Rhinoplasty in Brazil for patients from Ireland.
From Dublin to Maringá, the path is more organized than most people expect. Video consultation first, tests done at home, one week in Brazil, and follow-up appointments that continue online after you land back in Ireland.
If you live in Ireland, rhinoplasty in Brazil usually follows five steps: an initial video consultation with Dr. Guilherme Sella, pre-operative tests done in your own city, travel to Maringá with a connection through Lisbon or London and then São Paulo, surgery with a short hospital stay, and about 7 to 10 days in Brazil until the external cast comes off. Flying home is normally released after the cast is removed. Follow-up at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months can be done online, with medical documents issued in English on request.
Why patients living in Ireland consider Brazil
Brazil has a long tradition in plastic surgery, built around the school of Ivo Pitanguy, and appears consistently among the countries with the highest volume of aesthetic procedures in surveys published by ISAPS. Rhinoplasty, in particular, is a high-volume field in Brazil, with national congresses, fellowships and a dedicated society for the procedure.
There is also a practical reason. Surgical costs in Brazil tend to be lower than in Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States, because surgeon fees, hospital structure and exchange rates follow a different economy. That is a structural difference, not a discount on care. The surgical budget is only given after the consultation, since it depends on technique, operating time and whether grafts are needed. It already includes the team, the hospital, anesthesia and the follow-up visits.
Waiting times are another factor. Scheduling in Maringá is planned directly with the clinic, which makes it easier to align the surgery with annual leave or a longer break.
Credentials you can verify before you book
Medicine in Brazil is regulated by the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM). Every specialist title is registered as an RQE number linked to the state medical council, and it can be checked online. This matters when you are choosing a surgeon from another country.
Dr. Guilherme Sella is an ENT surgeon, CRM-PR 33.018, RQE 17.984. He trained in otorhinolaryngology at the teaching hospital of the University of São Paulo in Ribeirão Preto (HCFMRP-USP), completed a direct doctorate in morphophysiology of facial structures at the same institution in 2018, and did a fellowship in structural rhinoplasty in Melbourne and Sydney. He is certified by the European Board in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, a full member of ABORL-CCF and of the Brazilian Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery, and a founding member of the Brazilian Society of Rhinoplasty.
His work on dorsal preservation is published and indexed on PubMed, including articles in Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America in 2023 and 2025. He has lectured as an invited professor in more than ten countries, including Ireland, Turkey, Spain, the United States and Mexico, and teaches through the Sella Learning Center. You can review the full background on the surgeon's page.
The video consultation across time zones
Everything starts with a video consultation. Maringá is three to four hours behind Irish time depending on daylight saving, so a late morning slot in Brazil usually falls in the early afternoon in Dublin. That makes scheduling straightforward without taking a full day off work.
The consultation lasts around an hour. It covers your medical history, breathing complaints, what bothers you aesthetically, standardized photographs and digital simulation. The simulation is a communication tool and typically reproduces around 60 to 70 percent of the final result. Nose anatomy, skin thickness and healing define the rest.
The surgeon speaks Portuguese, English and Spanish, and the team answers in all three languages. Nasal examination and high frequency dermatologic ultrasound are done in person, before surgery, during the days you spend in Maringá.
Tests and clearance done at home
Pre-operative tests are performed in your own city in Ireland, which avoids extra days in Brazil. The clinic sends the list after the consultation. It normally includes blood work, a cardiology assessment when indicated by age or history, and any imaging considered necessary for your case.
Results are reviewed remotely before travel. If something needs adjustment, there is time to solve it at home. Reports in English are accepted, and translation is not usually required.
Route and travel from Ireland to Maringá
There is no direct flight from Dublin to Brazil, so the usual route is one connection in Europe and one in Brazil.
- Dublin to Lisbon or London, then overnight to São Paulo (GRU).
- São Paulo to Maringá (MGF), a short domestic flight of about one hour.
- Curitiba is an alternative domestic hub, also with flights to Maringá.
Maringá is in the north of Paraná state, with a modern airport and good hotel options. The clinic team indicates accommodation near the consulting rooms and the hospital. The arrival should be one or two days before surgery, so you can rest, attend the in-person consultation and complete the final assessment. A companion is recommended for the first week.
Your days in Brazil, step by step
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Arrival, rest, in-person consultation, nasal examination, ultrasound when indicated, final photographs and surgical planning |
| Surgery day | General anesthesia, 3 to 5 hours depending on technique, longer for revision cases, admission of 12 to 24 hours at Saine Health Complex |
| Days 2 to 5 after surgery | Swelling and periorbital bruising peak and start to fade, head elevated at 30 degrees, ice, saline rinses, short walks |
| Day 7 | External aquaplast cast removed, taping continues for about another week, clearance to fly |
| Days 8 to 10 | Optional extra days before travel, first impression of the new shape, instructions for the months ahead |
Planning 7 to 10 days in Brazil covers this sequence comfortably. Patients who prefer a margin for rest before a long flight often choose ten days.
