Mr John Biddlestone
Consultant plastic surgeon
GMC 6154847
Facial liposculpture in Edinburgh
Facial liposculpture removes fullness under the chin or restores volume to the cheeks, one by taking fat away and the other by replacing it. It is performed by consultant plastic surgeons at Waterfront Private Hospital in Edinburgh, often under local anaesthetic as walk-in, walk-out surgery.
- Anaesthetic
- Local or general
- Length
- 1 to 2 hours
- Hospital stay
- Day case or one night
- Recovery
- A few days to 2 weeks off work
Guide pricefrom £3,950
- Consultant plastic surgeons on the GMC Specialist Register
- Surgery at Waterfront Private Hospital, regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland
- Your consultation and your operation with the same consultant
Contents
Results from our patients
See all 4 liposculpture results
Real patients, shared with their consent and not retouched. Results vary from person to person.
Is it right for me?
A good candidate for neck liposuction has fatty tissue under the chin and neck, good-quality skin and a stable weight. A good candidate for fat transfer has lost volume in the cheeks or mid-face and has enough donor fat elsewhere on the body.
- Fullness under the chin or along the jawline that diet and exercise do not shift
- Good skin elasticity, so the skin retracts once fat is removed
- Flattening or hollowing of the cheeks with age or weight loss
- Good general health and realistic expectations
If your skin is too loose, liposuction is likely to make the laxity look worse rather than better. In that case a neck lift or facelift is the more honest recommendation, and your consultant will say so plainly at consultation.
Unsure? Try the free AI consultation, or ask at your appointment.
What facial liposculpture involves
Facial liposculpture reshapes the contours of the face and neck using two complementary techniques: micro-liposuction to remove excess fat, most commonly under the chin and along the jawline, and fat transfer to restore lost volume, most commonly to the cheeks.
Facial liposuction
Micro-liposuction is used to remove excess fat (see the section on liposuction). Facial liposuction can be used to improve the definition of your jawline and to reduce double chins. Dramatic improvements can sometimes be achieved using liposuction alone (particularly in younger patients with good skin quality). In other patients, loose skin remains when the fat has been removed, and the only way to deal with this is to combine liposuction with a lower neck facelift.
Fat transfer
Fat transfer (lipomodelling/ fat cell grafting/ Coleman fat injection) is a technique that has become very popular over the last 15 years or so. It involves removing fat from one part of the body (usually the abdomen, buttocks or thighs) and its transfer to another part of the body. The fat is removed using liposuction and is prepared in the operating theatre to separate the fat cells. The fat is then injected where it is needed. The areas of the face most commonly treated are the cheeks to restore the youthful appearance of “high cheekbones“. Fat is used in the same way as fillers but has the advantage of being completely natural. It can give a long-lasting result, but some fat absorption will occur, and a repeat procedure may be required. Fat transfer can be used in isolation or combined with other facial surgery.
Both procedures are performed by our consultant plastic surgeons at Waterfront Private Hospital in Edinburgh – under local anaesthesia when carried out alone, or general anaesthesia when combined with other facial surgery.
Liposculpture for the neck and jawline
Neck liposuction is the usual treatment for a double chin that persists regardless of weight. Through 2mm needle incisions, a fine cannula removes the excess fatty tissue under local anaesthetic – a walk-in, walk-out procedure that takes around 10 to 20 minutes, with no stitches and no bandages.
The result depends largely on skin quality. In younger patients with good skin elasticity, dramatic improvements in jawline definition can be achieved with liposuction alone. Where the skin is loose or wrinkled, removing fat can make the laxity more obvious, and a lower face and neck lift is the better operation.
A weak chin can exaggerate the appearance of a double chin. Chin augmentation with an implant or dermal fillers can be combined with neck liposuction to give added definition to the jaw and neck.
What facial liposculpture can and can't do
Neck liposuction removes fat, and only fat. Whether it suits you depends far more on your skin and the shape of your chin than on the fat itself, and we will tell you plainly if something else would serve you better. Fat transfer does the opposite job: it puts volume back where the face has hollowed, using your own fat.
It can
- Remove a fatty fullness under the chin that diet and exercise have not shifted.
- Sharpen the angle between the chin and the neck.
- Reduce heaviness along the jawline where it is caused by fat under the skin.
- Restore volume to cheeks that have flattened or hollowed, with fat taken from your abdomen, buttocks or thighs.
- Give a long-lasting change with fat transfer, because the fat that survives is living tissue.
It can’t
- Tighten loose skin or neck bands. If your skin will not shrink back over the new contour, liposuction alone can leave it looser, and a lower face and neck lift is the right operation.
- Make up for a weak chin. Where the chin sits back, chin enhancement may do more for your profile, alone or alongside liposuction.
