At Moorgate Andrology we are sometimes asked, “Is Penis enlargement surgery in Turkey a good idea or a bad idea?”
Well, like all cosmetic surgery abroad, there are a few factors that you need to take into consideration, which we suggest must happen even more carefully with penis enlargement surgery.
Let’s take a look.
The main reason that men may consider penis enlargement surgery in Turkey is the price. It will be much cheaper to have penis enlargement surgery in Turkey than in the United Kingdom. Even when you add the flight and accommodation in, the overall cost will still be less than the UK. Another reason to choose Turkey maybe that you can combine the surgery with a holiday.
Unless someone has family in Turkey these are the two single biggest reasons why someone would choose to have penis enlargement surgery in Turkey.
Let’s look at the potential pitfalls of having the surgery there.
Firstly, the idea of combing a holiday with surgery is not as glamorous as it sounds. When you have had the surgery you will not be able to swim in the first few weeks after surgery. It is important to avoid strenuous activity for six weeks afterwards. Sunbathing is not recommended either as you cannot expose fresh scars to the sun. Also, if the sun and sea put you in an amorous mood, that’s out too. No sex for six weeks after penis enlargement surgery.
Now, penis enlargement surgery is not without risks. All surgery carries the risk of postoperative complications. In penis enlargement surgery this includes infection of the silicone buffer which is placed in cases in the United Kingdom to stop the ligaments joining up again after lengthening surgery. If there is an infection of the buffer then it must be removed quickly. If this happened you would have to set foot back to Turkey sharpish to have the implant removed. Then you would have to return again three to six months later to have the implant put back in. When you add in the cost of two more visits to Turkey with flight and hotel costs, suddenly the savings don’t look as great.
Your other option could be to go to the NHS, if you had a serious infection they probably would remove the implant for you, but they certainly would not replace it. If you went this route then the penis would shorten again. In some cases, it can end up shorter than it was before if left in this position.
Also, on the fat transfer side, which is used to increase penis girth, there can be fat lump formations which need to be treated. The NHS will not treat these and if you get them, and they don’t settle with massage, you will need to return to Turkey to get them fixed.
Your other option of course if you get these complications is to contact a UK Specialist company such as Moorgate Andrology to fix the issues for you. If you choose this route then the overall cost of the surgery will have worked out more than if you had chosen the UK for the surgery in the first place.
Penis enlargement surgery is a highly specialised surgery. It is usually performed by Urologists who have specialist training in surgery of the genital anatomy. This brings us to the issue of qualifications and experience. In the United Kingdom, there are only a few centres that are specialists in penis enlargement surgery. They are not hard to find on the Internet in the UK. They perform penis enlargement surgery week in, week out, with specialist Urologists leading the medical team.
As with any cosmetic surgery abroad, you must do your homework on the qualifications of the surgeon. It is highly likely that in Turkey your surgery will be performed in a clinic carrying out a wide range of cosmetic surgery procedures. This may not be a bad thing, but you really want to be sure that penis enlargement surgery is not a rare event at that clinic. Ask the centre how many they perform each month and specifically how many the Surgeon has performed.
Another good tip is to ask them for a patient that has had penis enlargement surgery with them, that you can talk to. If they make an excuse that there isn’t one available, consider your options very carefully.
Of course, many people go abroad for cosmetic surgery and have a very good experience and save a lot of money compared to the UK. The issue perhaps is that penis enlargement surgery is an emerging procedure, even in the United Kingdom, and you need to consider your health and welfare above all else, such as a cheaper price and the promise of a holiday, when making your decision.
Differences in the standard of surgery – UK v Turkey
At Moorgate Andrology we speak to many patients who have a fleeting idea of having penis enlargement surgery abroad.
One country which keeps popping up in conversation is Turkey. Penis enlargement in Turkey may be an option if you are only focused on a cheap price.
Most guys go abroad for penis enlargement in Turkey because of the cheaper cost. Our experience is that although some patients think about the idea, very few in practice go abroad for the surgery.
It’s fair to say that in recent times Turkey has become popular for hair transplants and dental restorations which are very expensive in the UK.
Penis enlargement surgery however is a highly specialised surgery, performed by only a handful of Urologists in the United Kingdom.