After you fly home
Flying is normally released after the cast comes off. Long-haul travel with swelling is manageable with hydration, movement in the cabin and the instructions given at discharge.
The recovery rules do not change because you live abroad. No glasses resting on the nose for four weeks. Exercise after fifteen days. Sun, beach and pool only after a month, with SPF 30 for three months. Never blow your nose during the early weeks. Mild bleeding in the first 48 to 72 hours is expected. Final result takes 6 to 12 months, and up to 18 months in thick skin or revision cases.
Follow-up appointments at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months can be done online, with photographs sent by the patient. If you return to Brazil, they can be in person.
Technique, insurance and paperwork
The surgical plan is individual and defined in consultation. Options include dorsal preservation, ultrasonic rhinoplasty with piezoelectric instruments, structural grafting, and functional work such as septoplasty, turbinoplasty and valve correction. Since the surgeon is an ENT, breathing and shape are planned together. The broader overview is on the rhinoplasty page.
The practice is private, without contracts with insurers. The clinic issues invoices and medical reports, including documentation of the functional part of the surgery, so you can submit a reimbursement claim to a private health insurer in Ireland if your policy allows it. Documents can be issued in English or Spanish on request. Reimbursement rules depend entirely on your policy, so check the terms before travel.
More details on the whole process are gathered on the international patients page.
When to contact Dr. Sella
If you live in Ireland and are considering rhinoplasty, the first step is a video consultation to understand your anatomy, your breathing and whether surgery is indicated at all. Indication, risks and technique are individual and decided in consultation, never by message or by looking at photographs of other patients.
Otolaryngologist and facial plastic surgeon · CRM-PR 33.018 · RQE 17.984. PhD from FMRP-USP, founder of the Sella Learning Center. Updated on 2026-10-15.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I need to stay in Brazil for rhinoplasty?
Plan for about 7 to 10 days in Maringá. You arrive one or two days before surgery and stay until the external cast is removed, around day 7, when flying is usually released.
Can I have the first consultation from Dublin?
Yes. The initial consultation can be done by video, lasting around an hour, including history, photographs and digital simulation. The nasal examination and ultrasound are done in person in Maringá before surgery.
How do I get from Ireland to Maringá?
The usual route is Dublin to Lisbon or London, then an overnight flight to São Paulo, followed by a short domestic flight to Maringá airport. Curitiba is an alternative connection.
Where will the surgery be performed?
At Saine Health Complex in Maringá, a hospital with eleven operating rooms, adult and neonatal intensive care and intensivists on site around the clock. Admission is usually 12 to 24 hours.
Will my Irish health insurance reimburse the surgery?
The practice is private and does not bill insurers directly, but the clinic issues invoices and medical reports in English, including the functional part of the surgery, so you can submit a claim. Approval depends on your policy terms.
How are follow-up appointments handled after I return home?
Follow-up is scheduled at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months and can be done online with standardized photographs, or in person if you travel back to Brazil.
Can I have my pre-operative tests done in Ireland instead of Brazil?
Yes. Blood work, cardiac assessment and any imaging requested can be done in your own city and sent to the clinic for review before travel. The team checks the results in advance and asks for repeat or additional tests only if something needs clarification. Bring printed copies with you, since they are reviewed again on the day before surgery.
When is it safe to fly back to Ireland after rhinoplasty?
Flying is normally released after the external cast is removed, which is around seven days after surgery, so most patients plan about seven to ten days in Brazil. Cabin pressure does not damage the nose, and the main concerns on a long flight are swelling and prolonged immobility. Walking in the aisle, drinking water and following the instructions given at discharge help. The final clearance is always individual and confirmed at your post-operative visit in Maringá.
Do I need to bring someone with me from Ireland?
A companion is recommended for at least the first week, especially in the first days after hospital discharge, when rest with the head elevated and help with saline rinses make recovery easier. Patients who travel alone are also accepted, and the team stays in direct contact by WhatsApp during that period. The clinic can suggest accommodation close to the practice in Maringá.
Will the medical reports be issued in English?
Yes. The surgical report, discharge summary and post-operative instructions can be issued in English on request, which is useful if you need to show them to a GP or an ENT specialist in Ireland. Consultations are held in Portuguese, English or Spanish. If you later need an assessment at home, those documents describe the technique and any grafts used.
Book a consultation with Dr. Guilherme Sella
In person in Maringá, Brazil, or by video consultation. English-speaking team.