Are Brazilian Butt Lift Procedures Reversible?

Dr. Russell Babbitt is a Plastic Surgeon in private practice in Southeastern Massachusetts and is certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery. He offers the full scope of plastic surgery of the breast, body, and face, with a special interest in complex aesthetic breast surgery and revision aesthetic breast surgery. After receiving his Medical Degree from the University of Massachusetts in 2003, he continued at UMass Medical Center for internship and residency in General Surgery and completed his fellowship in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery there in 2010. In addition to his clinical experience, Dr. Babbitt has done research in the areas of microsurgery, human anatomy, limb reconstruction, complex models of wound healing, and abdominal wall reconstruction. He is currently an officer for the New England Society of Plastic Surgeons.

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When undergoing cosmetic surgery, it is important to be aware of what would happen if one were no longer happy with the results. Haute Beauty expert Dr. Russell Babbitt focuses on buttock augmentation and if you can really ever go back to a "normal," bum. Here's what he had to say:

I have watched the buttock augmentation frenzy of the past several years with a bit of concern over the long-term effects of the procedure. While many patients have excellent results, what about several years down the road? What if patients no longer like the very augmented look, or there is scarring, firm areas of dead fat, a lot of dimpling or irregularity, or gravity simply takes its toll and the glutes droop? 

One thing we can all count on is that our bodies change over the years, and areas that have been operated on change less predictably. Another concern has always been that there will come a time when the very “enhanced” appearance is not in style—unlike changing your clothes to keep up with the times, it isn’t nearly as easy to reverse surgery. 

If you have had a BBL and are hoping to return to a less augmented appearance, finding a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery is a good place to start. Be prepared to be told that there’s no easy fix, and that most likely it will be challenging to go back to a smaller bottom. There will always be some lasting effects of the previous operation(s). The correction will most likely involve more than one technique, like liposuction including energy-based devices like VASER ultrasonic lipolysis and a treatment to tighten the skin like Renuvion or BodyTite. None of these will be perfect and may require many stages. There may be a need to remove loose or scarred buttock skin or underlying scar tissue and this may require an open procedure. The most important thing to understand is that it will be a process, but the right plastic surgeon should have the ability to guide you through it in a safe manner.

If BBL reversal is something you have been thinking about, give us a call at 508-567-3202 to set up a consultation to explore your options.