- Lift jowls. Jowls are mostly loose tissue rather than fat, and need lifting rather than suction.
- Protect you from weight gain. The fat cells removed do not return, but the ones that remain can still enlarge if you put on weight.
- Promise all the transferred fat will stay. On average around half of the injected volume is absorbed over the first six months, and a repeat procedure may be needed to reach the volume you want.
Your consultant will tell you at your consultation which of these apply to you.
What is the cost of facial liposculpture?
Neck liposuction under local anaesthesia is £4,150 at Waterfront Private Hospital.
- Neck liposuction (local anaesthesia): £4,150
- Facial fat transfer (local anaesthesia): £3,950
- Facial fat transfer (general anaesthesia): £4,900
Each price covers the surgeon’s fee, the anaesthetist’s fee where applicable, the hospital and theatre fee at Waterfront Private Hospital, and all post-operative reviews until you are fully discharged.
The full price for your individual case can only be confirmed after a face-to-face consultation with the consultant who will perform your surgery. Our consultation fee with a consultant plastic surgeon is £200.
Quick answers
Will the same surgeon plan, perform and review my facial liposculpture?
Will the same surgeon plan, perform and review my facial liposculpture?
Yes. The consultant who assesses you at consultation plans your surgery, performs it at Waterfront Private Hospital and reviews you afterwards. There are no handovers between surgeons.
Who will perform my facial liposculpture?
Who will perform my facial liposculpture?
Your facial liposculpture is planned and performed by one of our consultant plastic surgeons, Mr John Biddlestone, Mr Will Anderson, Mr Omar Quaba and Mr Awf Quaba, all on the GMC Specialist Register. You choose your consultant, meet them at your first appointment, and the same consultant operates and sees you afterwards.
Can I see results from your surgeons?
Can I see results from your surgeons?
Yes. Our facial liposculpture before and after gallery shows patients treated at Quaba Plastic Surgery, shared with their consent. Results vary between people, and your consultant will show you what is realistic for you at your consultation.
What happens if I have concerns after my surgery?
What happens if I have concerns after my surgery?
Your Quaba consultant stays responsible for your care after surgery. A nurse sees you a week after your operation, more often if you need it, and your consultant reviews you at around six months, when the result has settled. If anything worries you before then, contact us and your consultant will reply directly and see you as soon as needed.
How much does facial liposculpture cost?
How much does facial liposculpture cost?
Neck liposuction under local anaesthesia is £4,150 at Waterfront Private Hospital, and facial fat transfer £3,950 under local anaesthesia or £4,900 under general anaesthesia. Prices cover the surgeon’s fee, the anaesthetist’s fee where applicable, the hospital and theatre fee, and all post-operative reviews. A consultation with a consultant plastic surgeon is £200.
All our guide prices are on our pricing page.
Is double chin removal the same as neck liposuction?
Is double chin removal the same as neck liposuction?
Yes. Double chin removal is usually performed as neck liposuction. The neck is numbed with local anaesthetic injections, tiny 2mm incisions are made with a needle, and a small cannula removes the excess fatty tissue. The procedure takes around 10 to 20 minutes and needs no stitches.
Am I a candidate for neck liposuction?
Am I a candidate for neck liposuction?
You may be a candidate for neck liposuction if you have fatty tissue under your chin and neck and good-quality skin. If your skin is too loose, liposuction to the chin is likely to make the looseness worse, and a neck lift may be more appropriate.
What are the alternatives to neck liposuction?
What are the alternatives to neck liposuction?
A weak chin can exaggerate the appearance of a double chin, so chin augmentation with dermal fillers or a chin implant can improve the definition of the jaw and neck, alone or combined with liposuction. If your neck skin is loose or wrinkled, a formal neck lift is usually the better operation.
Will neck liposuction leave scars?
Will neck liposuction leave scars?
The scarring after neck liposuction is barely perceptible. The incisions are around 2mm, made with a needle, and heal without stitches.
How long does fat transfer to the cheeks last?
How long does fat transfer to the cheeks last?
Fat transfer gives a long-lasting result, but some absorption occurs – on average around half the injected volume settles away over the first six months. The fat that survives is living tissue and behaves like the surrounding fat. A repeat procedure may be needed to reach the final volume you want.
When will I see the result of neck liposuction?
When will I see the result of neck liposuction?
You should notice a difference by four weeks. The final result takes five to six months to appear, as the skin retracts and the deeper swelling fully settles.
Can facial liposculpture be combined with other procedures?
Can facial liposculpture be combined with other procedures?
Yes. Neck liposuction and fat transfer are commonly combined with a facelift, chin augmentation or eyelid surgery, treating several concerns in a single operation and recovery period. Your consultant will advise whether a combination is appropriate.
