Traveling to Scottsdale for Facial Palsy Surgery
A stay planned around your procedure, your recovery, and your journey home
Patients with facial paralysis fly in from across the United States and abroad to see Dr. Nate Jowett. Office procedures under local anesthesia are fly in, fly out. Reconstructive surgery such as smile reanimation needs one to three days in town, often as a hospital admission rather than a hotel stay.
Here for a facelift or neck lift? See the facelift travel guide, which covers the ten to fourteen day stay, recovery resorts, and at-hotel nursing care.
Built for short stays
Phoenix Sky Harbor is a major hub with direct flights from most large cities, about twenty minutes from the office and the hospital. Fly in, be treated, fly home.
Hospital a mile away
Reconstructive surgery takes place at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center, a Level 1 trauma center where Dr. Jowett is on the medical staff. Admission where indicated replaces the hotel for the recovery period.
Follow-up close to home
Facial nerve recovery is measured over months, not days. Patients in Arizona, California, or Texas follow up by secure video; everyone else has follow-up coordinated by our office with their local clinician, so recovery continues without a second trip.
Start Your Evaluation from Home
Records Review, Virtual Consultations & Remote Second Opinions
Before you book a flight, the plan is established remotely. Dr. Jowett reviews your history, prior operative notes, imaging, electrodiagnostic testing, photographs, and short videos of facial movement by secure video. He explains whether the timing favors nerve repair, a nerve transfer, smile reanimation, eyelid surgery, or treatment of synkinesis, whether that procedure is office-based or hospital-based, and how many days to plan in Scottsdale.
- For Patients in AZ, CA & TX: Dr. Jowett is licensed to provide full telehealth medical consultations in Arizona, California, and Texas.
- For All Other Locations: We offer Remote Second Opinions to review your history and discuss surgical possibilities before an in-person visit.
- Referring Clinicians: Neurologists, otolaryngologists, neurosurgeons, and ophthalmologists can send records directly through the referral page.
How Long to Stay in Scottsdale for Facial Nerve Surgery
Facial palsy care is built around short visits. Unlike a facelift, where the first two weeks protect the result, most facial nerve and reconstructive procedures need only a brief stay before recovery continues at home. Your own timeline is confirmed at consultation. Please call the office before booking non-refundable tickets.
Fly in, fly out: office procedures
Some procedures are performed under local anesthesia in our Old Town Scottsdale office, including botulinum toxin for synkinesis and selected eyelid and minor office procedures. Patients fly in, are treated, and fly home the same day or the next morning. No hospital stay and usually no hotel beyond one night.
Reconstructive surgery: one to three days
Nerve transfers, smile reanimation, eyelid reconstruction, and head and neck reconstruction require only a one to three day stay in town. Hotels are often not needed: where admission is indicated, patients are admitted to the hospital for this period and are cleared to fly home at discharge or after a brief office check.
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Before you travel
Records, imaging, photographs, and short videos of facial movement are reviewed remotely: a telehealth consultation for patients located in Arizona, California, or Texas, or a remote second opinion elsewhere. Dr. Jowett explains which procedure fits the pattern and timing of your palsy, whether it is an office procedure or hospital-based surgery, and how many days to plan. Medical clearance and benefit verification are finished before a flight is booked.
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Arrival and the pre-operative visit
Most patients arrive the day before surgery. The in-person consultation and examination take place in the Scottsdale office, the plan is confirmed, and consent is completed. For fly-in, fly-out office procedures this visit and the procedure are often the same morning.
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Surgery day
Office procedures under local anesthesia are done in our Old Town Scottsdale office and you leave the same day. Reconstructive surgery is performed at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center; where admission is indicated, you are admitted to the hospital for the recovery period rather than returning to a hotel.
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Days one to three
Dr. Jowett checks the incisions and, after a nerve or muscle procedure, the early result. Dressings are changed, instructions are reviewed, and most patients are cleared to fly home at this visit. A hotel is needed only when a night in town falls between discharge and the travel check.
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Weeks and months after
Facial nerve recovery unfolds over months, so most follow-up happens after you are home. Dr. Jowett is licensed in Arizona, California, and Texas, so patients located in those states can complete follow-up visits by secure video. For everyone else, our office coordinates follow-up with your local clinician or primary care team close to home, with movement videos shared through the patient portal. Facial retraining is coordinated with a therapist near you. Any staged procedure or later refinement is scheduled as another short visit.
