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Dear Dr Yunus,

As I prepare to fly back home, I am leaving bellow an extended testimony about my stay at your care. I am deeply thankful for the past days in Istambul.

MY REVIEW: 360 Liposuction by Dr Yunus - my experience 1 week after, if you want to share with others

My name is Raquel, aged 45, Portuguese and this is my testimony 1 week after surgery in Istambul for 360 liposuction with Dr Yunus Dogan. I come from a family with 3 surgeons, so I know a bit about the profile of such professionals. Their hands make magics but magics sometimes it’s not enough - there is a human factor that is key. So after some months of investigation, I decided to be operated grounded on before & after results and patients’ feedback. I picked Dr Yunus’s clinic from what I learned from others: he is an extraordinary surgeon and he definitely has the human touch that makes THE difference among the best ones.

One week after (with liposuction preliminary results only), I can say I am deeply grateful to Dr Yanus for shaping my body - and thus, my life. Among the excellent nurses corps, let me praise Yeşim Sarı, a angel behind the scenes who orchestrates bookings and paperwork; Sümeyye Torerler, a kind of a ninja nurse who managed to give me strength and confidence when I needed most; and the physiotherapist nurse, Berna, whose hands relieved my pains for several times. These young and smiley professionals made my journey much easier.

So, this is my exhaustive feedback even before leaving Istambul:

It’s physical:

• Liposuction sucks. Literally. Recovery hurts. As any recovery, it is painful.
• Sometimes I got scared during the process. But most important words are endlessly repeated by the team: “it’s normal, it’s healing, do you need any stronger pills, do not stress”.

It’s pretty emotional:

• This is also an emotional journey: changing a body shape, away from home, in a foreign language. Yes, it was sometimes heavy. But I was always in touch with the team and the nurses. They were always there for me, at any time, physically or through WhatsApp.
• This is what I felt: in first day, I realised this was just a crazy idea. The 2/3 days following the surgery I questioned myself several times: is this pain really worthy? Once I started healing and visualising the initial results, I understood it is a journey and that I had to accept the process. And I had to do my part.
• Do not be afraid to say you need help. They really made me feel they were there for me.
• I felt I could not praise the staff enough due to language - as I do not speak Arabic. Hope they did feel recognised in their duties.

It’s a solo journey, but you do not feel alone:

• Being a frequent traveller and working abroad from my own country, I always though I could handle this on my own. I was conscious enough to know it would be hard. I never thought it would be so tough to make it solo. However, I did not feel alone, Dr Yunus and the team were extremely careful and sweet (and tireless!) with my condition and needs. Nevertheless, a tip: if possible, do not make this solo. Bring someone with you. It helps a lot (your body and mind).

And some tips for newcomers:

