Traveling Patients

Facial Plastic Surgery in Westlake Village Patients Traveling From Across the Country and Around the World

Many patients travel to Tansavatdi Facial Plastic Surgery from across the United States and outside the country to seek the care of Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi. Whether you are coming for a deep plane facelift, deep neck lift, full face rejuvenation, eyelid surgery, facial fat transfer, rhinoplasty, or another facial rejuvenation procedure, our team is here to help you feel prepared, supported, and cared for every step of the way.

Traveling for surgery requires trust. It also requires thoughtful planning. At Tansavatdi Facial Plastic Surgery, the traveling patient experience is designed to be organized, transparent, and deeply personal, beginning months before your surgery date and continuing through long-term virtual follow-up after you return home. Our goal is to make your journey to Westlake Village feel as seamless as possible while maintaining the highest level of safety, communication, and surgical preparation.

Great Care Is Worth the Journey

Choosing a facial plastic surgeon is one of the most personal decisions a patient can make. For many traveling patients, the decision to come to Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi is rooted in her natural-looking results, deep plane facelift expertise, face-focused surgical approach, excellence in endoscopic surgery, and philosophy of restoring identity rather than changing it. Patients often travel because they want more than a procedure.

They want a surgeon who will study their face carefully, listen to their concerns, understand their long-term goals, and create a plan that feels aligned with who they are. At Tansavatdi Facial Plastic Surgery, distance does not make your care less personal. If you are traveling to us, our team will help guide your preparation, coordinate your recovery support, and remain closely connected with you throughout the healing process.

Our Philosophy for Traveling Patients

Traveling for surgery requires a level of trust that extends far beyond what most patients are ready to offer. We understand the immense commitment you’ve made to be at our practice, and we’ll honor your investment with the highest level of care possible. Our team is committed to open, honest communication from start to finish, and we’ll be available to answer your questions, listen to your concerns, and address your worries before your procedure.

To us, distance doesn’t matter. If you’re here, you belong in our community. Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi and her team begin planning well before you arrive in Westlake Village. Once your surgery date is booked, our surgical team is notified and begins preparing for your care. We request your health information, medication list, surgical history, and any relevant medical details so we can begin identifying anything that may affect your surgery, anesthesia, recovery, or healing.

Your medication list is reviewed in advance, and our team will guide you on what may need to be stopped before surgery. Health concerns are communicated with the anesthesia team and reviewed with Dr. Tansavatdi so that your surgical and recovery plan can be designed with your safety in mind. This level of planning is intentional. Dr. Tansavatdi believes that excellent surgical care begins long before the day of surgery.

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What to Expect as a Traveling Patient

Step One: Your Virtual Consultation

Most traveling patients begin with a virtual consultation scheduled several months before their desired surgery date. During your virtual consultation, Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi will listen to your goals, review your concerns, evaluate your photographs, and discuss possible surgical recommendations. You will receive guidance on which procedures may be appropriate, whether your goals are realistic, and what kind of timeline may be needed.

After your virtual consultation, our team will provide a quote based on the recommendations discussed. It is important to understand that the virtual consultation is the beginning of the planning process, not the final surgical plan. Dr. Tansavatdi can learn a great deal from photographs and video, but she must evaluate you in person and feel the tissues before confirming the final surgical plan. This in-person assessment is an essential part of her surgical process and the level of detail she expects before operating.

Step Two: Booking Your Surgery Date

Once you choose to move forward and book your surgery date, detailed planning begins. Our team will begin coordinating the many moving parts of your surgical experience, including:

Medication list review
Anesthesia team communication
Preoperative appointment scheduling
Medical clearance requirements
Health history review
Prescription and supplement planning
Travel timing recommendations
Hotel and transportation guidance
Nursing care coordination
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment planning
Recovery support scheduling
Follow-up care planning

Step Three: For Those Traveling

For traveling patients, the planning process is especially important because your care must be coordinated around your arrival date, surgery date, recovery stay, and return home.

