BBL After 10 Years

One of the main concerns patients have when they are considering undergoing Brazilian Butt Lift surgery, is how the results may change in the years following their procedure. Although there are various factors which can affect the long-term results of your BBL, Cadogan Clinic’s expert consultant surgeons will be addressing some key concerns and debunking some common myths about what changes will occur to your BBL after 10 years. 

Factors that may impact the results of BBL

In the immediate recovery process following Brazilian Butt Lift, you will notice changes to your BBL results. It is also normal that natural changes to your body will affect the appearance of your BBL results over the years following your procedure. To ensure that you achieve the best results possible, and don’t suffer preventable complications, it is important that you have your procedure carried out by a trusted and qualified surgeon in the UK who can provide the best immediate aftercare, if you have any concerns. Unfortunately, this is not always available when surgeries are performed abroad. During your consultation, your surgeon will show you a range of before and after photos of patients with similar desired results and body shapes to you to give you the best idea of how your BBL may look after your surgery. 

BBL results after one year

The first year following your Brazilian Butt Lift is when you can expect some of the most dramatic changes to your results.  

• Straight after the procedure, you will have some swelling and bruising which will take up to 8 weeks to resolve.  
• In the first 3-6 months, up to 50% of the fat that has been injected into your buttocks may be naturally reabsorbed. Your surgeon won’t be able to predict the exact amount that is absorbed before your procedure and every patient responds to fat grafting differently. 
• Some surgeons do inject slightly more fat than they feel is needed to achieve the desired result, to counteract the reabsorption. After the 6-month mark, your buttocks will look fuller and perkier than they did pre-surgery, and you can expect to see the intended result.  

BBL after two years

After two years, your buttocks will have fully settled and you are unlikely to see a huge change at this stage. 

• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is very important at this stage after your surgery, including a balanced diet and exercise, to keep your overall weight stable.  
• You will be enjoying your enhanced buttocks and waist which will allow you to dress how you like and will hopefully make you feel more confident. 

BBL after five years

Your BBL results after five years will still be maintained and positive. Most patients find their optimal results last much longer than this as long as they have followed all aftercare advice provided by their surgeon and have continued to live a healthy lifestyle in the years following their Brazilian Butt Lift surgery. 

BBL after ten years or more

At the ten-year mark, you will still be enjoying increased volume and lift to your buttocks. At this stage it is also normal to notice changes to your results caused by natural changes to your body such as ageing.  

• As we get older our skin naturally loses its elasticity as our collagen and elastin levels drop. This can cause the skin to stretch and sag, especially in areas which have a higher level of fat such as the abdomen, thighs and buttocks - all of which are involved in BBL surgery. Therefore, it is not unusual to notice some sagging around the buttocks, as the skin has stretched and dropped.  
• You may notice some negative impacts to your surgery if your surgery was carried out by an untrustworthy surgeon. These may occur sooner than 10 years after your surgery.

In this instance, some patients may opt to have another procedure to correct any undesirable changes to the results. 

Will I need revision surgery for BBL after 10 years?

After ten years if you notice you are losing the optimal results you once enjoyed from your BBL are beginning to fade, you may want to consider having a secondary surgery. For some patients this will be another fat transfer surgery, to restore any lost volume and combat any sagging around the buttocks. Other patients may not wish to add any more volume to their buttocks and will instead opt for a procedure such as a Buttock Lift or Thigh Lift to remove the excess skin around the buttocks and thighs.  

Dr Dan Delvecchio, one of Cadogan Clinic’s expert BBL surgeons says that after ten years, half of patients still have surgical results that they continue to be happy with and don’t wish to have any further surgery. The other half of patients may wish to consider some extra fat transfer to further augment their original results and counteract certain effects of ageing. Very few patients need a full revision or surgery to repair complications from their original surgery, unless they saw an untrustworthy surgeon or there was an unforeseen issue with their procedure.

