Concierge plastic surgery · London
Facial fat transfer in London, by a BAAPS/BAPRAS plastic surgeon.
Your own fat, harvested at low pressure, processed properly and micro-injected into the areas of the face that have lost volume — with an honest quote for the two or three sessions most people actually need.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A BAAPS/BAPRAS plastic surgeon, in a real theatre
Not a med-spa injecting fat between filler appointments. A named consultant plastic surgeon accredited by BAAPS or BAPRAS, in a licensed theatre.
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Honest about take, honest about sessions
Facial fat grafts settle at 40–70% at a year. Most people need two or three sessions. We say so before you sign anything.
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Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What facial fat transfer costs privately in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner clinics. Send the details and we quote firm figures across two or three options.
In short
A single facial lipofilling session in our network: £4,000–£8,000, home the same day.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facial lipofilling — single session, one area | £4,000–£5,500 | 90–120 min | Same visit |
| Facial lipofilling — single session, multi-area | £5,500–£8,000 | 120–180 min | Same visit |
| Multi-session package (2–3 sittings) | £8,000–£15,000 | 12–18 months | Staged |
| Nanofat for skin quality (add-on) | £800–£1,800 | +30 min | Same visit |
| Lipofilling as facelift adjunct (in theatre) | £1,800–£3,500 | +45–60 min | Same visit |
| Consultation only | £200–£400 | 30–45 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by clinic, by which surgeon does the case, by how many areas are treated, and by whether nanofat or PRP is added. Facial lipofilling is a cosmetic procedure and is not funded by the NHS unless the indication is reconstructive.
The problem
The right surgeon, the right sites, the right number of sessions.
Facial fat transfer is heavily marketed and unevenly done. Wrong operator, wrong technique in the wrong plane, and quiet omissions about how many sessions are actually needed. We fix all three before you commit.
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Not sure it is the right answer?
Sometimes filler, thread-lift or a proper facelift serves you better. We say so before you commit to lipofilling.
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Worried about the vision risk?
Peri-orbital and glabellar injections must be done with cannulas, low pressure, and a surgeon who understands the anatomy.
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Want it done properly?
A BAAPS/BAPRAS plastic surgeon in a CQC-licensed theatre, and an honest multi-session quote up front.
The journey
From enquiry to final result — what happens, in order.
One clinician from first message to review — including the multi-session plan.
Phase 1 · Before your procedure
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · On the day
A few hours at the clinic
Phase 3 · After
Concierge, back on
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. Which areas bother you — tear troughs, cheeks, temples, lips — and what you have tried before.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: whether lipofilling is the right answer, how many sessions to plan for, an indicative price. If a filler or a facelift would serve you better, we say so.
- 03
Before
We arrange the consultation
A face-to-face with the plastic surgeon. Photographs, a plan by area, and a review of any blood-thinners or nicotine to stop beforehand.
- 04
On the day
Arrival at the clinic
Arrival, consent, marking of donor and recipient sites, and a chat with the anaesthetist. IV sedation with tumescent, or a light GA.
- 05
On the day
The procedure itself
90 to 180 minutes. Fat harvested from abdomen or inner thigh, processed by centrifuge or filtration, then micro-injected in small parcels through multiple planes.
- 06
On the day
Home the same day
A short recovery, written aftercare, and home within a few hours. You will look fuller than the final result — that is the point.
- 07
After
Recovery and review
Bruising settles over one to two weeks, swelling over three to six. Final result revealed at six to twelve months. Reviews at 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months.
Typical end-to-end: 3–4 weeks from enquiry to first session. Final result revealed at 6–12 months.
Where it helps
The sites facial lipofilling suits best.
Where fat holds well, where it does not, and the one anatomical area that carries a very rare but serious risk.
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Tear troughs and mid-cheek
Dark circles, hollowing under the eye and loss of malar (cheekbone) volume — one of the most durable indications for microfat.
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Brow and temple rejuvenation
Temporal hollowing that makes the face look drawn, and heaviness of the brow that lifts subtly with structural fat.
