Arm Lift in Istanbul: 2026 Brachioplasty Prices for U.S. Patients
An arm lift in Istanbul removes loose skin from the upper arms in one operation and needs about 8 to 10 days in the city, mostly for stitches, drains and the compression garment. The trade-off is a long scar on the inner arm, so check the surgeon carefully.
Flights and extra hotel nights are not included in either price. Final quotes depend on your case.
Arm Lift (Brachioplasty) clinics in Istanbul: prices and independent ratings
Prices are each clinic's own quoted range in USD, as of October 2026. Ratings come from independent review platforms and link to the source.
| Clinic | Price | Independent ratings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Safa Manav Clinic xcuro partner Istanbul · Health Tourism Cert. | From $6,000 Package: compression garment, 7 hotel nights, daily nurse follow-up — Bookimed listing |
How clinics get listed: our methodology. Clinics do not pay for position on this page.Compare the clinics side by side.
Your trip, day by day
Typical, from the “Your trip, day by day” section of this guide; plan on 8 to 10 days in Istanbul. Your clinic’s schedule may differ — ask for it in writing.
- Day 1Arrive. Consultation with the operating surgeon, marking of the scar line, blood tests.
- Day 2Surgery under general anesthesia or IV sedation. Arms wrapped in a compression garment; a small drain may be placed.
- Day 3Discharge from hospital or clinic, depending on your plan. Ask in advance whether you stay overnight.
- Day 4–7Hotel. Garment on, arms not lifted or loaded, drain check if you have one.
- Day 8–10Wound check, stitch removal if the stitches do not dissolve, written aftercare plan, then the flight home.
Arm Lift (Brachioplasty) in Istanbul: pros and cons for U.S. patients
- One trip of 8 to 10 days covers surgery and the first wound checks.
- Clinic in central Nişantaşı that coordinates transfers and hotel.
- The garment is included in the package, the clinic says.
- No visa; nonstop flights from many U.S. hubs.
- The surgeon is not the doctor the clinic is named after; check him separately.
- A long inner-arm scar, and any scar revision means another trip.
- No lifting luggage soon after surgery, on a 10- to 13-hour flight.
- Complication insurance is not mandatory in Türkiye now.
How xcuro works
- Free for you
You don't pay xcuro anything. If you go ahead with treatment at an xcuro partner clinic, that clinic pays us a referral fee.
- Rankings aren't for sale
Clinics can't pay to be listed, to appear higher or to change their reviews.
- Ratings you can check
Clinic ratings come from Google and Trustpilot, and each one links to its source.
- Prices with sources
Every U.S. price we compare against names its source. Your own quote comes from the clinic in writing.
Arm lift in Istanbul: the short answer
A brachioplasty reshapes the underside of the upper arm. ASPS says the incisions are usually on the inside or back of the arm and may run from the armpit to just above the elbow; fat may be cut out or removed with liposuction, and the incisions are closed with dissolving stitches or stitches removed within one to two weeks (ASPS). The people who look at Istanbul for it are often those who have lost a lot of weight and are pricing several body procedures.
The clinic on xcuro is the Dr. Safa Manav Clinic on Vali Konağı Street in Harbiye, Nişantaşı (Şişli). One thing to know before you book: Dr. Manav's own focus is facial surgery, and the clinic says all its body contouring, arm lifts included, is performed by a colleague, Dr. Ali Sadıoğlu, MD, FEBOPRAS, while the clinic's team handles planning, accommodation, transfers and post-operative care (Dr. Safa Manav Clinic). The clinic also says its operations take place at Academic Hospital in Istanbul (Dr. Safa Manav Clinic). So the surgeon to check is Dr. Sadıoğlu, and the place to ask about is that hospital.
Getting there from the U.S.
Book Istanbul Airport (IST). Turkish Airlines has direct flights to Istanbul from 14 U.S. cities (Turkish Airlines): about 9 hours 39 minutes nonstop from New York (Kayak) and 13 hours 13 minutes from Los Angeles (Kayak). From the airport, the M11 metro reaches Gayrettepe in about 30 minutes and links to the M2 line (Ministry of Transport), but after surgery you will want the clinic's car: lifting a suitcase is off limits for a while. U.S. passport holders need no visa for stays up to 90 days (MFA Türkiye).
