Brazilian Butt Lift: Stories

I want HIPS! I've never had them and I want 'em bad! I'm 5'8 and 136 lbs. Measurements- 36-28 1/2-36. I have a small frame. I'm generally slim, but have stubborn pockets of fat on my abdomen, flanks, waist and bra roll that won't go away even though I work out daily. Other than that, I have very little fat anywhere else. I'm not looking for video vixen hips, just rounder hips that go with MY body. I also want a slimmer waist and back. If I have enough fat I'll get some in my derriere too. I have a squarish butt that needs rounding out on the sides more than projection. I only want to do this ONCE. Dr. M has the proven track record and experience that I demand from a surgeon. His before and after photos clearly state how ago the patient had surgery. This is critical for me. Imo, everybody's butt looks great a week or a month post op. I demand proof of long term great results and patient satisfaction, and I'm more than willing to pay up for that. When Dr. Markmann does a BBL procedure, it is the only one he does that day. He works out of an accredited hospital, and I will be able to spend the first 24 hours post op there before returning to my hotel. I'm so excited that i have to remind myseld to eat so that I won't lose weight! I will consider posting photos at the three month post op mark. Anything before that does not reflect true results, IMO.

Well, I'm one week post op. Dr. Markmann did a great job filling in my concave, non-existent hips, narrowing my waist, back and flanks, and sculpting my buttocks. I still have a lot of swelling, especially in my waist area, but I look so much better and curvier than before already. He took out 2400ccs. Of that, He put in 350ccs per hip area only, blended a little into my lateral buttocks. We decided that I already had enough projection, so he didn't inject any fat in my buttocks. He just sculpted the area underneath my cheeks a bit. i'm so happy, because I still look like me with a much better shape. So far, i am healing well. I have had some discomfort, but not nearly as much as I expected. The staff at Northwest Hospital was just wonderful. Just hoping now that I can hold onto my little fat cells.
Dr. Markmann is very easy to communicate with. He is throrough, thoughtful and accessible. You can be sure that he will do absolute best workand younare not just a number on an assembly.
I am giving him a five star rating based on this, but i will return to post my final results at the end of three months.

More to add: th e absolute worst moment was waking up the night of surgery in a tiny hospital bed with the sides up. All i wanted to do was get out of that bed! I was in pain, and felt overheated and claustrophobic . The nurses let down the sides of the bed and got me up and walking right away. The first couple of days were pretty painful, primarily around my midsection. The discomfort diminishes day by day. It's day 10 and I feel great. I have to remind myself to take it easy-which I will do. This is too big of an investment to blowmit by doing too much too soon. I'm enjoying the downtime.

Your face and eyes will most likely be very swollen and puffy for about three days- maybe a little bruised..I had a few minor abrasions on the sides of my face. It had somthing to do withnthe way I was positioned on the operating room table.

The one item I haven't been able to live without is my Grab-It device, as i cannot bend at all from my waist. Also, invest in a pair of Heelbo elbow pads. They'll protect your elbows from getting irritated when you lean on them.

Day 10 drains out ! Yay! Feeling great. This has not been as tough as I thought. Follow your surgrons orders without exception and you should do well. My mid section is really swollen, but I can see how sculpted is's been. I have the torso of a slender teenager!

So far, so good. My tummy is flat as a board. I have no lumps, bumps or uneveness in the areas that were injected or lipoed. I've lost some volume in the hips, but that was to be expected. I have no hard areas. Dr. M's work is amazingly smooth and symmetrical. There is a lovely new curve to my hips, and my waist is shrinking daily, much faster than the hips. Some dull pain in my lower back, but I think that's more from lying on my tummy. Dr. Markmann has a very strict post op protocol that I am following to the letter.

