Facelift in Turkey: 2026 prices, the different types explained and a realistic recovery guide

With age, the face loses volume and elasticity, and the tissues that support the cheeks slowly slide downwards. The result is jowls along the jawline, deeper nose-to-mouth folds, marionette lines and a looser neck. A facelift turns back these changes by lifting the tissues to where they used to be, rather than simply pulling the skin tighter.

Not every facelift is the same. The main difference between techniques is which layer the surgeon lifts: the skin only, the SMAS (the firm muscle-and-tissue layer under the skin and fat), or everything together in the deep plane. The deeper the lift, the more it can reposition, and the less tension the skin has to carry.

Types of facelift explained

Considering the most advanced technique? Read our in-depth guide to the deep plane facelift in Turkey.

What a facelift actually lifts

What is included in a Velsa facelift package?

• Online assessment and in-person consultation with your plastic surgeon
• Pre-operative blood tests, ECG and anaesthetist review
• The operation, anaesthetic and operating theatre
• Hospital stay with nursing care (1 night)
• Facial compression garment and take-home medication
• Hotel accommodation for your recovery
• VIP airport, hotel and clinic transfers
• An English-speaking patient coordinator throughout your stay
• Post-operative check-ups, drain and stitch removal before you fly
• Remote follow-up with your surgeon once you are home

What affects the price?

Your final quote depends on the technique (mini, SMAS or deep plane), whether the neck is included, whether you add eyelid surgery, a brow lift or fat transfer, the surgeon's experience, the hospital category and the number of nights you need. When comparing quotes, always ask which layer of the face will be lifted: two operations called a "facelift" can be very different procedures.

• Mainly early jowls, good skin quality: a mini facelift can sharpen the jawline with a shorter scar and a quicker recovery, but its effect usually lasts less long than a full facelift.
• Jowls and a softer jawline, with some neck laxity: a SMAS face and neck lift gives a reliable, long-lasting improvement of the lower face and neck.
• Sagging cheeks, deep nose-to-mouth folds and jowls: a deep plane facelift repositions the cheek as well as the jawline, with less tension on the skin.
• A loose neck or visible neck bands: a neck lift is added to tighten the neck muscles through a small incision under the chin.
• Tired eyes or a heavy brow: a facelift does not change the eyes, so eyelid surgery or a brow lift is often combined.
• Mainly volume loss or fine lines: fillers, fat transfer or skin treatments may help more than a facelift.

Turkey has become one of the world's leading medical travel destinations. According to Turkish industry figures reported in July 2026, the country welcomed around 1.4 million health tourists in 2025, generating over $3 billion in revenue. Aesthetic surgery is one of the most requested categories.

• Value: a face and neck lift in the UK often costs two to three times as much as a complete Velsa package.
• Experience: leading surgeons in Istanbul perform facial rejuvenation surgery every week, including deep plane techniques.
• Privacy: you spend the most visible part of your recovery, when bruising and swelling are at their peak, away from home.
• Speed: consultations can be arranged online within days, and surgery dates are flexible.
• Access: most UK and European airports have direct flights of around 3–4 hours.

Facelifts remain one of the most common cosmetic operations: the American Society of Plastic Surgeons recorded 79,058 facelifts in the US in 2024, along with 22,445 neck lifts.

• Your jawline has lost its definition and you have jowls
• You have deep nasolabial folds or marionette lines
• You have loose skin or bands on your neck
• You do not smoke, or you can stop at least 6 weeks before and after surgery
• Your blood pressure is normal or well controlled
• You want to look refreshed and natural, not different

1. Before you travel

   Free online assessment

   Send front and side photos of your face and neck, and your medical history. A plastic surgeon reviews your case, recommends a technique and you receive a personal plan and written quote.

2. Day 1

   Arrival and consultation

   Your driver meets you at the airport. You meet your surgeon, agree the final plan and complete your blood tests and anaesthetist review.

3. Day 2

   Surgery day

   The operation takes 2–5 hours, depending on the technique and whether the neck and eyelids are included. You wake up with a soft compression dressing around your face.

4. Day 3

   Dressing change and back to the hotel

   Your surgeon checks your face, changes the dressing and usually removes any drains. You move to your hotel with your coordinator on call.

5. Days 4–7

   Rest and check-ups

   Swelling and bruising peak and then begin to settle. Keep your head raised, walk little and often and go to your scheduled check-ups.

6. Days 7–10

   Stitch removal and flight home

   Most stitches are removed, and once your surgeon confirms you are fit to fly, you head home with your aftercare plan.

7. At home

   Remote aftercare

   Share progress photos and questions with your coordinator and surgeon. We recommend telling your GP or doctor about your surgery.

