Many people want a larger, shapelier rear due to the influence of Kim Kardashian and other celebrities. That’s why the number of Houston Brazilian butt lifts (BBL) done in the past five years has doubled.

However, the Brazilian butt lift has a higher complication rate than other plastic surgeries. Some surveys suggest the chances of death from the procedure is 1 in 3,000. Serious complications are usually because the surgeon was inexperienced and unqualified.

If you are thinking about a Brazilian butt lift (by itself or as part of a mommy makeover), you probably won’t have complications. But it’s important to perform due diligence, understanding how dangerous Brazilian Butt Lifts are, such as knowing the top five Brazilian butt lift risks.

Brazilian Butt Lift Overview

Many patients have a BBL to make their rears look more appealing; there’s only so much squats and other leg exercises can do to increase the size of the buttocks. Others choose a BBL because they lost a lot of weight or had an accident that affects the rear.

A Brazilian butt lift uses liposuction to remove fat from one part of the body and inject it into the buttocks. For example, if you have fat on the abdomen, you might have liposuction followed by a BBL.

A significant advantage of this procedure is you can have fat removed from a problem area and injected into the rear. This is a ‘two-for-one’ procedure that many patients love.

For the surgery to be successful, the injected fat needs a blood supply. That’s why it’s necessary to inject the fat into tissue that has a blood supply. If it’s injected into fat that is already in the buttocks, most of it will be absorbed by the body.

How much fat can be safely injected depends on the case, but most surgeons stop at about 300ml, which is equal to a soda can. A few experienced surgeons may inject more, but you should check their qualifications and experience carefully.

What Are The Risks Of A Brazilian Butt Lift?

The BBL is safe when done by a skilled and experienced surgeon, but the procedure has a higher-than-average complication rate. The most significant risks are:

Fat Injected Too Far Into Muscle

The biggest health risk with a BBL is if the grafted fat is injected too far into the buttock muscles. As noted earlier, the transferred fat needs a blood supply, so most of it needs to be injected into live tissue.

However, an unskilled surgeon may inject the fat into the muscle, where it can enter a blood vessel. If this happens, the result could be a fat embolism that travels to the lung, heart, or brain.

Autopsies of some patients show the fat was injected into or under the muscle and caused a fatal embolism.

That’s the reason it’s so critical to select a surgeon who is experienced with Brazilian butt lifts. Before undergoing a BBL, you should ask your surgeon how experienced they are with the procedure.

You also should ask the surgeon if their method involves only injecting fat into subcutaneous tissues and not the muscle itself.

Using Dermal Fillers Or Silicone Instead of Fat

Silicone and dermal fillers work well for their FDA-approved uses, including breast enhancement and facial procedures to fill in fine lines and wrinkles. But they shouldn’t usually be used for a BBL.

Some surgeons may offer to use fillers or silicone for the procedure to lower the cost and attract more patients. But this isn’t recommended because neither substance is made for a Brazilian butt lift.

You could have unappealing results that require revision surgery, or there could be a serious complication.

Fat Necrosis

If the fat is improperly injected or there’s too much, you could experience fat necrosis, also called fat death.

If enough fat dies because of an inadequate blood supply, you could have subpar results that are difficult to correct.

Fat Reabsorption

It’s known that the body will reabsorb some of the transferred fat, which is why the surgeon will slightly overfill the buttocks. The buttocks will look too large at first, but as some of the fat is reabsorbed, you should see pleasing results.

However, if the surgeon is unskilled and inexperienced, too much fat may be absorbed. When that happens, patients usually need a repeat BBL to top things off.

Nerve Damage

If the fat is injected too deep or in the wrong location, it could press on a major nerve that affects sensation and even the ability to move. Again, make sure you choose a skilled plastic surgeon who does many BBLs each year.

Also, check your surgeon’s previous BBL clients to find out if they are satisfied with their results.

How To Reduce BBL Risks

This surgery is safe and effective when a skilled surgeon does the work, and you can speed up your recovery if you follow these tips:

Stop smoking: Most surgeons won’t do a BBL if you don’t stop smoking at least two weeks before the procedure. You also shouldn’t smoke for at least two weeks after, too. Smoking reduces blood circulation and delays the healing process.
Don’t take blood thinners: Don’t take aspirin, Ibuprofen, or other blood thinning drugs for two weeks before surgery. They affect the body’s blood-clotting mechanisms.
Don’t drink alcohol: You shouldn’t drink much alcohol for two weeks before and after surgery.
Drink water: Drink at least eight glasses of water each day to flush toxins out of your body.

The Brazilian butt lift is usually a safe procedure, but you should discuss the risks with your surgeon first.

Request a Houston Brazilian Butt Lift Consultation

Interested in a Brazilian butt lift in Houston? Please set up a consultation with Dr. Ashley Steinberg today. She’ll talk to you about the benefits and risks of a Brazilian butt lift and determine if this procedure is a fit for you.

References

Brazilian Butt Lifts Are The Deadliest Of All Aesthetic Procedures. (2020). Accessed at https://theconversation.com/brazilian-butt-lifts-are-the-deadliest-of-all-aesthetic-procedures-the-risks-explained-101559#

Plastic Surgery Societies Issue Urgent Warning About The Risks Associated With Brazilian Butt Lifts. (2019). Accessed at https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/press-releases/plastic-surgery-societies-issue-urgent-warning-about-the-risks-associated-with-brazilian-butt-lifts

BBL Safety. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/buttock-enhancement/safety