full facelift, a revision brow lift, and fat grafting to my face. The brow lift was a revision because my first one hadn't given me the outcome I wanted, so I made a point during my consultation of explaining exactly what I needed fixed. What I wanted most was more lift in my eyebrows along with a proper arch — not just a pull toward the outer corner.
I also brought up the asymmetry in my face and made clear that evening out the volume difference between the two sides was a central goal of the fat grafting.
Sadly, the exact issues that brought me overseas in the first place went uncorrected, and the notes from our consultation weren't even reflected in my plan.
Here's the thing — I paid for two separate brow lift surgeries, and my brow height looks almost identical to how it was before. What I got was mostly a lateral pull, not the added height and arch I'd asked for repeatedly. What stung most was finding out, once I got my hands on my pre-op records, that the brow height and shape we'd talked about weren't even written down as part of the surgical plan. The whole reason I agreed to a second brow surgery wasn't documented anywhere.
I get that no surgeon can promise a precise result. But if something I want isn't achievable, I should be told that up front. Surgeons owe patients honest expectations and should document what was actually discussed and agreed upon before going into the OR.
The fat grafting was another letdown. I'd specifically asked for my facial asymmetry to be addressed. It took about six weeks and several follow-ups before I finally got my operative report — and it showed identical amounts of fat placed in matching spots on each side of my face. Given that unevenness was exactly what I wanted corrected, I expected a customized approach rather than a symmetrical one.
Aftercare was just as frustrating. Once I was back in the US, communication basically dried up — I had questions and concerns, and they never reached out even once to check on my healing. Six weeks out, I still can't move one side of my forehead. I know nerve issues happen and healing can take months, so that part didn't bother me. What bothered me was the total absence of follow-up, guidance, or genuine concern for how I was doing. I expected check-ins, answers, and reassurance throughout recovery. Instead, it felt like the relationship ended the moment I left Turkey and the bill was paid.
I was also let down by how few long-term results are shown publicly. A lot of the posted post-op photos look like they were taken early on, while swelling still distorts the outcome. There weren't many examples of fully healed results months later, and having more of those available would've made a huge difference in my decision-making.
Getting a facelift, a revision brow lift, and fat grafting done overseas takes real money, time, and trust. I was prepared for normal surgical risk, but I wasn't prepared to go through a second brow procedure and full facial surgery and still be left with the original problems unresolved.
If you're thinking about seeing Dr. Cetinkaya — don't just take his word for what he can deliver. Insist that every goal you raise in consultation is written into your actual pre-op plan. Don't assume a conversation will translate into the surgical plan, the operative report, or the final outcome — get it in writing. I'd also suggest looking for fully healed, long-term photos instead of judging based on early recovery shots. In my experience, he's better at telling you what you want to hear than at actually delivering it.
I also brought up the asymmetry in my face and made clear that evening out the volume difference between the two sides was a central goal of the fat grafting.
Sadly, the exact issues that brought me overseas in the first place went uncorrected, and the notes from our consultation weren't even reflected in my plan.
Here's the thing — I paid for two separate brow lift surgeries, and my brow height looks almost identical to how it was before. What I got was mostly a lateral pull, not the added height and arch I'd asked for repeatedly. What stung most was finding out, once I got my hands on my pre-op records, that the brow height and shape we'd talked about weren't even written down as part of the surgical plan. The whole reason I agreed to a second brow surgery wasn't documented anywhere.
I get that no surgeon can promise a precise result. But if something I want isn't achievable, I should be told that up front. Surgeons owe patients honest expectations and should document what was actually discussed and agreed upon before going into the OR.
The fat grafting was another letdown. I'd specifically asked for my facial asymmetry to be addressed. It took about six weeks and several follow-ups before I finally got my operative report — and it showed identical amounts of fat placed in matching spots on each side of my face. Given that unevenness was exactly what I wanted corrected, I expected a customized approach rather than a symmetrical one.
Aftercare was just as frustrating. Once I was back in the US, communication basically dried up — I had questions and concerns, and they never reached out even once to check on my healing. Six weeks out, I still can't move one side of my forehead. I know nerve issues happen and healing can take months, so that part didn't bother me. What bothered me was the total absence of follow-up, guidance, or genuine concern for how I was doing. I expected check-ins, answers, and reassurance throughout recovery. Instead, it felt like the relationship ended the moment I left Turkey and the bill was paid.
I was also let down by how few long-term results are shown publicly. A lot of the posted post-op photos look like they were taken early on, while swelling still distorts the outcome. There weren't many examples of fully healed results months later, and having more of those available would've made a huge difference in my decision-making.
Getting a facelift, a revision brow lift, and fat grafting done overseas takes real money, time, and trust. I was prepared for normal surgical risk, but I wasn't prepared to go through a second brow procedure and full facial surgery and still be left with the original problems unresolved.
If you're thinking about seeing Dr. Cetinkaya — don't just take his word for what he can deliver. Insist that every goal you raise in consultation is written into your actual pre-op plan. Don't assume a conversation will translate into the surgical plan, the operative report, or the final outcome — get it in writing. I'd also suggest looking for fully healed, long-term photos instead of judging based on early recovery shots. In my experience, he's better at telling you what you want to hear than at actually delivering it.
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