Brazilian Butt Lift (Gluteal Lift)

Several critical factors contribute to the success of a Brazilian butt lift.

At the outset, it is crucial for you and your physician to discuss what your goals are regarding the contour and appearance of your body, in order to optimize results. Are you specifically interested in changing your waist, thighs, abdomen, or buttocks? What is it that you would want to be different about your silhouette and buttocks: is it size, shape, contour or feel?

Also be sure to discuss your current health, routines, and future plans. For example, has your weight been stable over the past year, or does it continually fluctuate? Are you pregnant, breastfeeding or considering getting pregnant soon? The answers to all of these questions will affect the approach your surgeon ultimately takes.

The procedure typically involves liposuction to remove excess fat from areas such as the stomach, flanks, and thighs. This fat is then processed and carefully re-injected into the buttocks. The procedure can slim areas around the middle of the body where the patient would like to have less fat, resulting in a more hourglass-like figure.

The holistic goals of a BBL include enhancing the shape and silhouette of the body, achieving a more contoured figure, and improving the shape and volume of the buttocks. The combined effects of removing fat from unwanted areas and augmenting others results in a more balanced and aesthetically pleasing appearance.

The outcomes of BBL generally include high patient satisfaction rates, with many individuals achieving their desired contour and volume. However, if the transferred fat does not survive, it can lead to asymmetry and require further corrective procedures. Additionally, although rare, there are life-threatening risks, such as fat embolism, which can occur if fat enters the bloodstream and blocks blood vessels. These risks are greatly minimized when you choose a highly qualified plastic surgeon who is meticulous and exercises extreme caution throughout the procedure.

Although a BBL may sound similar to receiving a butt implant, these are two very different procedures.

A BBL surgery involves removing fat from areas where it is less desirable—like the lower abdomen, flanks, and thighs—and transferring it to improve buttock size and shape. If you don’t have enough excess body fat available, then you may not be a candidate for a BBL but could be a candidate for an implant. Butt implants are synthetic materials (similar to silicone breast implants) that can be placed into the buttocks to augment size and shape.

Each procedure has pros and cons. BBL uses your own fat for buttock augmentation, which gives the area a more natural look and feel, but not all of the transferred fat always survives. It is also possible to have contour irregularities in the areas where liposuction or fat transfer was done. Butt implants, on the other hand, can provide a more dramatic result, yet other complications may occur, like implant infection, exposure, or malposition.

BBL is the preferred method for most plastic surgeons, but the suitability of the technique depends on individual anatomy and goals. To determine which option is best for you, discuss the benefits and risks with a board-certified plastic surgeon.

Before you go

During a Brazilian butt lift consultation, your surgeon will evaluate your medical history, examine your body to determine suitable fat donor sites, and discuss your aesthetic goals. They will explain the procedure, risks, recovery, and expected outcomes.

You should ask questions about the surgeon’s experience, their complication rates, and the techniques they use. Additionally, inquire about the recovery process and what results you can realistically expect. Reviewing before-and-after photos of previous patients can help you assess the surgeon’s skill and determine if their results align with your expectations.

During the procedure

For a Brazilian butt lift, general anesthesia is typically used to keep you pain-free and comfortable throughout the procedure. In some cases, local anesthesia with sedation may be employed, depending on the surgeon’s assessment and the specific circumstances.

Your surgeon will begin the BBL by performing liposuction to remove excess fat from the areas you have determined together, typically around your stomach, flanks, and thighs. This is done by making small incisions and using cannulas (thin tubes) to extract the fat.

The removed fat is then processed carefully and re-injected (grafted) into the buttocks during the same procedure. Every site where a cannula was inserted to aspirate or inject fat will have a small cut that will be closed with a suture.

You can typically go home right after your surgery or the following day, depending on the extent of the procedure performed.

Brazilian Butt Lift (Gluteal Lift) Aftercare 

After a BBL procedure, it is common to have some bruising and swelling around the sites where the fat was removed or added. Incision sites usually heal very well with minimal scarring. Pain after the procedure is usually managed with over-the-counter and prescription pain medication, if needed.

For two to four weeks after surgery, it is recommended that you avoid direct sitting and lay on your stomach or side to avoid pressure on your buttocks. This will help the healing process and maximize the chances that the transferred fat survives.

A special pillow, sometimes called a “bbl pillow”, helps distribute the pressure as you gradually return to regular activities. You may also be asked to wear a compression garment to reduce swelling, support the newly contoured areas, and help the skin retract. This garment is typically worn for several weeks to ensure optimal healing and results.

You can typically resume full activity and exercise six weeks after surgery. Final results of a Brazilian butt lift are typically visible after three to six months, once the swelling has fully subsided and the transferred fat has settled.