Should You Pick An "Instagram Surgeon" For Your Surgery in Turkey?

A Social Media Phenomenon

During the recent years, a steady stream of Turkish Influencer Surgeons has popped up all over Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. Their heavy presence on photo-dominant social media platforms such as Instagram is a phenomenon in the world of medical tourism which has lead to new trends in the sector.

Who Are "Instagram Surgeons"?

The surgeons who participate in this social media phenomenon have pejoratively become known as "Instagram Surgeon" because of the importance that they place on their image and their social media marketing.

In fact, these influencer surgeons became famous by posting spectacular before & after photos and videos which have lead them to develop a devoted fan base led by surgery "dolls" who were transformed by the hands.

These dolls often become the surgeon's advocate by posting their life-changing results on Instagram and advertising the surgeon on Facebook groups, often to the point of starting a fan-club for the surgeon in the form of a dedicated Facebook group.

Hyped or Real?

Although the skill of some of the famous "Instagram Surgeons" is undeniable, it would be a mistake to attribute the hype around them only to their skill or talent. Most famous surgeons have a team of marketers around them posting curated photos and videos on social media. They also have paid influencers who market the surgeon and his clinic for a fee, or in exchange of cosmetic procedures.

The combined effort of the team of marketers, dolls and influencers creates a hype around the surgeon which to the naive bystander looks like a sign of great skill and a guarantee that a surgery with the "Instagram Surgeon" would yield perfect results.

Inflated Prices

With the increased demand created by the hype, many of these surgeons have increased their prices almost to the level of what can be found in Europe and North America.

While Turkey is often known as a low-cost destination for medical treatments, "Instagram Surgeons" have made a name for themselves by marketing their work to a foreign audience which has the means to pay their inflated prices.

Are "Instagram Surgeons" Worth their Price Tag?

One question that many patients researching surgery in Turkey ask is: are "Instagram Surgeons" more skilled than other surgeons in Turkey? Is the hype around them a sign of greater skill and a guarantee of better results?

The answer is usually found on the side of patients who have dealt with these "Instagram Surgeons" and who have had an unfortunate experience, either with the surgeon himself or with his staff.

The sobering reality is that the facade created by "Instagram Surgeons" often does not correspond to a greater skill in plastic surgery, a better bedside manner or a higher quality service. The higher price tag paid by patients to "Instagram Surgeons" corresponds to the efforts the surgeon devotes to marketing and not to any real superior skill, knowledge or ability to provide perfect surgical results.

An Alternative to Instagram Surgeons?

Turkey is a country with a plethora of highly educated and competent surgeons. The lack of presence of a surgeon on social media does not mean that they lack skills, but that they choose to focus on their work as a surgeon, rather than on their image on social media platforms.

Many competent and highly skilled surgeons in Turkey choose not to enter the social media game either because of ethical concerns or because they lack the grandiose or narcissistic personality needed to advertise oneself 24/7. They remain however intelligent and capable professionals who can do as good a job, if not a better job than the more famous "Instagram Surgeons". Their prices also remain affordable, and with them patients can expect to pay a descent price for an excellent service.

At GoldenSands our role is to stay up to date with industry trends, make the right connections with the best and most cutting-edge Surgeons, and streamline the whole process for you. Don’t waste your valuable time shopping around to find the right Surgeon to perform your procedure, let us do the grunt work of finding the right plastic surgeon for you.

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If you have any questions about the benefits of a Plastic Surgery consultant, or if you’d like to get your journey with us started, contact our Client Support Team.

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