Dr. Moises Salama is an award-winning board-certified plastic surgeon in Miami, Florida. In this blog series, “Your BBL Resource,” he will cover some of the most frequently asked questions about the Brazilian butt lift, as well as provide advice on how to get the best result should you choose to have the procedure.

In our last blog post I explained the recovery process after Brazilian butt lift surgery. In this article, I’d like to focus on the ideal candidate for this curve-enhancing procedure. (In case you missed my last posts, click through to learn about the BBL procedure, questions to ask your plastic surgeon and BBL recovery.)

A Brazilian butt lift involves transferring a patient’s unwanted excess fatty tissue from one area of the body to specific parts of the buttocks to achieve a significant volume boost. The procedure begins with liposuction to sculpt the patient’s silhouette and harvest the tissue needed to lift and enhance the lower body. The advantage of using a patient’s own fat is that there are no foreign objects or substances in the body once healing is complete, so there is no risk of implant rupture or displacement. Fat injections achieve long-lasting, potentially permanent results—but it is important to choose a highly qualified and extensively trained plastic surgeon who performs BBL often and successfully to obtain the best possible outcome.

A Brazilian butt lift can improve the contours of the lower body in patients who naturally lack the symmetry, curves and buttocks volume they desire, as well as those who have experienced dramatic weight loss or sagging in the buttocks area due to aging. The number-one requirement for BBL candidates is that they are in good health—and they must have realistic expectations about the results the procedure can achieve. Patients must also have a sufficient amount of “donor” fat, and thinner patients may be asked to gain weight prior to Brazilian butt lift surgery. I require that BBL patients have a BMI of 35 or less for safety reasons, however this can vary from surgeon to surgeon.

It’s important that patients understand that recovery after a Brazilian butt lift can take longer than other surgical procedures since the targeted area is affected by sitting, standing and walking—and the ideal candidate must be willing to take the recuperation time necessary for obtaining the optimal final outcomes. Amongst the most important parts of the recovery process is avoiding placing pressure on newly transferred fat for at least the first three days after surgery. This means laying on your stomach or side (including while traveling home after your surgery, in bed and in the car going to your first post-op visit). Patients also need to avoid sitting without a pillow for six to eight weeks after a Brazilian butt lift.

Selecting an experienced surgeon who can determine if BBL surgery is right for you—and is willing to turn away those who are not candidates—is essential for patient safety and obtaining the optimal outcomes. In the proper hands, and in the proper patient, Brazilian butt lift surgery is a wonderful way to enhance the body’s silhouette and get the sexy curves you’ve always wanted.

—Moises Salama, MD
Elite Plastic Surgery

To see Dr. Salama’s work in real life, follow these social media stars and their Brazilian butt lift stories!