A buttock lift can enhance your figure and improve the fit of your clothes. However, many people use Brazilian butt lift and buttock lift interchangeably. Unfortunately, these two procedures are significantly different and produce different results. This article explores the difference between a buttock lift and BBL and the candidacy for each.
If you want to enhance the aspect of your buttocks, it is recommended to choose a board-certified, experienced plastic surgeon such as Dr. Karan Chopra to perform your procedure. Dr. Chopra performs different types of body procedures such as butt augmentation, tummy tuck and liposuction to help patients achieve the results they desire.
A buttock or gluteal lift improves the appearance of your buttock area by enhancing the shape and toning the underlying supporting tissues. This procedure is suitable for correcting the effects of sagging in the buttocks. Sagging buttocks is often a result of multiple factors such as aging and weight fluctuations.
Your surgeon will remove fat and lift sagging skin to improve the contour of your buttocks. It is important to note that a traditional butt lift does not make your buttocks larger. Instead, it enhances the shape and smoothness of your skin.
A Brazilian butt lift (BBL) lifts the buttocks but also augments the size using fat from your thighs, abdomen, or waist. The BBL produces natural results with a limited risk of complications since your surgeon uses fat extracted from your body.
Besides a traditional buttock lift and BBL, buttock augmentation can improve the fullness and projection of your buttocks. However, unlike a BBL, a buttock augmentation requires silicone-filled implants.
Butt augmentation is one of the plastic surgery procedures that has advanced significantly in recent years. Two of the most popular surgical procedures for achieving more rounded and contoured buttocks are Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) and Buttock Augmentation with Implants.
Candidacy for buttock enhancement depends on the procedure:
You need to be healthy to qualify for a buttock lift. If you have significant loose soft tissue in your buttock area and do not smoke, you should qualify for a buttock lift. It is also best to have a healthy lifestyle with proper fitness and nutrition to qualify for a standard butt lift.
A Brazilian butt lift is ideal for you if you have small and flat buttocks. This procedure can transform your derriere and improve your body proportions. You qualify for a BBL if you are a non-smoker, are in good health, and your diet and exercise routine is not enhancing the appearance of your buttocks. You should also have enough fat in your donor site to qualify for the procedure.
Candidates for buttock augmentation are physically healthy and have realistic expectations. This procedure is suitable for you if you have an asymmetrical butt or are unsatisfied with the size and shape of your buttocks.
First, anesthesia is administered so you don’t feel any pain or discomfort during the intervention. Afterward, your surgeon will make incisions below your buttocks, between the buttock crease and upper thigh. Your surgeon will remove excess skin and tissues to give a smooth skin and a more defined crease. Finally, your surgeon will close the incision with deep sutures, tapes, or skin adhesives.
Although it may take 3-6 months for the tissues to settle, you should see some results immediately after the surgery.
The BBL procedure also starts with anesthesia. Afterward, your surgeon will perform a liposuction on your donor site. For example, the donor site could be your flanks, abdomen, or thighs. After loosening the fat with a cannula and extracting it with a vacuum, your surgeon will purify it.
The purified fat is then injected into your buttocks through small injections. You should see immediate results after your procedure. However, it takes about a year to see the final results. Some of the fat that is injected into the buttocks is reabsorbed by the body, so your butt is often bigger immediately after the surgery and gets smaller in the next three months after the intervention.
Furthermore, gaining or losing weight may cause the transferred fat to grow or shrink, altering the size of your buttocks.
After your butt enhancement procedure, your surgeon will apply dressings to your incisions.
Your surgeon will instruct you to wear a support garment after your surgery. The timeline for wearing this garment differs for all patients, and your surgeon will let you know how long you need to wear it.
Furthermore, following your surgeon’s instructions is essential to speed up your recovery. These instructions may include caring for your surgical site, medications to improve your healing, and how often to come in for a follow-up.
The recovery timeline for each butt enhancement procedure differs:
The standard buttock lift has the most prolonged recovery timeline because the procedure is extensive. Nevertheless, it may take about two to three weeks to return to normal activities.
