Rhinoplasty in Brazil for patients from the United Kingdom.

Why patients in the UK look at Brazil for rhinoplasty

Brazil has a long surgical tradition in facial and plastic surgery, shaped by the school of Ivo Pitanguy, and appears in ISAPS surveys among the countries with the highest volume of aesthetic procedures in the world. High volume alone means nothing for your nose. What matters is that this volume created dense training structures, national societies with formal certification, and surgeons who operate the nose frequently rather than occasionally.

There is also a structural cost difference. Surgical fees, hospital charges and the exchange rate mean that a procedure priced in Brazilian reais tends to represent a different financial reality for someone earning in pounds. No figures are quoted here or by phone. Any estimate depends on technique, operating time and grafts, and is only given after a full consultation.

The third reason is specific. Rhinoplasty is a functional and aesthetic operation at the same time. Dr. Sella is an ENT surgeon with RQE in Otorhinolaryngology, which means the septum, the turbinates and the nasal valves are treated as part of the same operation as the dorsum and the tip.

How to verify a Brazilian surgeon before you fly

Medicine in Brazil is regulated by the Federal Council of Medicine, the CFM. Every doctor has a CRM number, and every recognized specialty is registered as an RQE. Both are public and searchable on the website of the regional council. You can check them from London in a few minutes.

For your own due diligence, look for:

• CRM and RQE numbers published openly. Dr. Sella holds CRM-PR 33.018 and RQE 17.984, with the ABORL-CCF specialist title obtained in 2014.
• Academic record. Residency at HCFMRP-USP, a direct doctorate in Morphophysiology of Facial Structures completed in 2018, and a fellowship in structural rhinoplasty in Melbourne and Sydney.
• Peer reviewed publications. Six indexed articles on PubMed, including papers on dorsal preservation in Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America.
• International certification. Certification by the European Board in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
• Teaching activity. Invited faculty in more than ten countries and director of a training program for surgeons in Maringá.

The first video consultation, across the time zone

Brazil is three or four hours behind the UK depending on British Summer Time. In practice, a late afternoon slot in Maringá is early evening in London, so most calls happen without anyone losing a working day.

The online consultation lasts around an hour. It covers your history, breathing symptoms, previous nasal trauma or surgery, fillers, allergies and medication. You will be asked for standardized photographs taken at home following written instructions. The surgeon reviews anatomy, discusses which technique fits your nose, and performs a digital simulation. That simulation represents roughly 60 to 70 percent of the expected result and is a communication tool, never a promise.

The internal nasal examination and, when indicated, the high frequency dermatological ultrasound are done in person in Maringá before surgery. The ultrasound maps skin thickness, old fillers, previous grafts and columellar vascularization, which is particularly relevant in revision cases.

Tests and preparation done in the UK

Standard preoperative blood work and cardiac clearance when age or history requires it can be performed with your GP or a private clinic in the UK and sent by email for review. Results in English are accepted. If something needs repeating, it is repeated locally in Maringá before the operation.

Before travel you will receive written guidance on medication to pause, smoking, alcohol and supplements, and on long haul flight precautions such as hydration and mobility during the twelve hour leg.

Flights, route and where you stay

London connects directly to São Paulo, with flights of about 12 hours to Guarulhos. From there, Maringá has its own airport, MGF, served by domestic flights from Guarulhos, Congonhas and Curitiba. Total door to door time is usually one long day.

Plan to arrive one to two days before surgery. That buffer absorbs flight delays and allows the in person consultation, the nasal examination and any repeat tests. The team can indicate hotels and serviced apartments close to the clinic on Avenida Cidade de Leiria, in Zona 01. A companion is recommended for the first week, although it is not mandatory.

A realistic timeline for a trip from the UK

Day	What happens
Day 0	Arrival in Maringá, rest
Day 1	In person consultation, nasal examination, ultrasound when indicated, preoperative review
Day 2	Surgery under general anesthesia, 3 to 5 hours, hospital stay of 12 to 24 hours at Saine Health Complex
Day 3	Discharge, first dressing check, head elevated at 30 degrees, cold compresses
Days 4 to 6	Rest, saline irrigation, gradual swelling and periorbital bruising
Day 7	Removal of the external aquaplast cast, taping for one more week, clearance to fly
Days 8 to 10	Optional buffer days before the return flight

Bruising around the eyes can last up to fifteen days, so many patients prefer to fly home with sunglasses and a flexible work schedule. Glasses resting on the nose are avoided for four weeks. Exercise restarts after about fifteen days, sun and swimming after a month, with SPF 30 for three months.

Follow-up once you are back in London

Formal follow-up happens at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Those appointments can be done online, with the same standardized photographs you took before surgery. The team is reachable by WhatsApp in Portuguese, English and Spanish for day to day questions during healing.

Definitive results appear between 6 and 12 months, and up to 18 months in thick skin or revision cases. Published revision rates in rhinoplasty literature sit between 5 and 15 percent, and any discussion about a touch up only starts after twelve months.

Documents, payment and insurance

The practice is private and does not work with Brazilian health insurance. Reports, surgical descriptions and invoices can be issued in English on request, including the functional component such as septoplasty, turbinoplasty or sinus surgery, so you can submit a reimbursement claim to a private insurer if your policy allows it. Approval is always a decision of the insurer.

The surgical estimate is delivered after the consultation and covers the surgical team, hospital, anesthesia and follow-up visits. Technique matters here, since a preservation rhinoplasty and a structural revision with rib cartilage are different operations with different operating times.

When to contact Dr. Sella

If you live in the UK and are weighing surgery abroad, the sensible next step is an online consultation rather than a price list. Bring your history, your breathing complaints and honest photographs. The indication, the technique and the risks are individual and defined only after a full evaluation. More practical detail is available on the pages for international patients and on how to reach the team.