There is a safe and effective plastic surgery procedure that can give you the shapely buttocks you desire. The medical term used for this enhancement procedure is Autologous Gluteal Augmentation; however, it is frequently referred to as the Brazilian butt lift (BBL).

What is a Brazilian Butt Lift?

An experienced plastic surgeon can change the shape and size of a patient’s buttocks without the need for surgical implants. Instead of using silicone butt implants, the plastic surgeon transfers fat harvested from another area of the body into the buttocks. This fat transfer provides the patient with a fuller, beautifully-contoured and shapelier derriere. Furthermore, a plastic surgeon who has experience performing BBLs, knows how to enhance butt lift results with targeted fat harvesting. Many times, the donation areas targeted include the lower back, hip, abdomen and thighs. After removing this excess fat, a portion of the fat is prepared for injection into the patient’s buttocks.

Who is a Good Candidate for a Brazilian Butt Lift?

Anyone who would like to have shapelier buttocks without the need for an implant should consider having a BBL. However, some patients are better candidates than others. For example, patients who are very thin and do not have the fat necessary for transfer are not good candidates for a Brazilian butt lift; however, sometimes a patient just needs to gain 10 to 15 pounds to have enough excess fat to have this procedure.

Since some patients think that they are too old or have medical histories that are too complex to have a BBL, our staff works with patients' primary care physicians to ensure their physician feels comfortable with them having a Brazilian butt lift.

Individuals who are considering a Brazilian Butt Lift may receive permission to go forward with it if they:

Do not feel comfortable in the clothes they wear.
Have lost their natural shape because of weight fluctuations or age.
Are at a healthy weight.
Have good skin tone.
Are a nonsmoker.
Have not had any complications or infections related to surgery.
Lead a healthy lifestyle, which includes a regular exercise regimen.
Have an adequate amount of fat stored in the typical areas used for harvesting.

What Are the Benefits of a Brazilian Butt Lift?

The BBL provides patients with a more rounded, natural-looking result than can be accomplished with the silicone butt implants. In addition, a Brazilian butt lift addresses issues such as a shapeless and/or sagging behind, both of which can occur with age. Also, the risk of infection is lower with a BBL than it is with silicone butt implants.

How much does a Brazilian Butt Lift Cost?

A Brazilian Butt Lift can typically range in price from $9,000 - $13,000.

Preparing for a Brazilian Butt Lift

Prior to their BBL, patients should maintain a healthy lifestyle with a balanced weight.

In addition, patients should:

Take showers using antibacterial soap.
Avoid certain medications. Anti-inflammatory medications and aspirin thin the blood, so these medications must be avoided for at least two weeks before the procedure. In addition, if a temporary change must be made in their medication, patients who take prescription medications (e.g., Coumadin) to thin their blood will need to speak with their prescribing physician before doing so.
Clean the house and prepare the recovery area. Recliners are nice to use, just remember to line the furniture with towels because there will be a lot of drainage after the BBL, this drainage can continue for up to 48 hours.
Patients need to bring a licensed driver, who is at least 18 years old, with them on the day of their surgery because they will not be permitted to drive themselves home. Also, they must have an adult available to help them for 24 to 48 hours after their procedure.
Patients will not be able to put pressure on the areas of their buttocks where the fat was injected; therefore, they need to purchase two doughnut cushions to use as they recover.

The Brazilian Butt Lift Procedure

The morning of their procedure, patients should remove all their piercings and shower using the surgical soap. Patients need to have their driver with them when they arrive the morning of their surgery.

1. Marking the Sites

The surgeon creates various markings to reference the injection sites and the sites where the incisions (approximately the size of a single grain of rice) will be created.

2. Anesthesia

The patient receives medication. This medication puts the patient to sleep, ensuring that he or she remains comfortable throughout the BBL.

3. Prepping the Harvest Sites and Buttocks

The harvest sites are where the fat is removed via liposuction. Antibacterial soap is used to disinfect the harvest sites as well as the buttocks. By disinfecting these areas before the surgery, the likelihood of an infection is reduced.

4. Incisions are Created

The surgeon creates the incisions. The infiltration cannula and liposuction cannula are inserted into the harvest site incisions. These cannulas are thin, long, metal tubes. One tube delivers a fluid that liquefies the fat so it can be removed via liposuction and the other tube is used to suck out the liquefied fat. The incisions created in the buttocks are used to transfer the fat into the targeted areas.

5. Tumescent Fluid Injections

The surgeon injects tumescent fluid (i.e., lidocaine and epinephrine) into the harvest sites and donor sites. This fluid numbs the areas to be treated and narrows the blood vessels, which minimizes bleeding.

6. The Surgeon Harvests the Fat

To obtain enough fat, patients usually need to have fat taken from several sites. This is accomplished using the liposuction technique.

7. Preparing the Harvested Fat

After collecting the fat, it is transferred to syringes and allowed to separate. The fluid that separates from the fat is the tumescent fluid that the body did not absorb. Once the separation takes place the fluid is discarded and the fat is transferred to smaller syringes.

8. The Fat Transfer

A cannula made for injecting fat is connected to the end of the smaller syringe. Using a smaller syringe gives the surgeon more precision while injecting.

9. Closing the Incisions

The surgeon closes the incisions using sutures. This ensures that the newly injected fat remains in the buttocks. Steri-strips may be used once the surgeon finishes closing the sutures.

Recovering from Brazilian Butt Lift Surgery

The patient will not be able to sit on his or her buttocks for approximately two weeks. In addition, the patient needs to sleep on his or her stomach or side until the buttocks have healed completely.

During recovery:

The buttocks may be inflamed for several weeks.
Patients usually do not experience much pain following a Brazilian butt lift; however, any pain that is present can be controlled with medication.
Patients will need to lie on their side, stomach or stand for all their activities, except when using the restroom. At some point, their surgeon will release them to sit as long as they place a pillow beneath their thighs or use a doughnut pillow.
After about eight weeks, the patient’s sitting restrictions are usually lifted.
As long as the patient follows the surgeon’s instructions, he or she should be permitted to begin performing light duty activities again and return to work within two weeks’ time.

Results: What to Expect After a Brazilian Butt Lift Surgery

The fat cells that were removed via liposuction are eliminated permanently from the site they were taken. On average, about 50-70% of the fat that was transferred lives. Therefore, the most full result will be right after surgery. Once the swelling subsides and the fat settles, you will be able to see your result. This takes several months to obtain. The transferred fat cells that survive will remain in the buttocks for years; however, significant weight changes can affect the results of a Brazilian butt lift; therefore, maintaining a stable weight is essential to keeping the results looking the best. The patient’s improved lower body proportions and shapelier buttocks become evident within six months of his or her procedure. If you reside in or around Houma, Louisiana, and you would like to learn more about the Brazilian butt lift, or any of the other procedures available at Rau Plastic Surgery contact the office today at 985-333-1109 or click here to schedule an initial consultation with Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Rau. Dr. Rau’s office is located at 869 Verret Street, in Houma, Louisiana.

Brazilian Butt Lift