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Nasolabial and marionette lines
Deep folds around the mouth — micro-injected in the deeper plane, though take is less predictable in these dynamic areas.
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Chin and jawline definition
Volumising the chin and along the mandibular border for a sharper jawline — a fat alternative to filler or an implant.
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Lip augmentation (subtle)
A soft, permanent-ish alternative to hyaluronic acid filler — but with more bruising, less predictable take and a longer settle.
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Earlobe deflation
Older earlobes stretch and thin. A small amount of microfat restores plumpness and helps earrings sit properly again.
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Reconstructive indications
Post-cancer defects, Parry–Romberg syndrome and congenital hemi-facial atrophy — sometimes NHS-funded rather than self-pay.
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Red flag: glabella and nasal root
Injections around the glabella and nose carry a very rare risk of blindness from embolism to the ophthalmic artery. Cannula only, low pressure, experienced hands.
Fat types & technique
Not all fat transfer is the same procedure.
Macro, micro, nano — and Coleman versus filtration. What each option actually involves and which fits which area.
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Macrofat (structural volume)
Larger parcels of fat placed in the deep plane for volume — cheekbones, chin, temples. The workhorse of facial lipofilling.
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Microfat (blending)
Smaller parcels through 1–1.5 mm micro-cannulas for superficial blending — tear troughs, nasolabial folds, lips.
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Nanofat (skin quality)
Emulsified fat, filtered to remove viable adipocytes but rich in progenitor cells. Injected intradermally for texture, tone and pigmentation.
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SVF-enriched (investigational)
Fat enriched with stromal vascular fraction — regenerative promise, but still a research setting. Not a routine private offering.
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PRP-enriched (adjuvant)
Platelet-rich plasma added to the graft as an adjuvant. Evidence is mixed; some surgeons use it, others do not.
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Coleman technique
Low-pressure harvest, centrifugation at 3000 rpm for 3 minutes, small-parcel injection through multiple planes and passes — the classical method.
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Filtration systems (Puregraft, Revolve, LipoGems)
Closed-system filtration as an alternative to centrifugation. Faster, cleaner graft; take is broadly comparable.
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Combined with facelift or blepharoplasty
The commonest use in serious plastic surgery. Fat restores the volume a lift alone cannot — the two are usually done together.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of plastic surgeons, we picked them.
BAAPS/BAPRAS-accredited consultant plastic surgeons across London and the home counties. Not listed publicly — introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every plastic surgeon in our network.
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Consultant plastic surgeons accredited by BAAPS or BAPRAS, not cosmetic dentists or aesthetic doctors
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Procedure performed in a CQC-licensed theatre with an anaesthetist
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Honest quotation for multi-session packages, not one-off promises
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Peri-orbital and glabellar injections by cannula only, at low pressure
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards — honestly.
Facial lipofilling is safe when done by the right surgeon. The things worth planning are the swelling period, the nicotine and sleeping rules, and knowing what is normal after.
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Bruising is universal
Bruising of the face lasts one to two weeks and of the donor site slightly longer. Arnica helps a little. Sleep with the head raised for the first week.
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Swelling looks fuller than the result
You will look 30–50% fuller for the first month. Swelling settles by three to six weeks; the final result is revealed at six to twelve months.
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Take is 40–70% at a year
Cheeks and deep planes hold best. Around the mouth and lips is less predictable because of movement. We overcorrect by 20–30% to allow for this.
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Most people need two or three sessions
One sitting rarely produces the polished result you see in before-and-afters. Plan for two — sometimes three — over 12 to 18 months.
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No sleeping on your face for 1–2 weeks
Pressure on freshly grafted fat displaces it and drops take. Back-sleeping and no vigorous exercise for two weeks.
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No smoking or nicotine
Nicotine — including vapes and patches — chokes the tiny vessels the graft depends on. Stop four weeks before and four weeks after.
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Nodules and oil cysts
Small palpable lumps can form where fat is injected too superficially. Most settle; some need needle release or steroid injection.
