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About

Prof. Dr. Gürkan Kayabaşoğlu

Facial Plastic Surgeon & ENT Specialist — Istanbul

Born in Sakarya in 1979, Prof. Dr. Gürkan Kayabaşoğlu studied medicine at Hacettepe University (1997–2003) and devoted his career to a single focus: the art of facial surgery. He is the first Turkish specialist to complete the official Fellowship of the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery, and one of only three in Turkey to hold the International Facial Plastic Surgery Diploma.

Prof. Dr. Gürkan Kayabaşoğlu

Prof. Dr.

Since 2025

10,000+
Facial surgeries performed
39+
International publications
12
Surgical techniques introduced
367
Scientific citations
80+
Congresses as guest speaker
180+
Congress presentations
Facial Plastic Surgery Association logo
President

Facial Plastic Surgery Association

Prof. Dr. Gürkan Kayabaşoğlu serves as the President of the Facial Plastic Surgery Association — a role that reflects years of academic contribution and leadership in the field.

  • Leading the national community of facial plastic surgeons
  • Setting standards for training, ethics and patient safety
  • Organizing congresses and scientific exchange
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Founder

Facesurgerist Academy

Prof. Dr. Gürkan Kayabaşoğlu is the founder of Facesurgerist Academy, a platform dedicated to education, research and the advancement of facial plastic surgery.

Education

Hands-on courses and masterclasses for surgeons.

Innovation

Advancing modern facial surgery techniques.

Mentorship

Guiding the next generation of specialists.

Explore the Academy
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Résumé

A career built on focus

Gürkan Kayabaşoğlu began his residency in otolaryngology at Kartal Education and Research Hospital and completed most of his specialist training at Vakıf Gureba Education and Research Hospital and in the United States. During this period he visited the most respected facial plastic surgery professors and clinics in the USA, attending their surgeries and building lasting relationships. He became an Otolaryngology Specialist in October 2009.

In November 2009 in Vienna he passed the written stage of the European Otolaryngology Board exam, achieving the third-highest grade among European specialists. Between 2009 and 2010 he received an honour scholarship and was invited by the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery to complete the official Fellowship in Facial Plastic Surgery — becoming the first Turkish specialist to do so.

After his advanced training, he succeeded in the board examination held in June 2010 in Washington D.C. — competing alongside his American colleagues — and was honoured with the Facial Plastic Surgery Diploma of the International Facial Plastic Surgery Academy, the third Turkish specialist to receive it.

He served at Ünye Public Hospital (2010–2012), then joined Sakarya University as Assistant Professor in 2012, becoming Associate Professor in 2015 and Professor in 2025. In December 2015 he left academic duty to practice the “art of medicine” in his own private clinic, where he has since performed more than 10,000 facial surgeries.

He is the first author of more than 39 international and 20 national publications, has introduced 12 original surgical techniques to the medical literature, and his research has been cited 367 times in respected international journals. He has spoken at more than 80 congresses, delivered over 180 presentations, and has taught at the Facial Plastic Surgery School of the Turkish Otolaryngology Society for eleven years. He also organizes the “Plastic Meeting of the Nose” congress held in Sapanca.

Timeline

Career milestones

  1. 1979 Born in Sakarya, Turkey.
  2. 1997–2003 Medicine at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine.
  3. 2009 Became an Otolaryngology (ENT) Specialist.
  4. 2009 3rd-highest grade in the European Otolaryngology Board exam (Vienna).
  5. 2009–2010 First Turkish specialist to complete the official EAFPS Facial Plastic Surgery Fellowship.
  6. 2010 Awarded the International Facial Plastic Surgery Diploma (Washington D.C.) — 3rd Turkish specialist to receive it.
  7. 2012 Assistant Professor, Otolaryngology, Sakarya University.
  8. 2015 Associate Professor; earned the European Board Diploma (ENT, Head & Neck Surgery).
  9. 2015 Opened his private clinic to focus fully on facial plastic surgery.
  10. 2025 Awarded the title of Professor.
“If there are 7 billion people on Earth, there should be 7 billion different noses.”

Gürkan Kayabaşoğlu approaches medicine as art. A natural look is his primary concept — every surgery is planned around the individual face and the patient's overall appearance, with an artistic touch and close communication before and after the operation.

The health of his patients comes before everything else, faithful to the Hippocratic oath. He involves himself in the full journey — supporting, following the healing process, and connecting new patients with former ones. His motto: “People first.”

Recognition

Scientific awards

3rd place

Turkish Rhinology Congress

April 2015

“Reconstructive Surgery of a patient who has Partial Nasal and Lip Amputation after Human Bite”

3rd place

Turkish National Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery Congress — Best Scientific Research (Rhinology)

November 2014

“Research of the relation between the sense of smell and osmophobia on migraine patients”

2nd place

Turkish National Otolaryngology Congress — Best Scientific Research (Rhinology-Allergy / Facial Plastic Surgery)

November 2013

“Comparison of the crushed, grafted and minced cartilage morsels with confocal microscope”

Practices abroad

International training

Observerships and fellowships with the world's leading facial plastic surgeons — from Harvard and UC Davis to Cleveland Clinic and across Europe.

