From Ireland to Turkey: what you should know

Irish women follow the same news as British women, the same inquests, the same warnings, and face the same gap: emergency care at home, but nothing beyond it.

What the HSE will do

Treat emergencies through the public system. If you attend an emergency department with an infection or a clot, you'll be seen. Corrections and revisions after elective cosmetic surgery abroad are private, at your cost. Private health insurance in Ireland typically excludes elective cosmetic procedures and their complications, check your policy.

Aftercare

Stitches and simple checks: your GP, with the clinic's paperwork, ask before you travel. For complications: a consultant plastic surgeon registered with the Medical Council, ideally contacted beforehand. The Irish Association of Plastic Surgeons publishes guidance on choosing a surgeon; its criteria match the ones on this site.

The law

Advertising is regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland, with rules on misleading images and claims similar to the UK's. There's no outright ban on cosmetic surgery advertising as there is in some EU countries, but the same warning applies: a “consultation” that isn't with a doctor is a sales meeting. Claims against a clinic in Turkey are pursued under Turkish law.

Getting there

Direct flights to Istanbul from Dublin, around four and a half hours; connections from Cork. Passport valid for six months. Return only after clearance, flexible fare.

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This text does not replace a surgeon’s consent conversation. Timings are typical courses, not promises; yours may differ. Ivy Beside deliberately gives no prices and names no surgeons.