After 3 1/2 weeks in Maryland, I went back home by train in a sleeper car. I highly recommend it if you are not far along enough post op to fly. Hubby picked me up at the station. I missed him so much! It was a happy reunion indeed. The change in your shape really hits you when you are back in familiar surroundings and look in the mirror at home. It hits you even more when you try on a few dresses that were too tight in the waist and too loose in the hips. For me, I think that the sculpting and lipo will make more of a difference than the fat transfer to my hips. I had no fat transferred to the buttocks. I can see a difference in the shape of my hips- the indentations are filled in so they are rounder. They are not going to be a lot wider. My torso, waist and lower back are dramatically slimmer and will continue to get smaller as the swelling sudsides. This has made my derriere look rounder, even though I didn't have any fat cells injected there. The lipo, combined with the small improvement in my hips, is bringing everything into a feminine, (fashion, not video) model type proportion. So far I'm quite pleased. According to MY tape measure, I'm 36-26 1/2-36 1/4 I have unintentionally lost some weight (5'8, down to from 136.5 to 133) Gotta go back to my daily protein shakes! I will update as my measurements change. My binder was cutting into me and caused some additional swelling in my waist. For the time being, I'm back to wearing foam under the compression garment and binder. This had helped a lot with the swelling.

I'm a little over six weeks post op. Healing has been steady. I feel great! I'm still a little tender in the lipoed areas. Dr. Markmann and his staff are good at answering all of my questions. He has clearly done an outstanding job in improving upon what nature didn't give me. Dr. M. did everything that he said he would. Now, it's up to me and the vicissitides of healing. I am following his post op instructions to the letter. No cheating! I just sat for the first time at the 6 week mark, so I'm a little stiff. It hurts a little when I first sit, but after a few minutes I'm fine. My range of motion is returning a little more every day. I'm still not bending at the hip. No bending over to tie shoelaces, and I still go upstairs backwards. I've started back at the gym doing upper body work only. Not too much--I don't want linebacker shoulders to go with my new shape! My body is evolving almost daily as the swelling goes down in my waist, upper and lower back. I haven't lost any volume in my hips since week three. Though I'm not quite as thin, I'm sort of a cross between Naomi Campbell and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy- long legged, streamlined and narrow with a defined waist and hips and toned arms. That's what I wanted.; to still look like me, but more sleek and shapely. I doubt that I'll get any questions about what I had done. That makes me very, VERY happy. I was always able to dress to disguise my lack of hips and play up my good parts before. Now, I don't have to worry about hiding my figure flaws. I'm going to have to have almost everything altered because all of my clothes are too big in the waist. Remember, my RS BBL sisters, It takes at least 3 months to know whether your procedure was successful. I refuse to get too excited until at I am at LEAST ONE YEAR post op. if I still have my results at ONE YEAR, I will post that it was "worth it" Don't get caught up with what you look like 1, 5 , 12 or even 30 days post op and don't choose your surgeon based on anything other than their long term results. It's great to share your early excitement, but we all need to see more LONG TERM RESULTS on RS. Be realistic: the better your figure is pre op, the better it will look postop. Also, be aware that almost all of those Facebook wish pics I see on RS have been seriously PHOTOSHOPPED. Although I didn't choose to have wish pics, I understand why they are helpful to a lot of women. The closer your body resembles your wish pic, the more likely you will get your wish.

I must correct my preop measurements to 36-29-35. Current post op measurements, 36-26 (my waist on a good day when the swelling is down) 36 1/2. My waist, back and flanks are still quite tender, itchy and prone to a lot of swelling. My waist measurement can fluctuate by up to 2 inches! I hope it eventually settles at 25, but I'll settle for 26. My weight is back up to 135.

BTW, Dr. M says that it's normal for swelling to kick in again at the two month mark. It can continue up to six months, causing measurements to fluctuate. It can sometimes be a little frustrating, but all a part of the healing process. We just don't heal in a completely linear way!

To review, I only had 350 CCs fat transferred to each hip; nothing to the buttocks. For that reason, I don't have a dramatic increase in my hip measurement, but that inch and a half of additional width to the hips combined with very aggressive lipo to the waist, flanks and back makes my figure more proportional.

Here's an interesting interview done by the famous Dr. Roberts , one of the great pioneers of the BBL in thenUS. in the interview was done in 2001. He talks about what a surgeon must do to ensure a successful BBl. Fascinating!

Most patients right away tell me they know that injected fat is reabsorbed by the body so the enhancement doesn't last,” says Dr. Roberts. “But that's not true.”

Due to the extremely delicate nature of stubborn, human fat, surgeons who perform transplantation surgery must take caution.