Where to Stay: Hospital, Hotel, or Neither
HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center
About a mile from the office. Hospital-based reconstructive surgery is performed here, and where admission is indicated the one to three day recovery period is spent in the hospital under the care of Dr. Jowett and the nursing team. Many patients go directly from discharge to the airport, so no hotel is booked at all.
When a hotel is needed: close and practical
For a fly-in, fly-out office procedure, or a night between discharge and the travel check, choose a short drive to the office, an elevator or ground-floor entry, and a refrigerator for drops and soft foods. Companions and families staying while a patient is admitted use the same two suite hotels, minutes from both the office and the hospital, and we hold a negotiated medical rate at one of them.
Extended Stay America, Scottsdale Old Town
Minutes from the office and the hospital, with fully equipped kitchens and on-site laundry. Practical for families and for the occasional longer stay.
Medical Rate: We have a negotiated medical discount with this location. Please ask our Patient Care Coordinator for details before booking.
View Hotel WebsiteHyatt House Scottsdale/Old Town
Residential-style suites with full kitchens and separate living areas, so a companion or family can come and go without disturbing your rest.
View Hotel WebsiteRecovering at a Scottsdale resort
A short stay does not have to be a spartan one. Many facial palsy patients and their families choose a resort for the nights around surgery, for a companion while a patient is admitted, or to turn the visit into a family trip once Dr. Jowett clears travel. Scottsdale has one of the deepest collections of luxury resorts in the country, and several sit within a few minutes of the office and the hospital. When you book, ask for a casita or ground-floor room, a refrigerator for drops and soft foods, a quiet location away from the pool, and late checkout on the day of your travel check. In-room dining covers the first days.
Camelback corridor and Paradise Valley
Five to fifteen minutes from the office. Large, private grounds, casitas, and in-room dining. The closest resort option for the first week.
About 10 minutes
The Phoenician
A large private campus at the base of Camelback Mountain, with casitas, in-room dining, and room to walk outside without an audience.
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About 10 minutes
Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia
Andalusian courtyards and Camelback views in Paradise Valley. Ask for a quiet room away from the pool for the first nights.
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About 15 minutes
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain
Casitas on the mountain with in-room dining. A quiet casita is the better choice than a pool-adjacent room for the first week.
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About 12 minutes
JW Marriott Camelback Inn
Adobe casitas on a large, private campus between Camelback and Mummy Mountain. Ground-floor rooms make the first days simpler.
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About 8 minutes
Royal Palms Resort and Spa
A smaller Mediterranean property with private courtyards. Close to the office and well suited to a quiet first week.
View resortOld Town Scottsdale
Walkable to the office. Best for companions who want restaurants and galleries nearby. Ask for a quiet room away from the pool.
Walkable
Hotel Valley Ho
A mid-century Old Town hotel a short walk from the office. Request a quiet room away from the pool and nightlife.
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A few minutes
The Scott Resort & Spa
Gardens, suites, and a spa in Old Town. Companions can walk to dinner while you rest.
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A few minutes
Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows
Mid-century bungalows with private patios. Close to Old Town restaurants and galleries, with more privacy than a high-rise room.
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Walkable
W Scottsdale
An in-town hotel on the Old Town waterfront. Better for companions who want restaurants at the door than for a very quiet first night.
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Walkable
Canopy by Hilton Scottsdale Old Town
A newer Old Town hotel within walking distance of galleries, dinner, and the office. Ask for a high, quiet room.
View resortNorth Scottsdale
About twenty-five to thirty-five minutes from the office. Destination resorts with golf and desert views. A better fit for the second week, or for family who stay on after you fly home.
About 25 minutes
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
A large destination resort with casitas and in-room dining. Better once daily office visits are less frequent.
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About 30 minutes
Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North
Desert views and a quieter campus in the foothills. A second-week stay, not a first-week base.
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About 35 minutes
The Boulders Resort & Spa
Casitas among granite boulders in Carefree. A destination stay once you no longer need to be minutes from the office.
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About 25 minutes
Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort
A renovated Gainey Ranch resort with room to spread out. Useful for family who remain in Scottsdale after your travel check.
View resortThese are well-known properties our patients have used. Revitalis has no financial relationship with them. Rates run highest from January through April and lowest in summer.
