In a perfect world, we’d do thorough research, consult with multiple board-certified doctors, achieve financial security, and stockpile enough PTO days to recover before making any plastic surgery decisions. Then we’d follow all pre- and post-op instructions, end up with the result we envisioned, and never experience a complication.
In reality, we do the best we can with what we have. But certain procedures carry significantly more risk than others, and the Brazilian butt lift is one of them. Though a new study shows that when performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon, it no longer has the highest mortality rate of all plastic surgeries, it’s especially crucial to check every safety box when considering the fat-grafting procedure.
To help inform your decision, we asked seven women who got a BBL to share what they would have done differently, in hindsight.
Related: The Brazilian Butt Lift Consultation Checklist
Brazilian butt lift recovery time
“I would have worn my compression garment much longer. I feel if I had worn it longer, it would have helped with the inflammation.” —Kai, 39, Raleigh, North Carolina
“I would have taken longer to recover. There is no need to be Superwoman after surgery, but I went and walked around the South Beach shopping area. I traveled back home five days post-op and went back to work seven days post-op. I was okay, but in hindsight, I would give myself more time to recover.” —Megan, 37, Denver
“If I could go back, I would have lost more weight prior to surgery. Because I was so heavy going in, even with my doctor taking the maximum amount of fat that he could take out, I was still left with a lot that I needed to lose. And I didn’t want to lose my reinjected fat cells, so I was just torn between losing my gut or my butt.” —Suzy, 34, Minneapolis
Brazilian butt lift surgeon research
“I wish I [hadn’t looked] for a surgeon based on how much I wanted to pay. I should have focused on saving for longer, then going to the best doctor in my city. My results aren’t terrible, but I feel like they could be so much better. My butt looks lumpier than it did before surgery—like I have cellulite in new places—and my doctor just kind of cut off communication after my follow-up appointments.” —J, 27, Atlanta
“I would have definitely chosen a different surgeon. The doctor who performed my BBL didn’t actually enjoy performing the surgery and only did a few of them per year. I chose him because my co-worker and her friends highly recommended him—however, they had chosen him for different procedures, and he was known for wonderful tummy tucks and breast augmentations. If I were to go under the knife again for a second BBL, I would ensure a detailed investigation of the area surgeons and choose one who has a lot of BBL experience.” —Nickie, 47, Virginia Beach, Virginia
“I would have never done my first BBL surgery—that was by far the biggest mistake I have ever made, and to this day I am still trying to fix it. For the first surgery, the doctor totally destroyed the skin on my butt cheeks—some areas are sunken, some lumpy, and my scars are very thick. It was bad. I originally wanted to go to another doctor, and I should have done what I wanted from the beginning. By trying to go a little cheaper, I did myself no favors and have spent over $36K just hoping to fix it. I’m going to need to do another BBL, so that’s even more money.” —Missginger, 29, Kennewick, Washington
Related: 3 Tips on How to Choose the Best Surgeon for Your Procedure That No One’s Telling You
Brazilian butt lift results
“I would not have done anything differently. I had done a lot of research before deciding to go ahead with the procedure and knew what I was getting into. My doctor was very good and prioritized safety. I wasn’t willing to travel because of the long recovery involved and the inability to sit, but I was very happy with the doctor I chose. [Since] my healing and final results, however, I’ve decided to go for a second round of surgery to give more projection in the upper part of my bum and accentuate the hourglass shape.” —Chloe, 25, Canberra, Australia
