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Rio de Janeiro and Sugarloaf Mountain at sunset

Photo: Wilfredor, Wikimedia Commons, CC0

🇧🇷  Treatment in Brazil

A destination for cosmetic surgery. The federal councils publish searchable registers of every doctor and dentist, and the government keeps a national register of health establishments.

Last reviewed · official reputable

Not medical advice. Whether a treatment is right for you is a decision to take with a doctor or dentist who has examined you. Talk to your own doctor before you book.

EU rules

No

Currency

BRL

Language

Portuguese

Time zone

UTC−3

Treatments in Brazil: Hair transplant · Dentists: implants and veneers · Weight-loss surgery · Cosmetic surgery · Laser eye and lens surgery

Check a clinic or a doctor in Brazil

Doctors

Federal Council of Medicine: search for doctors (Busca por médicos)

Search by the doctor's name, state (UF) or CRM registration number. Ask the surgeon for their CRM number and state.

Dentists

Federal Council of Dentistry: registered professionals

Search registered dentists, and dental companies (clinics).

Clinics

Ministry of Health: national register of health establishments (CNES)

The government register of health establishments: check that the clinic or hospital is registered (Consultas).

Doctors: Search the surgeon in the Federal Council of Medicine's register (Busca por médicos) with their CRM number and state. Any doctor has a CRM: for plastic surgery, check that the result shows an RQE (specialist registration) in Cirurgia Plástica; for a hair transplant, in Cirurgia Plástica or Dermatologia; for eye surgery, in Oftalmologia; for weight-loss surgery, ask the surgeon which specialist registration covers the operation and check it in the register.

Dentists: Search the dentist in the Federal Council of Dentistry's register (link above).

Rules worth knowing

  • The UK Foreign Office notes that private hospitals will not accept you unless you can show enough money or insurance to cover your treatment.
  • Since 10 April 2025, citizens of Australia, Canada and the United States need a visa to enter Brazil. The e-Visa (online, brazil.vfsevisa.com) is for tourism, business, transit and some other short visits of up to 90 days: ask the Brazilian consulate which visa applies to a trip for medical treatment.
  • A health service in Brazil must hold a current licence from the state or municipal health surveillance (vigilância sanitária), displayed where the public can see it (ANVISA Resolution RDC 63/2011): ask the clinic for it.
  • Weight-loss surgery: The Federal Council of Medicine's Resolution 2.429/2025 sets who can have weight-loss surgery in Brazil: a BMI above 40, or above 35 with related diseases, or 30 to 35 only with listed serious conditions (such as type 2 diabetes or severe sleep apnoea). It must be done in a large hospital able to do high-complexity surgery, with an intensive care unit and a doctor on duty 24 hours. The adjustable gastric band and the Scopinaro operation are listed as not recommended.

Treatments in Brazil

Hair transplant in BrazilOne trip Dental implants and veneers in BrazilOne or two trips, by procedure Weight-loss surgery in BrazilAt least 10 days before flying home Cosmetic surgery in BrazilAt least 7 to 10 days (by procedure) before flying home Laser eye and lens surgery in BrazilUp to 7 days (by procedure) before flying home

Cities where many clinics are

Who licenses the clinics in each city, the regional register where there is one, and the airport. We never rank, review or recommend clinics.

São Paulo Municipality of São Paulo (São Paulo state) · GRU

Official travel advice

Your own government's advice on Brazil: Ireland (DFA) · France (Diplomatie) · Australia (Smartraveller) · New Zealand (SafeTravel) · Germany (Auswärtiges Amt) · Canada (travel.gc.ca) · United States (CDC travel health) · Sweden (UD, Sweden Abroad) · Norway (UD: choose the country) · Austria (BMEIA) · Switzerland (EDA: choose the country) · Denmark (Udenrigsministeriet) · Finland (UM) · Belgium (SPF Affaires étrangères) · Netherlands (Nederland Wereldwijd) · Singapore (MFA)

Sources

Next review due 25 Jan 2027.