Photo Credit: Courtesy of VALUA VITALY/ShutterstockIf you are considering a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) or any other plastic surgery procedure that requires weight loss beforehand, it is crucial to approach your journey with a well-structured and balanced diet and exercise routine. Preparing your body for surgery involves not only achieving your weight loss goals but also ensuring your overall health and well-being.
At PURE Plastic Surgery these are the essential steps and considerations we recommend to help you navigate through the process of shedding excess weight in a safe and effective manner, empowering you to achieve your desired results while minimizing potential risks associated with the surgery. Remember, a well-paced and thoughtful approach to weight loss can optimize your chances for a successful BBL and contribute to your long-term health and happiness.
Healthy Weight Loss Strategies
1. Implement diet and exercise changes.
If you are looking to lose weight to qualify for a BBL procedure, consult with your general practitioner to discuss your options. For most, losing weight will begin with a recommendation to change or improve diet and exercise habits that best fit your body type and weight loss goals. This could include restricting calories and finding a workout routine that supports your needs. At the same time, you want to maintain your protein, nutrient, and vitamin intake.
2. Cut down on stress and improve sleep habits.
Weight gain can be the result of many factors, including stress. Stress can alter hormones, which in turn can affect sleep and may cause weight gain. It is important to monitor stress levels and keep abreast of hormone levels as you work to lose weight.
3. Create a support system.
Gaining weight is much easier than losing it, and it can take a team of support to help achieve desired results from family, friends, co-workers, and fitness groups that can help with motivation and accountability.
Unless you’re underweight, there’s probably never a good time for a doctor to recommend that you gain weight. Obviously, if the patient is malnourished or recovering from an illness, eating more for sustenance to fight infection and improve wound healing, is a good idea.
In the case that you are told that you are underweight for a traditional BBL, you may want to consult with your board-certified surgeon to review other options, such as a South Beach Butt Lift (SoBeBl), which can be done with patients who have a BMI of 19-22. If you want more volume than a SoBeBl offers, then you should consult with your general practitioner or nutritionist to find the healthiest way to gain weight to qualify for the BBL procedure.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Jacob Lund/Shutterstock
How Weight Loss (or Gain) Affects The Plastic Surgery Outcome
Weight is a significant factor in plastic surgery qualifications and results, especially with the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) procedure. Many plastic surgeons do not focus so much on the actual weight as they do the Body Mass Index (BMI) where weight is a factor along with height and often ethnicity. BMI estimates your weight relative to your height and in adults, it can range from underweight to severe obesity.
BMI ranges:
- Under 18.5 – underweight
- Between 18.5 and 24.9 – healthy
- Between 25-29.9 – overweight
- Between 30-39.9 – obesity
- 40 plus – severely obese
BMI is a tool that board-certified surgeons use to help determine a patient’s ability to safely experience cosmetic surgery procedures. At PURE, BBL patients cannot have a BMI over 30 for Dr. Earle.
Most plastic surgeons have BMI requirements for safety reasons and to ensure the best chances to achieve the desired results. In some cases, patients may be told that their BMI is too high or too low for a BBL. This leads them to consider whether they need to gain or lose weight to qualify for surgery.
Significant excess fat can cause complications with surgery performed under general anesthesia. While there are risks to every plastic surgery procedure, surgeons will take every precaution to ensure the safest experience possible. If you find your BMI is too high for elective surgery, it is important to consult with your general practitioner to work through the healthiest way to approach weight loss prior to BBL surgery.
The Role of Semaglutide as a Weight Loss Option
Originally prescribed for patients with diabetes, Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist and occupies the receptor in the brain that regulates your appetite and helps you eat less. It is now approved for those without diabetes who are suffering from obesity as it can slow down the stomach’s process allowing patients to feel fuller for longer, curbing snacking and overeating.
Benefits of Semaglutide
Benefits include losing weight. In one study, the average adult lost about 35 lbs after 68 weeks. Risks can include nausea, diarrhea, muscle aches, and fatigue. Another benefit is some patients opt to take Semaglutide instead of undergoing bariatric surgery. It may be an option you can discuss with your doctor.
Semaglutide Compared to Other Weight Loss Methods
This is the first time we are offering a weight loss solution for our patients. We believe it’s a safe option, which is why Dr. Earle is taking it and documenting his journey. We recommend this over more invasive weight loss procedures such as bariatric surgery (e.g. gastric sleeve or gastric bypass.)
For more information, visit Dr. S. Alexander Earle's social media:
