An American's Deep Plane Facelift in Turkey: My Real Experience with Dr. Zereyak

Why I chose Turkey

The idea of medical tourism made me nervous. Every article I read seemed designed either to promote Turkey uncritically or to scare me away with horror stories. The honest answer is somewhere in the middle: Turkey has excellent surgeons operating in accredited facilities, and Turkey also has clinics I would never go near. The same is true of the United States.

What changed my thinking was understanding that the credential system is verifiable. ISAPS membership — the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery — can be checked at isaps.org. JCI hospital accreditation can be checked at jointcommissioninternational.org. I found Dr. Zereyak through the ISAPS directory, verified his membership directly, and then booked a video consultation. That process gave me more confidence than any testimonial could.

Eight months of research

I had consultations — video consultations — with five surgeons total. Three in Turkey, one in the United States, one in the United Kingdom. I was comparing deep plane facelift specifically because I had done enough reading to know that I did not want a SMAS facelift.

The surgeons I spoke with ranged enormously in how they communicated. Two gave me boilerplate answers that felt scripted. One US surgeon was dismissive of my research. Dr. Zereyak was the only one who looked at my photographs carefully before the consultation and came prepared with specific observations about my anatomy — the jowling on my left side was more pronounced than the right, which he noted unprompted, and he explained how he would approach the asymmetry.

That specificity is what made the difference. He was not selling me a result. He was describing what he would actually do.

The video consultation

The consultation was 40 minutes via Zoom. I had sent photographs three days beforehand — front-facing, both profiles, and under-chin. Dr. Zereyak had reviewed them and had notes.

He recommended deep plane facelift with platysmaplasty — neck work — because my neck had begun to lose definition. He explained the retaining ligament anatomy and why he was recommending deep plane rather than SMAS. He showed me examples from his own patient series with comparable anatomy and age.

He also told me what he could not improve significantly — the texture of my skin was not going to change with a facelift alone, and the fine lines would require separate treatment. That honesty was important. I have spoken to patients who were sold unrealistic outcomes; I was not.

The all-inclusive package price was provided in USD in writing before the call ended: Contact for pricing for deep plane facelift with neck lift, including everything. No deposit to book. Payment on arrival.

Traveling to Istanbul

I flew from Houston to Istanbul via London Heathrow, approximately 16 hours total. I flew business class for the return flight — worth the upgrade after surgery. The pre-operative check-in was the day before surgery; a driver met me at the airport and brought me to the hotel.

The coordinator met me at the hotel that evening, walked me through what to expect the following day, confirmed my pre-operative dietary restrictions, and answered the questions I had written down but forgotten to ask during the Zoom consultation. She communicated entirely in English.

Surgery day

I was taken to Istanbul Çamlıca Medicana Hospital at 7am. Pre-operative bloodwork and assessment confirmed I was cleared for surgery. The anesthesiologist spoke with me for 15 minutes about my medical history.

I woke up in recovery approximately five hours later. The nursing staff checked my vitals every 30 minutes. I was moved to my room, head elevated, and given ice packs and pain medication on a schedule. The swelling began immediately — this is expected and it is alarming if you have not been warned. I had been warned. I put the mirror away.

Recovery in Istanbul

I stayed at the hospital for two nights. The nursing care was attentive — the language barrier was never an issue because the team was prepared for international patients. I was moved to the hotel on day three.

The first five days were the hardest. The swelling was significant, the bruising was dramatic, and I spent most of my time horizontal with my head elevated. The patient coordinator checked in twice during the first week. I ate soft foods — soup, yogurt, scrambled eggs — and watched everything I had downloaded on my tablet.

By day seven I was walking to a nearby café for breakfast. The sutures were removed at the clinic on day nine. The swelling had reduced substantially. I started to see something that resembled what the result might eventually look like.

Flying home

I flew home on day thirteen. Dr. Zereyak assessed me before I left and said the healing was progressing well. I wore the compression garment on the flight, requested an aisle seat, and walked the cabin every two hours. The flight was uncomfortable but manageable.

My family met me at the airport. I had prepared them with photographs of what to expect — significant swelling and bruising — so the reaction was concern rather than shock. Within two weeks of being home I was working from home again. Week four I was back in the office.

The results at six months

At six months the swelling is completely gone and the result is clear. The jowls — which were my primary concern — are gone. My jawline is defined in a way it has not been in fifteen years. The nasolabial folds are significantly reduced but not eliminated, which looks natural. My neck has a clean angle again. I look rested, not surgical.

The fine lines around my eyes and mouth are still there — Dr. Zereyak was clear that a facelift would not address these, and he was right. What changed is the architecture of my face: the sagging, the heaviness, the tired look. That is gone. People tell me I look ten years younger, but more importantly, I look like myself — the version of myself from a decade ago.

See more before and after cases →

Full cost breakdown

Would I do it again?

Yes. Without hesitation. The results at six months are better than I imagined. The process was more comfortable than I expected and the communication throughout was excellent.

The advice I would give anyone considering this: do the credential verification yourself — do not take anyone's word for it. Check ISAPS. Check the hospital JCI status. Do a video consultation before committing to anything. And book a flexible return ticket.

If you have questions about my experience that are not covered here, Dr. Zereyak's team can connect you with me directly.