At a glance
Planning a facelift abroad involves checking the surgeon, understanding the proposed care, and arranging support beyond the operation itself. Start with the official medical register, ask where surgery and follow-up take place, and clarify how you would obtain help if recovery did not follow the expected schedule. A country, technique name, or attractive photograph cannot answer those questions for you. 1 2
I want you to understand those arrangements before choosing a date. Bruna is the first contact through this English-language site. A preliminary video consultation can start our discussion, but I examine you in person before confirming the surgical plan.
Four things to clarify before making a reservation
Who is responsible for your care?
Know the name of the surgeon who will assess and operate on you. Ask how to verify the medical registration and registered specialty, and who handles questions before and after surgery. A familiar social-media profile is a starting point for research, not the whole verification process.
Where does each stage happen?
The place shown in a consultation photograph may not be the location of the operation. Ask for the hospital name, the office address, and the purpose of each appointment. Confirm the admission arrangements before planning transport.
Can you understand the instructions?
Tell the team which language you use and where you need help. You should be able to explain your health history and ask questions about the plan. Do not assume that speaking with one English-speaking person means every interaction will automatically be in English.
What happens if the plan changes?
Ask about additional assessment, a longer local stay, and how costs would be handled. Clarifying a contingency is not predicting that something will go wrong. It means you are making arrangements that leave room for care.
How to check a Brazilian medical registration
The Brazilian Federal Council of Medicine provides the official Busca por Médicos search. Its patient guidance recommends searching by the physician’s name or CRM number and state, checking the registration status, and comparing the identity details. The Portuguese word “ATIVO” indicates active registration in the search result. 1
Look for the registered specialty as well. RQE means Registro de Qualificação de Especialista, the specialist qualification record. Ask for clarification if the advertised specialty and registry information do not appear to match. 1 My advice is to check that official record rather than rely only on an association logo or a course certificate.
You can use my name, Walter Zamarian Jr., and Paraná, abbreviated PR, when locating the record. My identifiers are CRM/PR 17.388 and RQE 15.688. Review the current official result when making your decision; a number printed on a website is not itself a live registry check.
I am comfortable with you asking these questions. You can also read about my training and approach on the Dr. Z page. That background complements the registry check, rather than replacing it or guaranteeing an individual surgical outcome.
Separate the consultation from the decision to operate
A video appointment can help us discuss your goals and determine which questions need an examination. Tell me about previous facial surgery, treatments, current medicines, and the changes you hope to make. If you have relevant records, ask how to send them through the agreed channel.
I confirm the plan at the in-person visit before surgery. That distinction matters when you are organizing an international trip: a preliminary discussion should not be treated as a promise that every proposed procedure will proceed exactly as first described.
Ask what remains to be confirmed before paying or booking travel. If a test result or a new health concern changes the assessment, we need to address it. I do not want a tight itinerary to become pressure to proceed with unanswered medical questions.
The hospital and the office have different roles
I operate at Hospital do Coração, Bela Suíça unit, in Londrina. Consultation and routine office follow-up take place at my clinic. My hospital guide explains the usual admission pathway and how to confirm the correct location.
Ask about the anesthetic assessment, admission instructions, and the anticipated hospital stay. In my usual facelift routine, I assess patients before discharge the following morning. That timing can change according to the clinical situation; it is not a departure appointment you can schedule independently.
Before the day, confirm where your companion should go and what arrangements apply to them. João explains the admission details. If you need help understanding hospital communication or documents, raise that early so the requirement can be discussed before you arrive fasting and tired.
Understand what is included before comparing plans
I provide an individual quote after assessment. Read the proposed procedures and ask which expenses are included or separate. The useful question is not simply whether two totals look different, but whether they describe the same care and responsibilities.
For example, clarify the hospital and anesthesia arrangements, follow-up visits, and any services you would hire separately. Accommodation, a driver, and a caregiver need their own arrangements. My team can suggest options, but you should confirm availability, services, and payment before relying on them.
Ask how the reservation works and what happens if the plan must be postponed. João explains the payment terms. Do not infer a refund, additional treatment, or an extended stay is included unless that has been clarified in your agreement. My cost-planning article helps organize the components without publishing surgical prices.
Insurance needs a direct answer from your insurer
Tell the insurer the actual purpose of your trip: planned elective surgery abroad. Ask specifically whether complications of that treatment are covered, what exclusions apply, and whether authorization is required. Do not describe the trip only as a holiday and assume an ordinary travel policy answers the surgical question.