Prof. Dr. Jonathan Sykes

University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, USA

Facial plastic surgery & facial lifting

June 2014 · 6 weeks

Prof. Dr. Peter J. Catalano

St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, USA

Endoscopic sinus surgery

May 2014 · 2 weeks

Prof. Dr. James Suen

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas, USA

Birthmarks

May 2011 · 2 weeks

Prof. Dr. Rollin Daniel

Los Angeles, USA

Plastic nasal surgery

April 2011

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Manisalı

EAFPS Fellow

St. George's University Hospital, Maxillofacial Surgery Dept., London, England

Maxillofacial & orthognathic surgery

Feb–Apr 2010

Prof. Dr. Lisa Buckmiller

EAFPS Fellow

University of Medical Sciences, Arkansas, USA

Lip-palate surgery & birthmark treatment

January 2010 · 4 weeks

Prof. Dr. Hade Vuyk & Prof. Dr. Koen Ingels

EAFPS Fellow

Tergooi Hospital, Facial Plastic Surgery Dept., Blaricum, Netherlands

Surgical treatment of skin cancer

Dec 2009 – Feb 2010 · 6 weeks

Prof. Dr. Pietro Palma

EAFPS Fellow

University of Varese, Rhinology & Facial Plastic Surgery Dept., Varese, Italy

Plastic nasal surgery

November 2009 · 2 weeks

Prof. Dr. Paolo Castelnuovo

University of Varese, Varese, Italy

Endoscopic skull-base surgery

November 2009 · 2 weeks

Prof. Dr. Fazıl Apaydın

EAFPS Fellow

Ege University, İzmir, Turkey

Facial plastic surgery

October 2009 · 4 weeks

Prof. Dr. Mack Cheney

MEEI, Facial Plastic Surgery Dept., Harvard Medical School, USA

Facial paralysis surgery & head/neck tumors

July 2008 · 4 weeks

Prof. Dr. James Zins

Cleveland Clinic, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Cleveland, USA

Facial lifting & eyelid surgery

June 2008 · 2 weeks

Prof. Dr. Bahman Guyuron

Zeeba Clinic, Cleveland, USA

Plastic nasal surgery

June 2008 · 2 weeks

Prof. Dr. Jack Gunter

Texas Surgery Center, Dallas, USA

Plastic nasal surgery

May 2008 · 2 weeks

Prof. Dr. Calvin Johnson

Hedgewood Surgery Center, New Orleans, USA

Facial plastic surgery & facial lifting

May 2008 · 2 weeks

Prof. Dr. Edwin F. Williams

Williams Surgery Center, Albany, USA

Facial plastic surgery & facial lifting

April 2008 · 2 weeks

Prof. Dr. Wayne Larrabee

Larrabee Surgery Center, Seattle, USA

Facial plastic surgery & facial lifting

April 2008 · 2 weeks

Prof. Dr. Jonathan Sykes

Facial Plastic Surgery Dept., University of California Davis Medical Center, USA

Facial plastic surgery

January 2008 · 3 months

Prof. Dr. Emre Vural

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas, USA

Facial paralysis treatment & head/neck tumors

Jun 2007 – Jan 2008 · 6 months

Credentials

Diplomas & certificates

National and international qualifications earned throughout his career. Tap any certificate to view it in full.

Certificate of Specialty in Facial Surgery

“Facial Surgery” diploma awarded by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Turkey as a result of his scientific work, experience and training received at home and abroad.

American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery

Membership certificate issued by the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery — held by only 3 specialists in Turkey. An International Facial Plastic Surgery Diploma is mandatory to obtain it.

International Board Certification of Facial Plastic Surgery

International Board Certification in Facial Plastic Surgery, obtained through the examination held in the United States of America.

European Board of ENT, Head & Neck Surgery

European Board diploma in Ear, Nose and Throat, Head & Neck Surgery — valid across European countries and issued under the European Union.

Associate Professor Diploma — Otolaryngology

Associate Professor (Doçent) diploma in Ear, Nose and Throat surgery, following his academic and scientific work.

ENT Specialist Diploma

Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases specialist diploma awarded by the Ministry of Health after 5 years of specialist training.

In the media

TV programs & videos

A selection of television appearances and interviews. Tap any card to play the video.

TV 8,5

Sağlık Zamanı

Beyaz TV

Sağlık Zamanı

Show TV

Kendine İyi Bak

Habertürk TV

HT Sağlık

Show TV

Zahide Yetişle

Show TV

Deryalı Günler

Woman TV

Kadın Hayattır

Show TV

Show TV Ana Haber

Fox TV (Now TV)

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