Op. Dr. Melihcan Sezgiç, MD

Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery

Op. Dr. Melihcan Sezgiç graduated from Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine and received his MD in 2011.
He completed his residency in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery at Ankara University.

Op. Dr. Melihcan Sezgiç has obtained his microsurgery certificate at Columbia University, USA in 2016. He was at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Surgery for the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Service in 2017 and made observations about reconstructive surgery and breast reconstruction. Also, he has visited NYU Langone Health, The Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery department in 2019 and participated in the observership programme.

He has a number of publications in the SCI Index that include many international and national experimental research, book chapters and case reports. Additionally, Op. Dr. Melihcan Sezgiç presented in a number of international and national congresses. His publications have been cited in numerous works.
Currently he sees patients in private practice in Istanbul, in the Şişli/Teşvikiye area.

The Clinic Setting

In a private clinic, the work starts earlier than the operation day. Most decisions can be made during the initial consultation. Once Op. Dr. Melihcan Sezgiç has examined the patient and assessed their skin structure and expectations, he can determine whether these expectations are realistic and can be achieved in practice. Each patient receives a detailed consultation in which all the pros and cons are weighed up and the patient is informed about the risks.

After that, the decision is up to the patients.
Photos, measurements, and skin quality matter. Prior operations matter. Scars matter.

If a patient is coming after an unsuccessful procedure elsewhere, the conversation is different:
less about a “perfect” result, more about correcting what is possible without creating new damage.
Follow-up is part of the system. Swelling, bruising, scar maturation, and asymmetry changes are normal stages. The plan has to account for that from day one.

Aesthetic Surgery

This isn’t one category. It is a long list of small, separate problems that require different thinking.

Some patients come with a concrete request: a nose that distracts in profile, eyelids that look heavy in photos, a breast shape that doesn’t match the body, or body contouring after weight loss.

Others arrive with a general discomfort – “I look tired,” “my face changed,” “my body doesn’t fit how I feel” – and the job is to translate that into something that can be treated.

In practice, the boundaries decide the quality of the result. Tissue has limits. Skin has limits. A change that looks dramatic in week two can look artificial in year two. Planning is therefore conservative where it needs to be: keep proportions, respect anatomy, and avoid chasing trends that age badly.

Reconstructive Plastic Surgery

Reconstructive surgery is often quieter work, but it is where plastic surgery becomes most clearly “medical.”
The main focus is often not on aesthetics, but rather on restoring the form that was lost due to severe trauma, for example, breast reconstruction after a mastectomy due to cancer, the treatment of scars that can arise from various causes, or the treatment of tissue problems that restrict the patient’s movement in everyday life.

The decisive points and factors here are less subjective and more medically determined and bound by specified criteria. However, Op. Dr. Melihcan Sezgiç always takes the patient’s wishes into account, as long as they are compatible with the medical circumstances.
The question becomes: does it heal reliably, does it work, does it hold up.

This reconstructive mindset tends to influence aesthetic work as well. Experienced surgeons such as Op. Dr. Melihcan Sezgiç are accustomed to protecting the blood supply and preserving tissue during surgery. They are naturally prepared for any complications and have a carefully planned complication management strategy in place. As a result, even very demanding procedures, which undoubtedly include reconstructive surgery, usually proceed smoothly and without difficulty for the patient.

Skin Regeneration: Stem Cells & Exosomes

In his practice, Op. Dr. Melihcan Sezgiç also offers approaches to skin regeneration using stem cells and exosome treatments.
Many patients turn to him seeking skin rejuvenation.

In addition to various other treatments, exosomes and stem cells offer a promising approach. The quality of the skin is improved, collagen production is supported, and the skin takes on a younger, more radiant appearance. The patient’s own stem cells are often used, which can be obtained through a small liposuction procedure. The fat is then filtered in a special centrifuge and the stem cells are extracted. These are then injected into the patient’s face or scalp.
This treatment, also called SVF, is non-invasive, can be completed within a few hours, and does not require hospitalization.
For these reasons, it is preferred by many patients.

This is not the “replacement” of surgery. It is a different toolset. Some patients benefit from regenerative support and never need an operation. Others use it as part of a broader plan. The important part is indication and patient selection.

International Training & Microsurgery

Op. Dr. Melihcan Sezgiç spent time in US institutions through training and observership periods, including microsurgery training at Columbia University, and observership experiences at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and NYU Langone Health.
There he was trained in structured planning, strict tissue handling, and respect for complications. That is the kind of discipline that shows up later in everyday decision-making.

Continuing Education in Regenerative Medicine

In addition to his surgical training, Op. Dr. Melihcan Sezgiç remains actively involved in ongoing medical education in the field of regenerative medicine, with a particular focus on exosomes and stem cell–based approaches for skin and tissue quality. He regularly attends advanced workshops and scientific trainings, and is also frequently invited to speak and share clinical experience with other physicians in professional training settings.

When Surgery Is Needed

Patients come to the clinic for the first visit and for the check-ups afterwards. If surgery is necessary, it will be performed at one of our partner hospitals in Istanbul.
Depending on the patient’s condition and the severity of the procedure, we will select and determine the most suitable hospital. Op. Dr. Melihcan Sezgiç has been working with these hospitals for many years and is very familiar with the conditions there.

Treatment Approach

Plastic surgery attracts quick decisions. Patients often want a fast yes or no.

