Belgium occupies a unique position in the global plastic surgery landscape. It is not a high-volume, low-cost destination. It is a precision destination, home to surgeons whose technical innovations have shaped how facelift and facial rejuvenation surgery is practiced across the world. Patrick Tonnard MD PhD, based in Ghent, is the most prominent example. He co-invented the MACS facelift technique, which has been adopted by plastic surgeons in over 60 countries and is now considered one of the standard approaches to facial rejuvenation surgery globally. This guide covers his practice in detail, reviewed by the Medical Tourism Association for physician credentials, facility standards, and international patient services.
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Why Belgium for Plastic Surgery
Belgium is not a destination patients choose because it is the cheapest option. They choose it because it offers access to surgeons whose credentials, research output, and technical innovation place them among the most qualified practitioners in the world, at costs that are still 40 to 60% lower than equivalent care in the United States.
Belgian surgeons trained in the European tradition place a strong emphasis on natural results, anatomical precision, and minimal visible scarring. This philosophical orientation is particularly evident in facial surgery, where the Belgian school favors approaches that restore and preserve rather than dramatically alter. For patients seeking facelift, eyelid surgery, or facial rejuvenation who want results that look like a well-rested, younger version of themselves rather than a surgically altered face, the Belgian approach is consistently described by international patients as matching that expectation.
Ghent and Brussels are among Europe's most internationally connected cities. Ghent is 30 minutes by train from Brussels Airport, which serves direct flights from London City, London Heathrow, Manchester, New York, and major European capitals. For UK patients, Belgium is a 2-hour journey by train through the Channel Tunnel, making it one of the most accessible international surgical destinations available. US patients typically fly direct to Brussels in 7 to 8 hours from the East Coast.
Belgium's healthcare regulatory framework is governed by the Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP) and the Order of Physicians, which maintains the national register of certified medical specialists. Every practicing plastic surgeon in Belgium holds a specialty certificate issued by this system, and patients can verify credentials directly through the national register.
How Much Does Plastic Surgery Cost in Belgium
Belgium is positioned at the premium end of European plastic surgery pricing, reflecting the caliber of surgeons and the depth of hospital infrastructure. The following cost ranges are industry-wide averages for guidance.
- Facelift (MACS or standard): Belgium $8,000 to $15,000 versus US comparison of $15,000 to $35,000
- Blepharoplasty (upper and lower eyelid): Belgium $3,500 to $7,000 versus US comparison of $5,000 to $12,000
- Rhinoplasty: Belgium $6,000 to $12,000 versus US comparison of $8,000 to $20,000
- Neck Lift: Belgium $5,000 to $10,000 versus US comparison of $8,000 to $18,000
- Brow Lift: Belgium $4,000 to $8,000 versus US comparison of $6,000 to $14,000
- Breast Augmentation: Belgium $6,000 to $12,000 versus US comparison of $8,000 to $18,000
- Rhinoplasty Revision: Belgium $7,000 to $14,000 versus US comparison of $12,000 to $30,000
Cost estimates are based on industry averages and vary significantly by surgeon experience, procedure complexity, and anesthesia and facility fees. Always request a fully itemized quote. Surgeons of international distinction command fees at the upper range of these estimates.
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Patrick Tonnard MD PhD - MTA Verified
Patrick Tonnard MD PhD is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon based at his private practice in Ghent, Belgium. He is a full professor of plastic surgery at Ghent University Hospital and one of the most internationally cited plastic surgeons in the academic literature. His work on the MACS facelift, co-developed with Dr. Alexis Verpaele, has been published in the world's leading plastic surgery journals, presented at international congresses across five continents, and adopted as a standard technique in the practices of surgeons in more than 60 countries.
The MACS facelift, which stands for Minimal Access Cranial Suspension, is the procedure that put Belgium on the international plastic surgery map. It was developed as a more targeted, less invasive alternative to traditional facelift techniques, using purse-string sutures placed through a short incision to suspend and reposition facial tissue with less trauma and a faster recovery than traditional approaches. The technique produces results that are consistently described as natural-looking and long-lasting, which is precisely the profile sought by the international patients who travel to Ghent specifically to be treated by the surgeon who developed it.
Dr. Tonnard holds a PhD from Ghent University and has co-authored several textbooks on facial rejuvenation that are standard references in plastic surgery training programs worldwide. His academic credentials are as distinguished as his clinical reputation, which is an unusual combination in any medical specialty. For patients who want to be treated by the surgeon who actually invented and refines the technique they are seeking, rather than a surgeon who learned it from that person, Dr. Tonnard's practice is the defining option.
