At a glance: how do you plan surgery in Londrina if you live abroad?
Start with an online consultation, check Brazil’s entry rules before buying flights and begin your preparation weeks ahead. For a facelift, arrive in Londrina 2 days before surgery and stay 12 to 14 days afterward; your flight date depends on my assessment. Once you’re home, follow-up continues for 1 year.
- First contact: Bruna, my AI assistant, then Isanna, who arranges an online or in-person consultation.
- Documents: a visa or exemption depending on the passport you travel on.
- Preparation: blood work and a surgical risk assessment with an ECG, valid for 3 months; changes to smoking and medications start weeks ahead.
- In Londrina: arrive 2 days before, in-person consultation the day before surgery, 12 to 14 days afterward.
- Flight home: only after I’ve assessed your recovery.
- Afterward: follow-up visits for 1 year, included in the surgical fee, and 24-hour WhatsApp support from Isanna and me.
My page for international patients covers visas, hospital standards and how quotes work. This guide puts each stage on a timeline for someone who lives outside Brazil. Questions about the surgeon’s license, the hospital, the quote and insurance are covered in what to clarify before traveling to Brazil for a facelift.
A timeline in three stages
Before you travel
Online consultation, entry documents, tests and changes to smoking and medications, with room to move dates.
In Londrina
In-person consultation the day before, surgery, follow-up visits and stitch removal, with help getting around.
Back home
Online follow-up when appropriate, your records on hand and a local medical service for emergencies.
Before you travel: online consultation and remote preparation
Your first message on WhatsApp is answered by Bruna, my AI assistant, who then puts you in touch with Isanna to arrange the consultation. The online consultation is a video pre-assessment: I listen to what bothers you, ask about your health, medications and previous surgery, and explain what the plan might include. I confirm that plan at an in-person consultation before surgery.
I ask every patient for preoperative blood work and a surgical risk assessment with an ECG; results are valid for 3 months, which helps you plan when to do them. You choose where: in the country where you live or in Londrina. If you have them done at home, you can send them ahead on my team’s WhatsApp. Some changes start weeks before surgery, such as quitting smoking and stopping certain medications; the facelift checklist lists those timelines. Don’t stop any treatment without agreeing on it with my team and the doctor who prescribed it.
Entry documents for Brazil
There is no medical visa for private surgery: the ordinary entry rules for your nationality apply. According to Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visa requirements for citizens of Australia, Canada and the United States came back into force on April 10, 2025. Brazilians who also hold one of those nationalities can’t receive a visa in their foreign passport and must travel on a valid Brazilian passport [1]. Rules change, so confirm your situation with the Brazilian consulate before buying flights.
Bring a list of your medications, allergies, medical conditions and previous surgery, your recent test results and an emergency contact.
In Londrina: from the day before surgery to stitch removal
For a facelift, plan to arrive 2 days before surgery. The day before, I see you in person and take photographs; a finding on examination may change the plan. Surgery takes place at Hospital do Coração Bela Suíça, and after a facelift, discharge is usually the next morning, once I’ve seen you. The hospital guide walks you through admission.
After surgery, stay 12 to 14 days in Londrina. That covers the first follow-up visits and stitch removal, which is done in stages. You can travel alone: my team can recommend accommodation, a driver and a companion or caregiver, hired and paid for separately. For other procedures, the length of stay is set at the consultation.
These days are for recovery, not sightseeing. The CDC notes that alcohol, strenuous activity, sunbathing, swimming and long tours after surgery can delay healing [2].
The flight home
Surgery and air travel each increase the risk of blood clots, such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism; together the risk is higher, because a long flight keeps you seated for hours [2]. The CDC cites the ASPS recommendation to wait 7 to 10 days before flying after cosmetic procedures on the face [2]. That is a general minimum; your own date depends on my assessment, so choose tickets you can change.
Back home
I follow you for 1 year, with online visits when the stage of recovery allows; follow-up visits are included in the surgical fee. During follow-up, Isanna and I provide 24-hour support on WhatsApp. Keep your instructions and surgical records with you: the CDC advises sharing them with any doctor who sees you afterward [2].
Shortness of breath, chest pain, or new pain and swelling in one leg need emergency care wherever you are; don’t wait for a reply to a message. The NHS describes the warning signs of a blood clot [3]. Before you travel, find out which service to use near home.
Questions
Is the online consultation enough to book surgery?
It prepares the plan, but confirmation happens at the in-person consultation, with a physical examination and a review of your tests.
Can I have the tests done where I live?
Yes, or in Londrina, whichever you prefer. Agree with my team on which tests to do and when: they’re valid for 3 months and can be sent ahead on WhatsApp.
How long do I need to stay in Londrina?
For a facelift, arrive 2 days before and stay 12 to 14 days after surgery. Your return date depends on how you’re recovering.
What if a problem comes up after I fly home?
Contact my team on WhatsApp. In an emergency, get local care right away and show your surgical records.
Start with the timeline
If you live abroad and are thinking about surgery in Londrina, write to us on WhatsApp: Bruna, my AI assistant, handles the first contact and then puts you in touch with Isanna to arrange a consultation with me. Tell us where you’re coming from and which dates could work.
References
- Ministério das Relações Exteriores (Brazilian Consulate in Washington). Alerta aos brasileiros binacionais sobre vistos (in Portuguese).
- Stoney RJ, Leidel L. Medical Tourism. CDC Yellow Book 2026.
- NHS. DVT (deep vein thrombosis).