Oh my God, would you look at her butt?
When Sir Mix-A-Lot released his 1992 smash hit, “Baby Got Back”, not even he could have imagined the increasing demand for bigger backsides almost 30 years later. In fact, what was once ridiculed and mocked has now, having bigger butts, has now spearheaded the demand for plastic surgery with butt lifts becoming the fastest growing cosmetic surgery in the world.
Now while some may say advise that you buy it, if you’re not born with it, some doctors would strongly advise against it.
While chatting with TMZ Live, famous plastic surgeon and star of Botched Dr. Terry Dubrow shares that a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) is one of the worst things you can do to your body,
“It’s extraordinarily dangerous,” Dr. Dubrow shared with TMZ. “It turns out that it’s the most dangerous, not only plastic surgery procedure, it’s the most dangerous operation there is with the highest fatality rate.”
With that said, we think it’s time we got behind one of the world’s most popular, and possibly most dangerous cosmetic surgeries.
What is the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)?
According to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, the Brazilian Butt Lift is a cosmetic procedure that involves the transfer of fat in order to augment the size and shape of the buttocks without the use of implants .
The procedure, which can cost more than $10 000, was pioneered by the Brazilian doctor Ivo Pitanguy. According to Pitanguy, whose patient list allegedly included Frank Sinatra and Sophia Loren, beauty was a human right.
“Ultimately, beauty is a sense of well-being,” says Pitanguy.
In 1960, Pitanguy founded one of the world’s first plastic surgery academies, and it was here that surgeons learned the art of the BBL. As such, it wasn’t long before the practice gradually traveled to the mainstream.
The growth of the BBL procedure
According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, butt augmentations have increased by 65.9% since 2015, and butt lifts have increased by 77.6% since 2015. Furthermore, butt augmentations increased by 38.4% in 2019 and butt lifts by 25.5% in the same year.
According to British aesthetic surgeon Dr. Lucy Glancey, the popularity of the BBL is thanks to one woman: Kim Kardashian, whose body has had quite an impact on society. Dr. Mark Mofid, a leading American BBL surgeon, echoed these thoughts, adding that the influence of women like Jennifer Lopez and Nicki Minaj, as well as the impact of social media, “had really popularized the beauty of feminine curves”.
How does the operation work?
A BBL works in two parts: first, the surgeon will retrieve the fat (harvesting), and then they will inject the fat into your butt, in order to create the desired effect (grafting).
Harvesting
The surgeon will begin to make small incisions on the harvest sites so that they can retrieve the fat. Harvest sites are discussed beforehand, and they usually include your stomach or thigh area.
Processing
The fat is not immediately grafted but is processed so that anything that can compromise the grafting process – debris, dead cells – is removed.
Grafting
Your surgeon will now inject the harvested fat into the desired areas of the buttocks. The amount of fat that they inject will depend on the requested size and shape.
The recovery period
While bruising and swelling are expected, you can generally go back to work a few days after the procedure. However, you might want to avoid putting pressure on the area, so we suggest sleeping on your stomach and avoiding strenuous exercise.
Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar, plastic surgeon David Shafer said that most of the swelling and bruises will heal during the first several weeks and this is when you can go back to the gym and be approved for travel. The last stage of recovery is where any remaining swelling will resolve, and the transferred fat has pretty much settled, and you’ll have a proper idea of what your new butt looks like.
With that said, Shafer says that it’s important to manage your expectation as the fat does take time to settle. In fact, Shafer notes that only up to 80% of the grafted fat survives, so many patients may need to revise some aspect of the surgery in the future.
“In most cases, 70 to 80 percent of the grafted fat survives while some of it absorbs,” Shafer says. “The fat is living tissue and will change with weight fluctuations in the body, so if you lose weight, the fat can shrink just like anywhere else on your body. Likewise, if you gain weight, the fat can expand just like anywhere else on your body when you gain weight.”
Frequently Asked Questions
A Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) is a cosmetic surgery procedure that involves transferring fat from one part of the body to the buttocks to enhance their size and shape without using implants. The fat is harvested, processed to remove impurities, and then grafted into the buttocks to achieve the desired contour.
The Brazilian Butt Lift is considered one of the most dangerous cosmetic surgeries due to its high fatality rate. According to Dr. Terry Dubrow, it is the most dangerous operation with significant risks, primarily because of complications related to fat embolism during the fat grafting process.
The cost of a Brazilian Butt Lift can exceed $10,000, depending on the surgeon, location, and extent of the procedure. This price reflects the complexity and risks involved in the surgery.
Fat is usually harvested from areas such as the stomach or thighs through small incisions. These sites are chosen based on the patient's body and the surgeon's plan to obtain sufficient fat for grafting into the buttocks.
Recovery involves managing bruising and swelling, with most patients able to return to work within a few days. Patients should avoid putting pressure on the buttocks by sleeping on their stomach and refraining from strenuous exercise for several weeks. Full recovery and fat settling can take several weeks to months.
Approximately 70 to 80 percent of the grafted fat survives after the procedure, while the rest is absorbed by the body. This means some patients may require additional surgeries to achieve their desired results.
The Brazilian Butt Lift was pioneered by Brazilian doctor Ivo Pitanguy, who founded one of the first plastic surgery academies in 1960. He emphasized beauty as a sense of well-being and helped popularize the technique worldwide.
The popularity of the BBL has been influenced by celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and Nicki Minaj, as well as the impact of social media promoting feminine curves. This cultural shift has led to a significant increase in butt augmentation procedures globally.
Since the grafted fat is living tissue, it responds to weight changes like other body fat. If a patient loses weight, the fat in the buttocks can shrink, and if they gain weight, it can expand, potentially altering the appearance of the results over time.
Patients should expect that the final appearance will take time to settle, as swelling subsides and the fat graft stabilizes. It may take several weeks to months to see the true results, and some fat absorption is normal, which can affect the final shape.