1. 1Anaesthesia: usually a general anaesthetic, or deep sedation with local anaesthetic, given by a specialist anaesthetist.
2. 2Incision: starts in the temple hairline, runs along the natural creases in front of the ear, around the earlobe and, for a full facelift, into the hairline behind the ear. A mini facelift uses a shorter incision.
3. 3Lifting the deeper layer: depending on the technique, the SMAS is tightened with stitches, partly removed, or released and lifted together with the skin in the deep plane.
4. 4Repositioning: the cheek, jowl and neck tissues are lifted upwards and backwards and secured in their new position.
5. 5Neck lift (optional): a small incision under the chin allows the surgeon to tighten the neck muscles and remove neck bands.
6. 6Closure: only the excess skin is trimmed, and the incisions are closed without tension for finer scars. Small drains and a compression dressing may be placed.

What is normal

• Swelling and bruising: at their peak in the first 3–5 days, mostly gone after about 2 weeks.
• Tightness: the face and neck feel tight, especially when you turn your head or open your mouth wide.
• Numbness: around the ears, cheeks and neck, usually improving over 12 to 18 months.
• Firmness and small lumps: along the jawline and under the skin, softening over the first 3 months.
• Shooting or tingling sensations: a normal sign of nerves recovering, sometimes for months.
• Uneven swelling: one side can look more swollen than the other for a few weeks.
• Tiredness and low mood: common in the first week or two after any major operation.

In Turkey (first 7–10 days)

• Sleep on your back with your head raised on two or three pillows, and avoid bending forward.
• Wear your facial compression garment exactly as your surgeon advises.
• Use cold compresses when advised to reduce swelling, never directly on the skin.
• Keep your incisions clean and dry, and use only the ointments your surgeon gives you.
• Take your medication as prescribed and avoid aspirin, ibuprofen and supplements that thin the blood unless your surgeon agrees.
• Walk little and often to support your circulation, and attend your dressing changes and stitch removal.

At home (weeks 2–12)

• Wash your hair gently with mild shampoo once your surgeon allows it, and avoid hot hairdryers on the scars.
• Do not colour your hair for about 4–6 weeks.
• Avoid saunas, hot baths, heavy lifting and strenuous exercise until your surgeon agrees.
• Protect your scars from the sun with a hat and a high-factor sunscreen for at least 12 months.
• Start scar care, such as silicone gel, and gentle massage only when your surgeon advises.
• Send progress photos to your coordinator at the agreed intervals so your surgeon can follow your recovery.

Every facelift carries risks, wherever it is performed. The NHS lists possible complications including nerve injury, facial asymmetry, hair loss around the scars, thick scars, healing problems, excessive bleeding, blood clots, infection and a reaction to the anaesthetic. A collection of blood under the skin (haematoma) is the most common early complication, which is one reason your blood pressure is monitored closely after surgery.

Large studies are reassuring. An analysis of 11,300 facelift patients, published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal in 2016, found a major complication rate of 1.8%, with haematoma in 1.1% and infection in 0.3%. The risk was higher when a facelift was combined with other operations (3.7% vs 1.5%), and men had a higher risk of haematoma.

Checklist: how to choose a safe clinic abroad

• Confirm your surgeon is a board-certified plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon, and ask how many facelifts they perform each year.
• Ask exactly which technique and which layer will be lifted, and why it suits your face.
• Check that the hospital is licensed by the Turkish Ministry of Health for international patients, and ask about accreditations.
• Make sure you meet your surgeon in person before surgery and can communicate clearly.
• Ask to see before and after photos of the surgeon's own facelift patients, taken from the side and at rest.
• Get a written quote that lists everything included, and ask what happens if a revision is needed.
• Check your travel insurance: standard policies usually do not cover complications from planned surgery, so consider specialist cover.

A facelift rejuvenates the lower two thirds of the face, but tired eyes or a heavy brow can still make you look older. Combining procedures means one anaesthetic, one recovery and one trip. Popular combinations include eyelid surgery, a brow lift, fat transfer and a lip lift.

Facelift vs non-surgical treatments

• Medication: tell your surgeon about everything you take. Aspirin, blood thinners, fish oil, vitamin E and some herbal supplements increase bleeding and may need to be paused.
• Smoking: nicotine reduces blood flow to the skin and significantly increases the risk of wound-healing problems. BAAPS advises stopping at least 6 weeks before surgery.
• Blood pressure: high blood pressure increases the risk of bleeding after a facelift, so have it checked by your doctor before you travel.
• Hair: keep your hair at least shoulder-length if you can, and colour it before surgery, as you will not be able to for several weeks afterwards.
• Packing list: front-opening or button-up tops, a travel neck pillow, a headscarf or hat, sunglasses and your regular medication.

You will look swollen at first, and according to the NHS it can take 6 to 9 months to see the full effect of a facelift. When the deeper layers carry the lift, the skin is not stretched, so the result tends to look natural and ages gracefully. Healthy habits, sun protection and a stable weight help your result last. Numbness around the ears and cheeks is normal and usually resolves within 12 to 18 months. As consented cases are added, our before and after gallery shows real patient outcomes.