How long should I wait before having a Brazilian butt lift revision done? Fat at hip migrated (photo)

Question

I had a BBL 5 months ago, caught and infection that resulted in surgery to remove the puss that was forming inside. That then lead to me being on a wound vac thinking now I truly did not need to be on it. The fat at the hip migrated down to the lower part of my butt and hangs. How long should I wait to get this fixed ? My right hip now sticks out more than my left

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear eananaba,
generally speaking, you should be able to get revision surgeon once you are healed from initial surgery and 5 months might be enough. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination, you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Justin Yovino, MD, FACS · Answer

This is a challenging situation. Long story short, in your case, I think it's best to wait at least one year. That would be one year from the date of your original surgery. You'll want the surgical area to be soft and stable. it shouldn't be changing any more at the time of the revision surgery. It's a good idea to have some more information before the revision. This would include the operative report and the details of how much fat was placed and where it was placed. It would be nice to see before photos. The starting anatomy would help with the plan and expectations. A current ultrasound of the problematic area would help determine what the underlying anatomy is as well. It could be a cyst or fat necrosis that is causing the excess fullness in the hip.  With all that said, your situation may be approached with liposuction only.

Ryan A. Stanton, MD · Answer

Allow me to answer your question as best i can based upon your photos. However, please keep in mind that an in-person, or at least a virtual, consultation with physical exam is first necessary before any legitimate evaluation or final surgical recommendations can be made.

You are in good company with many others who had high hopes for BBL but instead received disappointing results (lumpiness, unevenness, lack of projection in the central and/or lower buttock, insignificant hip augmentation, post-deflation sagging, fatty necrotic cyst or scar tissue, etc.) as most of the fat melts away. It is not quite as much the quality of the doctor nor liposuction technique but rather the quality of the procedure that is a large part of the problem.  Thus, going back for additional rounds of BBL most often produces the same disappointing results but at another financial loss.   Beware, if a surgeon asks you to purposely gain weight (i.e. fat) before BBL, know that the fat you lose first as you get back to your baseline weight after surgery is that very same fat that was transferred into your buttock, hence your new buttock shrinks first, the fastest, and the most...so please do not fall victim to this recommendation.

Fillers, such as Sculptra and hyaluronic acids,  for augmentation of the buttock/hips are a rip-off, period!

Buttock/hip implants, however, provide a more reliable, predictable, relatively safe, and permanent result, especially for adding projection to the hips and central buttock, and often help smoothing out lumpiness. Occasionally a lower buttock tuck may be advantageous for lower buttock fold asymmetries and/or sagging.  When considering buttock implants make sure that the surgeon is going to be placing the implants within gluteus muscles , (a.k.a. “intramuscular pocket”), and that they are using anatomically correct, oval-shaped implants, such as Stanton Anatomic ®️ implants. 
Please keep in mind that an extremely few number of board-certified plastic surgeons specialize in these buttock implants so be sure to consult with one that is reputable and experienced. Unfortunately you may have to travel long and far away from home to find this particular surgeon. Glad to help.

Manuel Diaz, MD · Answer

Hello! I'm sorry you went through that, your recovery after surgery must have been uncomfortable.  Following all the post-surgical recommendations of your surgeon, it is not common for this type of case to happen. You need to let your body recover from that process, and then start seeing a qualified and certified plastic surgeon. 8 months to 1 year is enough time to start completing another surgery.

A consultation is vital to create a surgical plan that fits your needs and meets your expectations. Keep in mind that achieving what you want is possible.  You can text us via whatsapp 1-829-554-6062 so that we can give you the necessary recommendations abaout surgery. A pleasure to help.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

It sounds like you had a difficult postoperative.Infections are not that common after a BBL but when they happen, they can be devastating and potentially life-threatening.Using a VAC is usually the standard of care, especially in areas or adjacent areas where Liposuction has been done. Infections usually cause a significant amount of inflammation and this will intern creates scar tissue.It’s important to let the scar tissue mature so revision surgery should probably not be done within the first six months and maybe it’s worthwhile waiting a year.Fat does not migrate but the deformity seems consistent with what you describe it.I’m sorry you had this complication.Hopefully your surgeon will help you with your revision procedure.To make a good assessment regarding the outcome of any plastic surgery procedure, we usually need to see A proper set of before and after pictures.If you don’t have a complete set of it before and after pictures and ask your surgeon to forward the pictures they took.Best,Mats hagstrom MD

How long should I wait before having a Brazilian butt lift revision done? Fat at hip migrated (photo)

Answers (5)

Answer: A SECOND BBL!

Answer: A SECOND BBL!

Answer: Revision after BBL complication

Answer: Revision after BBL complication

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Brazilian Butt Lift Revision

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How long should I wait before having a Brazilian butt lift revision done? Fat at hip migrated (photo)

Answers (5)

Answer: A SECOND BBL!

Answer: A SECOND BBL!

Answer: Revision after BBL complication

Answer: Revision after BBL complication

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Brazilian Butt Lift Revision

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.