Patient guides
The Blog
Honest, medically reviewed guides on procedures, recovery and results in the UAE — written and reviewed by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Abdominal Etching in Dubai & Abu Dhabi: The HD Liposuction Guide
What abdominal etching and high definition liposuction actually are, how they differ from standard liposuction and lipo 360, who is a genuine candidate, and how VASER, real-time ultrasound and plasma sculpt the result.
Read the guide →

Blepharoplasty in Abu Dhabi: Transform Your Look with Dr. Paulo Michels
Blepharoplasty in Abu Dhabi with Dr. Paulo Michels: upper and lower eyelid surgery for a refreshed, natural look — candidacy, procedure and recovery.
Read the guide →
Brazilian Butt Lift in Abu Dhabi – Natural, Beautiful Curves with Expert Care
Brazilian Butt Lift in Abu Dhabi: how fat transfer enhances your curves naturally — the three-stage procedure, safety standards, recovery and results.
Read the guide →
Breast Augmentation in Abu Dhabi – Enhancing Confidence with Excellence
Breast augmentation in Abu Dhabi: implant types, placement options, incisions, recovery and safety — a patient-centred guide by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →
Breast Lift Recovery and Scars: What to Expect Month by Month
A month-by-month guide to breast lift (mastopexy) recovery — incision patterns, scar maturation, nipple sensation and when the new shape settles, by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Breast Reduction in Abu Dhabi: A Patient's Guide
A practical guide to breast reduction in Abu Dhabi — when back and neck pain justify surgery, the three incision patterns, what recovery honestly feels like, and the questions about sensation and breastfeeding answered plainly.
Read the guide →

How Breast Implant Size Is Really Chosen: Beyond Cup Sizes
Why implant size is chosen by chest measurements, not cup size — base width, tissue assessment, profile and long-term fit, explained by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Deep Plane Facelift in Dubai – The Ultimate Anti-Ageing Technique
How the deep plane facelift works in Dubai — lifting the deeper facial layers for natural anti-ageing results, with candidacy, types, recovery and cost.
Read the guide →
How Long Do Liposuction Results Last?
Liposuction permanently removes fat cells, so results last as long as you keep a stable weight. What stays, what can change, and how to protect your result.
Read the guide →

How Painful Is Liposuction Recovery?
How painful is liposuction recovery? Most patients describe soreness like an intense workout, not sharp pain. Dr. Paulo Michels explains what it feels like, week by week.
Read the guide →

Liposuction for Women: Areas, Definition Levels and a Feminine Result
Female liposuction explained — waist, abdomen, arms and thighs, VASER with plasma skin tightening, definition levels from natural to athletic, rib remodeling and fat transfer, by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Liposuction in Abu Dhabi – Achieve a Sculpted, Confident Body
Liposuction in Abu Dhabi with Dr. Paulo Michels: techniques from VASER to high-definition sculpting, ideal candidates, recovery timeline and cost factors.
Read the guide →
Liposuction in Dubai – What to Expect Before and After
What to expect from liposuction in Dubai: how VASER technology works, how to prepare, what happens during surgery, recovery timeline and how long results last.
Read the guide →
Male Breast Reduction in Abu Dhabi: A Patient's Guide
Male breast reduction is the surgical correction of gynecomastia — enlarged male breast tissue. How the condition is graded, when liposuction is enough and when the gland must be excised, and how fast you get back to the gym.
Read the guide →

Migraine Surgery: From Trigger-Point Diagnosis to Recovery
The full migraine surgery journey — trigger-point diagnosis, nerve-block testing, planning, the day of nerve decompression and recovery — explained by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Mini Tummy Tuck in Dubai: Who It Suits and Who Needs More
Who is genuinely a candidate for a mini tummy tuck in Dubai — and who needs a full abdominoplasty or MILA instead. How the decision is made from your anatomy, not from the name of the operation.
Read the guide →

