Could Frequent Sitting Affect Brazilian Butt Lift Results?

 After a Brazilian Butt Lift, usually you can resume sitting usually within a week or so depending on how your healing is progressing and when you are comfortable doing so. It also depends on what specific procedures you had done as well as how your recovery is going. Obviously the body heals with swelling and inflammation and usually that maxes out at two days and then starts getting better. Most of these patients take no pain medicine (because of the nerve blocks given during surgery) and usually feel very comfortable going out in public the same or next days.  I usually call my patients the night of surgery and check on them in person the next day. If everything is fine the next day, I then let them shower and they do not need a dressing over their incisions. At the two week check up, I usually have people start working out and then after six weeks they can do whatever they want.  I routinely tell people to take a few days to a week off work and to hide out but some people are very nervous especially celebrities and they might hide out for two weeks. As with any scar on the human body, initially scars are red, hard and raised and it typically takes six months to a year for them to become a soft thin white line.  Additionally with recovery, there're many things we do to expedite healing such as nerve blocks during surgery, oral supplements, skin care and scar therapy recommendations, lymphatic massage sessions that are included in our pricing. I strongly feel that it's very important to have an honest conversation with your surgeon about your particular situation, lifestyle, work environment and specifically which procedures you're having done so that you both have the most honest answer about your recovery and are realistic with expectations and results. I would recommend that you see a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area that is a member of both ASPS & ASAPS and performs a lot of butt lifts.  I hope my answer helps and if it does, please take a moment to up vote this answer on the “respond” button on the top right.  Have a great day.

At the moment, there aren't studies indicating that prolong sitting affects Brazilian butt lift results.In my personal opinion, I do not believe that prolong sitting affects Brazilian butt lift results.  I have many patients who have combination procedures, such as a tummy tuck and bbl and do not have an alternative position to sleep in and have maintain an excellent result. I do not restrict my patients who have this procedure, from sleeping on their buttocks. It all comes down to the preference of your plastic surgeon.  When selecting a plastic surgeon, please always search for a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.Best of luck...Dr. Sozer

This is a great question as the post-operative care is just as important as the surgery in making sure that you achieve the results that you desire from you Brazilian Butt Lift (fat transfer) surgery. 

Your surgeon does a lot of things to try and ensure that as much of the fat survives as possible.  These things include centrifuge the fat so that only the best possible fat is used for your butt augmentation.  Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can also be used to increase the amount of fat that survives.  The fat is also typically placed in small aliquots throughout the butt to try and ensure the greatest survival of the fat after your procedure. 



However if the post-operative care is not diligent you may loose some of the precious fat that has been transferred for your augmentation.  In my practice it is very clear which patients are strict with their post-op regimen and which are not. 



I typically do not let patients sit or sleep on their butt for six weeks.  The first two weeks they can’t sit or sleep on their back at all.  After the first two weeks they sit for an hour at a time using one of the special BBL pillows.  There are several pillows on the market that are great:



1.     BBL Pillow:



2.     Booty Buddy



3.     Curve Cure



b.    The curve cure also has a mattress available. 



Patients need to use one of these special pillows while they are recovering to keep all the pressure off the butt.  Pressure from sitting will damage the fat that has been transferred and limits the results that you obtain from your surgery. 



I also have had patients that want to use boppy pillows or other round pillows for their butt.  They are not the same. The pillow is not to cushion the butt; it is to eliminate all pressure from the buttock. 



I hope this helps you achieve the results that you desire.  I know it sounds like a rough six weeks, however if you are going to have the surgery I want you to have the best possible results from your Brazilian Butt Lift.  Please discuss the sitting protocol with your board certified plastic surgeon as every surgeon has his or her own protocol for post-operative sitting. 

Hello, and thanks for the question. As you can see from other doctors' answers, there is wide variation in the views on this topic. One issue is, there really haven't been any good, scientific studies done regarding pressure on newly placed fat in the buttock, so we really don't know for sure when pressure can safely be applied without affecting the survival of the fat cells. The main issue is the fact that pressure from sitting could squeeze out the blood flow to the area of the buttock your sitting on. Decreased blood flow means less oxygen, and less oxygen means potentially less fat surviving. How long it takes for the fat to obtain blood flow and survive is also a question. A typical skin graft takes from 3-5 days "take" as it goes through a process of getting oxygen from the surrounding tissues and finally developing its own connection with the tissues in the form of new blood vessels. This is when the graft is truly stable and should survive. If we apply that to fat cells, you may only need to stay off the buttock for 5 days in order for the fat to be alive and stable. However, I typically tell my patients to refrain from sitting, and especially laying or sleeping on the back (which places the most pressure directly on the transferred fat) for two weeks just to be extra careful. There is no exact, scientific evidence that this is necessary, but it has worked well for me and my patients over the years.I hope this helps!

Following your surgeon's post-operative instructions is key to ensuring the best outcome for your Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL). Prolonged sitting directly on the buttocks can potentially affect the results, as this can harm the fat cells that were transferred to the area (by hindering blood flow to the newly grafted fat, potentially leading to fat cell death, loss of volume, or changes in shape).
Most surgeons recommend that patients avoid sitting for at least 2-3 weeks after the procedure. During this time, it's common to use a BBL pillow or cushion that helps offload the pressure from the buttocks and places it on the thighs. This helps ensure the survival of the fat cells and optimizes the final result. After this initial period, some surgeons allow patients to sit for shorter intervals but still recommend using supportive pillows and taking frequent breaks.
It is important to consult with an experienced plastic surgeon who can customize your surgical plan and determine the best technique for you based on your individual anatomy and goals.
Krishna Vyas, MD, PhD, MHSHarvard, Hopkins, & Mayo Clinic Trained Aesthetic Plastic SurgeonNew York, New York

If you adhere to my post op recommendations of avoiding pressure on your buttocks and hips for 6 weeks, I allow my patients unrestricted sitting afterwards. So far there have been no negative side effects.

You need to avoid sitting or sleeping on the back or hips (avoid direct pressure onto the areas of fat transfer) for the first 3 weeks after surgery to allow the fat tissue pick up the blood supply and settle in place. During this period you can use the BBL pillow to avoid direct pressure on the buttocks. After 3 weeks I allow my patients to sit down normally. However, you need to ask your surgeon and stick to their advice because they know your exact medical conditions.

Thank you for your question. Every plastic surgeon has their own protocol. Once you are fully healed, you can sit fully and apply pressure on your buttocks. However, I would advise you to sit for two weeks and after that a special pillow should be used for an additional two weeks.

In a gluteal augmentation of fat is placed higher up on the buttock not in an area that receives pressure when sitting. Unless the injections are in usual sitting not be problematic.

Hello and thank you for that excellent question! Yes it can. Patients should avoid sitting directly on their butts for a period of time after surgery. Every surgeon has a their own time line and different set of rules. General speaking, less pressure on your butt the better, so you should avoid sleeping on your back and sides as well. I usually recommend patients avoid direct pressure for 45 days. It is important to take care of the bbl but it is not very hard to do so. There are plenty of ways to avoid pressure on your butt while sitting. You can try to sit up as straight as possible, making sure most of your weight is on your upper thighs. Using pillows or cushions like the "booty buddy" under your upper thighs (though most small cushions will work fine) lifts your butt of the chair and helps avoid pressure.Best of luck!Dr. Miguel Mota