Endoscopic Facelift in Istanbul, Turkey: Technique, Candidates and Recovery

Sep 17

7 min read

Updated: Oct 25

An endoscopic facelift lifts the brow, temple and midface through several small incisions hidden inside the hairline, using a camera to see the dissection plane. There is no incision around the ear, the lift is vertical rather than backwards, and the tissue is fixed at the deeper layer so that the result restores position rather than stretching skin.

The technique, step by step

Through incisions of roughly one to two centimetres in the hair, the surgeon raises the tissue in the correct plane — subperiosteal or sub-SMAS depending on the area — under endoscopic vision. The retaining ligaments that hold the descended tissue down are released, the flap is repositioned vertically, and it is fixed to stable points: bone, deep temporal fascia, or a combination. The brow, the temple, the cheek fat pad and the corner of the eye can be addressed in the same pass.

Who benefits most

Patients whose ageing shows as flattening of the cheek, a heavy or lowered brow, deepening of the tear trough and early jowling, with skin that still retracts. It is also the technique of choice for patients who cannot accept a visible scar in front of the ear, and for male patients whose hairline and beard make preauricular incisions harder to hide.

What it does not do

It does not remove excess skin. When the skin envelope is loose along the jaw and neck, or when the neck has strong vertical bands, the correct operation is a deep plane or extended SMAS lift with a neck lift, and no endoscopic technique substitutes for it. A surgeon should tell you which group you are in at the first examination.

Recovery week by week

The first three days bring the most swelling, controlled by head elevation and cold application. Sutures or fixation devices inside the hair are removed within the first ten days. Most patients return to work at around two weeks, exercise at four to six weeks, and see the final contour between three and six months. Scalp numbness and a tight feeling at the temples are normal and resolve gradually.

Combining procedures

Endoscopic lifting is most often combined with fat grafting, upper blepharoplasty, and — where the profile requires it — rhinoplasty. Combining lengthens the operation, so it is planned around your general health rather than convenience.

Risks worth knowing

Temporary weakness or numbness of the forehead, asymmetry of brow height, hair thinning near an incision, fluid collection and, rarely, injury to the frontal branch of the facial nerve. The nerve risk is why the technique belongs to surgeons who work in this plane regularly.

Endoscopic facelift in Istanbul, Turkey

An endoscopic facelift is one of the operations international patients most often ask about when they search for a facelift in Turkey, partly because hidden incisions are easy to market. The questions that matter are the same wherever the operation is done: which plane is released, how the tissue is fixed, how often the surgeon works in this plane and whether the technique actually matches your anatomy. Prof. Dr. Suleyman Tas performs endoscopic lifting in Istanbul alongside deep plane and mini facelifts and chooses between them by examination; the planning, travel and aftercare for overseas patients are laid out in facelift in Turkey for international patients.

Endoscopic, mini and deep plane facelift compared

Endoscopic facelift: hairline incisions, vertical lift of brow, temple and cheek; no skin removal; suited to early to moderate descent with good skin.
Mini facelift: shorter incision around the ear, limited skin removal; suited to early jowls; see mini facelift and jowls.
Deep plane facelift: releases ligaments of the mid and lower face and redrapes skin; suited to jowls, jawline and neck; see deep plane facelift in Istanbul.
Full comparison: full, mini and deep plane facelift.

Preparing for surgery

Preparation is individual and is confirmed by your surgeon. In general it includes a complete medical history, review of the medicines you take, stopping smoking and nicotine well in advance because they impair healing, and clear instructions about blood-thinning medicines and supplements. Photographs from several angles are taken at the consultation so that brow height, cheek volume and asymmetries can be planned before the day of surgery.

Day by day: the first two weeks

Day 0 to 1: surgery under local anaesthesia, without general anaesthesia, usually 45 to 90 minutes on its own; dressing and head elevation; you go to your hotel the same day.
Day 2 to 3: peak swelling and bruising; cold application, head elevation, and rest; a check-up with your surgical team.
Day 4 to 7: swelling begins to settle; scalp numbness and a tight feeling at the temples are normal.
Day 7 to 10: sutures or fixation devices inside the hair are removed; most overseas patients are cleared to travel after the surgeon's review.
Day 10 to 14: most visible bruising has faded; many patients are comfortable in public and return to desk work.

The decision about flying home is the surgeon's, not the airline's; see how long to stay in Istanbul after a facelift for the practical plan.