CDC guidance distinguishes travel disruption, medical, and evacuation coverage. They are different protections, and terms vary. Ask how payment and reimbursement work, including which documents you would need. 3 I cannot confirm a policy’s coverage for you, and this article does not recommend an insurer.
Keep the insurer’s contact details and written response with your other travel documents. If an answer is unclear, seek clarification from the insurer before relying on it. A clinic’s follow-up arrangement and an insurance policy are separate matters; neither should be assumed to cover everything associated with the other.
Make the return-home plan before leaving home
The CDC recommends discussing follow-up and complications before traveling and obtaining records of care received abroad. 2 Ask what information you should request, whether records can be provided in English, and how they can be shared with a clinician who may assess you after your return. Confirm language arrangements beforehand rather than assuming translation is included.
A useful conversation might include who you would contact locally, how to explain the operation you had, and which records would help that clinician. Do not assume that a remote appointment can provide every examination you might need. If you already have a clinician involved in your care, discuss the proposed trip with them as well.
In my practice, follow-up continues for a year, and some later reviews can be online when appropriate. That ongoing relationship matters to me. It does not replace urgent local care, and it does not mean every concern can be resolved through photographs or messages.
Leave enough time for the care you came for
For a facelift, my usual plan is arrival two days before surgery, with the in-person consultation and photographs on the preceding day. I ask for at least 12 postoperative days in Londrina and prefer 14. The patient journey describes the appointments and the people you will meet.
These intervals allow for planned care; they do not automatically establish fitness to fly. Discuss the actual itinerary and leave room to change it if I need to reassess you. I do not clear travel solely because the stitches are out or a ticket has been purchased.
Choose accommodation with the practical routine in mind. How will you get to appointments? Who will help if you need something? Can the arrangement be extended? Those details are often more useful than choosing a place only for sightseeing opportunities.
Put the unanswered questions in one place
- What remains to be confirmed after the preliminary consultation?
- Which location and team are responsible for each stage?
- What help will I have at my accommodation?
- What costs or arrangements could change if my stay is extended?
- Which records should I request before returning home?
- How will I obtain an in-person assessment at home if needed?
Use this list to identify gaps, not to score a surgeon from a website alone. Some answers depend on your proposed procedure and medical assessment. Bring those questions to the team so they can be discussed in context.
You should also know how to respond to an urgent problem. My team explains postoperative contact arrangements directly. If you suspect a complication, do not delay medical assessment during travel or after returning home. 2 Remote availability should never become a reason to wait for help that you need locally.
Frequently asked questions
Is surgery safe because the surgeon works in Brazil?
Country reputation cannot establish safety for an individual operation. Verify the professional, clarify the facility and care arrangements, and discuss the proposed procedure and your health. Those questions remain important wherever surgery takes place.
Does RQE replace a consultation?
No. It helps you check the registered specialty. You still need an assessment, a discussion of benefits and risks, and a plan you understand before deciding whether surgery is appropriate.
Can I finalize everything by video?
Video can begin the process. I examine you in person before confirming surgery. Ask what must still be reviewed before making commitments based on the preliminary discussion.
Does my surgical quote include travel insurance?
Do not assume so. Clarify the quote with João and discuss insurance directly with the insurer. An agreement about surgical care does not establish what a separate policy covers.
Will I have follow-up after returning to my country?
Yes, I follow recovery through the first year, with remote reviews when appropriate. A concern requiring a physical examination still needs one, and urgent care should be obtained locally without waiting for an online appointment.
Who helps me take the first step?
Bruna is the initial contact through this English-language site. Tell her where you live, your time zone, and what you would like to discuss. The clinical and administrative details are then addressed with the appropriate members of my team.
Start with the questions that matter to your trip
A well-organized plan should help you understand both the operation and the time around it. Visit the contact page to arrange a consultation, and tell us which parts of traveling for care you want to clarify before deciding.
References
- Conselho Federal de Medicina. Você sabe se quem está te atendendo é mesmo médico? Veja como se proteger. August 10, 2026.
- Stoney RJ, Leidel L. Medical Tourism. CDC Yellow Book 2026. April 23, 2025.
- Stoney RJ. Travel Insurance, Travel Health Insurance, and Medical Evacuation Insurance. CDC Yellow Book 2026. April 23, 2025.