A Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) is a procedure that involves Bodyjet liposuction in various parts of the body to harvest fat. In particular, fat is removed from the waistline above the buttocks in order to frame the shape of the buttocks. This fat is then used as a fat graft to inject superficially into areas of the buttocks and outside thigh in a process known as fat transfer.
Fat transfer relies on the fact that the fat that is transferred acquires a new blood supply and therefore survives in its new position. The amount of fat that survives is approximately 60% so overcorrection is performed in order to account for the fat that doesn’t survive. The Bodyjet system is designed to maximise the amount of fat that survives.
A Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) is a procedure that involves Bodyjet liposuction in various parts of the body to harvest fat. In particular, fat is removed from the waistline above the buttocks in order to frame the shape of the buttocks. This fat is then used as a fat graft to inject superficially into areas of the buttocks and outside thigh in a process known as fat transfer.
Fat transfer relies on the fact that the fat that is transferred acquires a new blood supply and therefore survives in its new position. The amount of fat that survives is approximately 60% so overcorrection is performed in order to account for the fat that doesn’t survive. The Bodyjet system is designed to maximise the amount of fat that survives.
The fat acts to increase buttock projection and also improve the female silhouette by improving the proportions of the waist and hips.
In most cases, the most attractive ratio that is aimed for is where the waist is between 60-65% of the width of the hips (when looked from behind) and also 70% (when seen in side view) with a maximum projection in the middle of the buttock.
Bodyjet liposuction and fat transfer is performed through small incisons approximately 4mm in size. These incisions are hidden in the belly button, below the underwear line or in natural skin creases in order to hide them from sight when wearing underwear or a bikini.
The surgery is carried out under a general anaesthetic and if performed alone can be conducted as a day surgery, meaning you go home the same day as your surgery.
What is the aim of Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) Surgery?
To naturally and modestly enhance the size and shape of your buttocks.
How long will the results last?
Interestingly, we all have a set number of fat depositing cells throughout our life. These calls are called adipocytes.
This means the results from liposuction will last forever if your weight remains stable.
If you do gain weight following liposuction, the area in which you have had the liposuction will be protected to a degree from fat deposits as a proportion of the adipocytes will have been removed.
However, with weight gain, areas of non-liposuction may deposit more of this fat. The fat has to be deposited somewhere in our bodies if our calorie intake exceeds calories burned.
Fat transfer relies on the fact that the fat that is transferred acquires a new blood supply and therefore survives in its new position.
The amount of fat that survives is approximately 60% so overcorrection is performed in order to account for the fat that doesn’t survive. The Bodyjet system is designed to maximise the amount of fat that survives.
Once the adipocytes have a new blood supply they will survive forever in their new position and behave like all adipocytes in our body.
Factors that can reduce this include smoking and putting excessive pressure on the areas where the fat is grafted.
If weight is gained, the transferred adipocytes will store fat and enlarge magnifying the effect of the fat transfer. Equally, if you loose weight the transferred fat cells will shrink reduces the effects of the fat transfer.
Weight gain and weight loss will therefore effect the results of both liposuction and fat transfer so it is important to have a stable plateaued weight prior to and following surgery.
What happens on the day of surgery?
Prior to the day of surgery you will be given the following information and it is critical to know these details ahead of time:
On the day of surgery you will be checked in by a nurse and all your details will be confirmed and you will be changed into a surgical gown.
Dr Rory will see you before your surgery to run through all the details of the surgery, the consent forms as well as performing all your surgical markings. Your implant sizes will be once again confirmed. Multiple ID checks and procedure confirmation will be performed prior to your operation as safety is a priority.
After your surgery Dr Rory will notify your friends or family to let them know the procedure has finished and put thieir mind at ease. Depending of the procedure he will see you after the surgery and discuss the procedure.
When you are feeling comfortable, the team will then allow you to be discharged as planned that morning. All medicines and instructions will be given to you on your discharge.
You will be discharged from hospital with a soft support garment with a window allowing for the fat transfer area not to be subject to any pressure.
How long will the surgery take?
Depending on the degree of liposuction and fat transfer, the surgery time ranges between two to five hours.
This does not include anaesthesia time. In total, the whole procedure may last longer.
Will the procedure be painful?
One of the primary aims of any procedure performed by Dr Rory is to create a pain free experience.
The main sensation you will feel is that of tenderness, bruising and swelling in all the surgery sites.
A long acting local anaesthetic agent is placed into the surgical area at the end of the procedure. To make you comfortable a garment will be applied to help support the surgical areas also.
