How Does the Brazilian Butt Lift Procedure Work?

Buttock augmentation has become a popular procedure among women who desire prominent, youthful-looking, curvy buttocks. The procedure owes much of its popularity to celebrity “belfies” which have literally flooded Instagram feeds. Today, women looking to enhance the appearance of their posterior have a new option – Brazilian Butt Lift surgery, also referred to as BBL. Unlike implant surgery where silicone implants are inserted into the buttocks, this butt shaping surgery adds volume and visual appeal to the buttocks using the patient’s own fat.

The Brazilian butt lift is a “dual-benefit” body contouring procedure that combines liposuction and fat transfer. Fat is removed via liposuction from the waist and other parts of the body which reshapes these areas, and is carefully injected into the gluteal region to enhance and improve its appearance. Gluteal augmentation or gluteal lift (currently marketed as the “Brazilian butt lift”), is described as one of the most rapidly evolving and increasingly popular cosmetic surgical procedures. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the demand for BBL generated 28,638 procedures in 2022, a 2% increase since 2019.

How Does a BBL Procedure Work?

Women considering fat grafting to buttocks should understand what it involves:

• Candidate evaluation: Ideal candidates for autologous fat transfer are those who are in good general health and have enough fat and an appropriate body type for fat harvesting. The typical areas for fat harvesting include the axilla or arm pit, the mid back or bra rolls, flanks or love handles as well as the outer thighs, inner thighs, and abdomen.
• Marking for fat transfer: The surgeon will outline the area where the fat is to be injected using a surgical marker.
• Administration of anesthesia: BBL can be performed under general as well as local anesthesia. The amount of fat that needs to be removed will determine the type of anesthesia you will receive. General anesthesia may be required for larger areas of liposuction with more generous amounts of fat transfer. However, traditional BBL under general anesthesia can have devastating and even fatal consequences if the fat is injected into and below the muscle, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Plastic surgeons at bodySCULPT in NYC, Dr Spero Theodorou and Dr Christopher T. Chia invented Brazilian butt lift under local anesthesia (BBLULA). Local anesthesia is the safer option because it presents minimal complications or risks for the patient. Extremely successful as a safer alternative to the traditional technique, BBLULA is a relatively short procedure that allows patients to remain awake throughout the procedure, heal faster, and get back quickly to their normal routine.

However, with local anesthesia, only smaller amounts of fat are injected at one time. Dr. Chia notes that many of their patients who had it done under local anesthesia tolerate it so well that they return on multiple occasions to gradually increase their buttock size in stages. Minimally invasive fat grafting for buttock augmentation using local anesthesia can be done safely, comfortably and with a shorter recovery time and at a lower cost because an anesthesiologist, extra nursing staff and excess operating room costs are avoided. Patients can work with their surgeon to determine the type of anesthesia that will work best for them.

• Preparing the harvest site and the buttocks for surgery: The harvest site is the area from which the fat will be removed via liposuction. Both the harvesting site and buttocks will be cleaned and disinfected. Disinfecting these areas reduces the risk of infection.
• Liposuction is performed to harvest the fat: The fat harvesting procedure involves tumescent liposuction to provide local anesthesia to large volumes of subcutaneous fat. A saline medium is first injected into the site to deliver the medications to numb the area, and minimize bleeding and bruising. Expert plastic surgeons use advanced energy-assisted methods of liposuction such as ultrasound-assisted VASER High Definition Lipo that allow for smoother and easier extraction of fat with lesser trauma and minimal bruising.

Recovery after BBL

When recovering from a buttock augmentation, several adjustments must be made. Even though the pain is usually mild and easily managed with painkillers you should not sit or rest directly on your buttocks for around two weeks following BBL. For a successful recovery, the survival of the fat graft, and positive outcomes, it is essential to understand what recovery and aftercare entail.

You must sleep on your side or stomach during this period, and either stand or lie down for all activities other than using the restroom. Your cosmetic surgeon will let you sit in a modified position when you’re ready, such as with a “donut” seat or with a pillow beneath your thighs to relieve pressure on your buttocks. After around eight weeks, normal sitting activity is usually permitted. After surgery, you should be able to resume mild daily activities within a week and go back to work within ten to fourteen days if you follow your cosmetic surgeon’s advice.

If you’re thinking about getting a cosmetic butt lift, consulting with a skilled surgeon will help you understand the risks and side effects of the BBL procedure, what to anticipate and how to get the best results.