Recommended Pillow for Sitting After Brazilian Butt Lift?

Hello and Great Question.  I appreciate the time you are spending researching this procedure.  My name is Dr. Matthew J. Nykiel.  I am a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, a Fellowship Trained Cosmetic Surgeon, and a Butt Augmentation Specialist.

Each Surgeon has a slightly different recovery protocol and you should always go over your surgeon's protocol.   
 PILLOWS:  Why is the post-operative Pillows and Sitting so important in recovery for a BBL?  
Because it is extremely important that one avoids sitting or lying which generates pressure onto their butt for prolonged periods of time during the early stages of healing when the transferred fat is trying to live.  The off-loading pillow allows you to sit and return to work or simply relax.   The sitting/pillow restrictions should be continued for 4 weeks following surgery; and the restrictions are gradually lengthened with each week (see timetable below).  But Why does it matter?  Because the transplanted fat cells must re-establish blood supply in order to live.  In the first four weeks after surgery, these fat cells are very fragile and susceptible to pressure which can cause cell death or cause the fat to disappear. Therefore, during the 4 week period we encourage patients to avoid sitting.  But (No Pun), if it is absolutely necessary you can sit for certain time intervals (see table below) and/or utilize an off-loading pillow.  What Type of Specific Pillow?  Any type of pillow works; no "one pillow" has been shown to be better than another.
How does an Off-Loading Pillow Work?
The pillow is folded and placed behind your knees and under your thighs.  This effectively puts all the pressure on your thighs and "off-loads" pressure on your butt.  This may potentially minimize the cell damage of the transferred fat.  As the potential for cell death is decreased, the potential for surgical results are optimized.  Again, a regular pillow will work; if you are looking for a specific off-loading pillow, examples are:  Booty Buddy®, BBL Pillow®, Booty Mate® etc.   

SITTING PROTOCOL:  I utilize a 4 week sitting protocol.  Again, the 1st week I like you to be off your butt as much as possible in the early stages of healing.  The protocol is: ◦ Week 1: Sitting for the bathroom ◦ Week 2: Sit as usual with the assistance of a pressure off-loading pillow. If you do not have a pillow then: 15-30 minutes at a time, then standing up to shift your weight. ◦ Week 3: Sit as usual with the assistance of a pressure off-loading pillow.  If you do not have a pillow then:  30-60 minutes at a time, then standing up to shift your weight. ◦ Week 4: Sit as usual with the assistance of a pressure off-loading pillow.   If you do not have a pillow then:  1-2 hours at a time, then standing up to shift your weight. ◦ Week 5:  No Sitting Restrictions.  Sit as usual.  Unless otherwise directed.

RETURN TO WORK:  Most of my patients are back to work in 1 week or less.  Again, I perform a number of these procedure on college students and professionals that sit for the majority of their day.  

ACTIVITY:  After 1 week you can Run/Jog or go to the gym.  Prior to 1 week, I want you walking around as much as possible.

RETURN TO GYM:  After 1 week you can go to the gym.  You can do any upper body work out and/or Run/Jog.  No lower body squats or any activity that requires you to place pressure on your Butt/Gluts (i.e. Leg Press, Back Row etc) until after 4 weeks from surgery. Best of Luck!  Please reach out if you have any further questions or concerns.

Matthew J. Nykiel, MD#TopREALSELFDoctor#CoreREALSELFDoctorButt Augmentation SpecialistLiposuction SpecialistBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon

I recommend complete pressure offloading on the butt and hips for 3 weeks after a BBL. Although many patients have tried to find ways around not sitting directly on the butt, the problem is that these device put pressure on the lower back and upper thighs. When you put pressure on these areas, the skin in between them tighten like two people pulling a sheet in opposite directions. The taut skin causes pressure on the buttocks and causes a flatter appearance.

Thank you for your question.

Yes, you can use a boppy pillow or a BBL pillow. The idea is to avoid any pressure to the buttocks by not sitting or sleeping on the it for at least 6 weeks.

Please always consult with a board certified plastic surgeon.