Drs. Roberts and Toledo explain how suctioning shouldn't be too strong, or it will kill the fat cells; nor can the surgeon use too narrow a needle on the syringe to inject the fat cells back into the patient's tush. While bodily tissues, fluids and fat cells extracted during liposuction must be separated in a centrifuge, the device can't whirl too rapidly, least the cells become too damaged. Moreover, the surgeon should not deposit too many fat cells into any one place. Droplets are good – placed at hundreds of different levels – but fat cells the size of a teaspoon put into one place will perish. Also, fat cells cannot be exposed to ordinary air.

Drs. Roberts and Toledo 's study results, printed in a 2001 issue of Aesthetic Surgery Journal revealed that 50 to 75 percent of the grafted fat remains in the rear for the long term – after the operation is done very carefully.

“The fat that remains at one year after the operation, remains with you permanently,” Dr. Roberts says.

The study revealed about four percent of patient had problems – slight infection or small pockets of fluid retention – which cleared on their own. The other possible risks of buttock enhancement, such as lumpiness, bleeding and muscle or nerve damage, did not happen to any of the subjects who wore a compression garment for about six weeks; they were able to resume most normal activities in two to five days. Ten percent of the subjects later requested additional buttocks augmentation.

One possible downside: Not many surgeons perform the procedure due to its difficulty. According to Dr. Roberts, one surgeon, three nurses and six hours are required to properly prepare the extracted fat for re-injection back into a patient's rear.

“If you rush things, the buttocks enhancement can be gone in a year,” Dr. Roberts says. “There are simply too many ways the fat cells can die.”

'Amazing' tops annual vote for words that should be banned.

I'll admit it, I am thrilled with my results--so far. Current measurements: 36-26-37. Most of that 37 inches appears as width in my hips. I do not have a huge behind, don't want one--just a butt that is proportional to my frame. I am of mixed race descent and my frame reflects that fact. Lipoed areas still smooth. skin is retracting nicely. A tiny bit of swelling remains in my flanks. I am no longer wearing my garment, but I am wearing a shaping camisole/bra to support the lipoed areas. I may post pics soon when I have reached at least three months post op. I am ambivalent about posting pictures here for reasons I have mentioned before. I feel no need to "prove" anything. i spent 17,000, and Believe me, if I was unhappy I would TELL YOU. My sensibilities are very different than most women here. I am a former fashion model. I am very slim. I LOVE being slim. No thickness allowed, whatsoever. At 5'8, 135 lbs is the heaviest I like to be. I was considerably thinner in my modelling days. I did not give a hoot about "projection". That kind of look just doesn't suit my body. I don't wear spandex mini dresses and go to da' club. I get plenty of attention--always have, that was not a problem. I wanted to remain thin and add curves. Markmann has done that for me WITHOUT A DOUBT. I refused to gain weight for ANY REASON. I am in my 50's and that would be a silly thing to do at my age and level of fitness. I do not have the body or face of a woman my age. I worked hard at the gym to have the body I had even before surgery. That's why I didn't have much fat. I would prefer that people tell me that I am a beautiful WOMAN rather than them telling me that I have a beautiful, huge butt, but, that's just me. I prefer an hourglass shape, as opposed to the exaggerated pear that is so popular now. I only really wanted hips and a slimmer looking waist and torso. Check!!!

Okay, y'all as much as posting pics goes against my nature, here goes. I just want to show how much Dr.M was able to accomplish with only 350 CCs directly into each hip on my rectangular, nine year old girl hips. I had nothing injected to the buttocks. If I still have these results in a year, I wil post that it was "worth it" There was no way that I would gain weight for this surgery. He did the best with the little fat I had and that's what I wanted-- to stay thin with just a little more curve. BTW, I am 59 years old!

That's it for now. I'll update with new pics at the 6 month mark and again at the 1 year mark. I hope that all of my fellow BBL sisters will do the same. That's the only way to know how effective this prodedure really is over the long term.

Happy New Year, Everyone!

Fascinating food for thought fromwriter David Gauntlett.
"
"...One of the more key factors in creating the desire for a particular body shape – most notably for females – is the media, which has promoted a number of so-called “ideal” body shapes.[47] Fashionable figures are often unattainable for the majority of the population, and their popularity tends to be short-lived due to their arbitrary nature.

