How Long to Stay in Colombia After Surgery

Why the stay matters

The stay is not a formality. The first two weeks after a facelift are when complications are most likely, and they are also when your stitches come out and your swelling starts to settle. Leaving before Dr. Franco has cleared you means flying with no one on the ground who knows your case.

The recommended window

Plan for ten to fourteen days. That covers arrival, the in-person consultation and blood work, the surgery, and enough recovery to fly. Most patients schedule surgery early in the stay so the follow-up visits happen before departure.

What the two weeks cover

• Day 1: arrival and in-person consultation
• Day 2: surgery
• Days 3 to 10: recovery and follow-up visits
• Around day 7: stitches come out
• Day 12 to 14: final check and flight home

When it is safe to fly

Flying too soon is the real risk. Cabin pressure and the effort of travel can raise blood pressure, and a rise in blood pressure is the main trigger for a hematoma. Dr. Franco's protocol keeps systolic pressure under 120 during and after surgery, and in published studies that cut the hematoma rate from 3.76 percent to 0.5 percent. Most patients are cleared to fly around the two-week mark.

Plan for the margin

Build in a day or two of slack in case your swelling is slower than expected or a follow-up needs to move. A slightly longer stay costs less than rebooking a flight or flying home too early.

Related pages

• Facelift in Medellín: the full overview
• Facelift recovery timeline
• Recovery houses in Medellín
• Arriving at MDE: a patient guide

Next steps

Send three photos from the front and one from each side, and we will build a stay that matches your procedure and gives you the right margin before you fly.

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