Your trip, day by day
About 8 to 10 days. This plan uses ASPS and NHS timings; confirm the clinic's own schedule in writing.
| Day | What happens |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive. Consultation with the operating surgeon, marking of the scar line, blood tests. |
| Day 2 | Surgery under general anesthesia or IV sedation. Arms wrapped in a compression garment; a small drain may be placed. |
| Day 3 | Discharge from hospital or clinic, depending on your plan. Ask in advance whether you stay overnight. |
| Day 4–7 | Hotel. Garment on, arms not lifted or loaded, drain check if you have one. |
| Day 8–10 | Wound check, stitch removal if the stitches do not dissolve, written aftercare plan, then the flight home. |
ASPS suggests waiting five to seven days before flying after body procedures (ASPS), and the CDC says delaying air travel 10 to 14 days after major surgery reduces clot risks (CDC). An arm lift alone sits between those; if it is combined with a tummy tuck or thigh lift, use the longer CDC window.
Is Istanbul safe for an arm lift?
The U.S. State Department rates Türkiye Level 2: “Exercise increased caution in Türkiye due to terrorism, armed conflict, and arbitrary detentions” (State Department, June 2026). It asks for extra care in crowded places such as airports and markets and tells Americans not to travel to the border region with Syria and Iraq, which is nowhere near Istanbul. The medical risks of surgery abroad are in Is It Safe to Get Plastic Surgery in Turkey?; districts and transport are in the Istanbul city guide.
How to check the surgeon and the clinic
- Look up the operating surgeon. Search for Dr. Sadıoğlu, or whoever is named on your plan, in the Turkish plastic surgery society's member search.
- Health-tourism authorization. Both the clinic and the hospital where you are operated on should hold the authorization certificate (2025 regulation), which must be published on the website or social media (2025 advertising regulation). The clinic's site says its services are provided under the Ministry of Health's HealthTürkiye program (Dr. Safa Manav Clinic); agencies can be checked on HealthTürkiye.
- Are you a candidate? The clinic says body contouring patients are generally advised to be within 10 to 15 kg (about 22 to 33 lb) of their ideal weight and to have kept a stable weight for at least 6 months (Dr. Safa Manav Clinic). If you are still losing weight, wait.
- Scar and revisions. Ask to see the planned scar line drawn on photos of your arms, and what a scar revision would cost.
- Complication cover. Not compulsory since the Council of State suspended the rule on December 25, 2025 (Turkish Medical Association). Ask what is covered, in writing.
Use our questions to ask a plastic surgeon during the online consultation.
Recovery logistics
ASPS says your arms may be wrapped in an elastic bandage or compression garment, that a thin drain may be placed temporarily, and that you should ask when dressings come off and when you can return to normal activity (ASPS). The clinic says a medical-grade garment is included in its package and is usually worn around the clock for 2 to 3 weeks, then during the day for another 3 to 4 weeks (Dr. Safa Manav Clinic). Pack front-opening tops and ask for help with bags at the airport. Stay close to the clinic in Nişantaşı, since you will go back for wound checks. At home, find a doctor who will check the incisions; the CDC warns that follow-up care for complications may be expensive and not covered by insurance (CDC).
More: Arm lift in Turkey, Dr. Safa Manav Clinic on xcuro and arm lift cost in the U.S..
If something goes wrong after arm lift (brachioplasty) in Turkey
Emergency? In the U.S., call 911; in Turkey, call 112. Then tell the clinic in writing.
Get help now if you notice these after cosmetic surgery
- Sudden shortness of breath, chest pain or a racing heart: call 911 (possible blood clot).
- Confusion, clammy skin, fever with shivering or extreme pain: call 911 (possible sepsis).
- Swelling, pain, warmth or redness in one leg: see a doctor the same day.
- Increasing redness, swelling, or yellow or green drainage at an incision, or a fever of 100°F or higher: call your surgeon today.
- Sudden swelling of one breast or a collection of fluid or blood under the skin: call your surgeon today.
Where to complain in Turkey
- Ministry of Health Communication Center, SABİM (ALO 184): Complaints about health services in Türkiye, public and private.Call 184 from a Turkish phone. A Ministry of Health directorate page says complaints about health services go to ALO 184 and that postal applications are not accepted. We could not confirm English service on 184 or an online route for patients abroad.
- HealthTürkiye / USHAŞ (International Health Services Inc.) international patient line: Claims and inquiries from international patients. USHAŞ is a state company affiliated with the Ministry of Health that also promotes health tourism, so it is not an independent regulator.International Health Services Call Center, +90 850 288 38 38, 24/7 in six languages (listed on a Ministry of Health hospital site). HealthTürkiye's FAQ says that after incorrect treatment causing damage, a patient has the right to complain and to compensation.