During the 1960s, the popularity of the model Twiggy meant that women favoured a thinner body, with long, slender limbs.[48] This was a drastic change from the former decade’s ideal, which saw curvier icons, such as Marilyn Monroe, to be considered the epitome of beautiful. These shifts in what was seen to be the “fashionable body” at the time followed no logical pattern, and the changes occurred so quickly that one shape was never in vogue for more than a decade. As is the case with fashion itself in the post-modern world, the premise of the ever-evolving “ideal” shape relies on the fact that it will soon become obsolete, and thus must continue changing to prevent itself from becoming uninteresting.[49]"...

To translate, the " hot " shape today will not be the one the media considers hot tomorrow. Moderation is something to consider. Just sayin'

Here's a great explanation from RS PS Remus Repta regarding the phenomena of "fluffing." I hope that it's OK for me to quote him here. The poster's question was not about fluffing, but this was part of the doctor's answer. If you couple his explanation with the idea that most of us will gain a few pounds post op, it makes perfect sense.

"...As time passes the tissues will relax and the swelling above and bellow the buttock will diminish and this can result in a rounder, more projected buttock appearance."

After looking at my review I realized that I left off information about what it was like immediately pre op! Anyway, for those of you considering Dr. Markmann I will fill in a few details.
My surgery was scheduled for 7 am, which meant that I was to arrive at 6 am. My hotel was about 12 miles from the hospital. I was driven there by the taxi driver I hired to drive me to my appointments. We arrived on time. The hospital was nice, fairly modern and in the process of being updated. I called of the phone in the hospital lobby, and was met by a patient coordinator who led me the prep area. I signed forms and handed over the $9.00 cash I had with me and my driver's license for safe keeping. A nice touch was that I was allowed to keep my wedding band on, they just covered it with tape. Ladies, leave all of your jewelry at HOME. Insist that your hotel provides you with either a safety deposit box, a room safe or space in their hotel safe for your credit cards, cash, and any jewelry you have. Most states require that hotels provide you with this under the Innkeeper's Act. After I changed into my gown, I secured my hair. It's long so I had to put it in a braid and bind it with a cotton band (no hair pins or clips allowed). A rather inept and loud mouthed attendant poked around my veins to start my IV. She kept blaming it on my veins. She was the only irritation in an otherwise smooth experience. I signed some forms, talked to the nurse anesthetist (a lovely and very chic looking AA woman.) When I mentioned that I had suffered nausea in the past, she placed an anti nausea patch behind my ear ( highly recommended). Then, I met the anesthesiologist. He asked the usual questions about my health and reactions to any anesthesia in the past. I was escorted back to a little waiting room off of the OR. Dr. M came in ON TIME and marked me up. We agreed that since I didn't have much fat it would all go to my hips. Next, off I go for surgery. The OR was HUGE, with what looked like half a dozen staff members. It looked like something from TV. Judging from what I could see, every possible piece of equipment was available. It was freezing in there, but I was shown to the table and covered with a warm blanket. The knock out doc started my IV and the last thing I remember saying was, "Here I go! ". I have no recollection of anything that happened during the procedure or of Doctor M coming in to begin surgery. I had requested that Dr. M call my hubby to let him know that all was well. He did this promptly after my surgery was over. I woke up that night in the tiny hospital bed I described above in an earlier post. That was the only time I felt a little anxious. That bed was soooo narrow! The staff at Northwest General was top notch. I never felt rushed or like I was being a bother. The nurses were ON POINT ; very patient, polite, and responsive to my needs. I was there for 24 hours. Of course, all meals were included in my hospital fee. I had filled the scripts for my meds at home and had the meds with me. My nurse attendant came to pick me up and was waiting in the patient pickup area downstairs. Just as I was about to leave, I met with Dr. M. In the hall. He was on his way in to see me. I was so out of it that I almost walked past him without seeing him in the hall! He told me how much fat was harvested and injected. I left on foot ( not in a wheelchair) and was escorted to the patient pick up area. Then, it was back to the hotel to begin my recuperation. Because I only had my hips done, my surgery took a little over four hours. This was less time than I had paid for. The hospital was very prompt in issuing me a refund check. I used HomeWatch Caregivers based in Columbia, MD for my after care. I had a FABULOUS caregiver named Catherine. I highly recommend this service. HomeWatch Caregivers is a national franchise. Their staff in MD was great. I had three followup visits wit hDr. M in his office. He has a very nice, elegant and spacious office with a number of exam rooms. You can lay down in privacy. Only once did I have to stand and wait for a while in the front waiting area. Ladies, try to get a hotel close to your doctor's office- say, not more than 10 minutes away. You will be less stressed and more comfortable. Good pre-planning will help you keep that roller coaster thing in check. I can honestly say that I never experienced any post op depression or anxiety. I also used a tape called " Preparing for Surgery", by Dr. Martin Rossman. It is a three part recording that uses visual imagery to guide you through the process and keep you calm and centered. I HIGHLY recommend that you download it and begin listening 4-5 days before your procedure. You should keep listening daily until you are sufficiently healed.

