What causes infections after a BBL?

Infections can happen after any operation. Usually this is due to the flora of the patient - which means the microrganisms that are already living in the body, especially on the skin. Usually a good technique and perioperative antibiotics will prevent an infection from taking place.

Infection is a risk with any surgical procedure, cosmetic or not. Your surgeon should adhere to protocol and take every step possible to eliminate the risk of infection. If the patient is immunocompromised it may increase the chances of infection as well. Please seek a board certified plastic surgeon for an inperson assessment.Regards,

Surgeon experience and record are important as well as the certification of the surgery center or hospital.  The risk of infection is extremely low.  
Perioperative antibiotics have become a standard.  There is less agreement about antibiotics for a period of time after surgery, though I still provide them for about a week.
Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Los Angeles, CA

Infections are very rare, but can happen. They are more common in diabetics and others who may be immunosuppressed. 

BBL infections have never happened in my personal practice experience.  That being said, there are several conditions that exist that may enhance the chance of infection.
1. Smoking slows down healing and increases the chance of other complications including infection.2. Diabetes affects the immune system, and diabetics are more likely to develop post-surgical infections.3. Poorly nutrition before and after surgery affects how a patient will heal and this can increase the chance of infections.
If you are not feeling well and one cheek is much harder than the other, you may have an infection called fat necrosis. 

Infection is rare and rejection of the fat is unheard of since it is your own fatty tissue that is used for the procedure. Fat embolism and pulmonary embolism are extremely rare and I have never seen with several hundred procedures performed. Fat necrosis which appears as lumpy areas can occur, however, the areas will resolve with massage and several weeks of time. Finally, there are normal risks of any surgery such as bruising, swelling and pain.

Surgical infections are caused by patient's own skin bacteria that can contaminate tissues underneath the skin.
The majority of plastic surgeons will minimize the chance of infections but giving me anabiotic's just prior to the procedure and possibly giving patients anabiotic's to take after the procedure.
Giving a single dose of anabiotic's just before the procedure has been shown to decrease infection rates.
Even though many plastic surgeons give her anabiotic's after surgery these have not shown to make a big difference in lowering infection rates.
It's important to remember that antibiotics or not without risk's themselves.
The skin is cleaned with antiseptic soap at the beginning and sometimes during the procedure.
This does not illuminate all skin bacteria but lowers the chance of developing an infection.
Infections I fairly rare after liposuction and fat transfer procedures.
All surgeons take precautions to minimize surgical infections but it's not possible to completely eliminate infections.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom M.D.