You may experience swelling after a BBL. However, it should subside within a few days. You should be able to return to work within 10 – 14 days. It is also best to support yourself with a pillow to prevent pressure on your buttocks when sitting.
Furthermore, it may take about three to six months for the transferred fat to settle truly. Therefore, it is advisable to wait for at least three months before shopping for clothes.
A traditional butt lift is better for you if you experience sagging in your buttocks due to aging, weight loss, genetics, or other factors. The procedure lifts your butt improving its appearance without adding volume. A Brazilian butt lift adds volume to your butt.
Your choice of a butt enhancement procedure depends on your expectations and aesthetic goals. Nevertheless, it is best to consult your surgeon for the best procedure.
Any surgical procedure, including a Brazilian butt lift, has potential risks. And that is why it is essential to use the services of a board-certified surgeon to reduce your risk of developing complications. Some of the potential risks of a BBL include the following:
Infection: you may get a fever, soreness, or notice a foul smell from the surgical site if it is infected. You can prevent infections after a BBL by following your surgeon’s post-surgery instructions and also cleaning the surgical site as directed;
Seroma: this is the fluid buildup under the incision site. Seroma results in swelling and the risk of developing an infection. Using drainage tubes to remove the excess fluid at the surgical site can reduce the risk;
Asymmetry: a poor technique, a low survival rate of the fat cells, or an infection may cause asymmetry. You may have to undergo a revision procedure if you have asymmetrical buttocks after a BBL;
Reabsorbed fat: the body may reabsorb the fat cells injected into the buttocks. Consequently, the results of the procedure are less noticeable. Wearing a compression garment and avoiding direct pressure on your butt while recovering can reduce the risk of fat reabsorption.
The buttock lift has the following risks:
Changes in sensation: after a butt lift procedure, you may experience changes in sensation. Consequently, you may experience numbness or reduced sensation;
Poor wound healing: areas around the incision site may not heal properly. The incision area may separate, causing a wound-healing problem;
Scarring: although they are usually in discrete places, a butt lift requires significant incisions.
Both BBL and buttock implants add volume to your buttocks. However, you must have sufficient fat in other parts of your body to qualify for a BBL. Otherwise, you may have to get implants. Generally, a BBL is safer than buttock implants. That is because the procedure uses fat from your body. Therefore, there is no risk of implant displacement. In addition, the transferred fat gives your butt an improved and natural look. You also don’t need replacement surgery in the future. Buttock implants come in several sizes to give your butt additional volume. However, because there are prosthetic devices, you might have to get a replacement after a while.
You can get wider hips with a BBL. Your surgeon can fill out hip dips with extracted fat to create a symmetrical, curvy shape. In addition, liposuction from your waist gives a broader waist-to-hip ratio, improving your curves and appearance.
The minimum age for a BBL is 18 years. An experienced surgeon will only carry out the procedure on adults with fully developed bodies. If you are of legal age, you may qualify to get a Brazilian butt lift as long as you have good health and good skin elasticity.
After a BBL, waiting and progressively returning to your exercise routine is essential. Otherwise, there is an increased risk of complications. You can return to a light and low-impact exercise 4 to 6 weeks post-procedure. After that, it is best to leave the more exerting physical exercises till 2 to 3 months after your surgery or when your surgeon clears you.
The results of a BBL can last as long as you maintain a constant weight. Generally speaking, to get the best results after any type of plastic surgery, it is recommended to avoid significant weight fluctuations and smoking. This is because smoking affects the flow of oxygen and nutrients in your bloodstream. And because the fat cells in your buttocks need a blood supply to thrive, smoking can lead to their premature death. Furthermore, you can get the most out of your BBL by avoiding driving or any activity that requires sitting on your butt for the first three weeks post-op. Other ways to maximize your BBL results are getting enough sleep, drinking water, and eating a healthy diet. It is best to sleep on your stomach until your butt is healed or your surgeon approves.
Are you ready to take the journey towards a more youthful, refreshed look? I invite you to reach out to me and my team. Let’s discuss your goals and how facial fat grafting can help you achieve them. Remember, the first step is just a conversation. Let’s start that conversation today.
Or you’re welcome to call us at +1 (305) 209-881
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