What an endoscopic facelift costs in Istanbul

There is no single price, because the cost depends on whether the lift is done alone or with fat grafting, eyelid surgery or a neck procedure, on the hospital and on the length of stay. A complete quotation should list the surgeon, anaesthesia, hospital, medication and follow-up separately, so that two offers can be compared like for like. The components are explained in facelift cost in Istanbul.

Questions to ask any surgeon before booking

Which plane will be released, and where will the tissue be fixed?
How many endoscopic or deep plane lifts do you perform a year?
Can I see twelve-month photographs of patients with my starting anatomy?
What is your plan if the neck also needs treatment?
What is the policy if a touch-up is needed, and who will see me in the first week?

The checklist for choosing a deep plane facelift surgeon applies here as well. Results from previous patients can be viewed in the before and after gallery, and you can book a consultation to have your own face assessed.

How to Judge Endoscopic Facelift Before and After Photographs

Brow position: the brow should look rested and level, not surprised or arched.
Temples and hairline: look for natural temple fullness and a hairline that has not moved or thinned.
Midface: cheek volume should look restored rather than pulled sideways.
Photographs of comparable patients: the lighting, angle and expression should match before and after, and results at one year or more are more reliable than early photographs.

An endoscopic facelift has limits. If loose skin along the jawline and neck is the main concern, a deep plane facelift is usually the more suitable operation. Read how the techniques compare in How to choose the best facelift surgeon.

Frequently asked questions

How is an endoscopic facelift different from a deep plane facelift?

The endoscopic approach lifts the upper and middle face vertically through hairline incisions without removing skin. A deep plane facelift releases the ligaments of the mid and lower face through an incision around the ear and redrapes excess skin. They solve different problems and are sometimes combined.

Is the result permanent?

The repositioning lasts for years, but ageing continues. Most patients treat it as a reset rather than a stop, and maintain it with skin care and non-surgical treatments.

Will I need my hair shaved?

No. The incisions are made within the hair without shaving, and the hair covers them as soon as healing begins.

Is it suitable for men?

Yes, and often particularly so, because there is no incision in front of the ear where a beard line and a receding hairline make scars harder to conceal.

How do I know which technique I need?

By examination: skin quality, the weight of the neck, the position of the hyoid bone, brow height and volume loss decide the answer. If a clinic recommends a technique before examining you, that recommendation is about their preference, not your anatomy.

Does an endoscopic facelift tighten the neck?

No. The endoscopic approach lifts the brow, temple and midface. Loose skin or vertical bands in the neck need a deep plane or extended SMAS lift with a neck procedure.

What is the best age for an endoscopic facelift?

There is no fixed age. It tends to suit patients from their late thirties to early fifties whose ageing is in the upper and middle face, but the deciding factors are skin quality and the pattern of descent, not the number on the passport. See the best age for a facelift.

Is an endoscopic facelift available in Turkey?

Yes. It is offered in Istanbul, including by Prof. Dr. Suleyman Tas, who also performs deep plane and mini facelifts and recommends the technique after examining you.

How long does an endoscopic facelift last?

The repositioning typically lasts for years, but ageing continues, so patients treat it as a reset rather than a permanent stop.

Does an endoscopic facelift leave scars?

The incisions are one to two centimetres long and hidden in the hair, so they are not visible on exposed skin once healed; the technique is covered in more detail in scarless facelift explained.

Is an endoscopic facelift good for jowls and the neck?

Its effect on jowls and the neck is limited, because the technique mainly lifts the brow and upper midface through small incisions. Marked jowls or neck laxity usually need a deep plane or SMAS facelift, often with a neck lift.

Next step

Contact Prof. Dr. Suleyman Tas Clinic in Istanbul to have your own anatomy assessed and to discuss which approach fits it.

About the author

Prof. Dr. Suleyman Tas is a European Board-certified plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon based in Istanbul with over 20 years of experience, author of Rhinoplasty in Practice (CRC Press) and founder of the Closed Atraumatic Rhinoplasty Course. Read verified patient reviews or book a consultation.

This article is for general information and does not replace an individual medical consultation.

More Facelift Guides From Prof. Dr. Suleyman Tas

Core Facelift Guides From Prof. Dr. Suleyman Tas

How to choose the best facelift surgeon — six checks to make before you book.
Deep plane facelift in Istanbul — the dedicated page: what a deep plane facelift is, candidates, how it is performed, recovery, how long it lasts and what the cost depends on.
Facelift cost in Turkey 2026 — what the cost depends on and a comparison with US and UK prices.