What should I wear after a tummy tuck?

Loose, front-opening, dark-coloured clothing: zip hoodies, wide soft trousers with an elastic waist, slip-on shoes. Nothing that pulls over the head in week one, nothing that presses on the incision line.

What documents do I need for surgery in Turkey?

Passport (6+ months validity), e-Visa if required for your nationality, printed surgical plan and quote, medication list, recent blood tests, and travel insurance — noting that most policies exclude elective surgery abroad.

Should I bring my own medications?

Bring your regular prescriptions in original packaging with a doctor's letter. Pain relief, antibiotics and clot-prevention medication are provided by the hospital; do not bring blood thinners or supplements you haven't declared.

What to pack for your tummy tuck trip: the honest checklist

By Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayhan Işık Erdal, MD, FACS, FEBOPRAS · Planning · 7 min read · Updated September 2026

Packing for surgery is packing for a body that can't bend, lift, or pull a shirt over its head for a week — and for a trip whose most important items weigh nothing. The list, in priority order.

Documents and admin

Passport with six months' validity; e-Visa printed or on the phone; the written surgical plan and quote; your medication list and any relevant medical reports (cardiac, diabetes, previous surgery notes); recent blood tests if done at home; travel insurance details — read honestly, since most policies exclude elective surgery abroad (the insurance article explains); emergency contacts at home; hotel and transfer confirmations. Photograph everything to a cloud folder.

Clothing that works with drains and garments

Zip-front hoodies or cardigans (nothing over the head for a week), soft wide trousers with elastic waists two sizes up, slip-on shoes (no bending), dark colours for the first week, cotton underwear that sits above or well below the incision line, a long loose dress or robe for the hotel. Compression stockings for the flights are provided or bought locally — ask. The garment itself is supplied; a second one is worth buying before you fly home.

The recovery kit patients forget

A wedge pillow or two firm pillows for the beach-chair sleeping position (hotels rarely have enough); a long phone-charging cable; a reusable water bottle; dry shampoo; unscented wipes; a small pillow to hold against the abdomen when coughing or laughing; entertainment downloaded, not streamed; a notebook for questions between reviews; loose slippers; a light sleep mask and earplugs for a recovery-hotel night that includes a snoring companion.

What not to bring

Undeclared supplements (fish oil, vitamin E, ginkgo and others thin blood — stopped two weeks before), nicotine in any form (see the nicotine rule), heavy luggage you'll have to lift on the way home (pack light, buy a wheeled case, ask for airport assistance), tight jeans for the flight, and the expectation of sightseeing — week one is for walking laps of the hotel corridor, not the Grand Bazaar. The journey page shows the day-by-day; the sleep guide explains the pillows.