Real work is slower than that. Examine first. Plan next. Explain limits early. Decide whether the safest option is non-surgical support, a staged approach, or a single operation. Then follow the healing process until the result stabilizes.

Some patients arrive ready for surgery. Others simply want to know what is possible. Either way, the start is the same: take the case from the beginning, make the plan specific, and avoid promises that reality cannot support.

Academic Work & Publications

Dr. Sezgiç has academic output such as research articles, book chapters, and case reports, listed as being published in indexed journals.

National

Ozden NS, Aydinli Y, Sezgic M, Kaygusuz G, Kaya B. Yüz Yerleşimli Nodüler Fasiit Olgusu. Ankara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Mecmuası 2019;72(1):114-117
Tatar BE, Gelbal C, Sezgiç M, Karakol P, Uslu C, Kabul S. Nadir Bir Olgu: Aksiller Bölgede Malign Granüler Hücreli Tümör. Bagcilar Med Bull 2019;4:106-109.
Karakol P, Tatar BE, Uslu C, Sezgic M. A rare cause of unclosed abdominal wall wound: Swallowed suture needles. Turk J Plast Surg 2020;28:185-7
Sezgic M , Karakol P . TEK TARAFLI İZOLE KONJENİTAL ALT LATERAL KIKIRDAK TOTAL YOKLUĞU OLGUSU. Journal of Istanbul Faculty of Medicine. 2020; 45-44.
Sezgic M, Serel S. Poli-l-laktik asit bileşenli dermal dolgunun tendon iyileşmesi üzerine etkisi. TJCL. Mart 2025;16(1):140-149. doi:10.18663/tjcl.1591774

International

Sezgic M, Aydinli Y, Serel S. Small Cell Lung Cancer Presenting as a Benign Subcutaneous Mass on the Frontotemporal Region. JCR [serial online] 2019[cited 2019 Dec 1];9:170-173. Available from: http://www.casereports.in/articles/9/3/Small-Cell-Lung-Cancer-Presenting-as-a-Benign-Subcutaneous-Mass-on-the-Frontotemporal-Region.html
Bayram Y, Sezgic M, Karakol P, Bozkurt M, Filinte GT. The use of autologous fat grafts in breast surgery: A literature review. Arch Plast Surg. 2019;46(6):498–510. doi:10.5999/aps.2019.00416
Karakol P, Sezgic M, Tatar BE, Gelbal C, Uslu C. The use of dorsoradial forearm flap for the treatment of dorsal hand defect. J Surg Case Rep. 2020;2020(7):rjaa153. Published 2020 Jul 14. doi:10.1093/jscr/rjaa153
Karakol P, Sezgic M. “Early lipogranuloma formation after foreign material injection to the face”. Journal of Surgery and Medicine 4 (2020 ): 842-844
Karakol P, Sezgic M, Bozkurt M. A Complicated Cardiac Pacemaker Case Resulting In Mastectomy andDeath In Consequence Of Covid-19 Infection. IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences (IOSR-JDMS)e-ISSN: 2279-0853, p-ISSN: 2279-0861.Volume 19, Issue 11 Ser.8 (November. 2020)
Bozkurt, M., Tatar, B.E., Karakol, P., Sezgic M., Uslu C., Gelbal C. Matriderm and platelet-rich plasma combination in the treatment of recurrent carpal tunnel syndrome: a new approach. Eur J Plast Surg (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-021-01863-9
Karakol P., Sezgic M., Altinel Y., Bozkurt M. The Therapeutic Effect of Platelet-Rich Fibrin, Curcumin and Ozone Among Oral Wound Healing Process. International Journal of Basic and Clinical Studies (IJBCS). 2021; 10(1): 16-27

Chapters in Books

Bozkurt M, Sezgic M, Karakol P, Uslu C, Balikci T. Antioxidants, The Effect of Antioxidants on Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Flap Surgery.
By Submitted: September 26th 2018. Reviewed: February 27th 2019. Published: July 19th 2019. DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.85500

Sezgic M, Gültan SM. Meme küçültmenin tarihçesi. Savacı N, editör. Meme Küçültme. 1. Baskı. Ankara: Türkiye Klinikleri; 2021. p.13-8.

Bozkurt M, Sezgic M, Karakol P. Yanık Skarlarının Fizyopatolojisi. Yanık – Medikal ve Cerrahi Tedavi Uygulamaları ve Bakım Yönetimi. 1.Baskı. Antalya: Nobel Kitabevi; 2022.p.473

Sezgic M, Karakol P, Bozkurt M. Mikrovasküler Teknik ve Kompozit Doku Transferi. Yanık – Medikal ve Cerrahi Tedavi Uygulamaları ve Bakım Yönetimi. 1.Baskı. Antalya: Nobel Kitabevi; 2022.p.527

Karakol P, Sezgic M, Bozkurt M. Baş-Boyun Rekonstrüksiyonu. Yanık – Medikal ve Cerrahi Tedavi Uygulamaları ve Bakım Yönetimi. 1.Baskı. Antalya: Nobel Kitabevi; 2022.p.535

Sezgic, M., Karakol, P. (2023). Vaginoplasty and Perineoplasty. In: Gomes-Ferreira, M., Olivas-Menayo, J. (eds) Post-maternity Body Changes. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43840-1_35