Facelift in Tijuana: your questions, answered.

Tijuana is one of the most established medical-tourism destinations in the world, with surgeons trained alongside their American, European and South American counterparts. Dr. Gallaga performs every procedure in an accredited surgical facility with a board-certified anesthesiologist, and is a member of both the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and the International Board of Cosmetic Surgery — the same credentialing bodies that govern surgeons in the US.

Most patients stay 7–10 days from arrival, including arrival day for labs, surgery day with one night of hospital observation, and 5–7 days of local recovery for monitoring, drain removal, and the first post-op review with Dr. Gallaga before clearance to travel home.

Hotel and transportation are not included in the package price, but we coordinate both for you at additional cost on request. We work with several nearby hotels (Real Inn, City Express Tijuana Río, Hotel Lucerna, Hotel Real del Río) within walking distance of the clinic, and can arrange driver service from San Diego International Airport or the San Ysidro border.

Initial swelling resolves over 2–3 weeks. The architectural lift is visible within the first month, but the final, refined result takes 3–6 months as the tissues settle and any scarring matures. Most patients are confidently social by week 3 and back to demanding work by week 4–6.

Dr. Gallaga personally remains your point of contact for six months after surgery via WhatsApp. For anything urgent, you can reach him directly. For routine follow-up, we conduct check-ins at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months from your home — and you're always welcome to return to Tijuana for in-person review.

A deposit secures your surgery date. The balance is typically settled before the procedure. We accept bank transfer and major cards. Details, including current options and any financing partners, are confirmed during your virtual consultation with Dr. Gallaga.

Zona Río, where the clinic is located, is Tijuana's modern financial and medical district — home to the city's major hospitals, hotels and consulates. Patients cross at San Ysidro and are at the clinic within 15 minutes. The clinic can coordinate trusted drivers door-to-door.

Choose by credentials, not claims: verify board certification, memberships (American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, International Board of Cosmetic Surgery), case volume, and reviewed results. Dr. Gallaga's credentials, 20,000+ procedure history and Google reviews are all publicly verifiable.

Yes — US citizens need a valid passport (or passport card) to re-enter the United States at San Ysidro. No visa is required for a stay of this length.