BBL Candidacy

The Brazilian butt lift (BBL) is an enhancement of the cheeks to gain a fuller, shapelier booty. A surgeon extracts unwanted fat, via liposuction, from areas of the patient’s own body. The surgeon will likely need to liposuction two or three areas to gain enough fat for the injections because only about 25% of the extracted fat qualifies for re-injection during the purification process. After the fat is purified, it is re-injected into the buttocks through a series of microinjections. The newly injected fat is then sculpted to provide a natural look and feel.

Does the Transferred Fat Give Permanent Results?

The average person will lose a portion of the transferred fat because approximately 20% – 25% of the injected fat does not survive the re-injection process and is absorbed by the body. The rejected fat will simply liquefy and the body will excrete it through your urine within 6 weeks. The remaining fat acts like the existing fat and become permanent. However, significant fluctuations in weight can cause the results to diminish so maintaining a stable weight is important after butt injections.

Am I A Good Candidate for Butt Injections?

Good candidates for a BBL include anyone who wishes to enhance the shape and/or size of their buttocks and is considered slightly overweight. The candidate must have enough fat on other regions of the body, such as the abdomen and thighs, for removal by a surgeon. Generally speaking, you must be able to pinch an inch of fat elsewhere on your body to have butt injections. If you do not have enough fat for removal and still wish to enhance your derriere, implants might be a good option for you. Keep in mind that butt injections are limited by the amount of volume they can create. Additionally, anyone considering butt injections should be in good health and able to take a week or two off for recovery.

Are There Any Risks Involved?

The Brazilian butt lift is safer than implants and holds less risks or complications than implants. However, any surgery has some risks in addition to the associated risks of general anesthesia. With BBL, the risk of infection is small since the injected material is your own body fat. It is important to understand that other means of butt injections such as silicone, hydrogel and PMMA (polymethyl-methacrylate) are not FDA-approved as safe to use in the body. These illegally injected materials can lead to significant complications, disfigurement and death.

BBL risks also include:

• Hematoma
• Seroma
• Poor wound healing
• Fat embolism
• Asymmetry

What Is The Recovery Like?

BBL recovery time varies depending on:

• The amount of fat removed
• How many areas had liposuction performed on them
• How the patient responds to healing

You should expect a fair amount of swelling and bruising in the treated areas as well as some discomfort for the first 7 to 10 days. The discomfort and bruising should dissipate after 2 to 3 weeks but the swelling can persist a while longer. Some people can go back to light duty work after a few days but others may need a few weeks to recover. The incisions from liposuction will be covered with surgical dressing and a compression garment. The garment will need to be worn for several weeks or until the surgeon specifies. Be prepared to lie on your stomach for the first 3 weeks because you will not be allowed to sit on your butt because the pressure from sitting on your buttocks can destroy the newly injected fat and void the procedure. After 3 weeks, you may be allowed to sit on an inflatable pillow for the next week or two.

What about the Results?

After the Brazilian butt lift, you will be able to see the results immediately. Keep in mind that there will be significant swelling. It will take several weeks for the swelling to subside and the fat to stabilize. After 6 weeks, you should be able to see the final results.

Will This Cost Me A Lot Of Money?

The cost of a Brazilian butt lift varies by the skill of the doctor, where the procedure is performed in the country and how many areas of the body have liposuction. However, you can expect to spend around $4000-$7000 for the treatment. Any person who is offering a BBL at a bargain price may not be a good choice. You should always select a board-certified surgeon who is adequately skilled and performs Brazilian butt lift on a regular basis.

SP