If you are concerned about the results of your initial BBL surgery, our expert surgeons will be happy to meet you for a consultation to discuss revision options, at any stage following your first surgery. They will explain what is involved in a secondary surgery and the results you can realistically expect. If you are experiencing a medical emergency following cosmetic surgery, please contact the surgeon who performed your surgery and attend A&E as quickly as possible. 

How to maintain the best BBL results

In order to achieve and maintain your desired Brazilian Butt Lift results, it is vital to follow your surgeon’s recovery and aftercare instructions. This will help you to avoid any preventable complications and will allow your body to heal as effectively as possible. Factors such as:

• Eating a healthy, balanced diet 
• Avoiding drinking alcohol 
• Exercise 
• Wearing your surgical garment as instructed 
• Using you BBL pillow as your surgeon has advised 
• Attending lymphatic drainage massages to accelerate your body’s healing process

Will all impact your how your final results appear and their longevity.

You can get the most from your procedure and will experience long lasting results by following these steps: 

Follow the aftercare and recovery advice

Your surgeon will first explain their aftercare and recovery instructions at your bespoke consultation at our central London-based clinic. These will be given to you again in advance of your surgery and you will be able to ask your dedicated patient advisor if you have any other questions. These aftercare instructions will include:

• Wearing a surgical compression garment for up to 8 weeks 
• Avoiding strenuous exercise for 4-6 weeks 
• Using a BBL pillow to avoid excessive pressure on your buttocks 
• Applying ice packs to any swelling and having lymphatic drainage massages to encourage healing and calm any scarring 
• Attending your follow up appointments with the nurses and your surgeon to make sure you are healing well, and any concerns can be picked up quickly

Following your surgery, you will have access to our 24/7 specialist cosmetic nurses via their helpline if you have any concerns or questions. It is important to follow all of these recovery instructions to keep your buttocks plump and perky not only in your initial recovery but in the years following your surgery. 

Start exercising after 3 months

During your initial recovery period your surgeon will ask you to avoid any strenuous exercise to prevent putting pressure on your buttocks and potentially damaging your incisions. This is important to avoid complications such as Seroma or Hematoma where either fluid or blood build up under the skin. These both require further intervention from your surgeon. However, after 2-3 months, you will be able to start working out again and exercises such as squats, bridges and lunges will all help to build your gluteus muscles and maintain and even enhance the results from your BBL surgery. 

Eat a balanced diet

Eating a balanced and healthy diet high in fruit and vegetables, wholegrains and protein is important to maintain healthy tissues as well as assisting healing and scarring. Your surgeon will ask you to avoid drinking alcohol for a certain amount of time pre and post surgery as alcohol increases inflammation in the body which will slow down healing and may impact the long-term results of your surgery. Eating a balanced diet following your surgery is also important to help maintain a stable weight, which will further help to ensure your results are successful for a long time. 

Contact us if any issues arise

Following your procedure, you will have two follow up appointments. The first will be with our specialist cosmetic nurses a week after your surgery, and the second is six weeks after your surgery, with your surgeon. In between these appointments, if you have any concerns or questions, you will have 24/7 contact with our nurses via their helpline. If they feel it is necessary, they will put you in contact with your surgeon who will be able to assess and address any concerns, which the nurses are not able to help with. 

You’re in safe hands with our BBL surgeons

At Cadogan Clinic, we have two specialist BBL surgeons, Mr Dan Delvecchio and Mr Omar Tillo. Both Mr Delvecchio and Mr Tillo have worked on developing the safety of Brazilian Butt Lift surgery, and have contributed to the national guidelines for safely performing this procedure. They have also each worked on a number of papers contributing to research and teaching of fat transfer techniques and Liposuction. BBL surgery can help you to regain lost confidence and make you feel more comfortable about your body. 
 
If you are considering Brazilian Butt Lift surgery, contact our surgical patient advisors who will be able to answer your initial questions and organise a consultation with one of our specialist BBL consultants.