My surgeon said not to sit for three months after BBL. I can’t possibly put life on pause that long. Is this accurate?

Thanks for your question. This is a common myth after a brazilian butt lift. The is no evidence that sitting pressure has any negative effect on the fat that we graft to the buttocks, thus we have no strict sitting restrictions and our patients remain confortable throughout the post-op period by sitting on soft surfaces.

Thank you for your question! For my patients having a BBL procedure, I recommend they stay completely off of their butt for the first 10 days post surgery, then start using the BBL pillow for the following 3 weeks. At 6 weeks post surgery, they have no sitting restrictions. I recommend discussing specific post op instructions with your plastic surgeon. Best of luck!

I always advocate following your PS's post operative protocols as he/she knows how you are recovering and the extent of your surgery. I recommend that my patients minimize sitting, even with a pillow, for the first two weeks.  If they must sit, every 30 minutes or an hour, they should get up and stand for a few seconds to take the pressure off.   This reduces the chance for fat necrosis. I usually recommend about 6 weeks before sitting without a pillow. After 6 weeks the fat has revascularized, and they will have a very good idea of their final results. 
Kenneth Hughes, MD, ABPS Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Los Angeles, CA
 

BBL's are a fat transferring procedure and results of a fat transfer rely heavily on the recovery process during which time you are protecting the transferred cells while they reestablish a blood supply in their new "home". The pressure of sitting on transferred fat cells could result in the cells dying and compromise the results of the surgery and for this reason we recommend that our patients do not sit or lay on their BBL for 6 weeks post op, but rather use BBL pillows to sit (when necessary) and laying on your stomach to sleep.   
Following your post-op instructions (such wearing the proper garments, using the BBL pillow, regular but not strenuous movement, no smoking, etc) is important because these guidelines will help to protect the transferred cells and promote oxygen and blood flow to the treated area which will result in the survival of more fat cells and essentially better BBL results. 
You should have thorough conversations with your board certified plastic surgeon before and after your surgery to make sure all of your questions and concerns have been addressed. 

Every surgeon has a different recovery protocol so it is best to talk
with your plastic surgeon about what he/she recommends for you. With
that said, short answer is 8 weeks. I advise my patients not to sit on
their rear ends at all for the first week, this includes driving. After
then they may sit for short periods of time with a pillow under your
legs above the knee for 8 weeks, it doesn't have to be a special BBL
pillow if you don't want to draw attention to it. I would not recommend
sitting normally without a pillow or sleeping on your back/butt for 8
weeks. 
Kamran Azad, MD, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon@kamranazadmd

Dear Resourceful1231,
I instruct my patients not to sit for 2 solid weeks. We provide them a specialized pillow that our patients can sit on during that time. They can sleep on their stomachs or sides. Fat viability depends a lot of surgeon technique. The fat has to be placed back into the buttocks as soon as possible so that it has a greater chance of survival. It has to be placed carefully so that not too much fat is placed in only one area.
I understand your concern. It is best that you consult your plastic surgeon regarding post operative care and management (i.e including massage techniques and timing) specific to your case. Your surgeon knows your condition well and has preferences on when and what to use for faster healing and recovery. Post operative care and management depends on the type of surgery performed and the technique used during surgery among other factors.It is best, however, that you follow your plastic surgeon's advice on post operative care management for a smooth and faster healing and recovery.
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.
I recommend my patients not to sit for more than 30 mins. every two hours, for the first 2 weeks.  Then 3 more weeks with less restrictions, but with the BBL pillow. After that, sitting for longer periods should not damage your results. If you have any concerns, I suggest you to follow up close with your plastic surgeon.
Hope this is helpful. Good luck :)

Most advise that you abstain from putting pressure on the buttock and thus grafts, especially within those first 2-3 weeks.  After that, then you can start to put some minimal pressure, for small amounts of time, on them by sitting for a few minutes here and there, out to 4-5 weeks.  I believe most would tell you that after 5-6 weeks, there is minimal risk of harming the grafted fat.  Whatever you have at that point, is what you have.  

It is not customary to abstain from sitting for 3 months. At my center I advise minimal sitting for 10-14 days, and when doing so, to sit for very short periods of time and using a neck pillow as used on the planes. Good luck!

Thanks for writing,Typically we ask patients not to sit for 2 weeks, then do limited sitting for the next 2 weeks and finally increase sitting slowly over the next months. I hope this helpsStephen M.Davis, MD, FACS
Certified: American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member: American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
Member: American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Member: RealSelf Hall of Fame