How to choose a surgeon
in Medellin, not just a clinic

Guides · noon Clinic team · Updated October 9, 2026

Search how to choose a plastic surgeon in Medellin and you mostly get two things: polished before-and-after reels and clinics calling themselves "the best" without saying why. Neither tells you whether the person who'd actually operate on you holds a real plastic surgery specialty. That's not something a filtered photo can answer. It's something you can check, with a name and a few minutes, before you book a flight.

What matters first, and it isn't the clinic's logo

In Colombia, becoming a plastic surgeon requires a medical degree followed by a formal specialization in plastic, aesthetic and reconstructive surgery through a university program approved by the Colombian government. That specialty then gets registered with a national health authority. It's not a nice-to-have credential. It's the line between a surgeon and someone who picked up a technique in a weekend course.

How to choose a plastic surgeon in Medellin, in practice

You don't need a law degree or a medical one for this. You need the surgeon's full name and a little patience before you decide.

• Ask for the surgeon's full legal name, not just the clinic's brand. With that, you can look them up in RETHUS and confirm the plastic surgery specialty is actually registered to them, not just implied by a title on a website.
• Check whether they're listed with the SCCP (Sociedad Colombiana de Cirugía Plástica), the country's professional association for plastic surgeons. It's a useful signal of peer standing, but the SCCP itself is clear that it's a private group, not a state certifier, so it doesn't replace RETHUS.
• Confirm the facility where they operate is registered in REPS, Colombia's registry of licensed healthcare facilities. A well-credentialed surgeon can still operate somewhere that shouldn't be doing surgery.
• Ask who actually examines you at your consultation. If the answer isn't, by name, the same person who signs your informed consent and operates, keep asking.

Talk to the person who'll operate, not just the one selling you on it

It's normal for a clinic to have a coordinator who handles scheduling, answers WhatsApp messages and walks you through logistics while you're still deciding. That part's fine. The problem is when that same person is effectively the one "clearing" you for surgery, without the surgeon ever examining you.

At noon, our two specialists are Dr. Fernando Ruiz, plastic surgeon, and Dr. Valeria Enciso, aesthetic physician. WhatsApp (+57 302 2491937) is where we gather your information and set a date, but the actual consultation always happens in person, in Medellín, with the specialist who'd treat you, not with a coordinator. If your pre-op labs aren't clear, the procedure gets postponed. No exceptions, even if that means moving your flight.

Questions worth asking at the consultation

These apply at noon or at any clinic in Medellin you're weighing. If one of these makes someone uncomfortable, that's an answer too.

• What's your specialty registration, and where did you train?
• Where exactly do you operate, and is that facility licensed for surgery?
• Who examines me at the consultation: you, or someone from the sales team?
• What happens if my pre-op labs come back abnormal?
• Who handles it if something doesn't go as expected, in Colombia or once I'm back home?

What this checklist can't do for you

Verifying a registration tells you the surgeon is who they claim to be. It doesn't tell you they're the right surgeon for your specific case, and that only gets answered in person, looking at your history and your labs, not on a web form or a five-minute call. If anything you read here, or anywhere else, doesn't match what you're being told over WhatsApp, ask again before you buy the ticket, not after.

That's worth doing even once you've decided on Medellín: it's worth reading whether it's safe to get plastic surgery in Colombia and getting to know noon's specialists (in Spanish) before you message us. If you already know which procedure you want, here's how US residents typically plan a trip like this. And if one specific question about a specific surgeon is still bothering you, ask us on WhatsApp before you book, not after.

This guide is for information only and does not replace a medical consultation. Your specialist decides, in person, whether a procedure is right for you, your recovery time and when you can fly home. Every procedure carries risks and results vary from person to person.