7 weeks post op lipo and bbl

More than 21,800 Brazilian butt lift procedures were performed in 2020 in the United States, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)—and this is only expected to increase in the post-pandemic world. 

“It’s the shapely derrieres of celebs like Beyoncé and Kardashian West...that’s inspiring women and men to go under the needle,” reads a Vogue article on the subject. Although the outcome is the primary focus when deciding to undergo a Brazilian butt lift, it’s also important to understand the recovery process. 

The way you care for yourself after surgery will heavily impact your results. Allow your recovery to progress naturally; don’t try to rush through the healing process. Take an appropriate amount of time off work and ensure you have the correct equipment, such as an inflatable donut or booty pillow, when you return. Eat a nutritious diet low in sugar, fat, and salt, and abstain from drinking alcohol and smoking. One of the most important recovery tips: Don’t sit directly on your buttocks for at least eight weeks. Use a pillow to relieve pressure and ensure optimal results.

Long Island's Buglino Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery created this helpful breakdown of the Brazilian butt lift recovery process to ensure you have all the information you need to make an informed decision.

Immediately Afterward

Prior to your surgery, you’ll want to enlist a caretaker. This can be a friend or family member who is responsible for driving you home post-op, and assisting around the house for several days. Immediately after the procedure, you will experience some soreness, bruising, and swelling. There may also be an initial feeling of numbness. If you are in pain, tell your surgeon so they can prescribe medication to manage the discomfort in the coming days. When you arrive home, alternate between resting and taking short walks. The exercise is necessary to reduce swelling and support circulation. Your surgeon will give you detailed instructions on how to care for your body during the rehabilitation process. 

Remember not to put direct pressure on your buttocks. You will be advised to sleep on your side or stomach. Utilize a donut or booty pillow if you need to sit down. Make sure when seated that the pressure is on the posterior thighs, so it doesn’t impact the grafted fat. 

Week One

During the first week, your surgeon will instruct you to wear a compression garment for the areas treated with liposuction to minimize swelling and fluid retention. It can also decrease discomfort and help the skin retract, according to the ASPS. Continue to utilize the booty pillow to keep pressure off your butt. Your surgeon may ask that you schedule a follow-up visit to review healing. Lymphatic massage is helpful to start at this time to help hasten healing and treat early scar tissue. 

Week Two to Three

The pain and tenderness should subside dramatically. However, you may continue to experience slight swelling. Avoid sitting, unless utilizing your booty pillow. Consult your surgeon about whether or not you can begin driving. Avoid heavy lifting, and continue taking short walks. 

Week Four to Five

During weeks four to five, you can begin taking longer walks and resume light exercise. Do not lift heavy weights. You may also return to regular household chores. You may continue to feel slight pain or tenderness. If serious discomfort persists, call your surgeon immediately.

Week Six

A majority of patients should no longer feel discomfort or soreness. If your recovery is going well, your surgeon will allow you to resume lower body exercise. By week six, you should also be able to see visible results of your liposuction and fat grafts. Note that up to 40 percent of the transferred fat may not survive, regardless of your recovery care.

This is a loose healing timeline. Everyone’s body is different. Factors such as age, health, and medical history can impact your individual recovery. Consult your surgeon for more information.

If you’re interested in a Brazilian butt lift, contact Long Island's premier plastic surgeon, Dr. Anthony Buglino, at (516) 864-0700 or schedule an appointment online.

If you're interested in checking out Brazilian butt lifts Dr. Buglino has performed in the past, follow him on Instagram!

Topics: Body Contouring, Brazilian Butt Lift

Medically reviewed by Mr. Omar Tillo — MD, MS, EBOPRAS, FRCS (Plast)

Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) is a surgery that adds volume to the buttock through a fat transfer procedure. To perform the surgery, surgeons extract excess fat cells from another area of the patient’s body using liposuction, process and purify the fat, and inject it into the patient’s bottom.

Following the surgery, patients experience what is known as the fluffing stage, a 6-8 week period in which the skin expands to accommodate the increased volume in the buttock. Once you have passed the fluffing period, you will be able to enjoy the results of your surgery, as your buttock will look fuller and feel softer.

