Have you often wondered what you would look like with a rounder, fuller butt? With a Brazilian butt lift at Nuance Cosmetic Surgery, now you can find out. Contact us today at our Folsom office to schedule a consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sumida, who will create a customized surgical plan that outlines your expectations while also maintaining a look that is natural and looks right on your body.
What Is a Brazilian Butt Lift?
Increasing in popularity across the country, Brazilian butt lifts are similar to traditional buttock augmentations. While both types of enhancement increase the size of the buttocks, traditional butt lifts often use implants, whereas the Brazilian butt lift involves a transfer of fat to the gluteal area from another part of the body.
Brazilian butt lifts are in high demand for a number of reasons, including:
- Adding roundness, fullness, and projection to your buttocks
- Improving the balance of your figure
- Increasing your self-esteem and confidence in your body
The procedure will depend on your individual body shape, how much fat you have available for transferring, your level of activity, the elasticity of your skin, how much surplus skin is present and your overall cosmetic goals.
Am I a Good Candidate for a Brazilian Butt Lift?
During your consultation with Dr. Sumida, he will evaluate these factors and more to determine whether a BBL fits your goals and figure:
- Body Weight and BMI Range: Ideal candidates are near their goal weight with a stable BMI, usually under 30. Significant weight loss after a BBL can impact the results.
- Sufficient Donor Fat: Your body needs enough excess fat in areas like the abdomen, flanks or thighs to harvest and transfer. Very lean patients may not have enough usable fat, in which case Dr. Sumida can discuss alternatives.
- Non-Smoker: Smoking restricts blood flow, which affects how well transferred fat cells survive and slows wound healing. Patients who smoke will need to quit well before the surgery.
- Good Skin Elasticity: While those with more skin laxity can still receive a BBL, loose skin can affect the results of the BBL. Good skin elasticity helps the buttocks to look more defined after the procedure.
Where Can the Fat Be Harvested From?
A Brazilian butt lift procedure also serves as body contouring for other areas of the body. The fat is collected through liposuction from areas that you and Dr. Sumida discuss beforehand. Usually, these are areas with stubborn, unwanted fat. Common donor sites are the abdomen, love handles, lower back and upper thighs. Some patients also have usable fat in the upper arms or bra roll area.
When harvesting fat from these donor sites, Dr. Sumida pays attention to the contour of these areas. Often, a slimming effect around the midsection creates an even more pronounced contrast with the enhanced buttocks. The amount of fat harvested varies and will be determined during your consultation.
Brazilian Butt Lift Consultation
The consultation at Nuance Cosmetic Surgery is a transparent appointment where you will learn everything you need to know about the surgery, recovery and how you need to prepare. One important aspect of the consultation is a health history, during which Dr. Sumida makes sure you are a good candidate. He will also perform a physical examination to look at your skin quality. He will also determine whether you have enough usable fat and how much your buttocks can accommodate. Come prepared to discuss prior surgeries, medications, medical background and current goals.
Preparing for Your Brazilian Butt Lift
Your pre-operative instructions will be based on your health profile and surgery. You may need to stop blood-thinning medications and anti-inflammatory drugs, and some patients need to pause certain supplements that could increase bleeding during the surgery. If you do smoke, stop at least two weeks before your procedure and plan to continue avoiding smoking for several weeks afterward.
Plan to get a ride home from a friend or family member. As you prepare for your surgery, don’t forget to create a comfortable recovery space at home to come back to. Have some clean, loose clothing ready, and make sure you have a BBL pillow so you can sit when needed without putting direct pressure on the surgical area.
Anesthesia and Surgical Setting for Your BBL
This procedure is performed under general anesthesia, so you will be completely asleep during the two to four-hour operation. All of our surgeries are performed in our AAAASF-certified facility. You will have a board-certified anesthesiologist monitoring the entire surgery. We are also located right across the street from Mercy Folsom Hospital, our home base.