What to Eat After Plastic Surgery: Nutrition That Supports Healing
How nutrition supports recovery after plastic surgery — protein for healing, hydration in the UAE heat, foods that ease swelling and constipation, and what to avoid, by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Otoplasty in Dubai: Ear Surgery for Adults and Children
Otoplasty for patients in Dubai — what ear surgery corrects, the right age for children, the hidden scar behind the ear, recovery week by week, and how visits to Abu Dhabi are arranged.
Read the guide →

Vaser Liposuction in Abu Dhabi – Precision Body Contouring
Vaser liposuction in Abu Dhabi with Dr. Paulo Michels at Elyzee Hospital: ultrasound-assisted fat removal, high-definition contouring, candidacy, recovery and safety.
Read the guide →
What Affects the Cost of a Breast Lift in Dubai?
Breast lift cost in Dubai is driven by the grade of sagging, the incision technique, whether implants join the lift, the operating time and the hospital setting — here is how each factor moves the number, honestly explained.
Read the guide →

Deep Plane vs SMAS Facelift: What Is Actually Different?
Deep plane vs SMAS facelift: the deep plane releases the facial retaining ligaments and lifts muscle and fat as one unit; SMAS tightens the superficial layers.
Read the guide →

When Can You Sleep on Your Side After Breast Augmentation?
Back sleeping with the upper body elevated is required for 4 to 6 weeks after breast augmentation; side sleeping follows surgeon clearance, stomach sleeping last.
Read the guide →

Do You Have Enough Fat for a BBL?
Slim patients often ask if they have enough fat for a BBL. How donor fat is assessed, what survives, and when staged grafting or implants are proposed instead.
Read the guide →

Gynecomastia Surgery Recovery Week by Week: Compression, Swelling and Chest Shape
A week-by-week gynecomastia recovery timeline: compression vest, swelling, nipple sensation, desk work at 5–7 days and when the flat chest contour appears.
Read the guide →

Neck Lift or Facelift: Which One Do You Actually Need?
Neck lift or facelift? The answer depends on where the laxity starts — jawline and neck only, or midface descent too. How the decision is made, by anatomy.
Read the guide →

Under-Eye Bags: Do You Need Lower Blepharoplasty or Filler?
True under-eye bags from herniated fat need lower blepharoplasty; filler only helps a hollow tear trough — and can worsen real bags. How to tell them apart.
Read the guide →

Minimally Invasive vs Classic Breast Augmentation: Which One Suits You?
Minimally invasive breast augmentation (such as Mia Femtech) vs classic augmentation: who each suits, size limits, lift, scars, evidence and recovery — explained fairly.
Read the guide →

What Affects the Cost of a Tummy Tuck in Dubai?
Tummy tuck cost in Dubai varies with technique, muscle repair, added liposuction, anaesthesia time and aftercare. Dr. Paulo Michels explains each variable.
Read the guide →

What Is Hybrid Breast Augmentation? Implants Plus Fat Transfer Explained
Hybrid breast augmentation combines a smaller silicone implant with your own fat. Dr. Paulo Michels explains who benefits and who does better with implants alone.
Read the guide →

Breast Lift Incision Patterns: Periareolar, Vertical or Anchor?
Which breast lift incision you need depends on nipple position and skin excess. Dr. Paulo Michels explains periareolar, vertical, L-shape and anchor patterns.
Read the guide →

Buttock Implants or Fat Transfer: How the Choice Is Made in Dubai
Buttock implants or BBL fat transfer? The choice is decided by donor fat, desired projection, lifestyle and revision risk — not preference. Dr. Paulo Michels explains.
Read the guide →

Can a Tummy Tuck Fix Diastasis Recti?
Yes — repairing diastasis recti is a core part of a tummy tuck. Dr. Paulo Michels explains plication, endoscopic MILA repair and why exercise can't close it.
Read the guide →

Double Chin Removal in Abu Dhabi: Liposuction, Skin Tightening or a Neck Lift?
Fat, loose skin or platysma laxity? Dr. Paulo Michels explains how the cause of a double chin decides between chin liposuction, tightening and a neck lift.
Read the guide →