Standards of surgery are a major consideration, in the United Kingdom and Turkey. In the United Kingdom, you will have the opportunity to visit the hospital where you are going to have the surgery. In Turkey, you are not likely to have this opportunity because the first time you will see the operating facility is when you arrive in Turkey. Of course, there are good hospitals in Turkey but you need to do your homework before you travel, as much as possible.
Without question, the first place you should start when considering penis enlargement surgery in Turkey is the surgeon and clinic who are going to carry out the surgery for you. This is where you can do a bit of research yourself.
Go to the website of the clinic in Turkey. Is the surgery going to be carried out by a fully qualified Urologist? This should be your minimum stipulation in our opinion. By choosing a Urologist you can be sure of being operated on by a specialist with detailed experience and knowledge of the male genital anatomy. Moreover, he or she is going to be carrying out genital procedures on a continual basis.
When doing this part of your research, take a close look at the website. Is penis enlargement surgery just one of a long list of different cosmetic surgery procedures? For example, breast enlargement surgery, liposuction, facelifts, eye bag removal, nose jobs, etc. If this is the case then ask yourself if this is really a specialist penis enlargement clinic.
There was recently a case of a primary school teacher being left in a ‘vegetative state’ after rhinoplasty in Turkey went wrong.
In the United Kingdom, breast enlargement surgery is far more popular than penis enlargement surgery. There are a small handful of plastic surgeons in the UK, who perform penis enlargement surgery, but the chances are they are performing far more breast enlargement surgery, just because that is the natural demand.
It can be very difficult to judge experience when looking at the surgeon’s profile. However, taking a close look at the mix of procedures on the Turkey cosmetic surgery website may give you a very good indication. If the website is entirely Urology based, with fully qualified Urologists, then you can assume that even if they don’t perform much penis enlargement surgery, at least they will have a good working knowledge of male genital procedures and surgery.
Post Treatment Communication
One of the major considerations after penis enlargement in Turkey is post-operative care and communication. Indeed, this is always a factor to take into account when having cosmetic surgery abroad.
Standards of aftercare vary considerably from one country to another, and you need to be sure that you have access to adequate care when you get home.
How accessible is the clinic when getting back to the UK? Make sure that if you have penis enlargement in Turkey that you have the telephone number of the surgeon in case you have any problems when you return.
We know from our own patients at Moorgate Andrology that patients have many questions in the first few weeks after their surgery.
With modern technology, most clinics should be able to keep in touch with their patients, even if they are abroad. Routine checkups could be done on video platforms such as zoom or Microsoft teams for example. Make sure that your penis enlargement clinic in Turkey has at least this option.
The real issue of course is what happens if you have a problem? Let’s say that when you get home from your penis enlargement surgery in Turkey you get an infection. You are going to need antibiotics. At this point, it is highly likely that you will need to contact your own Doctor for this purpose because the Clinic in Turkey may not be able to issue a UK valid prescription.
This means that you now need to visit your GP and explain the surgery that you have just had. Worse still, what happens if you get an infection that requires the removal of the silicone buffer implant, used in the surgery to increase penis length?
If this happens you won’t have too much time to delay your decision. You will either need to get back to the clinic in Turkey to have the surgery or get to the NHS accident and emergency department.
Most patients will choose the latter option, since traveling back to Turkey is not usually convenient and it’s costly. At this point, the savings made on any surgery quickly start to dwindle.
Other issues that may necessitate a return to Turkey are uneven results from the thickening surgery. Sometimes remedial treatments are needed such as lump dissolving or needling treatments to help break down minor lump and bump formations. These would have to be done either by the clinic in Turkey or another UK penis enlargement clinic. This is because the NHS will not support you with these treatments. Any lump dissolving treatments would be an extra cost in a UK clinic.
Thinking about what you would do if you have a complication after penis enlargement surgery in Turkey should be a major part of your overall consideration.
Is penis enlargement surgery in Turkey cheaper and why it is cheaper?
Penis enlargement surgery in Turkey is cheaper than penis enlargement surgery in the UK. If cost is your prime consideration when thinking about penis enlargement surgery, then penis enlargement in Turkey could be an option.
Of course, we would suggest that many other factors should be taken into consideration before you choose a provider for your penis enlargement surgery. These factors should be considered no matter where you are thinking of having the surgery, the UK or abroad.