Planning Your Visit to Westlake Village

Our accredited outpatient facility is located in Westlake Village, CA, and is easily accessible from both the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and the Burbank Bob Hope Airport (BUR). We’ll help you arrange transportation and accommodations in the area to ensure a seamless travel experience and a smooth transition to recovery. Our team is happy to provide recommendations and local resources to help you plan a visit that feels both comfortable and practical.

Step Four: Preoperative Medical Review

Before surgery, our team will request your health information and medication list. This allows us to prepare for your care and identify any medications, supplements, medical conditions, or anesthesia-related concerns that may need to be addressed before surgery.

Your medication list will be reviewed, and you will be told which medications or supplements may need to be stopped before surgery. These instructions will also be reviewed during your preoperative appointment with our nurse at least two weeks before surgery.

If there are any concerns related to your health history, our team will communicate with the anesthesia team and Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi so that everyone involved in your surgical care is aware and prepared.

Step Five: Preoperative Video Appointment

All traveling patients have a preoperative video appointment at least two weeks before surgery. During this appointment, you will meet with our nurse and Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi to review the details of your surgery, recovery expectations, consent forms, medications, supplements, and final planning needs. This appointment is designed to make sure you feel informed and prepared before traveling. The goal is to reduce uncertainty so you can arrive feeling organized and supported. This is also when our team will confirm important details such as:

What to stop before surgery
What prescriptions you will need
What supplements you will take
What to expect during recovery
Who will care for you after surgery
When you can safely return home
What appointments you will have in Westlake Village
What to bring with you

Medical Clearance Requirements

Preoperative medical clearance is required before surgery. For patients traveling from another state within the United States, medical clearance should be completed with your primary care physician or an urgent care near your home within two weeks of surgery.

Our team will provide the necessary clearance requests and instructions. Patients traveling from outside the United States are asked to arrive in Westlake Village at least one week before surgery so medical clearance can be completed locally.

We will provide preoperative medical clearance requests, and patients can schedule their clearance appointment at an urgent care located across the street from our practice. These requirements allow the surgical and anesthesia teams to confirm that you are medically prepared before surgery.

Prescriptions and Supplements

Preoperative prescriptions and supplements are planned ahead of your arrival. For patients traveling from another state within the United States, prescriptions and supplements are typically sent ahead of arrival so you can prepare before traveling.

For international patients, prescriptions and supplements are generally provided once you arrive in Westlake Village, typically during the week before surgery. Our team will review your medication and supplement instructions with you so you understand what to take, what to stop, and how to prepare safely.

Arrival Timing Before Surgery

Arrival timing depends on where you are traveling from. Patients traveling from another state within the United States should arrive in Westlake Village at least two days before surgery. Your medical clearance should already be completed at home with your primary care physician or urgent care within two weeks of surgery.

Patients traveling from outside the country are encouraged to arrive at least one week before surgery. This allows time to complete local medical clearance, obtain prescriptions and supplements, adjust to travel, and prepare for surgery without feeling rushed.

Your In-Person Preoperative Appointment

Your final surgical plan is confirmed when you are seen in person by Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi at least two days before surgery. This appointment is essential. During the in-person evaluation, Dr. Tansavatdi will examine your face, skin, tissue quality, laxity, anatomy, and areas of concern. She will also feel the tissues, which cannot be done during a virtual consultation.

This hands-on evaluation may confirm the recommendations made during your virtual consultation, or it may change the final surgical plan. Dr. Tansavatdi believes this step is critical to thoughtful surgical planning. The details matter, and the final plan must be based on your real anatomy — not photographs alone.

Fat Grafting and the Possibility of Future Refinement

Many full face rejuvenation procedures and deep plane facelift and neck lift surgeries include facial fat grafting. Fat grafting can be a powerful way to restore natural facial volume, but it is also biologically unpredictable. Not all transferred fat survives, and the amount of long-term fat “take” can vary from patient to patient.

Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi may recommend that traveling patients plan for the possibility of returning three to six months after surgery for additional refinement or fat grafting if more volume replacement is needed. This does not mean every patient will need a second procedure. It means that patients should understand the natural unpredictability of fat grafting and be prepared for the possibility of future touch-up treatment if needed.

If You Have a History of Facial Fillers

If you have a history of large-volume or recent hyaluronic acid filler in the face, this must be discussed well in advance of surgery. Hyaluronic acid fillers may need to be dissolved before facial surgery to help prepare the tissues and support the best possible surgical outcome. Filler that remains in the face can contribute to prolonged swelling after surgery and may affect surgical planning. Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi typically recommends dissolving HA filler at least one month before surgery, although some patients may need to begin earlier depending on the amount and location of filler previously placed. This is one reason early planning is so important for traveling patients.

Hotel, Transportation, and Local Support

Our team can provide recommendations for nearby hotels and local accommodations that are convenient for your surgery and recovery appointments. We can also help guide logistics such as:

Hotel arrangements
Local recovery support
Nursing care coordination
Transportation recommendations
Follow-up appointment scheduling
Recovery services when appropriate
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment scheduling

Traveling patients should plan to stay somewhere comfortable, quiet, and close to the practice so post-operative visits and recovery support are easy to access.

Nursing Care After Surgery

For traveling patients undergoing full face rejuvenation surgery, nursing care is required for the first 24 hours after surgery. This requirement is in place for your safety and comfort.

Our team will assist in arranging nursing care so you have professional support during the most important early stage of recovery. Depending on your surgical plan and recovery needs, additional nursing support may also be discussed.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Recovery Support

To support a smooth recovery, Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi often plans several hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions in our four-person hyperbaric chamber. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may help support wound healing and postoperative recovery by increasing oxygen delivery to healing tissues.

For traveling patients, these sessions also provide structure during the early recovery period. There is also an emotional benefit that many patients do not expect. Because our chamber can accommodate multiple patients, women recovering from surgery often meet others who are on a similar journey.

Many patients find encouragement, comfort, and community in that shared experience. They cheer one another on, exchange reassurance, and feel less alone during the vulnerable early days of healing. At Tansavatdi Facial Plastic Surgery, recovery is not only physical. It is emotional, too.

How Long Should Traveling Patients Stay in Westlake Village?

Patients traveling from another state within the United States should plan to stay in Westlake Village for at least 10 days after surgery. Patients traveling from outside the country are required to stay for at least two weeks. This longer stay allows for more recovery support, closer monitoring, and additional time before a long international flight.

It also helps reduce concerns related to long-distance travel too soon after surgery, including the risk of developing a blood clot during prolonged travel. Your exact stay may vary depending on the procedure performed, your healing progress, and Dr. Tansavatdi’s recommendations.

Follow-Up Care After You Return Home

After you return home, our team will continue to follow your recovery through regular video calls, photo reviews, and communication with the practice. Traveling patients are followed regularly for up to one year after surgery.

These virtual follow-ups allow Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi and her team to monitor your healing, answer questions, review swelling and scar progress, and support you through each stage of recovery. Distance does not end the relationship. We continue walking with you as you heal.

A Requirement for Traveling Patients

Traveling patients must be willing to return to Westlake Village if there are concerns that need to be personally addressed by Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi. This may include concerns related to healing, complications, unexpected swelling, scarring, or the need for refinement. Dr. Tansavatdi takes a great deal of responsibility for her surgical patients.

She does not routinely refer traveling patients to another surgeon for issues related to her surgical work because another surgeon may not have the same understanding of what happened during the procedure or why certain decisions were made. If you choose to travel for surgery, you must be prepared for the possibility that you may need to return for in-person care.

The Tansavatdi Difference for Traveling Patients

Traveling for surgery can feel overwhelming, but our process is designed to help you feel informed, prepared, and supported.

Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi is a double board-certified, fellowship-trained facial plastic surgeon who specializes in the face and neck. Her work is rooted in natural-looking facial rejuvenation, surgical artistry, and the belief that every woman deserves to feel seen, heard, and understood before a surgical decision is made.