How Is a Brazilian Butt Lift Performed?
In a typical Brazilian butt lift surgery, liposuction is used to collect fat from a part of the body. This is done using small, inconspicuous incisions and thin, hollow tubes. Fat is then surgically vacuumed, and through another series of small incisions on your buttocks, the collected fat is then transferred into your buttock region. Some patients may also consider additional liposuction if they want to shape more areas.
Before the fat is injected, it also goes through a purification process where Dr. Sumida separates the healthy fat cells from substances like blood, oil and other fluids. Only the most intact fat cells are used for the fat transfer, which improves how much of the graft survives after injection.
When Can I See the Results?
Generally, the Brazilian butt lift results are immediately visible. As fat grafts sometimes take time to fully settle into a treated area, you may not see the full perspective of your new butt for up to a year.
The results are long-term, but fat is naturally absorbed by the body, so the projection you first notice after surgery may not be the exact same over time. Overall, however, Brazilian butt lift patients reportedly retain 60-80 percent of the grafted fat transfer. Surgeons also take into account this survival rate when injecting the buttocks. Dr. Sumida injects a little more than needed to get the shape you want, so the result is as close to your goal as possible. Enhanced buttocks may also be affected by fluctuations in your weight.
What to Expect From Your Brazilian Butt Lift Recovery
During the recovery period, avoid sitting directly on your buttocks or lying on your back. Following this important guideline protects the newly transferred fat cells while they develop their own blood supply and settle into the area. You will be able to use a BBL pillow when you have to sit down, and you can sleep either on your side or stomach.
Swelling and bruising are normal parts of the recovery process, both in the donor areas, and in the buttocks. You can help keep this swelling down by using a compression garment over the liposuction area for several weeks. Most patients can return to less active jobs within two or three weeks.
Right after your surgery, we encourage you to start moving right away. Light walking will keep your circulation healthy, but anything more strenuous than this should wait for six to eight weeks. During your follow-up appointments, Dr. Sumida will let you know when you are ready to return to a normal exercise schedule.
How to Maintain Your BBL Results Long-Term
After the first year, when the transferred fat has stabilized, maintaining your results relies mostly on weight management. Weight gain can cause the transferred fat cells to expand unevenly for a less smooth result, and major weight loss can reduce the volume that you gain.
Glute-focused exercises like squats and lunges can help you keep a good muscle tone beneath the fat layer in your buttocks. This will help with projection and shape. Make sure to nourish your body with whole foods and adequate protein, along with healthy fats to help keep your fat cells healthy. At Nuance Cosmetic Surgery, we also offer a full-service skin fitness program to address signs of aging in the skin and keep it healthy and firm.
Are There Any Side Effects?
As with any surgical procedures, the Brazilian butt lift carries with it possible side effects, including:
- Blood clots
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Numbness and pain
- Excessive blood loss
During your initial consultation, Dr. Sumida will disclose all potential risks and adverse effects prior to your surgery. If necessary, he will also provide tips on aftercare and maintaining your new buttocks.
How to Choose a Surgeon for Your BBL
Most of the concern about BBL procedures comes from providers who inject fat too deeply. When searching for a surgeon to perform your Brazilian butt lift, follow these guidelines:
- Choose an Experienced, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon: Board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery means a surgeon has completed years of specialized training and rigorous examinations. Dr. Sumida holds this certification and has years of experience in body contouring, including BBLs and liposuction.
- Choose an Accredited Facility: Accredited surgical facilities meet specific standards for equipment, staffing and emergency protocols. Nuance Cosmetic Surgery operates in an accredited environment where every team member follows established safety procedures. You should also make sure the surgeon you are working with holds hospital privileges and is active in the community. Dr. Sumida is on staff at Mercy Folsom Hospital.
- Proper Fat Injection Technique: During a BBL, the fat should be placed into the subcutaneous layer, just beneath the skin, rather than deeper or into the muscle where it can cause complications.
