At a glance
- Which city should I choose for surgery in Turkey? The surgeon and the facility matter more than the city. Istanbul has the most hospitals and surgeons, Izmir offers a calmer setting, and Antalya is mainly a beach resort.
- Where do Aram Clinic surgeons operate? In Istanbul, with Dr Mehmet Karaaltin and Dr Orhan Fahri Demir, and in Izmir, with Dr Tolgahan Alpaydin.
- Is Antalya a good choice for surgery? Its hotels and climate are appealing, but the beach, swimming and sun are not advised for several weeks after an operation.
- Do prices vary by city? Differences depend mainly on the clinic, the surgeon and what the package includes, rather than the city itself.
- How do I get there from the UK? Istanbul has direct flights all year from London and several regional airports. Izmir and Antalya have seasonal direct flights or connections via Istanbul.
Istanbul, Antalya, Izmir: search for a cosmetic surgery clinic in Turkey and these three cities come up straight away. Each has its strengths, but they do not meet the same needs. Here is what really matters when choosing where to have surgery.
Three cities, three profiles
Turkey has more than 1,000 facilities welcoming international patients, several dozen of them accredited by Joint Commission International (JCI). Most are concentrated in the three largest cities and on the coast.
| Criterion | Istanbul | Izmir | Antalya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profile | Metropolis, the country’s leading medical hub | Large Aegean city, calmer | Mediterranean beach resort |
| Choice of surgeons and hospitals | The widest | Strong, around major university hospitals | Smaller, very tourism-oriented |
| Access from the UK | Two airports, direct flights all year | Seasonal direct flights or via Istanbul | Many flights in summer, fewer in winter |
| Recovery | Hotels close to clinics, lively city | More relaxing setting | Pleasant, but the beach is tempting |
| Aram Clinic surgeons | Dr Karaaltin, Dr Orhan Fahri Demir | Dr Alpaydin | No |
Istanbul, the capital of cosmetic surgery
Istanbul is Turkey’s leading medical tourism centre, with the largest number of plastic surgeons, private hospitals and accredited facilities. You can choose a specialist for each procedure: rhinoplasty, facelift, breast surgery or hair transplant. It is also the easiest to reach, with two international airports and direct flights from London in under four hours.
The point to watch
The offer is so wide that quality varies. In Istanbul more than anywhere, check who actually operates, in which facility, and what the package really includes.
Izmir, the calm of the Aegean
Turkey’s third city is known for its university hospitals, such as Ege University, where many Turkish plastic surgeons trained. The pace is calmer than Istanbul, which suits patients looking for a quiet recovery. Dr Tolgahan Alpaydin has run his aesthetic and plastic surgery clinic in Izmir since 2003. Depending on the season, you fly direct or connect in Istanbul.
Antalya, above all a holiday destination
Antalya welcomes millions of holidaymakers on the Turkish Riviera, and some clinics offer “cosmetic holidays” with seaside hotels, mainly for dental work and hair transplants. Keep post-operative instructions in mind:
- No swimming in the sea or a pool for several weeks, until scars have closed.
- No sun on the treated areas, to avoid pigmented scars.
- A compression garment day and night after body surgery, uncomfortable in the summer heat.
A surgical stay is not a holiday. The best place to recover is one where you can rest, follow instructions and easily see your surgeon again.
Do prices vary by city?
Less than people think. Price differences come mainly from the surgeon’s reputation, the facility’s standard and what the package covers: hotel nights, transfers, interpreter, post-operative check-ups.
| Procedure | Istanbul or Izmir, Aram package | UK private clinic |
|---|---|---|
| Rhinoplasty | From €2,750 | Often £6,000 to £9,000 |
| Hair transplant | From €2,200 | Often £5,000 to £10,000 |
| Tummy tuck with liposuction | €3,000 to €4,000 | Often £7,000 to £12,000 |
Indicative ranges. Aram packages include surgery, hospital stay, a 5-star hotel and transfers; UK prices exclude travel.
The real questions to ask
- Who is operating? The surgeon’s name, training and membership of societies such as ISAPS.
- Where? The hospital or clinic name and its accreditation.
- How long on site? A stay suited to the procedure, until stitches or splint are removed.
- And back home? Remote follow-up, a contact for questions and management of any complication.
See also our guide to preparing for your medical trip to Turkey.
Our surgeons in Istanbul and Izmir
Aram Clinic works with recognised plastic surgeons in the two cities with the strongest medical environment.
Dr Mehmet Karaaltin (Istanbul)
A graduate of the Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine in Istanbul, certified by the Turkish Board of Plastic Surgery and a member of EBOPRAS and ISAPS, he has more than 25 years of experience. As an ISAPS member surgeon, he provides ISAPS insurance for the cosmetic procedures he performs. He took part in the world’s third full face transplant and created the SMART Template technique for rhinoplasty.
Dr Orhan Fahri Demir (Istanbul)
Trained at Gazi University (Ankara) and in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery at Ege University, he has practised as a plastic surgery specialist at Memorial Bahçelevler Hospital in Istanbul since 2025, with more than eight years of clinical and academic experience. He is known for ultrasonic rhinoplasty, deep plane facelift and body contouring.
Dr Tolgahan Alpaydin (Izmir)
A graduate of Ege University (Izmir), he completed his plastic surgery residency there (1995–2001), then a microsurgery fellowship and aesthetic surgery training at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (USA). He has directed the Izmir Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery Clinic since 2003. He performs ultrasonic rhinoplasty, endoscopic and deep plane facelifts, breast surgery and body contouring.