1At a glance
- Procedure time
- About 1 hour
- Anaesthesia
- Local anaesthetic as a day procedure (general anaesthesia if combined with a facelift)
- Going home
- Home the same day
- Garment / dressing
- Compression garment on the donor area for 1–2 weeks
- Stitches
- Tiny stitches at the donor site, removed at days 5–7; only tiny entry dots on the face
- Back to work
- 7–10 days
- Exercise
- Walking from day 1; gym after 2–3 weeks
How the procedure works
- Fat is taken by gentle liposuction from an area where you have some to spare — usually from around the belly button or from around the knees — through a few tiny openings.
- The fat is cleaned and purified, then injected in tiny amounts through fine cannulas into the areas we planned together.
- Part of the fat is naturally absorbed in the first weeks, so we graft a little extra. The fat that is still there at around 3 months is permanent.
- It can be done together with a facelift, or on its own as a day procedure under local anaesthetic. Some patients choose a second, smaller session for the best result.
2Before your surgery
Specific to this procedure
- Keep your weight stable before and after — grafted fat behaves like the fat it came from, so big weight changes change the result.
- Stop retinol and other active skincare on the face 1 week before.
- Tell us about any fillers or threads you have had in the face.
- Buy (or collect from us) the compression garment for the donor area.
Preparing for surgery
In the week before
- Stop aspirin, ibuprofen and blood-thinning supplements (fish oil, vitamin E, ginkgo, garlic, turmeric) 7 days before, unless a doctor prescribed them for your heart — then ask us first. Paracetamol is fine.
- Avoid alcohol for 48 hours before, and cut down on smoking as much as you can.
- Tell us about your medicines, allergies, and any history of cold sores, keloid scars or easy bruising.
- Let us know if you develop a fever or a skin infection in the treatment area.
On the day
- Eat a light meal beforehand — this procedure is done under local anaesthetic, so you do not need to fast unless we tell you otherwise.
- Arrive with clean skin: no make-up, creams or self-tan on the area.
- Wear comfortable clothes that are easy to take on and off over the treated area.
3After your surgery
Your medicines
- Augmentin (antibiotic): 1 tablet twice a day, with food, for 7 days. Finish the full course even if you feel well. Tell us before surgery if you are allergic to penicillin.
- Reparil (for swelling and bruising): 2 tablets three times a day for 7–14 days, as we tell you.
- Brufen (painkiller): take it only when you need it, with food. If you cannot take anti-inflammatory painkillers — for example because of stomach ulcers, kidney problems or asthma — tell us and we will give you an alternative.
- Fusidic acid cream (antibiotic cream): apply a thin layer on the wounds twice a day, after showering, until they have healed.
The face — first 2 weeks
- Swelling peaks on days 2–3 and the face can look overfilled at first — this is expected, because some of the fat will be absorbed.
- Rest and sleep on your back with your head raised on 2 pillows for 2 weeks; avoid sleeping on your face or sides.
- Do not put cold or hot compresses on the face.
- Bruising is common and fades over 1–2 weeks.
Protecting the new fat
- Do not massage, press or rub the treated areas for 4–6 weeks — the fat needs to stay still while it builds its new blood supply.
- No facials, facial massage, laser or radiofrequency treatments for 6 weeks.
- Do not smoke or vape — nicotine kills grafted fat cells.
- Avoid strict dieting or losing weight for the first 3 months.
The donor area
- Some fluid leaking from the tiny openings is normal for 24–48 hours.
- Wear the compression garment day and night for 1–2 weeks, as we advise.
- Bruising and soreness, like after a hard workout, settle within 1–2 weeks.
Daily life
- You can shower from the next day; pat the face and donor area dry.
- Make-up can be applied from about 5–7 days, gently.
- Avoid exercise, sauna, steam and very hot showers for 2 weeks.
- Protect the face from strong sun while it is bruised.
4Your recovery, week by week
- Day 1–3Peak swelling — the face looks fuller than the final result.
- Weeks 1–2Swelling and bruising settle; back to work and social life.
- Weeks 4–6Most swelling gone; some of the fat is absorbed.
- Month 3The fat that has settled is permanent; the result is close to final.
- Month 6Final result; a top-up session can be planned if needed.
Call us straight away if you notice
- An area of the face becoming hard, red, hot or increasingly painful.
- Skin on the face turning white, grey, blue or blotchy, or any change in your vision — call 998 immediately, then us.
- A temperature of 38 °C or higher, shivering, or feeling generally unwell.
- Bleeding that soaks through the dressing, or does not stop after 10 minutes of firm pressure.
- Swelling that is sudden, tense and painful, or clearly larger on one side than the other.
- Redness that is spreading, increasing heat, pus, or a bad smell from a wound.
- Pain that is getting worse rather than better, or not controlled by the medicine we gave you.
- Pain, swelling or redness in a calf, or new breathlessness or chest pain — call 998 first.
Chest pain, difficulty breathing, or heavy bleeding that will not stop: call 998 (ambulance) or go to the nearest emergency department, then let us know.
Questions while you recover
Message or call the clinic any time — no question is too small, and it is always better to ask early.
Questions while you recover — Message or call the clinic any time — no question is too small, and it is always better to ask early. +971 50 108 8378 (WhatsApp) · info@eyas.doctor
This guide gives general advice. Dr. Eyas may give you instructions made just for you — at your consultation or when you go home after surgery. If his instructions are different from this guide, follow his instructions. If you are not sure, message us. Last reviewed: October 2026.