A dentist appointment in Medellín (testimonial)

Hello readers!

We have received a great testimonial from one of our clients. We would like to share with you his insights about dentistry services in Medellín Colombia.

"After a brief explanation of the procedure, the doctor first performed a deep tooth cleaning (not mandatory for whitening). Then, the mouth area (lips and surrounding face) received an application of extreme UV protection cream, to avoid coloring. Next, opening my mouth, I received a plastic bracket keeping my mouth wide open while at the same time allowing me to relax more during the procedure. Before starting the procedure, my gum was prepared with a solution to protect it from the chemicals applied to the teeth. The actual whitening substance was applied last to the teeth. For the whitening process, a high energy UV lamp was pointed at the treated teeth, to activate the solution on them. For about 20minutes I received then this "sunbath" for my teeth. After cleaning my mouth of all dental substances later, I only received a fluoride cream on my teeth, to protect the teeth surface. The whole procedure was pain free, and the only recognizable effect afterwards (beside the whitened teeth) were slightly sensitive  teeth during the first subsequent day.

I think, having someone work for about 45min in your mouth is never an desirable experience, however, the doctor was very skillful and very able to relax me, explained each step and so I could fully enjoy the National Geographic movie on the flatscreen above my head (nice equipment for a dentist, distracts you from the actual procedure and lets time pass quicker). The professionalism and very kind doctor let me not really bother about what was happening in my mouth. Strong feeling of trust, anytime again!

I was advised not to have milk products until the next morning (as those could react with the freshly treated and yet sensible teeth surface.

Similarly I should avoid in the first weeks as much as possible colouring food and beverages, such as coffee, red wine, chocolate etc. Acidic food and cold beverages I was recommended to spare for the first 1-2 days, but rather for my own comfort than for damage to be caused.

My Nose Surgery! Jane's Nose Job Diary (Part 2)

Dear Reader,

As we promised, here comes the second part of “Jane's Nose Surgery”.

February 9:  Ten days left until my rhinoplasty!! I am really excited and a little bit nervous.  What a mix of feelings!  I have to control myself and think positive. Since  this is my first surgery, the fear is sometimes overwhelming. I will have my pre-surgery appointment one day before the actual procedure in order to check again the nose as well as the potential surgery plan. My doctor will decide which method he will use (open or closed surgery).

February 19: I am on my way to the Clinic. To my surprise I am very calm. It’s 6:00 a.m. and surgery will be at 7:00 a.m. I will have an open rhinoseptoplasty surgery with general anesthesia …

February 20:  I’m already at home. The surgery went pretty well. It lasted 2 hours and I did have to wait an additional  2 hours to recover from the anesthesia. I didn’t feel any pain and there aren’t any side effects from the anesthesia. My eyes are a little bit swollen and dark and of course my face is also swollen. The doctor used intranasal splints that allow me to breathe through the nose. It is very important to clean the nostrils every hour with a saline nasal spray to remove blood obstructions. The first night is not pleasant at all. I guess the antibiotics and the position (you have to sleep sitting for 2-3 nights) are preventing me to get some good sleep.

I’ve been eating “soft food”; mostly soups and chicken. I drink a lot of orange juice and water. Taking the painkillers and antibiotics as the doctor said.

February 22: I had my first post surgery appointment with the doctor. He took the cane off and checked how things are going. I saw my nose so straight and I am happy with the way it looks.

Do you want to know more about “Jane’s Nose Surgery”? Then stay tuned and come back to read the next article. Our next column will feature Jane’s recovery.

FlyClinic promotes Colombia as a medical travel destination

Colombia's FlyClinic, an exclusively online medical tourism facilitator is utilising its e-home to maximum capacity as it aims to spread its message in quick time around the world.

That message being its capacity to offer top quality services for international medical tourists when choosing Colombia as their number one destination for treatment abroad.

"FlyClinic's philosophy is based on transparency, honesty, and trust," CEO, FlyClinic, Thomas Treutler told MWT.

Read More at:  http://bit.ly/dT7I5O

What to look for in Health Travel? (part 3)

Our readers and followers are well aware of the importance that transparency and honesty of providers are playing in selecting medical or cosmetic services abroad and embarking on medical tourism or health travel. In our third column about "What to look for in Health Travel", we will cover "trust" as the underlying and deciding force, making a decision regarding a medical, dental or cosmetic procedure.


Read the whole article: http://www.squidoo.com/what-to-look-for-in-health-travel-part-3-

My Nose Surgery! Jane's Nose Job Diary

Dear Reader,

Recently I received a “surgery diary” from one of our patients. This is the first article of a series of three, where FlyClinic is publishing excerpts of this diary. We want to thank Jane* for sharing her experience with us.

