An independent directory of AHPRA-registered clinics
Surgical procedure · NSW
Buccal fat removal (cheek-reduction surgery) is a procedure to remove the buccal fat pad — a discrete encapsulated fat compartment in the cheek — to slim and contour the lower face. It is one of the most-requested procedures in Australia after social-media exposure but is also one of the most controversial, because the buccal fat pad naturally atrophies with age and over-resection can produce a gaunt appearance later in life. Performed under local or general anaesthetic and regulated under the AHPRA July 2023 cosmetic-advertising guidelines.
By the numbers — New South Wales
Numbers reflect this directory's coverage of New South Wales at build time. Costs are typical Australian ranges; recovery is the median for this procedure type. AHPRA-compliant illustration only — no patient depiction.
Local context
Sydney accounts for roughly 70% of NSW cosmetic surgery activity, with Newcastle and Wollongong serving the Hunter, Central Coast, Illawarra and South Coast catchments. NSW also receives consistent interstate inflow, particularly from the ACT, the NSW Far North Coast, and (for surgeon-specific reasons) from Brisbane and Melbourne. Pricing in Sydney is at the upper end of the Australian range; regional NSW pricing is typically 10–20% lower for surgical work and broadly comparable for non-surgical work.
NSW practitioners operate under the same federal AHPRA cosmetic-advertising rules introduced in July 2023 — including the prohibition on testimonials and most before-and-after imagery on surgical procedure pages, mandatory cooling-off periods, and the formal definition of 'cosmetic surgeon' versus 'specialist plastic surgeon'. NSW also enforces state-level day-procedure-centre licensing through NSW Health, which means most procedures performed under sedation or general anaesthesia must occur in a licensed facility — not a clinic room. The NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) is the state body that handles patient complaints in addition to AHPRA's national process.
Every clinic offering buccal fat removal in New South Wales
Premium and verified clinics appear first. Each card links through to the clinic's full profile.
Gledswood Hills, Gledswood Hills NSW 2557
Dr Michael Kernohan FRACS (Plast) - Pure Visage Specialist Plastic Surgery is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Gledswood Hills. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Double Bay, Double Bay NSW 2028
Dr Kourosh Tavakoli is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Double Bay. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
St Leonards, St Leonards NSW 2065
The Plastic Surgery Clinic & Medispa is a surgical cosmetic practice located in St Leonards. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Bella Vista, Bella Vista NSW 2153
Bella Plastic Surgery is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Bella Vista. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Edgecliff, Edgecliff NSW 2027
Dr Mohaghegh | Specialist Plastic Surgeon is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Edgecliff. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Glebe, Glebe NSW 2037
Sydney Plastic Surgery® - Dr Barnouti is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Glebe. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
St Leonards, St Leonards NSW 2065
A/Professor Bish Soliman - Sydney Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeon is a surgical cosmetic practice located in St Leonards. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Parramatta, Parramatta NSW 2150
Sydney Plastic Surgeon - Dr Laith Barnouti is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Parramatta. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Bondi Junction, Bondi Junction NSW 2022
Dr Robert Drielsma is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Bondi Junction. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Northbridge, Northbridge NSW 2063
Asian Plastic Surgery Sydney is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Northbridge. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
St Leonards, St Leonards NSW 2065
Panthea Clinics Sydney Plastic Surgery is a surgical cosmetic practice located in St Leonards. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Sydney, Sydney NSW 2000
Breast Excellence is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Sydney. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Newcastle, Newcastle NSW 2300
Avery Reconstructive and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Newcastle. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Charlestown, Charlestown NSW 2290
Dr Yezdi Mistry is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Charlestown. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
The Junction, The Junction NSW 2291
Dr Andrew Raymond is a surgical cosmetic practice located in The Junction. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Charlestown, Charlestown NSW 2290
Newcastle Obesity Surgery is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Charlestown. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Charlestown, Charlestown NSW 2290
Hunter Plastic Surgery Newcastle is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Charlestown. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Charlestown, Charlestown NSW 2290
Dr Nicholas Moncrieff is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Charlestown. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Newcastle, Newcastle NSW 2300
Preface Cosmetic Facial Surgery and Laser is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Newcastle. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Cooks Hill, Cooks Hill NSW 2300
Body Contouring Surgery Clinic is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Cooks Hill. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Adamstown, Adamstown NSW 2289
Dr Scott J Turner - Plastic Surgeon Newcastle is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Adamstown. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Lorn, Lorn NSW 2320
Dr Bernard Beldholm is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Lorn. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
New Lambton Heights, New Lambton Heights NSW 2305
Newcastle Weight Loss Surgery - Dr Dhan Thiruchelvam is a surgical cosmetic practice located in New Lambton Heights. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Newcastle, Newcastle NSW 2300
Finesse Cosmetic Surgery is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Newcastle. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Miranda, Miranda NSW 2228
The Swan Clinic for Plastic Surgery is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Miranda. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Wollongong, Wollongong NSW 2500
Dr Matthew Starr - Plastic Surgeon is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Wollongong. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Wollongong, Wollongong NSW 2500
Southside Plastic Surgery is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Wollongong. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Gwynneville, Gwynneville NSW 2500
Dr Jeremy Hunt - Facelift Sydney & Plastic Surgeon is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Gwynneville. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Wollongong, Wollongong NSW 2500
ISPA Clinic is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Wollongong. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Wollongong, Wollongong NSW 2500
Dr Rob Knight is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Wollongong. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Wollongong, Wollongong NSW 2500
Dr Adrian Sjarif is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Wollongong. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Wollongong, Wollongong NSW 2500
Wollongong Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Wollongong. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Wollongong, Wollongong NSW 2500
Dr Jason Maani Bariatric Surgery is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Wollongong. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Wollongong, Wollongong NSW 2500
Dr Daniel Cox is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Wollongong. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Wollongong, Wollongong NSW 2500
Dr Allan Mekisic - Breast Surgeon, Endoscopist, Laparoscopic Surgeon, Hernia Surgeon is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Wollongong. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
Wollongong, Wollongong NSW 2500
Dr Matthew Beck is a surgical cosmetic practice located in Wollongong. Details sourced from public listings and pending independent verification.