The surgeons who do this
You meet your consultant at your first appointment. The same consultant plans your surgery, carries it out and sees you afterwards.
Risks, and how often they happen
Every operation carries risk. Here they are in three groups. The figures come from UK national guidance and published studies, averaged across many patients, so your own risk may be higher or lower. Your consultant will go through what applies to you, and every risk is in your written consent.
- Expected
- Uncommon
- Rare
- For the long term
Expected Almost everyone, and they settle
- Swelling and bruising, most noticeable in the first week and settling over the following month.
- Numbness or altered feeling under the chin, which usually returns over weeks to months.
- No strapping is usually needed. We generally do not use a chin strap; you are free to wear a light support garment for the first few days if you prefer.
- Tiny scars of 2 to 3mm under the chin and behind each earlobe, fading over months.
- After fat transfer, swelling in the treated areas, which look fuller than the final result for the first few weeks.
Uncommon Some patients, and some need further treatment
- Temporary weakness of the lower lip, making the smile uneven, from bruising of a small nerve branch along the jaw. In published series it has recovered in every case.
About 1 in 100
- Lumps, firm areas or unevenness under the chin. Most soften with time and massage, and a few need a small touch-up.
About 1 in 100
- Lumps where fat has been placed, which usually settle with time.
- Fat necrosis after fat transfer, where some of the fat does not survive. It can look like an infection, with lumps, redness and discharge, and can take several months to settle.
Rare but serious
- Bleeding that needs treatment.
About 1 in 1,000
- Infection that needs treatment beyond a course of tablets.
About 1 in 1,000
For the long term
- Your skin keeps ageing. The neck will soften again with time, and liposuction does not slow that down.
- Weight change affects the result. A stable weight is the best way to keep the contour.
- The final shape takes three to six months to show as swelling settles and the skin tightens over the new contour.
- Transferred fat that survives the first six months is long-lasting, but a repeat procedure may be needed to reach the volume you want.
More from BAAPS on liposuction.
Where these figures come from
- Habbema L et al. Liposuction of the neck: low incidence of nerve injury and other complications in 987 patients. J Drugs Dermatol 2018;17:30-34; AlQhtani A, AlSahabi A. Aesthetic Plast Surg 2026For: temporary marginal mandibular nerve weakness
- AlQhtani A, AlSahabi A. Aesthetic Plast Surg 2026For: lumps, firmness or unevenness; poor skin retraction
- Habbema L et al. 2018; Kaoutzanis C et al. Aesthet Surg J 2017;37:680-694For: bleeding; infection
Aftercare and recovery after facial liposculpture
Swelling and bruising after neck liposuction usually settle by 7 to 10 days. Most patients take a few days to two weeks off work depending on the extent of surgery, and return to strenuous exercise at three to six weeks.
No bandages or strapping are needed after neck liposuction; small dressings cover the insertion sites and no stitches need removing. After fat transfer, the treated areas look fuller than the final result while the early swelling settles over the first few weeks.
A nurse reviews you at one week, and more often if needed in the early healing period. Your consultant sees you again at around six months once the result has settled. Between then, your consultant is always available – if anything concerns you, they will respond directly and arrange to see you as soon as needed.
What patients say
5 out of 5 stars on TrustpilotTrustpilot
This private aesthetic medical clinic is to be commended. If you're considering surgery you will be in the hands of one of the Uk's top surgeons. I'm a doctor having sent many clients for face
lifts and have always been impressed by the effective yet natural results . The Waterfront hospital itself is both professional as one would expect for this type of surgery and "state of the art " aesthetically. I would highly recommend anyone considering facial surgery to make the trip to Edinburgh
Helen St John MBChB MRCOG
5 out of 5 stars on TrustpilotTrustpilot
A very professional establishment, very tasteful relaxing interiors, lovely reception staff. Great first impression.
It became clear from the start that Omar Quaba is a man of integrity and only interested in patient wellbeing. I was dissuaded from pursuing an expensive process, but returned a year later, having lost lots of weight to get my eyelids 'done'. Again I was looked after by the medical staff exceptionally well, both at the time and with the follow ups. I was delighted with the result. I have no hesitation recommending the Waterfront Private Hospital.
5 out of 5 stars on TrustpilotTrustpilot
This is such a relaxing calming environment and the staff are very friendly and welcoming. Auf Quaba was my consultant and I had a brow lift in July 2025. Mr Quaba explained the whole process and what to expect during and after the procedure. I am delighted with the results and it looks very natural which is what I wanted to achieve. I can’t thank Mr Quaba and his team enough and would highly recommend them.
Quoted word for word from Trustpilot. Read all our reviews
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