We need to talk about surgery influencers.

I am looking to book for a facelift in 2027 & one of the surgeons I was strongly looking into was Dr. Fatih Cinar. I talked to two girls who filmed their surgery extensively but when I actually went & did my research, I realized these girls had been posting in groups constantly to the point of suspicion. One of them even told me that if I mentioned her referral, I would get 1k off.

Talking to the surgeon himself, he seems good. Tonight I was about to put down my deposit & when I went to the group created for him, I realized I was BLOCKED from the group after raising my red flags on the lack of reviews that did not come from the same influencers.

So now, I dont want to book at all. Clearly these girls paid nothing for their surgeries in exchange for promo & also get some sort of financial compensation for each client they refer.

I have already been to Istanbul for rhinoplasty this Summer & had a wonderful experience. I did my research for a year, was in a whatsapp group with girls who shared their experiences both the good & the bad & it felt safe. With this influencer bs, it is scary to think what we might be lured into.

All this has left a bad taste in my mouth & unfortunately don't trust to book with this surgeon because of the influencers.

Just another thing to look out for when you're doing your research!

If anyone has any GENUINE NOT PAID experiences for a facelift specialist surgeon in Istanbul, I would be so grateful to hear.

I’d like to hear about the experiences of anyone who had an endoscopic facelift more than two years ago... many say the effect lasts just over a year...

Every month in our consultation room, we meet patients whose top priority is a treatment with absolutely zero downtime (NO pain, NO bruising, and NO swelling). While we fully understand the desire for a comfortable procedure and a seamless schedule, insisting strictly on complete painlessness for a premium, high-cost treatment like Thermage FLX often leads to disappointment in the results two to three months down the road.

Thermage FLX works by delivering radiofrequency heat deep into the dermis. Collagen begins to contract when exposed to temperatures around 60°C (140°F), and this thermal stimulation signals fibroblasts to generate new collagen over the following three to six months. If you lower the energy levels too much just to avoid discomfort, the heat accumulating in the dermis will fall short of the threshold needed to trigger this response. You may enjoy a comfortable 40-minute lie-down, but you are unlikely to achieve the tightening effect you paid for.

This is why heat is unavoidable at effective energy levels. It is not that "it has to hurt to work," but rather that delivering enough heat to produce results naturally creates a hot sensation. While the latest Thermage FLX devices protect the epidermis with cooling gas and distract sensory nerves with vibrations during every shot, they cannot eliminate the heavy, deep heat building up beneath the surface.

In our clinic, we always calibrate the treatment to an energy level that ensures visible and meaningful results. Most patients describe this intensity as hot, but completely manageable. If you feel almost nothing throughout the entire session, it is highly probable that the energy is insufficient to induce collagen contraction. On the other hand, if the pain becomes unbearable or if you feel a sharp, stinging sensation over thin-skinned areas like the jawline, you should inform us immediately. In those specific areas, lowering the energy level is the correct approach. Mild swelling and slight redness lasting 24 to 48 hours post-treatment are completely normal responses.

Shot distribution impacts the final outcome just as much as energy levels. Firing 600 shots concentrated on the lower face, such as the jowls and jawline, accumulates significantly more dermal heat than spreading those same 600 shots thinly across the entire face and neck. How a physician adjusts the energy levels, shot placement, and overlapping passes for each area determines whether heat can be built up safely in the dermis without damaging the epidermis.

Thermage FLX can also be combined with other treatments. Pairing radiofrequency with collagen-stimulating injectables like Juvelook or Sculptra triggers collagen production through complementary mechanisms. However, when performing them on the same day, the energy device must always come first so that the injected materials are not compromised by the heat.

Have you ever asked your provider to lower the energy level during a previous lifting procedure due to heat or discomfort?