5'4, weigh 185lbs. Should I lose weight before BBL? Do doctors remove all fat from my abdomen or just enough to use for the butt

Hello and thanks for your question.  In all honesty, you would highly benefit from losing weight before having a BBL procedure.  This will improve your results dramatically and enhance the shape of the waist and the buttock.  Just by looking at your photos, 10 lb weight loss would be very helpful.I would suggest removing at least 4 liters of pure fat from the entire torso (abdomen, flanks, upper/middle/lower back). Removing more than 4 liters of fat can be dangerous and should be done in a hospital setting.  Otherwise the procedure is safe to do in an outpatient surgical facility.  I recommend removing as much fat as possible and then injecting only the amount needed to create the buttock shape and volume you desire (within realistic expectations).Good luck on your journey!Alex Zuriarrain, MD, FACSCleveland Clinic Trained Plastic Surgeon

Hello and thank you for your question and sharing your photos. Based on these photos, you would be an excellent candidate for a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), which typically includes a 360 liposuction of the abdomen and flanks, thighs, arms, etc and fat grafting for gluteal augmentation. Liposuction of the flanks will narrow down the waist for an hourglass appearance and adding volume to buttocks in combination with liposuction of the lower back is intended at creating a natural curvy look.  Basically, BBL removes the fat from unwanted areas and transfers it to areas that are desirable. It's important to understand that BBL cannot change the underlying body frame and therefore, individual results can vary, as everyone has a different anatomy. I would seek consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon for a full evaluation and advice. Best,
Pejman Aflaki, M.D.

Johns Hopkins-trained double board-certified plastic surgeon

Each surgeon will do their procedure slightly differently and will include different areas with the price of the BBL. Some surgeons will only harvest what is needed from one area, some will include complete liposuction of certain zones regardless of what they actually need. Personally I always include liposuction all the way around the waist to get the "snatched" look patients want. Regardless of what is included, there will always be an option to add on extra liposuction, so once you have chosen a surgeon you are comfortable with then speak with them about that. I would not suggest losing weight before at least seeing a board-certified plastic surgeon in person for an examination. Best of luck! 

Hello! Thank you for your question. Based on your photos and BMI I recommend weight loss before considering surgery and consulting with a board certified plastic surgeon. Decreasing your weight will enhance your aesthetic over all result and decreases potential risks and complications. For more information on BBL surgery and becoming a candidate please check out my link. Best of luck in your journey. 

Ideal candidates for liposuction are at or near their ideal weight (your calculated BMI is 31.8; losing 10 pounds or more will enhance results and decrease the risks of complications during and after surgery)  and will have good skin elasticity. Liposuction breaks down and removes the fat that lies just underneath the skin. It’s usually performed on areas that are notoriously resistant to diet and exercise such as the back of the upper arms, the outer thighs, the chin, the bra rolls, lower abdomen, and the flanks.  If the waist was smaller at one time, the waist can likely be reduced to those same measurements or smaller provided the muscular and fascial integrity has remained the same.   
How flat the abdomen will be will depend upon how much fat is removed from the area as well as how you heal.  Harvested fat will be transferred to the buttocks for an improved profile and projection.

 Lipo + BBL candidate, some advices:
Thanks for the question. 
In this regard, I recommend you waist and back Liposculpture, getting better curves especially in the waist, improving your body contour.
Finally, I suggested take the fat we get and transfer to the buttocks and hips, to mold them and get better volume, contour and butt projection, is that we know as "Brazilian Butt Lift" (BBL).
Kind regards

Dear patpb,
Generally speaking, you want to reach your goal weight before you consider a BBL, otherwise your results will be suboptimal if you continue to lose weight after the surgery. Based on your photos, you look like a good candidate for a BBL. Liposuction of your abdomen, back and flanks should give you more curves and hourglass shape and fat transfer to buttocks should give you more projection. I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon because only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Hello dear!
Thanks for the question and provided information as well.
Based on your pictures, you are a great candidate for liposuction with BBL, and I think you'll get very good results.
Liposuction allows your plastic surgeon to transform your entire shape. You can improve your abdomen, back and flanks, and of course your buttock, to give you a nice heart shape.
In general, you need to be physically healthy and at a stable weight, have realistic expectations, be a non-smoker and your BMI needs to be 33 or less.
l recommend you to make an appointment with a board certified plastic surgeon to talk about your goals and anything you need to know.
Good luck :)

Thank you for your questions and photos. 
 For the most optimal results, patients should generally be at or near their ideal weight. This is to minimize and prevent complications, as well as further fat loss in the buttocks after the procedure. Liposuction can be performed around the waist, abdomen and lumbar to contour the body giving you an hourglass figure. The harvested and purified fat is then injected to the buttocks and hips for adding volume and roundness to the butt. Overall, a BBL should give you a “snatched” look. I would recommend you to consult with a well experienced Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to determine your best approach.
Best of luck from TranPlastic Surgery!

A healthy BMI is between 15 - 24, the maximum recommended being around 30. If you are above 30, then you are encouraged to lose weight before undergoing surgery. The higher the BMI the more room for possible complications. During a BBL, the abdomen can be lipo-ed not only to harvest fat, but to contour as well, if you are interested in a snatched look, you may want to consider lipo of the flanks and back as well. That being said, you appear to be a good candidate for a BBL. The optimal BBL outcomes are achieved with: 1) use of VASER liposuction to harvest the fat, 2) a closed looped system such as Puregraft to process the fat, and 3) strategic micro-packet transplant technique. These three processes have demonstrated over 95% fat graft take. This means that your results will be stable as long as you maintain your weight. As an official VASER trainer, I am routinely referred unhappy BBL patients. One of the most common reasons for disgruntled BBL patients is that patients are not able to accurately communicate their desired buttocks goals to their surgeons.  A buttocks assessment tool can be an invaluable tool to communicate to your surgeon the exact buttocks size and shape you are desiring. A Skype or FaceTime consultation with a BBL specialist can help you get an accurate recommendation and pricing. 
Respectfully, 
Arian Mowlavi MD, FACS
Realself 100 Hall of Fame Inductee