Cost of septorhinoplasty in Turkey
The average cost of a septorhinoplasty in Turkey, Istanbul, is £1,800. Depending on your needs, the price can range from £1,400 to £2,900. In the UK, the same procedure costs from £2,300 to £5,400, and only the part that corrects breathing may be covered by the NHS.
| Procedure | Turkey Price | UK Price |
|---|---|---|
| Septorhinoplasty | £1,400 - £2,900 | £2,300 - £5,400 |
What is a septorhinoplasty?
Do you often have a dry mouth? Do you snore? When you try to breathe through your nose, do you have difficulty or is it simply impossible? If so, you may need to have your nose reshaped, and more specifically a septorhinoplasty.
Septorhinoplasty is a procedure that repairs both your nose (rhinoplasty) and your nasal septum (septoplasty). The nasal septum is the small wall of tissue that separates your nostrils.
A septorhinoplasty may be necessary in case of an atypical displacement of the nasal septum, that is, if it is deviated. You may wonder what a deviated septum means: when the wall of the septum inside your nose is bent or curved and prevents some of the air from passing through.
What is the difference between septoplasty and septorhinoplasty?
Septoplasty only straightens the deviated septum without changing the shape of the nose. Septorhinoplasty combines it with a rhinoplasty, which modifies its external appearance. In the UK, surgery on the nasal septum for breathing difficulties is covered, but the aesthetic part is not[1].
Read also: Rhinoplasty cost in Turkey
A septorhinoplasty may also be necessary if your nose is disfigured due to an injury, such as trauma. People who wish to have a more beautiful nose can also undergo this operation. You can also undergo this operation to correct problems related to a previous nose surgery. Septorhinoplasty aims to improve both breathing and the appearance of the nose.
Septorhinoplasty techniques
There are two approaches to septorhinoplasty in Turkey:
- Open approach: Open septorhinoplasty in Turkey is generally performed so that the doctor at the clinical centre can access the area to be operated on more easily. In the open approach, an incision is made across the width of the columella and the skin is lifted, providing greater visibility. This approach has many advantages because the surgeon can access the entire structure of the nose, including the nasal tip. This approach is frequently required in revision septorhinoplasties to correct surgical errors or other aesthetic or structural problems. This approach can also be used for patients who need more extensive nasal reconstruction.
- Closed approach: Usually done by entering the areas to be modified from the inside of the nostril. A closed septorhinoplasty can be suitable for small corrections and modifications. This approach is less invasive, meaning reduced healing time and less swelling. As the incisions are made inside the nostrils, there will be no visible scar. Closed septorhinoplasty is generally performed on patients who only need a small reconstruction of the nasal tip.
Septorhinoplasty in Turkey
Plastic surgery has become very popular in Turkey, especially for septorhinoplasties, because Turkish surgeons are very experienced, particularly in septorhinoplasty. However, no study compares results by country: the outcome depends primarily on the patient’s anatomy and the experience of the chosen surgeon. The stay includes several nights in Istanbul, up to the post-operative check-up.
Read also: Secondary rhinoplasty cost in Turkey
A septorhinoplasty usually lasts two to three hours[2] and is performed under general anaesthesia. Before departure, the quote should specify who to contact during the stay in case of pain or discomfort after the operation.
Advantages of septorhinoplasty in Turkey
The package for a septorhinoplasty in Istanbul may include the following services, the list of which varies by clinic:
- Free consultation
- Septorhinoplasty surgery by a plastic surgeon in Istanbul
- 6 nights’ stay in a 4-star hotel
- 1 night hospitalisation
- All transfers with a private car
- Personal assistant
- Special group discount
- Free check-up and periodic follow-up
Septorhinoplasty recovery
During the recovery period after septorhinoplasty, the patient will need to be patient as it will be slow and demanding. Immediately after a septorhinoplasty in Istanbul, the patient will wake up with a nasal splint taped to the nose and, depending on the technique used by the doctor, a nasal tampon will most likely be placed inside.
During the first days after closed or open septorhinoplasty, it is normal for patients to feel some pain. Bruising and swelling are also very normal during the early recovery period after septorhinoplasty.
Most bruising and swelling disappear within the first month, but it takes about a year for patients to fully recover from septorhinoplasty.
Read also: Ethnic rhinoplasty cost in Turkey
The clinic doctor may ask you to follow certain instructions for several weeks after the procedure to reduce the risk of bleeding and swelling. Depending on the difficulty of the operation, the patient may not need all these instructions:
- When sleeping, sleep with 2 or 3 pillows so that your head is elevated.
- For several weeks after septorhinoplasty, patients are not allowed to blow their nose.
- Wear clothes that fasten at the front like a zip or button; do not wear clothes, such as shirts, sweaters, hoodies that you have to pull over your head.
- Three weeks after the operation, bruising and swelling should decrease.
- For up to five weeks, to avoid causing a nosebleed, do not do strenuous activities, such as aerobics and jogging.
- 4 to 6 weeks later, patients can start doing strenuous activities.
Septorhinoplasty results:
A good indication of the result emerges two to three months after septorhinoplasty[3]. It is always possible that cartilage and tissue may shift or reshape over time. Various changes can still occur for a year or more after the septorhinoplasty procedure in Turkey.
Most patients notice that the septorhinoplasty procedure helps relieve their symptoms, such as breathing difficulties caused by a deviated septum. The extent of improvement a patient can expect with septorhinoplasty varies from person to person.
