Brazilian butt lift (gluteoplasty) has become a popular surgical procedure which uses fat transfer to create a fuller, more shapely derrière. Excess fat is extracted from other parts of the body through a process similar to liposuction and then transferred to the area that needs augmentation, commonly the higher area of the buttocks to give it a lifted appearance.
I perform many Brazilian butt lifts each year and thought it might be helpful to offer some questions and answers so that anyone interested in this type of body contouring procedure can make an informed decision. For more information about butt augmentation, download our free fact sheet!
10 important questions to ask before getting a Brazilian Butt Lift
1. How do I know if I’m a good candidate for a BBL?
You have to be in good medical health to be considered a good candidate for any kind of plastic surgery. If you have any heart conditions, lung conditions or neurological disorders, you may not be a good candidate for a BBL.
2. Why would I get a BBL instead of butt implants?
The main difference between a BBL, a fat grafting procedure, or butt implants is how much fat you have in your body. With butt lifts, there are fewer complications. Also, liposuction can be performed at the same time to give more roundness, shape and curve to the buttocks. Fat (from your own body so there is no risk of rejection) shapes well, can be placed specifically in the areas that need it, and helps create hips.
3. Do I need to gain or lose weight before the procedure?
While it varies from person to person, you should be a few pounds over your ideal weight before having BBL surgery. The important factor is that once you have gained weight for a BBL, you need to maintain that same weight afterwards in order to maintain the results.
4. How safe is a Brazilian butt lift and what are the risks?
I believe the Brazilian butt lift procedure is very safe – the procedure is extremely popular. The complication rates are relatively low and the major risks include pulmonary or fat embolism (blood clot — less than 1% of patients) and anemia.
5. Where will my fat be extracted from?
Typically, I extract fat from the lower back, love handles and abdomen and use it to shape the top part of the butt and possibly the sides.
6. How much scarring will there be?
I always try to minimize scarring as much as possible. For a BBL, there will be small scars (about 4 mm long) in the creases around the buttocks and abdominal area. I try to hide as many of them as I can and perform most of the surgery in the areas that are hidden. Sometimes the post-surgery scars will be raised, sometimes they get dark, and sometimes you can't see them at all. It completely depends on your individual body heals.
7. How long will the results last?
The fat that I put into your body is a graft, just like a skin graft. I take fat from one area of your body and put it into another. A skin graft doesn't go away and neither will the fat — this is a very long-lasting procedure. On average, expect about 50% of the injected fat to stay in the area and about 50% will be reabsorbed by the body. That’s why I always put in extra fat grafts.
8. How long will it take to recover after a BBL? Will I be able to sit?
I advise my patients not to sit at all for as much as six weeks following the procedure. After that, you can sit on a boppy (nursing) pillow so that you’re sitting on the back of your thighs and not your butt. There are also special chairs that allow you to sit without sitting on your buttocks.
9. Can I resume regular exercise after a BBL?
I absolutely encourage my patients to exercise after surgery. However, I would not want someone doing excessive cardio which might cause them to lose the fat that’s been transferred. To get the heart rate up and still maintain the BBL results, I recommend squats, lunges, calisthenics — exercises that give a good workout and even increase the results.
10. When can I go back to work after a BBL?
People usually can go back to work about one week after the procedure. What seems to work well for my patients is to take their boppy pillow to the office and use it in their work chair.
If you are interested in a Brazilian butt lift
If you are thinking about getting a Brazilian butt lift and would like to schedule a free consultation, please contact me. I will send you additional information prior to your appointment.
More information on body sculpting procedures
You might find these pages helpful on my website:
Board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS), and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), Samuel J. Beran, MD is a plastic surgeon with offices in Manhattan, Harrison and Mount Kisco, NY. With years of experience and a thorough command of the most advanced techniques and technologies, he consistently provides his patients with the highest level of plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the breast, face, skin and body.