The U.S. embassy keeps a list of local doctors and hospitals.
What to do if something goes wrong: the full guide for U.S. patients →
Frequently asked questions
How much is an arm lift in Turkey compared with the U.S.?
The Istanbul price is shown at the top of this page. In the U.S., the average surgeon's fee for an arm lift is $6,192, not counting anesthesia and facility fees (<a href="https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/arm-lift/cost" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">ASPS</a>).
How long should I stay in Istanbul after an arm lift?
About 8 to 10 days. ASPS suggests five to seven days before flying after body procedures (<a href="https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/briefing-papers/briefing-paper-cosmetic-surgery-tourism" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">ASPS</a>), and non-dissolving stitches come out within one to two weeks (<a href="https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/arm-lift/procedure" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">ASPS</a>).
Is a mini arm lift possible in Istanbul?
ASPS says incisions may be more limited depending on how much skin needs removing (<a href="https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/arm-lift/procedure" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">ASPS</a>). Whether you qualify depends on your skin, so ask the surgeon to explain the scar length for your arms.
Who actually performs arm lifts at the Dr. Safa Manav Clinic?
The clinic says all its body contouring surgeries, including arm lifts, are performed by Dr. Ali Sadıoğlu, MD, FEBOPRAS (<a href="https://drsafamanav.com/body-contouring-turkey/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Dr. Safa Manav Clinic</a>).
Is there a scarless arm lift?
An arm lift that removes skin leaves a scar. ASPS describes incisions on the inside or back of the arm, sometimes from the armpit to just above the elbow (<a href="https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/arm-lift/procedure" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">ASPS</a>); liposuction alone leaves small scars but does not remove loose skin.
Getting to Turkey from the U.S.
Visa. U.S. passport holders travel to Turkey without a visa for tourism or short business, for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.Official source.
Flights and time zone. Turkish Airlines flies nonstop to Istanbul from New York, Newark, Boston, Washington, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. East-coast flights run about 10 hours, west-coast about 13. Istanbul is 7 hours ahead of New York in summer and 8 hours in winter, because Turkey stays on UTC+3 all year.
U.S. State Department advisory. Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution (reissued June 9, 2026). The advisory says not to travel within 10 km (6 miles) of the borders with Syria or Iraq; Istanbul is far from both.Read the advisory.
Before you travel: what the CDC recommends
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes guidance for Americans traveling abroad for medical care. These are its recommendations, not ours.
- Check the qualifications of the clinician who will perform the procedure and the credentials of the facility.
- Bring copies of your medical records, including lab and other test results related to your condition.
- Make sure you can get follow-up care in the United States. Care for complications can be expensive and might not be covered by your health insurance.
- Obtain international travel health insurance that covers medical evacuation back to the United States.
- See your own healthcare provider 4–6 weeks before the trip to discuss risks specific to your health.
Sources
- Arm lift: procedure steps — American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- Body contouring with Dr. Ali Sadıoğlu — Dr. Safa Manav Clinic
- Dr. Safa Manav Clinic (home page) — Dr. Safa Manav Clinic
- Flights to the United States (14 U.S. cities) — Turkish Airlines (page archived September 25, 2026)
- New York to Istanbul Airport: nonstop flight time — Kayak
- Los Angeles to Istanbul Airport: nonstop flight time — Kayak
- Gayrettepe – Istanbul Airport in 30 minutes (in Turkish) — Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Türkiye
- Visa information for foreigners — Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Türkiye
- Cosmetic surgery tourism briefing paper — American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- Medical tourism — CDC Travelers' Health
- Türkiye Travel Advisory (Level 2, June 2026) — U.S. Department of State
- Find a plastic surgeon (member list, in Turkish) — Turkish Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons
- Regulation on International Health Tourism and Tourist Health (April 26, 2025, in Turkish) — Resmî Gazete, Republic of Türkiye
- Regulation on advertising of health services (November 12, 2025, in Turkish) — Resmî Gazete, Republic of Türkiye
- Authorized health tourism agencies — HealthTürkiye (Ministry of Health)
- Council of State suspends the complication-insurance requirement (March 24, 2026, in Turkish) — Turkish Medical Association (TTB)
- Arm lift recovery — American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- How much does an arm lift cost? — American Society of Plastic Surgeons