I've been sitting since my BBL. Have I damaged the cells already? What can I do now?

Thank you for the question.  Recovering from a Brazilian Butt Lift is a little more demanding that some other liposuction procedures. It is important to avoid sitting directly on your buttocks for at least 10 days after treatment. This is extremely important as it can affect blood circulation to the area and potentially destroy the transferred fat cells.

A Brazilian Butt Lift is a transfer of a person’s own fat from one area of the body to another to improve the overall contour. To ‘harvest’ the fat we use liposuction to vacuum out the excess tissue, process it with a centrifuge type system to remove the impurities and excess fluid, and then we inject it back into the areas we want to enhance. Typical areas for lipo are the abdomen, flanks or love handle areas, back and thighs. In a BBL the receiving site is the buttocks area. The sore part of this surgery is the liposuction. The areas we harvest from are tender and swollen for a few weeks afterward, and are not fully back to normal for a couple of months. Expect that it will be at least 2-3 months before you see all of the changes in your contour that will happen. After the surgery I usually recommend patients plan to take about 5-7 days off of work, and 3-4 weeks off of vigorous exercise (i.e.: jogging/aerobics), but it is okay to walk and do lighter things almost right away. One specific restriction with a Brazilian Butt Lift is that we want to avoid prolonged pressure on the buttocks area for the first 2 weeks after surgery. Too much pressure will cause the transferred fat to die, and we will not get the enhancement you are looking for. This means sleeping on your tummy for 2 weeks, and using a cushion to sit on for 2 weeks. You also have to get up frequently, or shift the pressure every 10 or 15 minutes while sitting during that time. You and your plastic surgeon need to review these issues before surgery and make a plan specific to your situation in order to maximize your results successfully.

Great questions. Here are some tips to ensure a great recovery and result from a BBL.Make sure you drink a lot of fluid and bed rest for the first week. Also, no sitting directly on your buttocks for about three weeks, which also includes no driving. Always schedule follow up appointment after surgery. I can't stress enough, wear a compression garment for 24 hours/day for the first 2 weeks. Wearing the garment control swelling. It may not be comfortable but it is so important if you want to achieve amazing results. Best of luck!Dhaval M. Patel Double board certifiedPlastic surgeonHoffman EstatesBarringtonOakbrookChicago