These factors include aftercare – the devil is in the detail here, qualifications of the surgeon, we strongly recommend a Urologist only for penis enlargement surgery, and the hospital where your surgery will take place. You also need to consider the experience of the surgeon. How many cases has he/she really done and successfully completed?
In many countries, salaries are much lower compared to the UK. Therefore, goods and services are cheaper to obtain. This is also true of private medical services. It could be cheaper to have penis enlargement surgery in Turkey even when you factor in the travel and hotel costs.
One major consideration though when thinking about the cost of your penis enlargement surgery, is what happens when something goes wrong. You will then have to travel back to Turkey and pay for remedial surgery. When you have factored in the travel and hotel costs, plus the cost of the correctional surgery, you are likely to be at the same point in terms of cost as a UK surgery option. Of course, you can always burden yourself on the national health service, but the NHS does not carry out routine penis enlargement surgery.
I had a botched surgery in Turkey, how can I get it fixed?
If you have had a botched surgery procedure in Turkey, such as penis enlargement surgery in Turkey, then you will be anxious to get the problem fixed as quickly as possible. Where can you start?
Your first port of call should be the clinic where you had the surgery done. By now, you are probably back in the United Kingdom, so contact is going to be by phone or by email. Hopefully, the penis enlargement clinic in Turkey has given you contact telephone numbers and email addresses so that you can get the support that you need.
We would recommend contacting them as soon as possible and letting them know of the problems that you are having. You could follow this up with an email, just to be sure that all routes are covered. This is especially useful if there are any language barriers, such as the medical team in Turkey cannot fully understand what you are trying to tell them.
Some problems may require you to return to Turkey for further treatment or surgery. If your problem is urgent and rapid action is needed, there may not be enough time to return to Turkey. For example, if you have an acute infection that requires removal of the silicone buffer ( used in penile lengthening surgery) then you may be forced to turn to the national health service for emergency treatment.
Another example of more urgent treatment would be the opening of the wound. If you experience a bleeding episode because of an open wound then of course you would not have the time to return to Turkey, you would need to attend your local accident and emergency department as quickly as possible.
If the problem is not so urgent, let’s say you are unhappy with the results of the penis enlargement surgery, then you could arrange a visit back to the clinic in Turkey. Before you do that though you may want to get a clear understanding of what the clinic is prepared to do before you set off. You don’t want to travel all the way to Turkey for what turns out to be a quick check-up and then back on the plane!
In fairness, most good Surgeons will want to attend to any post-operative complications. These happen even in the very best hands. You must be prepared to take the best advice of your Surgeon and be ready to return to Turkey in the vent that something goes wrong, or something needs attention. That’s the risk of having penis enlargement surgery in Turkey.
What are the most common problems with penis enlargement surgery in Turkey?
Penis enlargement in Turkey could be a consideration if you have a limited budget for this procedure. In the United Kingdom the leading providers of this procedure charge upwards of £7500, with surgery performed by specialist Urologists.
In Turkey, this procedure is usually performed by Plastic Surgeons carrying out a broad range of cosmetic surgery procedures. This in itself may not be a problem, but one has to question how many penis enlargements the Surgeons are carrying out on a weekly basis.
In most cosmetic surgery clinics, including most likely those in Turkey, will mainly be carrying our breast surgery and perhaps liposuction procedures. This is because these are the most common cosmetic surgery procedures, especially procedures such as breast enlargement surgery. In Turkey, there has also been an increase in procedures such as hair transplants and dental procedures such as dental implants in Turkey.
Penis enlargement surgery is a highly specialised surgery. Even in the United Kingdom, there are only a very small number of specialist providers. These are more penis filler clinics, but this is a very different procedure.
By choosing a Plastic Surgeon whose main focus perhaps is on breast surgery, you may find yourself being operated on by a surgeon carrying out comparatively few penis enlargement procedures.
Beyond the experience of the surgeon, we need to consider aftercare. This is often an overlooked part of any cosmetic surgery procedure, but it is a vital one, especially when you are considering having the surgery abroad. If you encounter a problem after the surgery you may have no choice but to return to Turkey to get things fixed. When this is the case you are likely to lose any savings made on the surgery. It is not just the travel cost, you may have to pay for any remedial treatment or even surgery that the surgeons recommend in order to fix the problem.
