Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)

Before your treatment, you will decide with your surgeon where the fat cells to be used for your BBL are to come from. Donor sites may include your abdomen, thighs or hips. In liposuction, the fat cells are broken up by way of vibrations or a high-pressure water jet and a small incision is made for a cannula to be inserted into the donor site. Sometimes more incisions may be required. A vacuum machine is used to loosen and suck out the fat. This part of the process will result in a reduction of fatty deposits in the donor area, leaving the area more sculpted.

In the second stage of the Brazilian butt lift procedure, special equipment is used to eliminate any impurities, preparing the fat to be reintroduced to the body. The fat is placed in a centrifuge which spins to separate the fat from any oil, blood and excess fluid. The amount processed depends on how much volume you have decided with your surgeon that you want to be introduced into the buttocks. Once this fat processing phase has been completed, the process moves on to the third and final stage.

Once the fat has been treated, it can be put back into the body via a cannula which is specially designed for buttock augmentation. The fat will be introduced into the buttocks above the muscle. The surgeon will then proceed to sculpt the area, to create the larger, more rounded, buttocks required.

By using the body’s own natural fat cells and not introducing any foreign objects into the body, a BBL procedure produces a natural-looking result while adding a more rounded shape. If you do go on to lose weight after you have recovered from surgery, through visits to the gym, for example, your body shape will change accordingly, rather than remain static. The likelihood of complications is also much reduced by using the body’s own fat, rather than a silicone insert.

As we age, sagging and a loss of shape in the buttock area is a common problem. A buttock augmentation will restore and enhance the curvaceous shape of the buttocks.

A Brazilian butt lift can help to improve a person’s bodily proportions. If you have a ‘top heavy’ body, a Brazilian buttock lift can help to give you an hourglass shape.  A BBL is also a great way of improving the appearance of the buttocks if a person is unable to achieve this by exercise alone.

With age, weight gain and after having children, women’s bodies can lose the definition and natural curves they enjoyed previously. This in turn can have an impact on the fit and appearance of clothing. A Brazilian butt lift, coupled with the contouring of the BBL donor sites, can enhance body shape, meaning clothing such as jeans and dresses appear much more flattering. Brazilian buttock lift surgery leaves minimal scarring, so you can also wear a bikini confident in the knowledge that there will be no signs of surgery visible.

Buttock augmentation will leave the bottom and thighs looking more firm and toned. Lifting the buttocks can have an impact on the appearance of cellulite, making it much less visible.

As well as improving the size, shape and volume of the buttocks, Brazilian butt lift surgery can also improve other areas of the body too. In order for fat to be transferred to the buttocks, excess or unwanted fat cells must be harvested from other areas of the body, such as the hips, love handles, thighs or abdomen. This means that as well as enhancing the appearance of the buttocks, a BBL procedure can also help to sculpt other areas of the body, transforming the figure.

Brazilian butt lift surgery, like other forms of cosmetic surgery, can have an overwhelmingly positive impact on a person’s mental health and outlook. Patients report a boost in self-esteem, improved social confidence and a general overall improvement to their quality of life. This newfound confidence after BBL surgery can in turn help improve a person’s romantic relationships.

Your journey with the Cadogan Clinic will start with up to two consultations with one of our leading specialist plastic surgeons at our award-winning premises in Chelsea. These consultations will take between 30 and 60 minutes.

During your consultation, your surgeon will ask about your expectations for your BBL surgery and talk about what will happen during the procedure. They will also explain how the procedure will affect you.

It is important that you are open and honest about what you hope to achieve through surgery to help ensure the best possible result. Your surgeon will be happy to answer any questions you may have at this point. It may be a good idea to write your questions down before attending the consultation. Having established what you want from the surgery, and what is possible given your anatomy, several key measurements will be made and standard clinical photography will be taken. Your medical history will be discussed and a physical examination will be carried out.

If your surgeon feels you are a good candidate for surgery, you are then invited to consider whether you would like to proceed with your Brazilian butt lift or not following a two week 'cooling off' period.

If you decide to go ahead with surgery following the cooling-off period, the next time you will return to the clinic is on the day of the procedure. It is important that you prepare for your buttock augmentation by taking the following measures ahead of surgery.

Stop smoking: Smoking decreases blood flow in the skin, meaning that less of the transferred fat to the buttocks is likely to ‘take’ and establish a new blood supply. This will have an impact on the overall result of your BBL. If you smoke, your doctor will recommend that you stop smoking six weeks before surgery and during the recovery period.

Cut down on alcohol: Excessive drinking can hinder the healing process.

Avoid taking certain medications: You should avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements in the week ahead of your Brazilian butt lift. Taking these can increase bleeding.

Arrange for help during recovery: Make plans for a friend or family member to drive you home after you leave the hospital and stay with you for at least the first night of your recovery at home.

In the six hours prior to surgery, you must not consume food or any drink, other than small sips of clear fluid which will be allowed up to two hours before you are admitted to the clinic. Clear fluids include still water, black coffee and black tea.

On the day of your procedure, we ask that you arrive for your admission an hour before the agreed start time of surgery. At this point a nurse will come and record blood pressure and other relevant tests, you will meet with your anaesthetist and your surgeon who will make the final mark-ups. A general anaesthetic is administered. Here at the Cadogan Clinic, we use Total Intravenous Anaesthesia (TIVA) to ensure minimal sickness after the BBL procedure and a quicker recovery time. 

The Brazilian butt lift surgery takes in the region of three to four hours to complete.

Your surgeon will make small incisions on the liposuction areas and the fat tissue is removed using specialised cannulas. This harvested fat is then treated before being reintroduced to the buttocks, adding volume to the posterior. The volume of fat transferred depends on whether the patient wants to achieve increased projection of the buttocks or to fill in ‘hip dips’ - depressions that occur just below the hip bone. The incisions are closed with sutures.

Following your Brazilian butt lift, you will recover in our ambulatory recovery rooms. You may feel a little drowsy but this often wears off within a few hours.  Once you are able to eat and drink, and our specialist nursing team are happy that your initial recovery is complete, you will be allowed to leave the clinic with a friend or family member.

You may feel some pain or discomfort following your Brazilian butt lift surgery, but this can be controlled using over-the-counter painkillers.

You will be up and mobile within a day of your buttock augmentation and will be able to wash in three days.

You should avoid sitting on your buttocks for two weeks and avoid sleeping on your back for two weeks following surgery to allow for the buttocks to settle into their new shape and avoid flattening. A post-operative garment must be worn after BBL surgery.

Our 24/7 on-call service is open to all patients for any question or query they may have at this time.

You will meet in person with our nursing team one week after surgery to check the incision sites. We also recommend meeting one of our aestheticians to discuss ongoing treatment to support the healing process if required.

A final check-up will take place six weeks after your Brazilian butt lift.