Some patients may find that they still have symptoms even after the procedure and choose to undergo a second septorhinoplasty to further improve their nose and nasal septum.
Turkey has become a very popular country due to affordable plastic surgery prices and because Turkish plastic surgeons are very experienced in what they do.
The cost of a septorhinoplasty in Turkey is lower than in the UK, but it does not indicate the surgeon’s experience, which must be checked separately. The result, however, varies from patient to patient and cannot be guaranteed.
Read also: Ultrasonic rhinoplasty cost in Istanbul
Each patient receives a personalised treatment plan based on their age, nose structure, and surgery availability.
Pre and post-operative instructions for septorhinoplasty
The instructions below are common information to follow before and after septorhinoplasty surgery. The instructions given by your surgeon in Turkey after a septorhinoplasty operation must be applied.
Pre-operative instructions
Important note:
The operation will be CANCELLED if there is a possibility that the patient is pregnant or has health problems (the anaesthetist will check before taking the patient to the operating theatre).
Two weeks before the operation:
- Stop drinking alcohol and smoking. Nicotine affects blood circulation, which can affect the result of your procedure and increase the risk of anaesthesia complications.
- Do not take any products containing ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, or vitamin E.
One day before the operation:
- Remain fasting, without eating or drinking, for the 6 hours preceding the procedure[3], and follow the anaesthetist’s instructions.
On the day of the operation:
- Patients can take a shower before going to the hospital
- Patients must not wear make-up. There should be no product on their hair, nail polish and false eyelashes must be removed.
- Patients must bring a bag of loose clothing and comfortable shoes.
- Patients must not wear jewellery or bring valuables.
Post-operative instructions
- Patients must not smoke or drink alcohol during healing, for the duration set by the surgeon.
- Nasal washes are only done according to the surgeon’s prescription.
- Keep the nasal splint until its removal by the surgeon, between the fifth and eighth day[3].
- Patients can walk on the day of the operation and afterwards, to avoid the formation of blood clots, they should also move their legs frequently.
- It is normal to feel tired during the first days.
- Take all medications as instructed by your surgeon.
- Discomfort at the incision sites is normal during the first days.
- Bruising and swelling are expected during the first weeks and it takes between 6 and 12 months to see the final results.
- Adhesive strips may be placed on the nose: keep them clean and dry, and let the surgeon indicate when to remove them.
- At first, you can take a quick shower, with your back to the water, keeping your incisions completely dry to avoid infection.
Patients who undergo septorhinoplasty stay in hospital overnight, and the operation is performed under general anaesthesia. It is very important that patients follow their plastic surgeon’s instructions so that their healing process proceeds as it should.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Duration of septorhinoplasty surgery
A septorhinoplasty generally lasts two to three hours, under general anaesthesia[2]. The duration depends on the associated procedures on the septum, nasal bones and tip, and on the chosen approach, open or closed, as specified by the surgeon.
Length of stay in Turkey
Stay at least until the splint is removed, between day 5 and day 8[3]. An NHS hospital advises avoiding flying for two weeks after septorhinoplasty[2]: have the flight date validated by the surgeon. See the guide to medical tourism in Turkey.
Type of anaesthesia
The procedure is performed under general anaesthesia. The anaesthetist sees you before the operating theatre to check your medical history, current treatments and fasting compliance, then confirms that the operation can take place.
Septorhinoplasty recovery time
After a rhinoplasty, returning to normal life generally takes 10 to 20 days[3]. The length of time off work depends on this: it varies according to your job and the procedures performed, and the surgeon sets it at the check-up.
What to bring
Plan loose clothing that opens at the front, comfortable shoes and a list of your treatments. During my rhinoplasty in Istanbul in 2021, I regretted not having lip balm: breathing through the mouth dries them out (my story).
Side effects
Swelling, bruising around the eyes, minor bleeding and a temporary loss of smell are expected after the operation. The nose is often blocked for the first few days, especially with packing or internal splints.
Complications
Like any surgery, septorhinoplasty exposes to bleeding, infection, haematoma, septal perforation, persistent breathing difficulty, reduced sense of smell, asymmetry or a result that requires revision.
Exercise
Avoid any exertion in the first weeks to avoid causing a nosebleed. Intense activities, such as jogging or aerobics, generally resume 4 to 6 weeks after the operation, with the surgeon’s approval.
Scars
With the closed approach, incisions are hidden inside the nostrils and are not visible. With the open approach, a small incision crosses the columella, between the nostrils: its scar generally becomes barely visible over time.
Pain
Pain is generally moderate and controlled with prescribed painkillers. Discomfort comes mainly from the blocked nose, swelling and the splint during the first days. Its intensity varies from patient to patient.
Results
Initial swelling resolves within a few weeks, and a good indication of the result emerges at two to three months[3]. The final appearance is achieved between six months and a year, as the nose finishes deflating and refining[3][4].
Sources & References
- Assurance Maladie. Déviation de la cloison nasale : traitement. 2025. Consult the source
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Information after septorhinoplasty. 2023. Consult the source
- SOFCPRE, fiche d’information sur la rhinoplastie, reproduite par le service de chirurgie plastique du CHU d’Angers. 2011. Consult the source
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Rhinoplasty recovery. s.d., consulté en 2026. Consult the source