Gynecomastia Grades: Why Some Chests Need Gland Excision, Not Just Liposuction
Why gynecomastia grade decides the operation: liposuction alone, VASER plus gland excision, or skin removal. Dr. Paulo Michels explains the technique choice.
Read the guide →

What Affects the Cost of a Mommy Makeover in the UAE?
Mommy makeover cost in the UAE depends on which procedures are combined, theatre and anaesthesia time, staging, garments and follow-up — explained without prices.
Read the guide →

Breast Implant Illness: What Is Known, and When Explant Surgery Helps
Breast implant illness explained without hype by Dr. Paulo Michels: what patients report, why there is no test, and what explant surgery can and cannot promise.
Read the guide →

Breast Implant Removal Recovery Week by Week: A Surgeon's Timeline
A week-by-week explant recovery timeline from Dr. Paulo Michels: sleep, bras, showering, driving, exercise, scars and how the breasts settle over six months.
Read the guide →

En Bloc vs Total Capsulectomy: What Actually Matters When Removing Breast Implants
En bloc takes the capsule out sealed around the implant; a total capsulectomy removes it all, opened. Dr. Paulo Michels explains when each is truly needed.
Read the guide →

How Long Does an Internal Bra Last? Breast Lift Longevity Explained
An autologous internal bra is living tissue and does not resorb; scaffolds do. Dr. Paulo Michels explains breast lift longevity in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Read the guide →

Internal Bra Materials: GalaFLEX, TIGR Matrix, ADM or Your Own Tissue?
GalaFLEX, TIGR Matrix, ADM or your own tissue: Dr. Paulo Michels explains what each internal bra material is, how long it lasts and which he uses as standard.
Read the guide →

Will My Breasts Sag After Implant Removal? Explant With or Without a Lift
Whether breasts sag after implant removal depends on your tissue, skin stretch and nipple position. Dr. Paulo Michels explains explant with or without a lift.
Read the guide →

Breast Implant Revision and Replacement in the UAE: When and Why
When do breast implants need replacing? A guide to revision surgery in the UAE — capsular contracture, rupture, exchange versus removal, and why the second operation is planned differently.
Read the guide →

Is a BBL Safe? How Modern Technique Changed the Risk Profile
A BBL is safe when fat is placed only above the muscle under real-time ultrasound guidance in an accredited hospital. Here is what changed, and what to ask.
Read the guide →

Mommy Makeover Recovery Week by Week: A Surgeon's Timeline
A week-by-week mommy makeover recovery timeline built around real life with children — lifting limits, sleep, help at home, and when to call the surgeon.
Read the guide →

BodyTite and J-Plasma (Renuvion) With Liposuction: Who Actually Needs Skin Tightening?
Who genuinely benefits from BodyTite or J-Plasma with liposuction, who needs skin excision instead, and how the decision is made — explained by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Thigh Lift in Dubai: When Skin, Not Fat, Is the Problem
A thigh lift removes loose skin; liposuction removes fat. Learn which problem you have, where the scar sits, and how thigh lift recovery really works in the UAE.
Read the guide →

Upper Blepharoplasty or Brow Lift: Which Do Hooded Eyes Need?
Hooded eyes can come from eyelid skin excess, a descended brow, or both. How to tell the difference at assessment — and why the answer changes the operation.
Read the guide →

Body Lift or Tummy Tuck After Major Weight Loss?
A tummy tuck treats the front only; a body lift removes loose skin all the way around. Dr. Paulo Michels explains which one fits your body after major weight loss.
Read the guide →

Breast Lift or Implants: Which Do You Need After Pregnancy?
Sagging needs a lift; deflation needs implants; many post-pregnancy breasts need both in one operation. Dr. Paulo Michels explains how to tell the difference.
Read the guide →

Can Chest Exercises Get Rid of Gynecomastia?
Chest exercises build the muscle under the gland but cannot shrink glandular tissue. Why training is not enough for true gynecomastia — and what actually works.
Read the guide →

