The Brazilian butt lift (BBL) is one of the most popular procedures right now. The procedure allows women (and men) to remove stubborn fat from around their waist, sides and lower back. The surgeon then inserts that same fat into the buttocks and hips to create an attractive hourglass shape. If you’ve been considering this procedure for a while and have finally booked it, congratulations! You are one step closer to achieving the body of your dreams.
Before going through with any plastic surgery, you should make sure to do your research. Preparing yourself and knowing what to expect will make you feeler calmer going into surgery. Additionally, it will ensure that you have anything and everything you need to aid in a successful procedure and a speedy, complication-free recovery.
So you’re cleared for surgery and have your date in the books. What’s next?
Below is a detailed guide on what to expect during your BBL.
1. Anesthesia
First, an anesthesiologist will administer anesthesia to keep you unconscious and pain free. The anesthesiologist will likely use general anesthesia and administer it intravenously.
2. Incisions
Next, for a Brazilian butt lift, the surgeon will remove fat from your waist, sides and back. After cleaning the buttocks and harvest areas, the surgeon will make very small incisions about the size of a rice grain. The incisions will be just large enough to fit the fat suction device, known as a cannula. The cannula is a long, thin metal tube. For the buttocks area, the surgeon will likely make incisions in the crease, making them hardly visible.
3. Tumescent Fluid
Next, the surgeon will inject tumescent fluid through the cannula into the areas of fat that will undergo liposuction for your BBL. The surgeon will inject a lesser amount into the buttocks to make fat the injection tolerable. The tumescent fluid is comprised of two medications – lidocaine and epinephrine. Lidocaine numbs the areas that will be treated. Epinephrine narrows blood vessels to minimize bruising and bleeding during the procedure.
4. Liposuction
After the surgeon preps your body for fat transfer, they will suck the fat from your midsection, sides and back into a specialized canister. The special container keeps the fat from being contaminated. As a result, this decreases the risk of infection. Additionally, the container keeps air from interacting with the fat.
5. Fat Injection
After the fat collection, the surgeon attaches a very thin cannula to the canister. This special cannula is able to insert fat back into the body. During the insertion process, surgeons make sure to spread the fat around for even distribution. Finally, after all the fat has been distributed, the surgeon closes the incisions with sutures to keep the fat from extruding from the buttocks.
6. Waking Up
Lastly, you will wake up in a compression garment. Under your garment, your surgeon will cover the liposuction access sites with a small band-aide or bandage. You will have manageable pain in your buttocks and from the areas of fat harvest. Additionally, you may experience some swelling, bruising, drainage, numbness, and slight bleeding. These conditions are all normal in most cases after a Brazilian butt lift. Your surgeon will provide you with medication to assist with pain management.
7. Recovery
For the first week or more, you will be stiff and sore. During your first post-operative visit, a nurse will change your garment and your bandages. You may have bruising in areas that did not have any surgery, which is typically normal. Above all, it is important to avoid sitting or sleeping on your back side for three weeks after surgery to ensure the fat does not shift or die. Additionally, patients should avoid any squatting or stretching, driving and smoking for at least three weeks. During your second post-operative visit, your tiny sutures will be removed from the liposuction access sites.
Informing yourself ahead of surgery is a great way to ease nerves and get you excited for your body transformation. Read and study this guide ahead of undergoing your Brazilian butt lift and follow all your surgeon’s orders to ensure a safe and successful Brazilian butt lift.