How Does a Brazilian Butt Lift Compare to Butt Implants?
Both of these surgeries add volume to the buttocks, but they are completely different. A BBL uses your own fat and no foreign material is placed in your body. Implants use silicone devices instead, which are positioned within or on top of the gluteal muscle. BBLs tend to offer a softer and more natural look because the added volume is living fat tissue.
Brazilian Butt Lift Cost and Financing
During your consultation, we will give you a quote for your Brazilian butt lift. This will include the cost of liposuction, facility fees, anesthesiology fees, the extent of surgery and more. Dr. Sumida provides individualized pricing after your consultation because every surgery is different. BBLs are considered elective and are not covered by insurance. There are financing options for those who wish to finance the surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions About BBL
How long will it be before I can sit after a BBL?
It will be at least four weeks before you can directly sit on your buttocks. During this time, the fat cells are very delicate and have not established a blood supply yet. Pressure cuts off the blood supply to these newly transferred fat cells and decreases their chance of survival. Even with a BBL cushion, we still recommend staying off the area as much as possible. If you have a desk job, consider getting a standing desk while you heal. When you need to rest, lie on your stomach or side rather than sitting.
Will a BBL affect how my clothes fit?
Liposuction from your midsection combined with added volume in the buttocks can change your proportions. Your waist measurements may decrease while your hip measurements increase. You may need to find pants that better suit your new contours.
Is a BBL safe if I’ve had previous liposuction?
This depends on how much fat remains in the previously treated areas. If prior liposuction removed most of the fat from your planned donor sites, there may not be enough to harvest. You can discuss this and more with Dr. Sumida during your consultation.
Can a BBL be touched up later?
Most patients only need one Brazilian butt lift to get the volume they want. However, sometimes the fat does not “take” as well as hoped. In these cases, the patient can benefit from an additional treatment to increase the volume. A touch-up will have the same requirements for existing donor fat. Spacing the two procedures apart gives your body time to recover and lets the results of the first treatment fully develop before moving forward.
How much fat survives during a BBL?
About 60-80% of the transferred fat survives long-term. The remainder is naturally reabsorbed in the weeks and months after surgery. Dr. Sumida transfers a calculated amount to provide the desired volume even after the area has stabilized and these fat cells have been absorbed.
Does a BBL leave scars?
The incisions that Dr. Sumida will make during this surgery are very small. They are also placed in areas that are easy to hide, like natural skin folds or creases. They typically fade to thin lines that are difficult to notice.
How does pregnancy affect BBL results?
Pregnancy causes hormonal shifts and weight changes that may change your results. The transferred fat cells respond to weight gain just like any other fat in your body. Some patients find that their results return to pre-pregnancy shape after losing weight, but this varies. Because of this, if you plan to become pregnant, Dr. Sumida may discuss waiting until after you have finished having children to schedule this, and other body contouring surgeries.
Why Choose Nuance Cosmetic Surgery and Dr. Sumida for Your BBL
Dr. Kenneth Sumida has spent many years performing body contouring procedures at his practice in Folsom, CA. He is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, trained in plastic surgery at the University of California at Davis Medical Center and completed his general surgery residency at the University of Hawaii. His focus is on safety and proportions that look natural with your frame.
Every procedure at Nuance Cosmetic Surgery starts with an honest conversation about what each surgery can provide based on the patient’s proportions. Dr. Sumida takes time to evaluate your body and discuss your goals, and then explains the process clearly. If you are considering a Brazilian butt lift in the Sacramento area, you can visit our gallery to view before-and-after results or read patient reviews to learn about the experience at Nuance.
Learn More With a BBL Consultation Near Sacramento
Contact Nuance Cosmetic Surgery today to set up an appointment on Brazilian butt lift Sacramento and let us help you look confident, feel confident, and be confident. Visit us for top-rated cosmetic surgery in California. You can also give us a call at 916-984-4242.