Take care,

Moises Salama M.D. Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Hello and thank you for your question. At our practice we have many new patients ask us this question. A good rule of thumb is - avoid sitting on any part of your buttocks/hip where fat was injected. Usually a "safe zone" is the tops of the thighs right below the crease of your buttocks. I typically recommend avoiding any pressure by sitting or sleeping to these areas for 6 weeks postop to allow for the best fat tissue survival. If you have to drive, using a boppy underneath the tops of thighs and letting your buttock rest in the "hole" of the boppy should work. I usually ask patients to practice using their pillows before surgery to make sure that they know how to use the pillows properly and can adjust as necessary without affecting their surgical results. Other pillows such as the booty buddy or wedge pillows that are usually sold online are helpful. Good luck to you.

In the past, when we used to transfer fat to only the buttocks itself, you could potentially get by with sitting on a pillow here and there because it would only be putting pressure on your thighs. These days, to get a nice "heart" shaped buttocks, I typically inject in the mid and upper butt area, the hips, and down to the thighs. This gives a great overall shape but limits where you can sit afterwards. I always say that transferred fat is your investment and it is up to you to take care of it for the first 3 weeks after surgery. I recommend not sitting on the butt for the first 3 weeks after surgery at all. It would be like buying a shiny new Ferrari and taking it out in the snow! Going to the bathroom for a few minutes probably will not make a difference.....but taking short car rides actually may. You want to give that fat every chance possible to survive for those 3 weeks so it is better to avoid any kind of sitting in my opinion. Some of that fat on your hips, lower butt, or thighs may get compressed and compromised with a pillow. After three weeks, whatever fat has taken and grown a blood supply is generally there to stay.

Thanks for your question...There are many booty pillows available. While every surgeon is different, avoid any pressure on the buttocks itself, so you should be able to sit on a pillow under your thighs. However, please followup with your surgeon if you are still concerned.You can learn more on our social media (Instagram and Snapchat): @realdrsix.

Regards,

I recommend trying a pillow like the BBL pillow which you can find online. It is made a firm, foam and when sitting on it, all the pressure is on the back of your upper thigh. This will avoid pressure directly onto the buttocks itself. Try to avoid direct pressure on the buttocks for two to four weeks after your fat transfer procedure.Best wishes,Dr.Bruno

No pressure is the best pressure. I typically recommend strict offloading i.e. "No sitting" for 2 weeks (minimum).If you are going to sit (for travel etc.) an pressure reduction pillow is helpful. There are a number of popular options available but all are variations on the same theme...offloading pressure on the new grafts. The Booty Buddy is one of the more popular options, however, there are numerous others which can be easily found via a cursory internet search.As always, discuss your concerns with a board certified plastic surgeon (ABPS).

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, I advise my patients not to sit on their rear ends at all for the first week. After then they may sit for short periods of time with a pillow under your legs above the knee for 8 weeks and some patients use a special BBL pillow, such as the Booty Buddy, to alleviate pressure on the buttocks. I would not recommend sitting normally without a pillow for 8 weeks. Good luck!Kamran Azad, MD, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Great question!  There are many types of BBL pillows out there, in my opinion as long as you get one where the sitting pressure is on the thighs and allows the buttock to hang free is fine.  Basically you just don't want to put pressure on your buttocks.  There are a few options on Amazon and if you search for BBL pillow several options come up.Best of luck and hope this information helps!- Dr. Roger Tsai  @DrRogerTsai

Hi, and thanks for your question regarding sitting after a BBL. After a BBL it is preferred to keep pressure off the buttock as much as possible. With that being said, it is impossible to avoid sitting all together. Using a boppy pillow is a great way to eliminate pressure on the buttock for 2-3 weeks after your procedure. Immediately following a BBL, the cells that were transplanted should not be compressed being that this can lead to death of the cell. It is also recommended to wear a special garment for approximately 4-6 weeks post-operatively.  Sleeping on your stomach, sitting on the edge of a chair, and using pillows to alleviate pressure are all good ways to ensure you get the best possible BBL result. Best of luck !!