The documents you take home after a facelift at RNWOOD: precaution letter, fit-to-fly letter and medical report

International patients leave RNWOOD Plastic Surgery in Seoul with written documents including post-operative precautions, and a goodie bag with products to help with recovery (scar gel, bruise cream, massage device). They are part of the clinic's aftercare, and each has a different purpose. This page explains the three.

1. Post-operative precaution letter

This letter sets out the precautions to follow after surgery. It is part of the aftercare the clinic lists, alongside hyperbaric oxygen therapy and Healite LED therapy from day 1 to day 7, shampoo services on days 1, 3 and 5, and a WhatsApp group chat.

Keep it with you on the journey home and afterwards. The aftercare period can bring swelling, bruising, pain, tightness and numbness, and recovery speed differs between individuals.

2. Immigration letter (fit-to-fly letter)

You do not fly home until the clinical team confirms you are fit to travel. When they do, the clinic issues an immigration letter, also called a fit-to-fly letter. For a deep plane facelift, RNWOOD generally recommends a stay of about 7 to 10 days in Seoul; the letter is issued when the team is satisfied, not on a fixed day.

Keep the letter with your travel documents.

3. Medical report (on request)

A medical report is provided upon request. If you expect to see a doctor in your own country, or want a record of the operation for your files, ask for it before you leave Seoul.

How the documents connect with follow-up

The documents travel with you, and contact continues through the WhatsApp group chat, which the clinic uses for scheduling the next appointment, emergencies, questions after recovery and follow-up. The consultants forward patients' concerns or questions to Dr. Ryu, and his response is relayed to patients.

If you have severe pain, rapid swelling, fever, a change in vision, or a wound that opens or drains, contact the clinical team straight away using the contact details you were given.

Before you arrive: the visa invitation letter

One more document can come before the operation rather than after it. A visa invitation letter is provided on request. Check the entry requirements for your nationality.

Questions and answers

Q1) Does RNWOOD give a fit-to-fly letter?

A1) Yes. An immigration letter, also called a fit-to-fly letter, is issued once the clinical team confirms you are fit to travel.

Q2) Do I get a medical report automatically?

A2) A medical report is provided on request. Ask before you leave Seoul.

Q3) What happens if I have a problem after I return home?

A3) Contact the clinical team through the details you were given; follow-up continues through the WhatsApp group chat.

About the Author

Dr. Min-Hee Ryu is the Medical Director and Founder of RNWOOD Plastic Surgery in Seoul and a plastic surgery specialist certified in Korea (2008). He has been Faculty of the Mendelson Advanced Facial Anatomy Course (MAFAC) since 2016, an Editorial Board Member of the Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Journal since 2019, and an Educational Council Member of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) since 2024.

Deep Plane Facelift — Deep plane facelift involves extensive dissection beneath facial tissues. Risks include anesthesia reactions, bleeding, hematoma, infection, seroma, delayed healing, wound separation, persistent pain, and visible scars. Swelling, bruising, tightness, and numbness can last for months, and hair loss or distortion of the hairline or ear position can occur. Poor blood supply can cause skin loss or tissue death. Nerve injury can cause temporary or permanent weakness, an altered smile, or numbness, and injury to the parotid gland or salivary duct can cause salivary leakage. A postoperative hematoma can require urgent drainage or another operation. General risks include thrombosis or embolism, and a complication can require emergency treatment or additional surgery. No result, symmetry, scar quality, or duration can be guaranteed, and sagging can recur. Post-operative Care — Swelling, bruising, pain, tightness, and numbness can continue during the postoperative care period, and recovery speed differs between individuals. If you have severe pain, rapid swelling, fever, a change in vision, or a wound that opens or drains, contact the clinical team right away using the contact details you were given.