The practice's international patient coordinator manages patients from the UK, United States, Middle East, and across Europe. Initial consultations are available remotely for international patients, allowing a detailed discussion of goals, technique selection, and surgical planning before patients commit to travel.
Location: Ghent, Belgium
University Affiliation: Full Professor, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ghent University Hospital
Procedures: MACS Facelift, Standard Facelift, Neck Lift, Blepharoplasty (upper and lower eyelid surgery), Brow Lift, Rhinoplasty, Rhinoplasty Revision, Breast Augmentation, Breast Reduction, Breast Lift, Body Contouring, Reconstructive Surgery
Clinical Distinction: Co-inventor of the MACS facelift technique, adopted in 60+ countries
Languages: English, Dutch, French
International Services: Remote pre-operative consultation, international patient coordinator, post-operative documentation for home physician
Research Output: Author of peer-reviewed publications in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, and multiple surgical textbooks
Estimated Cost:
MACS Facelift: $9,000 to $15,000 | Blepharoplasty: $4,000 to $7,000 | Rhinoplasty: $7,000 to $12,000
Best for: Patients seeking facelift, eyelid surgery, or facial rejuvenation at the highest technical level available globally. Dr. Tonnard's practice attracts patients from across the UK, United States, and Middle East who have done serious research into facial surgery and want to be treated by the surgeon whose published work they have read and whose technique their own country's surgeons studied. This is not a choice driven by price. It is a choice driven by the recognition that access to the originator of a surgical technique represents a level of expertise that cannot be replicated anywhere else.
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What the MACS Facelift Is and Why It Matters
Understanding what distinguishes the MACS facelift from traditional facelift approaches is useful context for patients considering facial rejuvenation surgery.
A traditional facelift (rhytidectomy) involves longer incisions, more extensive tissue dissection, and a longer recovery period. It can produce excellent results in experienced hands but the procedure is more invasive and the recovery more demanding. The MACS facelift uses shorter incisions placed within the natural creases of the face, with internal sutures that suspend facial tissue upward and inward rather than simply pulling skin. The result is a more three-dimensional restoration of facial volume and contour with less visible scarring and a recovery that most patients describe as significantly less disruptive than traditional facelift surgery.
The technique is particularly well suited to patients who want to address jowling, loss of facial definition, and early neck laxity without undergoing a more extensive surgical procedure. It can also be combined with blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) or brow lifting as part of a comprehensive facial rejuvenation approach.
Patients considering facelift surgery who want to understand exactly how the MACS technique compares to alternatives in their specific case should raise this directly in the pre-operative consultation with Dr. Tonnard's team.
Planning Your Plastic Surgery Trip to Belgium
How many trips will you need
Most international patients at Dr. Tonnard's practice complete the consultation, procedure, and initial post-operative period in a single trip. Remote pre-operative consultation by video is available, which means in-person visits can be limited to the surgical trip itself. A typical visit for facelift surgery runs 7 to 10 days, covering the day before surgery, the procedure, overnight stay if required, and the first days of post-operative monitoring before patients are cleared to fly home. Dr. Tonnard's team provides a specific timeline recommendation for each patient's procedure at the consultation stage.
Getting there
Brussels Airport (BRU) serves direct flights from London City Airport (1 hour), London Heathrow, Manchester, New York, and major European cities. Ghent is 30 minutes from Brussels by direct train. Alternatively, UK patients can travel by Eurostar train from London St Pancras to Brussels in 2 hours, with a train connection to Ghent from Brussels Midi station in 30 minutes. This makes Belgium one of the most accessible international surgical destinations from the United Kingdom without requiring any flying.
Regulatory and credential verification
Belgium's national physician register is publicly accessible and allows patients to verify any surgeon's specialty certification independently. Dr. Tonnard's Ghent University Hospital affiliation and academic publications are publicly verifiable through the university's research portal and PubMed. Patients are encouraged to verify credentials independently before any surgical commitment.
How to Choose a Plastic Surgeon in Belgium
- Verify specialty certification through Belgium's Order of Physicians national register before committing to any surgeon
- Ask about your surgeon's specific training in your procedure of interest and their published case volume for that procedure
- Request before and after photographs specifically for your procedure type and your age group
- Confirm the facility where your surgery will be performed and whether it holds institutional accreditation
- Ask for a fully itemized quote covering surgeon fee, anesthesiologist fee, facility fee, post-operative garments, and any planned follow-up consultations
- Confirm that post-operative documentation will be provided in English for your home physician
- Use an MTA Verified provider. Patrick Tonnard MD PhD has been reviewed by the Medical Tourism Association for physician credentials, facility standards, and international patient services. Connect through Better by MTA.
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By Jonathan Edelheit, CEO and Co-Founder, Medical Tourism Association. Last updated May 2026.
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