Can Permanent Fillers Be Removed?
Permanent fillers — biopolymer, liquid silicone, PMMA — cannot be dissolved, only surgically removed. Why removal is staged, why 100% is not always possible, and the honest goals of surgery.
Read the guide →

Can You Breastfeed After Breast Augmentation?
Most women can breastfeed after breast augmentation. Dr. Paulo Michels explains how an inframammary, dual-plane approach spares the milk ducts and nerves.
Read the guide →

Does Migraine Surgery Really Work?
In studies of carefully selected patients, most improve and around half become migraine-free. Dr. Paulo Michels explains the evidence, candidacy and honest limits of migraine surgery.
Read the guide →

Does Rib Remodeling Affect Your Breathing?
No — rib remodeling reshapes the angle of the lowest ribs with ultrasonic energy, it does not remove them, and breathing is preserved. Dr. Paulo Michels explains what is normal in recovery.
Read the guide →

How Long After a BBL Before You Can Sit Down?
Most surgeons advise no direct sitting for two to three weeks after a BBL, then a BBL pillow until weeks six to eight. The full sitting, sleeping, driving and work timeline.
Read the guide →

How Soon Can You Fly After a Tummy Tuck?
When can you fly after a tummy tuck? Short flights vs long-haul, why your surgical team plans the timing, and how patients travelling to Abu Dhabi organise recovery.
Read the guide →

Is Summer a Bad Time to Have Plastic Surgery in the UAE?
Summer surgery in the UAE is not inherently bad — the air-conditioned indoor lifestyle actually suits recovery. Garments in the heat, sun on fresh scars, and the quiet-season advantage explained.
Read the guide →

MILA Tummy Tuck vs Full Tummy Tuck: What's the Difference?
MILA repairs the abdominal muscles like a full tummy tuck but removes no skin and leaves only lipo-sized scars. Dr. Paulo Michels explains who each suits.
Read the guide →

What Is 360 Liposuction?
360 liposuction treats the entire trunk in one operation — abdomen, waist, flanks and lower back — so the contour is continuous from every angle. What the term really means, how it differs from HD lipo, and who suits it.
Read the guide →

When Can You Exercise After a Tummy Tuck?
Walking starts day one, but real exercise returns in stages. Dr. Paulo Michels explains the tummy tuck timeline: cardio around week four, core and abs last at 6–8 weeks.
Read the guide →

Breast Lift with Implants in Abu Dhabi: Lifting and Volume in One Surgery
When a breast lift alone is not enough and an implant alone will not fix the droop. How mastopexy with implants combines lifting and volume restoration in one surgery — and who is genuinely a candidate.
Read the guide →

How to Choose a Breast Augmentation Surgeon in Dubai
A practical checklist for choosing a breast augmentation surgeon in Dubai — the credentials to verify, the questions to ask at the consultation, and the answers a good surgeon should give.
Read the guide →

Migraine Surgery in Dubai: Who Is Actually a Candidate?
Nerve decompression for chronic migraine, explained for patients in Dubai — how the trigger site is confirmed before surgery, who is and is not a candidate, published results, recovery and honest risks.
Read the guide →

Permanent Filler Removal in Dubai: What Can Be Taken Out, and How
Biopolymer, silicone and PMMA cannot be dissolved — only surgically removed. What removal involves for patients in Dubai, how much can realistically come out, recovery, and the staged reconstruction that follows.
Read the guide →

Blepharoplasty Recovery Day by Day: Swelling, Bruising, Screens and Makeup
What blepharoplasty recovery really looks like day by day — swelling, bruising, cold compresses, screens, makeup and the road to the final result, by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Breast Augmentation Recovery Week by Week: Sleep, Bras and Getting Back to Normal
A week-by-week breast augmentation recovery guide from Dr. Paulo Michels — sleeping position, the surgical bra, drop and fluff, exercise, flying and when normal life returns.
Read the guide →