If you have more of a medical emergency than a routine problem, you will be at the mercy of the national health service of course. Because you will not have the time to return to Turkey, and you may not feel well enough to travel. Of course, the clinic should be available for you if you have any questions or concerns, and most reputable clinics in Turkey will be, but there will be little they can do if you need more urgent medical attention.
Can I claim compensation for botched penis enlargement in Turkey?
If you are unhappy with the outcome of your penis enlargement in Turkey you should first speak to the clinic concerned. Most clinics will be attentive and will want to know which aspects you are unhappy about. If there is a valid opportunity to fix something, then you will need to return to Turkey to get more treatment or surgery.
The clinic should be given the opportunity to fix something that has gone wrong. Maybe you have experienced a known complication of penis enlargement surgery. If this is the case then you will be expected to travel back to Turkey to get it fixed.
This may not be an attractive option for you, but you should be aware that you will be expected to do this in the event of a problem. You will need to check before you travel who is going to pay for any remedial treatment or surgery. Hopefully, you were provided with some terms and conditions of the surgery beforehand.
You will have signed a copy to outline, amongst other things, what happens if there is a complication that needs fixing. You may find that the penis enlargement clinic in Tukey may cover your medical costs, but the flight and hotel costs may have to be met by you. In other cases, you may be expected to meet the entire cost of the revision surgery and the travel costs.
If you remain unhappy with the outcome of your surgery and you seem to get nowhere with the clinic in Turkey, seeking compensation may be your only route. You may need to contact a specialist lawyer in the United Kingdom who has experience in legal claims against Turkish companies. Legal claims can take months or even years to resolve and you need to consider that you may not be able to resolve your medical issue immediately, or at least until your lawyer has advised you accordingly.
Of course, a legal claim should be the very last resort. If you have a problem after your penis enlargement surgery in Turkey, you should have an open and honest discussion with the Surgeon and see what can be done to provide you with the results that were anticipated before the operation.
What are the risks of having penis enlargement in Turkey?
Penis enlargement surgery, like all cosmetic surgery, is not without risks.
There are key risks when having the procedure and what to consider if you are thinking of having it done in Turkey.
During the process of making the penis longer, so-called “ligamentolysis surgery”, a silicone implant is placed between the two cut ends of the suspensory ligament. This is important because where this is not done, there is a chance that the two ends of the ligaments can reattach causing shortening of the penis. In worst cases, the penis can be shorter than it was before the operation.
When a serious infection occurs it can reach the silicone buffer implant. In such cases, there are no antibiotics that can fix the problem, and the buffer has to be removed.
In these circumstances, the buffer needs to be removed very quickly. This would mean an urgent flight back to Turkey to have the buffer removed. Where this is not practically possible, it would mean a visit to the accident and emergency department at the hospital. For most patients, it usually results in a visit to A&E rather than a trip back to Turkey. The NHS treats many patients with complications from cosmetic surgery overseas and this has become an increasingly worrying trend in recent years.
In some cases, the buffer may need to be replaced after three to six months. If you are lucky the clinic in Turkey may not charge you to replace it. When considering penis enlargement surgery in Turkey it is worthwhile checking the small print before you book to check what financial responsibilities you have if you need remedial surgery.
As for the girth this is usually done with a fat transfer. Sometimes a small lump or bump formations can happen after this procedure which requires treatment in an outpatient clinic. They may need needling or injections with steroids. In most cases, a few treatments can be needed to successfully treat this complication. Again, if you have this complication then you consider how practical it would be to make several more trips to Turkey to have the lumps treated.
Several more trips to Turkey will negate any savings that were made on the cost of the first surgery – usually, the reason why patients choose to go to Turkey is the cheaper cost.
Most men from the United Kingdom have penis enlargement surgery in this country. They understand the risks and would much prefer that if there is a complication that it is treated swiftly and safely.
Of course, the attraction of a cheap operation will always tempt men to foreign shores. Penis enlargement surgery remains a highly specialised surgery. It is performed in the United Kingdom by GMC Specialist registered Urologists. They have training in male genital surgery. Many clinics abroad, including Turkey, have penis enlargement surgery on a menu of many other cosmetic surgery operations. This may indicate that penis enlargement surgery is not always their main focus.
Other procedures such as hair transplants in Turkey and dental implants in Turkey have become popular over the years. Penis enlargement surgery in Turkey is a fairly recent phenomenon and men of the UK would be wise to do their homework before contemplating any genital surgery procedure abroad.