City pages
For city-specific listings — including which surgical venues each practice operates from — use the city pages below.
Itemised view of where the $4,000 – $9,000 typically goes. Quoted prices vary by surgeon experience, hospital, and case complexity — these shares are indicative.
| Component | Typical share | Indicative range |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon fee | 50% | $2,000 – $4,500 |
| Anaesthetist fee | 12% | $500 – $1,100 |
| Hospital or day-surgery fee | 25% | $1,000 – $2,250 |
| Garments and supplies | 3% | $100 – $250 |
| Follow-up and reviews | 5% | $200 – $450 |
| Pathology, imaging, and other | 5% | $200 – $450 |
| Total | 100% | $4,000 – $9,000 |
Source: editorial estimates based on Australian Medical Association advisory notes and publicly disclosed clinic schedules. Actual quotes will vary; ask your surgeon for an itemised written quote before paying any deposit.
A typical recovery curve. Individual recovery varies — confirm specific milestones with your surgeon's post-operative plan.
Day 0
Procedure day.
Day 3
Early recovery.
Day 5
Halfway point.
Day 10
End of standard recovery window.
Day 20
Final result and return to all activities.
How the most-discussed risks for buccal fat removal sit on a frequency-by-severity grid. All cosmetic procedures carry risk; the goal of this view is to help you ask better consent questions, not to dismiss any single complication as unlikely.
| Frequency \\ Severity | Mild | Moderate | Serious |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common | — | — | — |
| Uncommon | — |
| — |
| Rare | — | — |
|
Frequency and severity classifications are editorial summaries based on Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons consent literature and TGA / AHPRA guidance. Your surgeon should explain each risk individually as part of the formal informed-consent process — this matrix is a starting point for the conversation, not a substitute.
AHPRA registration is the baseline credential check for any cosmetic procedure in Australia. The five steps below take roughly two minutes and are the single most important due-diligence step before paying a deposit.
Open the AHPRA register
AHPRA publishes a free public register of every registered medical practitioner in Australia. Open the official register — never rely on a third-party "verification" site.
Search by name and "Medical Practitioner"
Search by the practitioner's full name and select Profession: Medical Practitioner. The register returns active registrations only — if the name does not appear, do not proceed.
Confirm the specialty (or its absence)
Look at the "Specialty" field. A FRACS specialist plastic surgeon will list "Specialist Surgery — Plastic Surgery". Anyone who calls themselves a "cosmetic surgeon" without a recognised specialty is a general medical practitioner under AHPRA — that is a meaningful difference for surgical work.
Check for conditions, undertakings, or restrictions
The register flags any conditions on a practitioner's registration, including AHPRA undertakings or restrictions. Treat any flag as a reason to ask the practitioner directly what it relates to before booking.
Verify hospital privileges separately
Hospital privileges are issued by the hospital, not AHPRA. For surgical procedures, ask which accredited hospital or licensed day-procedure centre the operation will take place in, and verify the surgeon has admitting rights there.
FAQ
The buccal fat pad shrinks naturally with age. Removing it in your 20s can produce a chiselled appearance immediately but contribute to a gaunt, hollow look in your 40s and 50s as further age-related fat loss occurs. Many specialist plastic surgeons in Australia decline to perform the procedure on patients with naturally lean faces for this reason.
No. Once removed, the buccal fat pad cannot be restored. Fat transfer can attempt to add volume back but does not replicate the discrete encapsulated structure of the original fat pad. Reasonable surgeons will spend significant time discussing whether the procedure is appropriate for you specifically.
Anti-wrinkle injections to the masseter (jaw slimming) can produce a similar visual effect by reducing jaw width — and is reversible if the result is not desired. For some patients seeking a slimmer lower face, masseter-reduction injections are a far less aggressive starting point.
Most patients return to desk work after 5–7 days. Visible swelling and an over-corrected look for 2–4 weeks. Final result is judged at 3–6 months.
Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) registered with AHPRA. Ask whether they perform the procedure conservatively (partial removal) and how they screen patients. A practitioner who agrees to remove the fat pad on every requesting patient without discussing the long-term implications is a red flag.
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