Northern Arizona is a short drive. Companions can take a day trip to Sedona or the Grand Canyon while a patient is admitted, and patients can join once Dr. Jowett clears them; the facelift travel guide lists the routes, drive times, and dining between appointments.
Traveler's Map
Everything you need is close together. Our office, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, the recommended hotels, and HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center are all within minutes of each other.
Dr. Jowett's Office (7600 E Camelback Rd, Ste 7)
Drive from PHXInsurance, Records & Documentation Before You Travel
Benefits verified before dates are set
Facial nerve reconstruction is medical care, and whether a specific procedure is covered depends on your plan and diagnosis. Our team verifies benefits and any prior authorization before travel dates are confirmed so there are no surprises at the hospital. Accepted plans and out-of-network guidance and financing.
What to send ahead
Prior operative reports, imaging on disc or by secure transfer, electrodiagnostic results, and a short video of you attempting to smile, close your eyes, and raise your brows. Sending these first is what lets the in-person visit and the procedure fall on consecutive days.
Letters for employers, schools, and airlines
Once a date is reserved we provide a letter stating the scheduled treatment and the expected length of stay, useful for work or school absence and for changeable-fare requests.
Coming from outside the United States
Medical visitor visa letters, customs documentation for medications, and the international concierge process are covered on the international patients page.
Protecting the Eye in the Desert
Scottsdale's dry air, bright sun, and constant air conditioning all increase tear evaporation. If your eye does not close fully, pack lubricating drops and night-time ointment in your carry-on, wear wraparound sunglasses outdoors, and keep using any moisture chamber or taping routine you were given. Dr. Jowett reviews eye protection at the pre-operative visit and adjusts it after eyelid or nerve surgery.
A red, painful, or suddenly blurry eye is never something to wait on. Call the after-hours number you were given; the office and the hospital are a mile apart.
Essential Travel Logistics
Common questions
Questions Traveling Facial Palsy Patients Ask
Which facial palsy procedures are fly in, fly out?
Procedures performed under local anesthesia in the office, such as botulinum toxin for synkinesis and selected eyelid and minor office procedures, do not require an overnight stay. Patients fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor, are treated in the Old Town Scottsdale office, and fly home the same day or the next morning. Dr. Jowett confirms at consultation whether your procedure fits this pattern.
How long do I need to stay in Scottsdale after facial nerve or smile reanimation surgery?
Most reconstructive procedures, including nerve transfers, smile reanimation, eyelid reconstruction, and head and neck reconstruction, need only one to three days in town. Dr. Jowett sees you before you fly and clears travel once the incisions and early result are checked. Follow-up after that is by secure video for patients located in Arizona, California, or Texas, and is coordinated with your local clinician everywhere else.
Do I need a hotel if I am admitted to the hospital?
Often not. Where admission is indicated, patients are admitted to HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center for the one to three day recovery period and many travel home directly from discharge. A hotel is only needed when a night in town falls between discharge and the final travel check, or for a companion who prefers to stay nearby.
How is follow-up handled if I live in another state or country?
It depends on where you live. Dr. Jowett is licensed in Arizona, California, and Texas, so patients located in those states can complete follow-up visits by secure video. For everyone else, our office coordinates follow-up with your local clinician or primary care team close to home, sharing the visit schedule and any photographs or movement videos you send through the patient portal. Facial retraining is likewise coordinated with a therapist near your home.
Can my child travel to Scottsdale for facial palsy surgery?
Yes. Revitalis treats facial palsy in children and adults, including congenital and Moebius-related weakness. Children travel with a parent or guardian, the schedule is built around school and family dates, and the short stay means most families need only a suite hotel near the office and the hospital rather than a rental car or a resort.
Can the consultation happen before I book a flight?
Yes. The plan is established remotely first. Records, imaging, photographs, and videos are reviewed remotely, by telehealth consultation for patients located in Arizona, California, or Texas and by remote second opinion elsewhere, so you know which procedure is proposed, whether it is office-based or hospital-based, and how many days to plan before you commit to travel. The formal in-person examination takes place in Scottsdale the day before or the morning of the procedure.
Answers are general and individualized at consultation.
Plan the treatment itself
Plan the trip and the surgery together.
Our Patient Care Coordinator matches your itinerary to your surgical plan, from the records review at home to the day you are cleared to fly.