January 5: Well, there I was in front of the mirror, asking myself: “Should I or Should I not?”. My nose, being the human’s face most distinct feature, has captured the attention of many people who have known me for long time. My nose is “beautiful, don’t get me wrong, it's “ethnic”, it’s “unique”, many have told me. So, Why the surgery? For reasons, that maybe others can't see, my nose does not satisfy me. However, it was not an easy decision. 

Many people don't know or even understand the pressure and the anxiety one experiences when deciding whether to change a part of your body that has been with you for 32 years.  It took me 15 years to make my mind, and even now I have doubts. But hey, "when in doubt, do it", right? Now, here I am, writing my diary to let people know what I felt, how I did it and how I recovered. 


After two years of changes in my personal life, I decided to add more to the pile: “go for the Nose Job!”. This was the last thought that ended my inner battle. After making the decision, I told my parents: “I will get a rhinoplasty”. It was actually great relief for me that they did not discuss, they didn’t try to convince me with the “Inner-Beauty-Speech”, but simply backed me up! I was expecting more reluctance - but it didn’t happened. I took it as the final sign from the universe to go ahead with my plan.


January 12: I contacted two plastic surgeons to set up appointments. Not any Plastic surgeon!!! I did a lot of research and knew exactly what kind of surgeon was the most appropriate for my case. I learned that the only surgeons who are qualified to do a Rhinoplasty are Othorhinolaryngologists specialized in Facial Plastic Surgery and Rhinology. Yes, I did my homework!


January 20: After having met two surgeons, I chose the more experienced one. I don’t have to explain why, right? But, in case you wonder: I think 10 years of experience weighs more than five years.  What did I feel?  What happened in the consultation? What questions did they ask? And more importantly, what questions DID I ASK?  Well, I went with tons of questions. Of course, I already knew possible answers, but still I wanted to hear it from them.


I felt anxious! I felt excited and very curious whether their answers would satisfy me or if they would be able to make me feel safe and relaxed.


First question: “Will it hurt?”  
Straight answer: “No! Usually, what you feel afterwards is like a Cold.” Besides the analgesics, the doctors prescriptions will do the task of keeping you pain-free. 
Second Question: “How would you proceed? Will you make an open or closed procedure?” (For those who don’t know you can check here) 
Answer: The doctor I chose told me that he was going to use the closed procedure, since at first sight my case was not difficult. However, in case something unexpected would occur in the OR and he would have to change the plan, he also explained me the differences between the two. Nevertheless, I understood that at the end the decision is made by the surgeon.

Do you want to know more about Jane’s surgery? Then stay tuned and come back to read the next article.
Next week’s column will feature the surgery and Jane’s recovery.

Other interesting articles:

What is the general health advice for travelers visiting Colombia?

3 Effective Ways to Overcome Your Fear of Surgery

How many times have you heard of people who don’t get a surgical procedure because of their fear of surgery? The very idea of being thrown onto an operation table for a few hours, in an unconscious state during the procedure, is a distressing situation that causes much anxiety and fear in the person who undergoes a surgical procedure. If you are afraid of having a surgery you need or want, here we tell you what to do to combat your fear of surgery and take control. Don’t let the fear stop you!!!

1. Inform yourself
In some cases, anxiety occurs when the patient has no idea of what the surgery entails and is left to imagine what the procedure and the result will be like. So, become as well informed as possible regarding your procedure and post-operative care. But don’t get crazy!  You can find so much information that can confuse you even more. By all means, be educated, but try your hardest not to examine every little complication that could ever happen. It definitely adds to the fear complex.

looking information on procedures? Click here

2. Ask, Ask and Ask your doctors
It is essential to have a space to clear doubts and fears with your surgeon and especially the anesthesiologist in charge of your case. Ask about the risks, the benefits, and what you will experience before, during and after the procedure.
Ask about the anesthesia, its functions, the security that it offers, what are the risks of using it, and the solutions in case problems arise.
Most people are scared to have general anesthesia and of being totally knocked out. But don’ be afraid! While it’s true that all surgeries have a risk of death, some surgeries have a much higher risk than others, resulting in you pondering your own mortality. Therefore, for your sanity: Ask, Ask and Ask.

3. Talk, Talk and Talk about your fear with your doctor and/or friends and family
Share your fears with everyone! Even if you fear the pain of the needle that will deliver the anesthetic or whether or not you will ever wake up, when you share you are channeling energies. You are helping yourself. 
These are just few ideas on how to overcome your fear of surgery. I am sure there are more, but these are in my regard the most valuables. It’s natural to be afraid, what’s not natural is to allow your fear to block you.

Further Interesting Articles
What to look for in health travel. Part 1

Resource Box
Tatiana Lozano
Business Development Analyst
www.flyclinic.com