Brazilian butt lifts: Why you must AVOID low-cost & unsafe procedures

First pioneered in the 1960s by Brazilian plastic surgeon, Ivo Pitanguy, the Brazilian butt lift (BBL) has since risen to become one of the most publicized cosmetic procedures today. However, a great deal of the procedure’s publicity is rooted in controversy and the safety ‘incidents’ that have sparked consternation worldwide. In this article, we provide an overview of BBL; explore the root of these incidents, and consider other alternatives to the procedure

What is a Brazilian butt lift?

The Brazilian butt lift is a cosmetic surgery procedure where fat transfer is used to enhance the shape and size of the bums. It involves removing excess fat from other areas of the body and injecting this fat (after a process of purification) into the bums to volumize, contour, and enhance its visual appeal.

Unlike a butt implant where a silicone object is injected, the natural fat tissue used in a BBL creates an appearance and texture, largely indistinguishable from the patient’s natural profile. 

Related article: When Does Fluffing Happen After BBL?

How are Brazilian butt lifts performed?

The Brazilian butt lift involves five key steps: 

• Skin cleansing and preparation
• Fat removal or liposuction
• Fat purification 
• Reinjection, and
• Post-procedural care

Before the fat removal, the skin is cleansed with a standard surgical antiseptic to minimize the risk of infection. The patient is also injected with general/ local anesthesia to preemptively reduce pain and bleeding in the targeted areas. 

After the skin is prepared, the fat intended for butt augmentation is removed from the ‘prepared skin’, an area of the body  where it is less desired. Here, the surgeon will create small incisions in the abdomen, thighs, arms, or wherever there is excess fat and use a specialized cannula or an energy-assisted device to suction out this fat. The obtained fat is then purified to obtain the healthiest and most viable fat cells 

These cells are later injected into several incisions created just below the surface of the bum’s skin (ABOVE the muscle and fascia) until the required projection is achieved – within safety limits. Modern surgeons routinely use ultrasound guidance to precisely inject the fat and mitigate the risks of potentially fatal fat embolisms and blood clots. 

After the procedure, the bums and the areas from where the fat was removed are stitched up, with a compression garment applied to minimize any bleeding that occurs. 

Here you can read more about What’s the difference between BBL and a butt lift

Brazilian Butt Lift Safety

Before 2018, when the American Society of Plastic Surgeons joined forces with the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery to develop BBL safety guidelines, the procedure had the highest mortality rate of any cosmetic procedure (1 in 3000 patients). While the developed guidelines have markedly improved the safety of the procedure, deaths are still a common occurrence, largely due to the widespread presence of unregulated facilities and the prohibitive cost of a quality BBL. 

The latter reason has forced many patients to resort to low-cost facilities in the US or even travel to South America, Turkey, and other locations where the procedure is significantly cheaper. But cheaper is seldom better, and many of the ‘doctors’ encountered are not even surgeons or remotely close to being board-certified. 

They could mistakenly or ignorantly transfer fat to the muscles (contravening ASPS/ISAPS guidelines that fat should only be placed in the skin layer), inject it into the large veins in the bums (where it can enter the bloodstream and cause embolisms), or mix the fat with silicone – which although FDA approved for breast implants, is not approved for butt augmentation. 

One widely publicized case is the death of a 47-year-old woman in a Miami hospital in 2022 after suffering from a fat embolism that caused a blockage in her lungs during a BBL. Her death brought renewed attention to the risks of unsafe BBLs and highlighted the need for public prudence and more stringent regulations. But this is not always possible. 

A 2019 report by Naples Daily News revealed that a particular doctor in the US has had 4 patients die from botched BBLs at his clinics. This doctor has changed the clinic’s name several times, making it difficult for new clients to research him and regulatory bodies to track him.

Non-surgical alternatives to BBLs

While the results of the Brazilian butt lifts can be transformative, the cost of the procedure and the risk associated with low-cost options may cause patients to explore other alternatives. 

Fortunately, there are safer options – many of them non-invasive – that can still help you achieve a projected and more sculpted bum.  These options include exercise, dermal filling, and fat reduction in other areas. 

• Exercise

One of the most effective ways to enhance the shape of your bums is through targeted exercises. Exercises such as squats, lunges, hip thrusts, and deadlifts focus on building the gluteal muscles and provide a lifted, toned appearance over time. Consistency is key, and although the results may not be as jaw-dropping as a BBL, they come without the associated risks. 

To rapidly maximize the results from exercise, you can undergo Truflex and Trusculpt therapy, where a machine is used to stimulate thousands of exercises in 15-minute sessions and tone your glutes within a matter of weeks. 

• Dermal filling

Non-invasive options such as dermal fillers can also be used to volumize and contour the bums. In a dermal filling procedure, a biocompatible compound, usually hyaluronic acid (which is safe as the body already produces it) is injected to ‘fill’ the bum and simultaneously stimulate collagen production to enhance its firmness. The results typically last for 6-18 months, after which the filler compound may need to be renewed. 

Related article: Dermal fillers and thread lifts

• Fat reduction in other areas

A reverse alternative to increase the projection in your bum is to reduce fat in other areas of the body. Coolsculpting, carboxy therapy, and other fat reduction treatments can be used to contour your abdomen and thighs to visually provide the illusion of bigger bums. 

Brazilian Butt Lift Safety Conclusion

The BBL offers enticing results but comes with considerable risks that should not be overlooked. The regular stream of tragic cases serves as a sobering reminder of the potential dangers associated with the procedure. If you’re considering ways to volumize your bums, it’s essential you weigh the risks carefully and explore safer alternatives if in doubt. 

Your body, friends, family, and loved ones will thank you for it.

Why Elegant Hoopoe?

Elegant Hoopoe is a health and aesthetics center in Dubai specializing in non-invasive fat reduction, muscle building, skin appearance, and more. The company performs Trusculpt, Coolsculpt therapy, dermal filling, and other noninvasive procedures that can help you add volume and firmness to your bums.