What are these scars/marks left after my Brazilian Butt Lift? (photos)

Question

I had a bbl in Miami, worst experience of my life. Surgeon didn’t explain anything to me and was extremely rude! I have these bad bad scars on me I was only suppose to have a bbl, what are these scars? I also never had drains

Semih Yildiz, MD, FEPOBRAS · Answer

The visible photo shows several small dark marks on the torso/hip area, which look most consistent with healed incision or cannula entry sites rather than large surgical scars.

BBL surgery usually includes liposuction, and liposuction requires small access incisions for the cannula. These are often placed around the abdomen, flanks, lower back, or near the buttock/hip area, depending on where fat was removed and transferred. Drains are not used in every BBL, so not having drains does not by itself mean something was done incorrectly.

If the marks are flat and only darker than the surrounding skin, time, silicone gel/sheets, sun protection, and sometimes prescription lightening creams or laser treatments may help. If they are raised, itchy, painful, widening, or tethered, then steroid injections, laser, microneedling, or scar revision may be considered after an in-person exam. If there is redness, drainage, warmth, worsening pain, or an open wound, you should be evaluated promptly. A board-certified plastic surgeon can usually tell whether these are expected access scars, pigment changes, or something that needs treatment.

John Reilly, MD, FACS · Answer

Those marks are scars that are left after having had liposuction performed. These represent the areas where your skin was incised to allow access for the liposuction cannula to remove the fat. In your case, and most often due to genetics, you make darker scar tissue known as hyperpigmentation.On my BBL patients I like to try and camouflage the scar by placing them inside the belly button or below the belt line so as not to be easily seen in bathing suit, etc., but this is just my preference. You can talk to your plastic surgeon or dermatologist about bleaching creams and other forms of treatment for unfavorable scarring. Best of luck.

Michal Brichacek, MD · Answer

These are likely access ports for the liposuction that was performed in order to harvest the fat for the BBL. Scars like this can continue to improve for up to one year following surgery.

Alan Gonzalez, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello @megansheriff, thank you for your question. Based on your description and photos it seems that these marks could be related to liposuction incisions. The surgical technique used during the procedure, however, is only known by your surgeon. It's essential that you talk to him. There are many things nowadays to be able to manage a scar process. The scar can be reduced or minimized with nonsurgical technologies such as lasers, fixers, and other products. You may also want to consider a revision. I hope this helps. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS. American Society of Plastic Surgery Member (ASPS), Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery member (SCCP), International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science” Member (IFATS).

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for bringing to my attention your concern about the scars on your back and abdomen after undergoing a Brazilian Buttock Lift (BBL). It is important to understand that a BBL is a combination of liposuction and fat grafting to the buttocks. The liposuction component of the procedure often involves multiple areas of the body, including the abdomen, flanks, and back.

It appears that your surgeon performed liposuction on these areas, which resulted in the scars you are experiencing. I apologize that your surgeon did not adequately inform you about the potential for scarring from the procedure.

To address your scarring, there are various treatment options available, including silicone gels and laser therapy. I recommend consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in scar management to discuss the best course of action for your specific situation.

Thank you for reaching out to me, and I wish you the best of luck in your recovery.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear megansheriff,
I understand your concern. However, without a proper assessment, it would be difficult to determine what went wrong. Based on your photos, it looks like scars from liposuction incisions but only your surgeon knows what he did. It is best that you visit your plastic surgeon for further assessment or ask for a second opinion. Only after a thorough examination, you can get proper recommendations and advice.
Daniel Barrett, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Randal Haworth, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello !

I’m sorry you experienced that.

The process of a Brazilian butt lift can be broken down into three main stages: Firstly, liposuction is used to remove fat from various areas such as the abdomen, thighs, lower back, and hips. Secondly, the extracted fat is purified and made ready for transfer. Finally, the cosmetic surgeon injects the purified fat into specific points on the buttocks to enhance their shape and increase their volume.

These scars may be from the liposuction.
Lasers can be used to help with the healing process.

I hope this helps,
Best of luck !

Randal Haworth

Felix Omar Márquez, MD · Answer

Hi, Thanks for your question and photos. I'm sorry about your bad experience. A plastic surgeon should explain every step of the procedure and what it involves. Those marks are a result of liposuction performed before the BBL. Consult a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area to treat the scars. Good luck!

Douglas Taranow, DO, FACOS · Answer

Your scars are a common result of liposuction to harvest fat for a BBL procedure.  Everyone does things differently (I do not place any scars on the back and only ones in the hips-at the bikini line).
Time should help with the pigmentation issues and you may want to look into using Retina-A on the scars or laser therapy.
Best wishes,
Dr. Taranow

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

There are a few things I try to instill with helping people make decisions about cosmetic surgery. First and foremost is simplifying the process into understanding what is important and what is not important. In the end, only two variables really matter when it comes to getting quality outcomes. The first is patient candidacy, and the second is the selection of the surgeon. I recommend all patients take their time and interview multiple surgeon to in person consultations before scheduling any procedure. I do not recommend patients having virtual consultations and I do not recommend people travel long distances for elective surgical procedures. You should meet the surgeon well in advance of doing your surgical procedure to get a quality assessment and find out who the person is will be doing your procedure. Your surgeon needs to be properly vetted so you know they have sufficient skill and experience. I recommend patients have at least five in person consultations before even considering scheduling surgery. Based on your outcome, you must likely had VAS ER, which is a common form of liposuction. With this technique, larger incisions are made and your skin is going through hyper pigmentation, which will most likely fade out to some degree time. They should’ve been discussed during a consultation. 
If you didn’t like your surgeon, then you shouldn’t have chosen that provider to do your procedure.
At this point you already had the procedure so there’s no point in reviewing our patients should select their provider. Your outcome looks very typical and does represent quality work.
In order for anyone to make an accurate assessment on the outcome of your procedure, you need to include proper before and after pictures. If you don’t have a formal before and after pictures, then contact your surgeon and ask them to forward the pictures they took. Likewise, if you have concerns after surgery like questions about your incision, then you should follow up with your surgeon was responsible for the outcome of the procedure. In the end your surgeon is responsible for the outcome of the procedure and you are responsible for choosing that provider. 
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD

What are these scars/marks left after my Brazilian Butt Lift? (photos)

Answers (10)

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