You may be interested in a Brazilian butt lift procedure to reshape your backside while eliminating excess fat tissue in trouble areas like your abdomen, thighs, or flanks. However, if you are naturally lean, you might wonder whether you need to put on a few pounds before having your BBL to ensure you have sufficient donor fat to transfer. Here’s what you need to know.

Is It Safe to Gain Weight Before Plastic Surgery?

While having enough fat to transfer contributes to a successful Brazilian butt lift, we do not recommend putting on extra pounds before having this procedure. Gaining weight for the sake of any cosmetic surgery can leave you with unsuccessful results and increase the risk of complications. Instead, please maintain a healthy weight to ensure a safe and effective procedure.

Remember, the goal of body contouring and a Brazilian butt lift is to reshape your silhouette into a classic hourglass shape. When you gain weight, you can’t predict where the additional fat will reside or if it will be suitable for your butt augmentation. For example, it’s impossible to extract the visceral fat that develops around organs like your liver or intestines via liposuction.

What If You Are Naturally Thin?

If you feel like you are too lean for the procedure, don’t fret! Chicago plastic surgeon Dr. David Dreyfuss can work with minimal fat to deliver a shapelier and fuller buttocks contour by harvesting from multiple areas, including your arms, flanks, abdomen, and thighs. Chances are, you will have sufficient fat to have the lift.

Ultimately, a BBL is not about getting a bigger butt. It’s more for emphasizing your curves in optimal areas for a smoother, balanced profile.

If you lack an adequate fat volume to transfer to your backside, other options are available to create a rounder shape. For instance, Emsculpt Neo can enhance your gluteal muscles for a more defined behind.

Interested in Learning More About BBL in Chicago?

Contact us at (815) 806-9400 or schedule a consultation online with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Dreyfuss.

Regardless of your situation, he will tailor your treatment plan to create outstanding results that will be best for your body type and aesthetic goals.


Planning for a Brazilian butt lift is easy, but recovery is a different story. If you expect to feel the same way immediately after surgery as you did before, you’re in for a surprise. As with any surgery, you will have some discomfort, swelling, and maybe bruising, but with this procedure, it’s on the part of your anatomy where you sit. With patience and proper aftercare, you’ll feel like yourself in no time. As a guide on what to expect, here’s how your early days of recovery should play out.

Initial Recovery

Directly after the procedure, you can expect some bruising and swelling in the donor sites where Dr. Dreyfuss extracted the fat. You can manage discomfort with oral medication, though you must switch to Tylenol from opioids before driving. Recovery varies from patient to patient, but you should be up and walking a day or two after surgery. There may be some excess fluid draining from the incisions. Don’t be alarmed if there is blood in this fluid; it’s normal. This draining will cease in a few days.

Compression Garment

After surgery, Dr. Dreyfuss will have you in a compression garment to support the areas where he performed liposuction. He recommends you wear the garment for about eight weeks to safeguard areas where he harvested fat, so they heal correctly. The garment will also help minimize swelling, increase comfort, and help the skin retract.

 

No “Butts” About It

A critical recovery tip regarding a Brazilian butt lift is you don’t sit on your buttocks for at least eight weeks. We advise you to sleep on your stomach or side, and when you must sit, use a doughnut-shaped pillow or inflatable cushion. Placing a pillow behind your legs helps avoid putting pressure on incisions and grafts by lifting the buttocks. These practices are critical to achieving long-lasting results. Sitting directly on the buttocks may affect blood circulation in the treated areas. 

A reduction in blood circulation may destroy the fat cells transferred to the buttocks. However, you should note that up to 40% of the grafted fat may not survive, regardless of how well you have followed your post-operative instructions. After eight weeks of recovery, it is vital to use a cushion when seated for prolonged periods.

Resuming Activities

You should avoid high-impact activities after surgery, especially ones that cause you to jump or run. You may resume light activities like fast-paced walking after one month. If you respond well during recovery, you should be able to return to normal activities after eight weeks. 

Once fat cells have stabilized, you can resume strenuous activities like running or jogging. It’s crucial to follow your post-surgery instructions after your operation to heal well and enjoy your results.

Ready to Get Started?

If you would like to learn more about Brazilian butt lift recovery or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Dreyfuss, please contact our office today.

A Brazilian butt lift is a procedure that can enhance the size and shape of the butt. In order to provide patients with more information about the procedure, Dr. Dreyfuss compiled this list of five things to know about the Brazilian butt lift. This infographic explains what the procedure does, how it is performed, and what recovery is like. For more information, or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Dreyfuss, please contact Dreyfuss Plastic Surgery.

  1. The Brazilian butt lift is a popular plastic surgery procedure that can increase the size and enhance the shape of the butt.
  2. This surgery first requires liposuction to harvest usable body fat from the patient’s abdomen, thighs, or elsewhere.
  3. After liposuction is done, the harvested fat is purified and used in a series of injections in the buttocks.
  4. Because some of the injected fat is reabsorbed by the body, the Brazilian butt lift may require multiple treatment sessions.
  5. During recovery, patients may experience some bruising and discomfort around the buttocks. A special compression garment may be provided to reduce swelling and help ensure a smooth result.

5 Things to Know about Brazilian Butt Lift