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Rare but serious: embolic events
Injection at the glabella or nasal root with a sharp needle at high pressure has caused blindness from ophthalmic artery embolism. Use cannula, low pressure, and a surgeon who understands the anatomy.
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Red flags
Sudden visual change, unilateral pain out of proportion, spreading redness or fever after surgery are not normal — call the clinic or A&E the same day.
On the regenerative claims
Adipose-derived stem cells and SVF do offer some measurable improvement in skin quality — fine lines, tone, pigmentation — but they are not a miracle rejuvenation. Be sceptical of any clinic marketing lipofilling as a substitute for a facelift, or promising a definitive result from one session with SVF or PRP.
Reading your operation note
Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever technique was used, the note the plastic surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Surgical language is precise and can read coldly — we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Sites treated and fat type used
Which areas were grafted — temples, tear troughs, cheeks, chin, lips — and which fat was used (macro, micro, nano).
- 02 Technique
Harvest, processing and injection
Donor site, cannula size, processing method (centrifuge or filtration), volume placed at each site, and the anaesthetic used.
- 03 Findings
Overcorrection and intra-op notes
How much overcorrection was built in, any nodules released or asymmetries corrected, and the state of the donor site.
- 04 Impression
Session plan, review timing, aftercare
Read this first: whether a second session is planned, when it should happen, and the sleeping, exercise and nicotine rules.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cosmetic facial fat transfer is generally not covered by private medical insurance. Reconstructive lipofilling — after cancer surgery, for Parry–Romberg or congenital hemi-facial atrophy — may be funded. We confirm cover before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about facial fat transfer.
Quick answers on take, cost, sessions, filler vs fat, and the vision-risk question that keeps coming up.
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What is facial fat transfer, and how is it different from body fat transfer?
Facial fat transfer — also called facial lipofilling or structural fat grafting — micro-injects your own centrifuged or filtered fat into areas of facial volume loss. Body fat transfer moves fat to breast or buttock. The technique is related, but the volumes, cannulas and risk profile are quite different.
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How is it different from dermal fillers?
Filler is a synthetic gel (usually hyaluronic acid) placed in clinic under LA — quick, reversible, and lasts 6–18 months. Fat is your own tissue placed in theatre under sedation or GA — longer downtime, but the portion that survives is essentially permanent. We help you choose.
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How much of the fat survives?
Around 40–70% at 6–12 months, depending on the site. Cheeks and deep planes hold best; lips and areas around the mouth are less predictable because of movement. Good surgeons overcorrect by 20–30% to account for this.
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How much does facial fat transfer cost privately in the UK?
Roughly £4,000–£8,000 for a single session and £8,000–£15,000 for a multi-session package of two or three sittings over 12–18 months. Nanofat as an add-on is £800–£1,800. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
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Is it available on the NHS?
Not for cosmetic indications. It can be NHS-funded when reconstructive — after cancer surgery, for Parry–Romberg syndrome, or for congenital hemi-facial atrophy — usually through a plastic surgery unit rather than a private clinic.
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How many sessions will I need?
Most patients need two — sometimes three — over 12 to 18 months for a polished result. A single session gives a real but partial change. Anyone promising a definitive result in one sitting is overselling it.
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What is nanofat, and does it really improve skin quality?
Nanofat is emulsified, filtered fat rich in progenitor cells but without viable adipocytes. Injected intradermally, it modestly improves fine lines, tone and pigmentation. It is a useful adjunct — not a miracle rejuvenation, whatever the marketing says.
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What is the risk to my vision?
Very rare but real. Sharp-needle injection at the glabella or nasal root under high pressure can push fat into the ophthalmic artery and cause blindness. The mitigations are experienced surgeons, blunt cannulas rather than needles in peri-orbital work, and low injection pressure.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
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Fat transfer (body)
Autologous fat grafting to breast, buttock or hands.
Learn more -
Facial augmentation
Cheek, chin and jawline enhancement — implants and grafts.
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Dermal fillers
Hyaluronic-acid volumising — the non-surgical alternative.
Learn more -
All tests & procedures
Every test and procedure we arrange.
Learn more