All About Brazilian Butt Lift

Introduction to BBL

Buttock Augmentation, popularly known as the Brazilian Butt Lift, is a surgical technique to enhance the projection of the buttocks by directly injecting a patient’s own fat into their buttocks. If you or your friend are considering Buttock Augmentation or if you are only interested in more information about the procedure, please call us at (714) 500-0050 for a consultation with Dr. Luu Doan. You can also email us by clicking here to schedule a consultation or to get answers to any of your questions regarding the procedure.

For many years, the only technique available to augment the buttock was to place two silicone gel implant into the buttocks. This technique has never gained widespread popularity due to the hardness of the implants and the very high rate of implant infections due to the proximity of the incision to the anorectal region. An infected buttock implant would require immediate surgical removal and prolonged antibiotic therapy.

The newest trend in buttock enhancement surgery is to harvest fat from the patient by liposuction and to inject this fat directly into the buttocks. The result is a soft, naturally feeling buttock which lasts a lifetime. The risk of infection is also very low since no implant is used, just the patient’s own natural fat. An additional benefit is that the fat is harvested by traditional liposuction from the areas of the body that need it most. These areas typically include the abdomen, thighs, and back. Therefore, the patient’s body is also contoured and thinned out with liposuction, which accentuates the projection of the buttocks.

Brazilian Butt Lift Surgery

The Buttock Augmentation surgery is an outpatient procedure performed under general anesthesia in our medicare-accredited, state-of-the-art Newport Coast Surgical Center. The operation takes approximately three to four hours to perform depending on whether or not other additional procedures are included. The patient is monitored by an anesthesiologist throughout the procedure.

The procedure begins with liposuction of the abdomen, flanks, and the back. The flanks and lower back should always be included because flatter contouring of these areas with liposuction dramatically accentuates the projection of the buttocks before and after fat transfer. Additional areas of the body may be liposuctioned if additional fat is needed. The goal of the procedure is too remove the fat that lies beneath the deepest layer of the skin called the dermis and the most superficial layer of the muscle called the fascia. The fat is then collected in a sterile canister and processed for the fat transfer process. The fat is transferred into the fatty layer of the buttocks using a large syringe attached to a long stainless-steel cannula. The fat is injected smoothly and evenly to sculpt the buttock into a round, full, and smooth dome. The patient will then need to wear a compression garment that extends from the knees to the upper abdomen. This garment is designed to compress the skin so that it retracts and heals tightly and smoothly after surgery. The end result is a much younger, more projected, tighter buttock that is enhanced by the flatter, tighter surrounding body features produced by liposuction

Only a thorough and candid discussion between you and Dr. Doan can determine the best surgical options for you. Doctor Doan will discuss with you in detail every step of the procedure and he will review with you the possible complications of the operation.

Recovery From Buttock Augmentation Surgery

Recovery from Buttock Augmentation is remarkably less painful than one might expect. You will be prescribed medication for pain and nausea. You will also be given antibiotics to prevent infection. You will be given an elastic compression garment to wear that surrounds the thighs, buttocks, and abdomen to help the skin contract tightly and to minimize swelling. You should expect swelling and bruising in all areas of liposuction and in the buttocks. You should be up and about the next day to prevent blood clots from developing in the veins of the legs. Swelling takes up to three months to completely resolve and bruising should resolve in two weeks. Most patients can return to work by two weeks after surgery. The buttocks will appear disproportionately large the day after surgery but you should expect that 30-40% of the fat will disappear by one month so that the actual size of the buttocks will not be apparent for 4 to 6 weeks. Scars may take up to a year to fade, soften, and flatten. By 3 months after surgery, most patients are highly satisfied with their results. Doctor Doan and his staff will guide you through the entire recovery period to make sure that it is as smooth as possible.

Complications of Buttock Augmentation Surgery

If you are a healthy candidate with no pre-existing disorders or diseases which may inhibit healing, the general risks of liposuction and Buttock Augmentation surgery are very low. However, since it is indeed surgery, there are inherent risks you must consider before choosing to undergo a procedure such as this. Potential complications associated with Buttock Augmentation surgery may include the following:

Pulmonary Thromboemboli: Pulmonary Thromboemboli is a blood clot which forms during your liposuction procedure that can break free and travel to your lungs. However, the methods used today usually decrease the incidence of bleeding during the procedure, and therefore larger blood clots are much less likely to form. Symptoms include difficulty breathing and severe fatigue. The incidence is rare in liposuction.
Fat Emboli: Fat Embolism is when a small piece of fat breaks free and is absorbed by a blood vessel. The fat can travel to your lungs, brain and heart. The symptoms are similar to pulmonary thromboemboli. This risk is also rare, but worth mentioning.
Contour Deformities: The risks of liposuction include dents, lumps, waviness and other contour irregularities from aggressive over-suctioning in one area. This is usually the chief complaint of patients. Liposuction is not an exact and precise method of fat removal, but with newer machines, it can be pretty close. This is why it is imperative to go to a surgeon who is experienced and skilled at the art of body contouring.
Asymmetry: Because liposuction is performed in bilateral areas of the body, asymmetry can result if one side is larger than the other. This may require touch-up liposuction no sooner than 6 months later when all the swelling has resolved.