Is it safe to sit on a BBL pillow for two 2.5 hour flights 5 days after surgery? Will it kill fewer fat cells?

Question

Hi! I plan on having a surgery 5h away from home. I would take two flights back home after surgery so I don't sit for 5h straight. Would it be safe to sit on a bbl pillow and not ruin the fat cells for a 2,5 h x 2 plane flight 5 days after surgery? 2. Is sitting on a bbl pillow equal to not sitting at all or does it also make fat cells die but just not as much as sitting right on the butt? How soon after surgery can one be exposed to the sun? And how long is one usually swollen?

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Recommend that you ask for your surgeon's opinion regarding boarding two 2.5 hour flights plus sitting in the airport waiting to board following BBL surgery.  There are no hard and fast rules on when to fly after this procedure.  Most would recommend a week or two before flying.  The main risk is related to development of a blood clot in the legs that can then migrate to the lungs.I recommend that my patients minimize sitting, even with a pillow (boppy or BBL), 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.   Usually by 3 months, the swelling is minimal and totally resolved by 6 months.  
Kenneth Hughes, MD, ABPS Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Los Angeles, CA

Carolina Restrepo, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question. It's best to follow your surgeons specific advice post-operatively. Postoperatively, no specific position is indicated and we do not have any sitting restrictions.  The pressure caused by sitting is not sufficient to affect viability of the fat cells and so the postsurgical position depends basically on comfort and any other operations that have been performed.

Tania Medina de Garcia, MD · Answer

Hello dear!!
Thanks for the question and provided information as well.
I recommend my patients to wait at least 10 days before flying back to home, and you should not sit for more than 30 mins. every two hours, for the first 2 weeks. If you have any concerns, I suggest you to follow up close with your plastic surgeon.
Hope this is helpful. Good luck :)

Is it safe to sit on a BBL pillow for two 2.5 hour flights 5 days after surgery? Will it kill fewer fat cells?

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Is it safe to sit on a BBL pillow for two 2.5 hour flights 5 days after surgery? Will it kill fewer fat cells?

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Everything you need to know about Brazilian Butt Lift

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