if I haven't already mentioned it, Dr. M HIMSELF answers all of my post op questions. He is very responsive and answers emails promptly. I don't know when the man sleeps!

I'm in the gym, and just realized that of the 30 or so women currently here, I am the ONLY one with a discernible WAISTLINE!!!! Thanks, Doc M!!!

The 12 inch difference makes a big improvement in my slim shape. Measurements now, 34C bra (36 overbust) 25 waist, 37 hips.

Decided to put some pics back up to hlp inform potential patients of my doc. There are not many on here.

My extra 2 inches of hips means I need to get fitted for a new dressage saddle. That's goIng to be EXPENSIVE. Ah well, it's worth it. I think I'll wait for another three months before I get measured to have a new one made. By then my measurements should be pretty settled. At least most of my riding clothes still fit. I'll need a new show jacket, though.

Since RS changed their interface a few days ago, replies are now appearing out of order. This is bound to cause all kinds of mayhem. They need to fixit ASAP. In the meantime, it might be a good idea to add @ and name of whomever you are responding to.

Here are some truly beautiful women from the Dominican Republic, IMO, of course.

Keep posting those long term results, ladies. That will really help your fellow RSers. Now that I'm 4 months post, I'm going to post an updated profile pic. Then, I'll be back to post new pics at 6 months post.

I clearly have more curves than I did before. And that's the goal after all, isn't it?
I will hit the BIG 6-0 this year! Not bad for an AARP member.

PS- sorry my mirror is streaky in the photos. I swear I cleaned it with Windex before taking the pics! Will update again at one year.

PSS: Due to privacy concerns I don't want to post any unclothed pics. IMO, if someone knows your email address and URL, they can find out who you are.Ther is NO PRIVACY on the net. I am posting one clothed before pic so that you can get an ideaof how boxy I was before.

This is to those ladies considering breast augmentation. Now, I gotta say that I have not done it and don't plan to. But, just a word from one who knows. i was blessed with perfect though not huge 34 full C breasts. Even at almost 60 I can pass the pencil test. Please remember that natural, perky breasts tend to have a slight slope at the top. It is the rare surgeon that does not make breasts too full at the top-- a dead gIveaway to all of a breast job, no matter how subtle. Natural breasts do not look like that. Will it look good? Maybe, even prolly! Will it look real,? nu-huhhhhh. Look for the guy who can give you a slope if you want them to look real. Sadly, I'm not sure that he exists! ;)

Here is something that we should keep in mind. Here on RS, ladies will take a microscope to your results. They will measure and parse every nook and cranny that they can see, and some that they can't! Now, I'm not criticizing my RS sisters, it's just that it's the mature of this site. Remember, my RS Friends, 99.9 % of the people you meet in REAL LIFE will never scrutinize your results the way the women on here will! Do NOT judge your results solely by the reaction of the women on here. Get out there in the world that has little knowledge of BBLs and see how THEY react. THAT, and the way YOU feel is you answer to whether your procedure Is successful.

Although it's an important part of the dramatic change that a well done BBL can accomplish, projection does not add to the impact of the frontal view of your WHR. To get a more accurate idea of the visual impact of your WHR. Look straight ahead in the mirror. Hold a yardstick or tape measure straight across the widest part of your hips. Write down that measurement. Then, do the same for the narrowest part of your waist. Divide your frontal view waist measurement by your frontal view hip measurement. This is your WHR from a head on view. This way, you are measuring the actual width of your waist and hips, rather than the circumference. You can use the same technique thing to measure the width of your bust and shoulders. You can also do a side view WHR measuring your behind at its most projected point from the side, and your waist at its narrowest from the side. Again, divide the waist by the bust to get your side view WHR.

See update above.