In this article, we’ll give you an insight into what you can expect during the fluffing stage that accompanies a Brazilian Butt Lift surgery.

What to Expect After Brazilian Butt Lift

The recovery process for a BBL varies from patient to patient, depending on the number of areas treated with liposuction, among a range of other factors. However, all patients can expect to experience some discomfort and swelling in the affected areas. Also outlined below is a typical recovery timeline for the surgery.

Swelling

For around the first three months after your surgery, you may experience swelling and inflammation on your buttock and areas where you had liposuction. Your surgeon will prescribe pain medication to help make your recovery as comfortable as possible. The swelling and inflammation also cause your buttock to appear significantly large. However, as outlined in the timeline below, the swelling gradually recedes, and you will enter the fluffing stage of your recovery, in which your results settle and feel natural.

Recovery Timeline

Before your surgery, you will receive detailed aftercare instructions from your surgeon to help you manage your recovery. Outlined below is a general timeline for a BBL recovery:

Immediately after surgery: You may experience swelling, soreness, bruising, and numbness in the treated areas. You must avoid putting direct pressure on your buttock.

1st week: Side-effects may persist. In addition, you should wear a compression garment on the areas treated with liposuction to minimise the swelling.

2-3 weeks: Post-surgical side-effects will significantly decrease. However, you may still experience some swelling. At this stage, most patients return to work and resume light exercises and daily tasks. We will schedule you for a follow-up appointment with a nurse.

4-5 weeks: You may still experience slight swelling and discomfort, which will continue to reduce.

6-8 weeks: Most patients will no longer feel any discomfort at this stage. After consulting with your surgeon, you may resume your usual exercise routine, including heavy lifting. Furthermore, the results from your liposuction and BBL will become apparent. We will schedule you for a follow-up appointment with our surgeon to assess your healing process.

3 months: Most patients enter the fluffing stage around this time as the residual swelling continues to dissipate.

6-8 months: By this stage, you will see the final results of your liposuction and BBL procedures. We will schedule you for your last follow-up appointment with our surgeon.

BBL Fluffing Stage

You may still notice residual inflammation and swelling in your buttock up to six months after the surgery that causes your skin to feel slightly firm. However, for most patients, the fluffing stage usually begins three months after the surgery. As you enter this stage of your recovery, you will notice your skin relaxing as the swelling and inflammation dissipates. The fluffing stage usually lasts between 6-8 weeks, and once your buttock has fluffed, it will look and feel natural. 

Final BBL Results

For most patients, the final results of their surgery will be apparent after 3-6 months, following the fluffing stage of recovery. By this time, post-surgical side-effects will have subsided to reveal a curvier and softer buttock. 

Furthermore, it takes 3-6 months for the final volume of fat grafts to settle, given that the body absorbs 30-50% of fat cells injected into the buttock. The surgeon injects more fat than needed to produce your desired result to account for this volume loss. Therefore, immediately after surgery, in addition to the swelling, your buttock may also look significantly large due to the excess fat cells. However, the final BBL results will reveal your expected enhancement and feel natural.

Common Brazilian Butt Lift Questions

When can I sit after BBL?

After a BBL surgery, you should avoid sitting down and putting direct pressure on your buttock as much as possible for 3 weeks. Afterwards, your surgeon may advise you to sit on soft pillows for a further two weeks to minimise the pressure. In general, most patients can sit as usual four weeks after the surgery. 

Following these instructions gives the injected fat cells the best chance of surviving and integrating into the blood supply, which will reveal a more enhanced and contoured buttock as you enter the fluffing stage of your recovery.

Who’s a good candidate for BBL?

In addition to being in good health, a good candidate for BBL should have excess fat, ideally around their buttock, that cosmetic surgeons can harvest for the fat grafts. Therefore, a good candidate will have a BMI between 23-28. At the CREO clinic, our surgeons will assess your BMI, fat distribution, and medical history to determine your suitability for the procedure.

When can you wear jeans after a Brazilian butt lift?

Patients can wear jeans and any form of clothing they wish immediately after the surgery.

Is BBL permanent?

Yes, a BBL permanently adds volume to your buttock. Once the fat grafts have integrated into the blood supply in the area, they will remain in place and become a natural part of your body.

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