• Ahead of the trip: I would recommend a close contact with the coordinator / file manager. He/she has a pivotal role during the stay in Istambul, from administrative to practicalities.
• I was picked at the airport by a limousine company. The system works pretty smoothly. Arrival at hospital is also straightforward with all the medical exams (XRay) escorted by Dr Yunus staff or provided in the bedroom (blood and Covid tests).
• My surgery was at BHT Clinic, inside of which ClinicPlast has its own offices. BHT is pretty much comparable to any excellent private hospital in the European Union (my reference standards). It provides private and very comfortable patient bedrooms with lots of light, fridge and flat TV, Wi-Fi everywhere, hair dryer, locker, tea kettle, desk area, a single sofa bed - and super clean standards. Toilet has a spotless shower with a seat and everything you need. There is a pharmacy inside the building and there are even praying rooms (Chapel, Mosque and Sinagogue) in the basement.
• ClinicPlast team is very attentive and super polite. At my room’s floor, besides the BHT hospital nursing corps, Dr Yunus has his own ClinicPlast nurses deployed (literally) in front of our rooms. This is priceless.
• Cleaning staff is omnipresent and very attentive - mostly communicate through Google translator in their phones - it works smoothly. They are tireless.
• The day of the surgery: a cardiologist came to make a quick exam. Then Dr Yunus and his staff came to my room to speak about expectations and to (literally) draw his plan in my skin. It went pretty fast, I think I did not even realised that the anaesthetist was next to my bed for a first shot. I have a vague idea of my entrance at the OR and the moment I woke up I was immediately transferred to my bedroom. I am grateful because the whole process has been super smooth. I feel I did not have enough time to feel any stress :-)
• The day after the surgery, the most important tip: nurses asked me to walk. Several times. Many times. I thought they were crazy… The corridor of the rooms has 110 metres length (I measured!). So, walking 10 times is equal to 1km. Walking, they said, makes the body work and relieves. The hospital (and the hotel) are in the middle of busy neighbourhoods, not exceptionally beautiful for peaceful walkings. But I tried to walk as much as possible to heal and relieve pain. I am so grateful for that and for the insistence of nurses.
• Nurses also checked my medical condition several times per day (and night too) throughout all sorts of exams. Regular blood tests, pressure, etc. They even the sleeping and bedding conditions. It all made me feel safe. They helped me a lot with patches changing and waterproof pads for showering.
• After the lipo surgery I got a draining massage by one of Dr Yunus physio nurses (Berna); afterwards, ClinicPlast provides these massages as an extra service. I thought it was a kind of a “feels good” spa massage - but it’s much more a hard thing. I totally recommend as it was extremely effective to drain, my 3 messages improved A LOT my condition. I would advise to book - and book it in advance, until departure. You won’t regret. These massages also set my mindset for the following days: this is a journey and I must continue all healing steps back home. Massages and physio are key, I learned.
• At the hospital, Turkish food is delivered to rooms - hospital-type food (a bit too much for me, 3 meals!). Breakfast is quite early (6am) and lots of cheeses and olives will make you feel you are in Turkey. Main meals come also early with soup, main dish, bread, yogurt and water. Honestly: not too bad for hospital standards. And anyway, food was not really my top priority.
• The hospital also has a restaurant / brasserie “Robin Cook” and a Starbucks corner from where you can buy anything from the room / online / by phone. They even send a waiter around rooms for orders. The restaurant and the terrace are pleasant and modern. It also has healthy snacks as colagen and protein bars, and fresh detox juices. And it also provides salads and fast food - I was not definitely in the mood for food… Terrace (as every open space in Turkey) is loaded with smokers but is a good place to feel fresh air.
• Girly business: In the luggage I would advise comfort lounge / loose outfits (in dark colours) and flip flops for easiness and comfort. ClinicPlast offered a lovely dark blue cotton robe which was very comfy and handy (dark clothing is quite important in this case!). I would recommend at least one pair of knee length socks to cover the bright white contention socks while out of the hospital. As accommodations have toilet amenities, my two packs of baby water wipes were very, very handy (available in the take away area of the restaurant). I brought my own shower gel for personal comfort. And I also brought 6 bottles of protein milkshakes and a pack of raw nuts in my luggage - and they were very handy when I felt limited to look for food at the hotel. You would not need to bring supplies as there are food options on both the hospital and the hotel - but do not think it was a silly idea.
• I woke up from surgery inside a high pressure contention corset. It became the proof of my own results as it is constantly adjusted to compress the silhouette. I washed myself my contention socks and dark corset quite regularly. I was not allowed to stay longtime without the corset, but it dries fast with the help of the toilet hairdryer.
• After hospitalisation, the hotel assigned was Wanda Vista, a clean, modern and tall 5 stars apart-hotel with functional and clean apartments. After discharge, ClinicPlast escorted me there. Each apartment has a living room, a bedroom, toilet and a basic kitchen - with complimentary bottled water, tea and instant coffee. The breakfast on the ground floor is very comprehensive and the hotel restaurant has a large menu that also works on a take-away basis. I read in advance some TripAdvisor feedbacks complaining about the absence of cleaning services at the hotel, but that was not my experience. As solo traveller, I felt much more comfortable at the hospital due to proximity to care services - but the hotel hosts dozens of people under treatments in the hospitals around; I did not feel too awkward while walking in my post-surgery limited condition. ClinicPlast has a van which runs between the hospital and hotel.
• I went once to Istambul historical centre (5 days after surgery) - not really to have an immersive tourist experience but rather to leave my hospital outfit away, to walk and breath. If you decide to do so, be prepared for a 1 hour drive each way. It was a bit of an adventure trying to heal my body in heavy traffic - but it was worthy as it helped me to clear my mind. Count on some 15 to 20 euros each way. I used Uber and it worked well for regular yellow táxis. Try not to go in rush hours. It’s not the ideal condition for tourism but if you can heal in a nice terrace by the Bosphorus, why not?
• Back home: ClinicPlast arranged the last medical tests and discharge appointment. I still have patches and cotton pads under the corset. I am carrying some spare for the 4 hours flight back home. After all, I will still be draining.

Hope all this helps in your decision and in programming your journey.

LASTLY: please pass my acknowledgment to your team. You are really a dream team. You changed my live, and I could not be more thankful.

Raquel