In terms of recovery, there will be some tenderness in the surgical area and some discomfort on movement.
Dr Rory does not used drains which again makes the procedure more comfortable
What is the recovery period?
This is a major procedure and so the recovery is one week.
During this time you can fully use your arms and legs and are encourage to do so with care.
The golden rule is no excessive pressure on the areas where the fat has been grafted for the first four weeks.
What should I consider when recovering from the procedure?
There will be a specialized skin glue place on all the small surgical incision areas and a splash proof dressing. This will allow you to shower with care. The garment should be removed before showering.
No heavy exertional activity that will cause excessive sweating. However full mobilization is encouraged. Light cardio after day three is acceptable.
The specialized skin glue will peel off at week three to four. At this time, a silicone based strip or gel should be applied to the dry healed scar in order to minimize the final appearance of the scar.
The garment should be worn for four to six weeks after your brazilian butt lift to help support your liposuction areas. The golden rule is no excessive pressure on the areas where the fat has been grafted for the first four weeks.
Many patients will obtain a BBL pillow which is a soft cushioned pillow to sit on to minimize the pressure in those areas. It is also advisable to sleep with extra pillow support on the body.
Dr Rory will advise specifically the areas to avoid pressure on an individual basis as liposuction and grafting areas differ between patients.
The final results in terms of shape will be at approximately four to six months.
At first there will be bruising and swelling, which then turns firm and you may feel hard lumps and persistent areas of tenderness. This is normal. This resolves over weeks and softens naturally, but the speed of resolution varies between patients.
Dr Rory advises either massaging yourself or obtaining a professional massage to aid lymphatic drainage to aid resoukltion of firmness and swelling which is water retention due to the inflammation.
No swimming until all scars are fully healed at approximately four weeks.
The final appearance of your scars will be at eighteen months.
What is the cost of the procedure?
The cost of the procedure depends on the areas of liposuction and also fat transfer.
The cost starts at 50,000 AED (excluding VAT).
The final cost is determined on a case by case basis dependent on complexity and additional procedures. Combination surgeries will lower the price of individual surgeries if done together.
A full surgical no-commitment consultation with Dr Rory will provide all the necessary details for your particular case.
What are the risks of the procedure?
These include some discomfort, infection, risk of bleeding, degrees of asymmetry, prolonged swelling, unevenness and poor fat transfer graft survival. There is also a risk of fat embolism.
With all liposuction cases there is always a risk of unevenness when fat is removed. This risk is minimised by using the Bodyjet system which allows for a smoother less aggressive fat removal which also means less bruising and swelling but also an increased fat graft survival.
The degree to which grafted fat survives is reduced by factors such as smoking (which reduced the blood supply to all tissues of the body) and excessive pressure on the grafted areas.
Fat embolism is when fat that is injected into tissue can be enter the bloodstream and cause systemic complications. These include fat entering the lungs or brain tissue. This can cause a pulmonary embolism or stroke. This risk is heightened by deep fat injections in the buttock muscles where large blood vessels exist.
This risk is avoided by superficial injection of moderate amounts of fat well away from the large blood vessels.
There is also the risk of stretching of the scar and excessive scarring such as hypetrophic or keloid scarring.
Anything in particularly important I should know about the procedure?
It’s potentially a long procedure and if you are a good candidate for the very high satisfaction rates if you are willing to accept the small scarring and swelling, both of which will fade over time.
Final appearance takes approximately four to six months.
It is most commonly performed in conjunction with other body contouring surgeries such as a lower body lift.
What is the follow up after the procedure?
Each patient has a follow up schedule that is different.
You will be advised by Dr Rory and his team about your particular follow up journey for your Brazilian butt lift surgery.
Typically it involves seeing the team a week after surgery for a wound check, then protective dressings until the glue falls off.
Thereafter, scar checks are performed at the six week point. Follow appointments are then at four and twelve months. This schedule will differ between individuals.
Who is involved in my care?
Dr Rory is the primary physician in charge of all your care. He performs all procedures himself and is meticulous about every aspect of your care.
Once he has performed a procedure on you he is available for you as your on-call doctor.
He will provide you with contact details and will be available for you. If you have any questions or concerns at any time he is available to support you.
He has trained his team around him to an exceptionally high standard from his aesthetic coordinators to aesthetic nurses.
In some instances, for example, for photography, garment fitting, wound dressings, checks or removal of stitches, his highly trained team will perform the care liasing directly with Dr Rory with real time updates.