For traveling patients, that philosophy becomes even more important. We know you are placing enormous trust in our team. We honor that trust with careful preparation, honest communication, and close follow-up before, during, and after your stay in Westlake Village.

Traveling Patients Frequently Asked Questions

Do traveling patients start with a virtual consultation?

Yes. Most traveling patients begin with a virtual consultation scheduled several months before surgery. During this consultation, Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi will review your concerns, discuss possible recommendations, and provide a starting point for your surgical plan. A quote is then provided based on the recommendations discussed.

Is the virtual consultation my final surgical plan?

No. The virtual consultation provides preliminary recommendations, but the final surgical plan is confirmed in person at least two days before surgery. Dr. Tansavatdi must examine and feel the tissues before finalizing the surgical plan. Recommendations discussed virtually may change after the in-person evaluation.

How far in advance should I plan my trip for surgery?

Most of our traveling patients begin planning their visit at least eight weeks before their target surgery date. This allows ample time for you to have your virtual consultation, arrange travel and accommodations, and complete any required pre-operative testing and paperwork before arriving in Westlake Village.

Can I have my pre-operative lab work done at my local primary care physician?

Yes, if traveling from another state. No, if traveling from internationally. Dr. Tansavatdi’s team will provide you with specific pre-operative requirements well before your surgery date, and these can be communicated directly to your physician to arrange testing or to our local urgent care when traveling from outside of the U.S. Depending on your medical history, you may need to visit a specialist for pre-op imaging or additional clearance.

When should I arrive before surgery if I live in another state?

Patients traveling from another state within the United States should arrive in Westlake Village at least two days before surgery. Medical clearance should be completed with your primary care physician at home within two weeks of surgery.

When should I arrive before surgery if I am traveling internationally?

International patients are encouraged to arrive at least one week before surgery. This allows time for local medical clearance, prescriptions, supplements, preoperative preparation, and final surgical planning before surgery.

How long do I need to stay after surgery?

Patients traveling from another state should plan to stay in Westlake Village for at least 10 days after surgery. International patients are encouraged to stay at least two weeks for additional recovery support and safer timing before long-distance travel.

Do I need nursing care after surgery?

Yes. Traveling patients undergoing full face rejuvenation surgery are required to have nursing care for the first 24 hours after surgery. Our team will assist in arranging this care.

Can your team help with hotels and transportation?

Yes. Our team can provide recommendations for nearby hotels and help guide logistics such as transportation, nursing care, and local recovery support.

Will I have hyperbaric oxygen therapy after surgery?

Many surgical patients are scheduled for several hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions during recovery. These treatments may help support wound healing and postoperative recovery. Patients also often find emotional support through the shared experience of recovering alongside other women in the chamber.

What if I have had a lot of filler in my face?

If you have had significant or recent hyaluronic acid filler, Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi may recommend dissolving it before surgery. HA filler can contribute to prolonged swelling after surgery and may affect surgical planning. Filler is often dissolved at least one month before surgery, though some patients may need to start earlier.

Will I need to come back after surgery?

Possibly. Traveling patients must be willing to return to Westlake Village if there are concerns that need to be addressed in person by Dr. Tansavatdi. Patients who undergo fat grafting should also understand that additional fat grafting or refinement may be recommended three to six months after surgery if more volume replacement is needed.

How will I be followed once I return home?

After you return home, Dr. Tansavatdi and our team will continue to follow your progress through regular video calls, photo reviews, and communication for up to one year after surgery to monitor your healing progress, though you may arrange a return visit for a six-month or one-year post-op appointment. We encourage you to keep our team and Dr. Tansavatdi aware of any urgent matters or concerns after you’ve returned home.

Facial Plastic Surgery in Westlake Village Patients Traveling From Across the Country and Around the World

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Great Care Is Worth the Journey

Our Philosophy for Traveling Patients

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