Buttock Implant Surgery: Recovery, Sitting and Long-Term Care
What recovery after buttock implant surgery really involves — the sitting and sleeping protocol, compression, how implants settle and long-term care, explained by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Facelift Recovery: Physical Healing vs. Social Downtime
When will you look normal after a facelift? Dr. Paulo Michels separates tissue healing from social downtime — photo-ready milestones, camouflage and planning.
Read the guide →

Getting Back to the Gym After Gynecomastia Surgery
When can you train again after gynecomastia surgery? Dr. Paulo Michels lays out a staged return — walking, legs, cardio, and finally chest day — and why the order matters.
Read the guide →

Liposuction for Men: Areas, Technique and Recovery Differences
Male liposuction explained — flanks, abdomen and chest, VASER HD with Renuvion, UGRAFT muscle definition and how recovery compares, by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Recovering From a MILA Tummy Tuck: What Patients Actually Experience
What MILA tummy tuck recovery really feels like — drains, the compression garment, desk work by day 5–7, driving, the gym at weeks 4–6 — from Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Neck Lift Surgery: What to Expect Before, During and After
A full patient-journey guide to neck lift surgery — platysmal bands, incision placement, pairing with chin liposuction or a facelift, and recovery, by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Planning Cosmetic Surgery Around Ramadan: Timing, Fasting and Healing
How to schedule surgery around Ramadan so fasting, hydration and medication don't collide with recovery — practical, respectful timing guidance from Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Returning to the Gym After Liposuction: A Staged Training Plan
A staged plan for exercise after liposuction — walking, then cardio, then resistance training — with the warning signs that you are pushing too hard, by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Rib Remodeling Recovery: Bracing, Breathing Comfort and Getting Back to Life
What recovery after scarless rib remodeling is really like — the corset, breathing comfort, returning to work in days and the 3–6 month road to the final waistline, by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Why Swelling After Liposuction Lasts Months — and What Helps
Why liposuction swelling peaks, plateaus and lingers for months — and what actually helps: compression, lymphatic drainage, walking and patience, explained by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Traveling to the UAE for Plastic Surgery: A Complete Planning Guide
How to plan plastic surgery in the UAE as a traveling patient — remote consultation, scheduling, hotel recovery, flying home timelines and safety, by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Tummy Tuck Scars: The 18-Month Healing Timeline and How to Care for Them
How a tummy tuck scar heals over 18 months — placement, month-by-month changes, sun protection in the UAE and daily care, explained by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Planning Surgery Before a Wedding: Procedure-by-Procedure Timelines
How far ahead of a wedding to book each procedure so swelling has gone and scars are quiet — eyelids, facelift and body surgery timelines, explained by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

What Happens on Surgery Day: An Hour-by-Hour Walkthrough
An hour-by-hour walkthrough of surgery day at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi — arrival, markings, anaesthesia, the operation, recovery room and discharge, by Dr. Paulo Michels.
Read the guide →

Tummy Tuck Recovery Week by Week: A Surgeon's Timeline
A week-by-week tummy tuck recovery timeline from Dr. Paulo Michels — drains, compression garments, standing up straight, driving, desk work and gym clearance.
Read the guide →

MILA Tummy Tuck in Dubai – Scarless Modern Abdominoplasty
How the MILA tummy tuck in Dubai achieves a firm, natural abdominal contour through minimally invasive techniques — hidden incisions and faster recovery.
Read the guide →
Mini Facelift Dubai – Youthful Results with Minimal Downtime
A mini facelift in Dubai lifts early jowls and sagging along the jawline through small incisions, giving subtle, natural results with only days of downtime.
Read the guide →
Rib Remodeling Dubai – Sculpting the Perfect Waistline
Rib remodeling in Dubai narrows the waistline by reshaping the lower ribs — no bone removed — often combined with VASER liposuction for a sculpted contour.
Read the guide →
Rib Remodeling vs Rib Removal: Understand the Difference
Rib remodeling reshapes the ribs to slim the waist without removing bone; rib removal excises rib sections. Compare methods, recovery and how to choose.
Read the guide →