The Skinny
Overview
The Brazilian butt lift commonly referred to as its acronym BBL is an increasingly popular procedure. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons 2017 Plastic Surgery Statistics report notes that there was 20,301 buttock augmentation with fat grafting procedures performed in 2017, a 10% increase from the previous year.
A Brazilian butt lift is a fat transfer procedure that grafts patient-derived adipose tissue to the buttocks. Butt augmentation from the fat transfer of the patient's fat allows for customized placement of the extracted cells. A buttock augmentation from fat transfer is more customizable than an implant that remains in a specific location, as cells can be injected all around the tissue for increased volume and projection while simultaneously improving body contours.
Buttock augmentation that uses patient-derived fat is also beneficial due to its lower risk of rejection since no foreign materials are being implanted. Brazilian buttock lift can be advantageous over buttock implants, which may cause problems for certain underweight patients. The fact that butt implants might shift, be rejected by the body, or become encapsulated makes them a bigger risk.
Since the Brazilian butt lift does not actually provide a surgical lift to the buttocks, it can be combined with butt lift surgery to place added volume in the lower derriere region with fat injections, usually after a large amount of weight loss has occurred and the patient has undergone a body lift. The fat transferred into the butt is usually taken from the thighs, hips, abdomen, or other areas of the body. An expert surgeon can use the extracted fat to enhance the proportions of the entire lower body region by subtracting fat from problem areas and adding volume and definition to a patient’s behind.
AEDITpro
Before & After Images by Provider
Sensitive Content
Sensitive Content
Sensitive Content
Sensitive Content
Before & After Images by Provider
Brazilian Butt Lift Fat Grafting Solutions
The Specifics
Ideal Candidates for a Brazilian Butt Lift
A good candidate for the BBL procedure is a healthy individual with enough excess fat cells for grating. Additionally, patients with the following attributes are good candidates for Brazilian butt lift surgery:
Additional butt augmentation and lifting procedures may be discussed with the patient seeking increased volume, in addition to a fat transfer. Patients with realistic goals who want to enhance their gluteal regions with a more shapely behind - including those who have thoroughly researched the procedure - are the best individuals to undergo the cosmetic change.
Contraindications for a Brazilian Butt Lift
As with all cosmetic procedures, any patient who is undergoing treatment to please another person may not be ideal candidates for plastic surgery. Other qualities that may make a patient ineligible for surgery also include:
How Much Does a Brazilian Butt Lift Cost?
Brazilian butt lift costs can vary wildly, based upon the plastic surgeon performing the procedure and the extent of the surgery. Having a procedure performed by a celebrity doctor such as Michael ‘Dr. Miami’ Salzhauer in Florida versus a lesser known plastic surgeon in a non-metropolitan city can greatly change the price. Keep in mind, certain costs quoted online for buttock lift surgery represent the price of the procedure alone, not including the facility fee of the surgery center or anesthesia expenses.
To learn more, check out our complete guide to Brazilian butt lift costs.
Pros of a Brazilian Butt Lift
The benefits of a Brazilian buttocks lift include:
Cons of a Brazilian Butt Lift
The disadvantages of BBL procedures include the following:
Side Effects of a Brazilian Butt Lift
All surgeries have some degree of risk associated with the procedure including the Brazilian butt lift, which has side effects ranging from asymmetry to fat reabsorption to death. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons even issued a warning about the mortality rate of BBLs, which is higher than any other cosmetic surgery.
The increased dangers and side effects were cited as a result of plastic surgeons who weren't board-certified performing the cosmetic procedure, along with people who weren't licensed physicians performing BBLs. It is essential to seek a knowledgeable board-certified plastic surgeon and remain informed about the procedure.
Patients should also note that fat cells may react the same way they did in their former location when it comes to weight loss proclivities for a specific individual. Dramatic weight gains or losses can have an impact on the surgical results.
Recovery From Brazilian Butt Lift Surgery
Recovering from a fat transfer procedure relies upon the method of liposuction used to extract the donor fat. Other factors also impact recovery, such as the type of anesthesia used - be it general or local anesthesia.
Expect numbness immediately after the fat transplant. Bruising and swelling, along with discomfort, may last for two days to several weeks - but should improve. You will be advised to avoid sitting on the buttocks for two to eight weeks after surgery. Patients will need to wear a compression garment to help reduce swelling and improve postoperative body contours.
Approximately 30% to 50% of the transferred fat will likely be reabsorbed by the body, so the immediate post-operative swelling and gluteal volume should reduce in size over time. During recovery, the patient will be told to refrain from engaging in fat-burning workouts for approximately eight weeks post-surgery and to indulge in a high carbohydrate diet for several weeks to prevent the loss of newly grafted buttock fat.
To better understand the healing and downtime associated with the procedure, check out our complete guide to Brazilian butt lift recovery.
BBL & Mommy Makeovers
If additional surgeries are undergone at the same time as a BBL, the recovery period might last longer. A mommy makeover procedure involves several surgeries undergone simultaneously - at times including a Brazilian butt lift, a tummy tuck, breast lift, thigh lift, arm lift, breast reduction, or a combination of other cosmetic procedures. Certain surgeries should not necessarily take place simultaneously. Having breast augmentation surgery at the same time as buttock surgery may not be ideal, due to how patients are advised to avoid sleeping or sitting on newly-operated upon body parts.
Brazilian Butt Lift Before & Aftercare
Viewing real photo galleries of patient results can help give you an idea of the final results you might expect to achieve from a Brazilian butt lift. During your consultation, discuss with your board-certified plastic surgeon the amount of fat that you can safely have transferred from problem areas into the butt to improve the shape of the buttocks.
Healthy patients who enjoy a stable weight and no underlying medical conditions should ensure they thoroughly research the plastic surgeon they plan to have performed their surgery. Some controversial recommendations may include encouraging patients to gain weight before the surgery, to have more fat that can be grafted.
After the procedure, patients can expect that any transferred fat that remains in the buttocks area after approximately 90 days will remain permanently. However, the transferred fat's firmness may soften a bit over time, as the weight of the patient tends to fluctuate with the shape of the buttocks. For these reasons, certain individuals may choose to have a future fat grafting procedure, however, many Brazilian butt lifts are a one-time surgery.
The Takeaway
Conclusion
If you are unhappy with a flat, misshapen, or sagging backside, a Brazilian butt lift procedure could provide the enhanced shape you seek. It is most important to select a board-certified surgeon who knows how to safely perform the surgery.
The ABCS notes that while BBL surgeries have gotten more popular than traditional procedures such as butt implant surgery, it’s important to select the most qualified surgeon for your fat grafting procedure. Avoid cheap alternatives from “surgeons” who do not know how to safely remove fat and inject it into the buttocks to gain the best Brazilian butt lift possible.
