A BBL is safe when fat is placed only above the gluteal muscle and never deep. The serious complications reported have involved deep injection near the large gluteal veins. Following the gluteal fat grafting safety guidelines, including subcutaneous-only placement and sometimes ultrasound guidance, is central to safety.

How much of the fat survives?

Some of the transferred fat is naturally resorbed in the first few months, and the rest tends to stay. The plan accounts for this, and a conservative, honest estimate is given.

When can I sit normally?

Patients are usually asked to avoid sitting directly on the buttock for a period and to use a special cushion, to protect the new fat while it establishes a blood supply.

Will a BBL slim my waist?

Often yes, because the fat is harvested by liposuction from the waist, abdomen, and back, which improves those areas as it provides the fat for the buttock.

How long do results last?

The fat that survives tends to be long lasting, though weight changes can affect the result. Some patients choose a touch-up for more volume.

Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)

Reshape and add volume to the buttock using your own fat, done safely.

Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) - Our Approach

A Brazilian Butt Lift, or BBL, reshapes the buttock by transferring a patient's own fat. Liposuction removes fat from areas such as the abdomen, flanks, and back, which also slims and defines those areas, and the processed fat is then injected to add volume and improve shape. Because this procedure has been associated with serious risk when fat is placed too deeply, safety technique matters more than size. Fat is placed only in the space above the muscle, never into or beneath the gluteal muscle, and tools such as ultrasound guidance are used to keep injection in the safe plane.

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The Ideal Candidate

A desire for more buttock volume, projection, or a rounder shape
Enough donor fat for liposuction harvest
Interest in slimming the waist and abdomen at the same time
Good general health and a stable weight
Realistic expectations and understanding of the safety considerations

Procedure Quick Facts

AnesthesiaGeneral anesthesia or IV sedation

Estimated Duration2 to 4 hours

Downtime2 to 3 weeks

Return to WorkMany patients return to desk work in about two weeks, avoiding direct sitting on the buttock early

Surgical Technique

Fat is harvested with liposuction from areas such as the abdomen, flanks, and back, which sculpts the waist and improves the overall shape. The fat is processed and then injected into the buttock only in the subcutaneous space above the muscle. Injection is never directed into or below the gluteal muscle, because deep injection near the gluteal veins is the cause of the rare but serious complication of fat entering the bloodstream. Ultrasound guidance can confirm the cannula stays in the safe plane. Because some fat resorbs, the plan is conservative and honest about results.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)?

Good candidates want more buttock volume or a rounder, more lifted shape, have enough donor fat to harvest, and are in good general health at a stable weight. The procedure suits patients who also want a slimmer waist, since the fat comes from liposuction. It is not for patients who want a very large increase beyond what their own fat can safely provide. Final recommendations depend on an in-person exam, donor fat, anatomy, and a careful safety discussion.

Recovery

Recovery involves soreness at both the liposuction sites and the buttock, swelling, and a compression garment. Patients are usually advised to avoid sitting directly on the buttock for a period, using a special cushion when sitting is necessary, to protect the transferred fat. Light walking is encouraged early. The buttock looks larger at first, then some fat resorbs, and the final shape settles over a few months.

Week 1

Expect soreness at the liposuction sites and buttock, swelling, and a compression garment. Walk gently, and avoid sitting directly on the buttock, using a cushion when needed.

Weeks 2 to 3

Many patients return to desk work, still protecting the buttock when sitting. Bruising and swelling steadily improve.

Weeks 4 to 6

Sitting restrictions usually ease and light exercise resumes when cleared. Some transferred fat resorbs during this time.

Months 2 to 6

The final shape settles as swelling resolves and the retained fat stabilizes. The waist and buttock contour become clear.

Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) Risks & Considerations

The most serious risk, though rare, is fat entering the bloodstream through the large gluteal veins when fat is injected too deeply, which can be life threatening. This is why fat is placed only above the muscle and why safety technique is central. Other risks include infection, fat that does not survive, firm areas or fat necrosis, asymmetry, contour irregularity at the donor sites, and the possible need for a touch-up. Choosing a surgeon who follows the gluteal fat grafting safety guidelines is important.

Rare but serious fat embolism if fat is placed too deeply
Partial resorption of transferred fat
Firm areas or fat necrosis
Infection
Asymmetry or donor-site contour irregularity
Loss of volume over time
Possible need for a touch-up

Alternatives to Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)

Buttock implants can add projection but carry their own risks and are chosen less often than fat transfer. Liposuction alone can improve the surrounding contour and the waist but does not add buttock volume. Nonsurgical options offer only limited change. For patients with enough donor fat who want a natural increase in volume and shape, fat transfer is the standard approach, done with strict attention to safe injection planes.

Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) vs Liposuction

Liposuction removes fat to slim an area. A Brazilian Butt Lift uses that harvested fat and transfers it to the buttock to add volume and shape. In a BBL, liposuction of the waist, abdomen, and back is part of the procedure, both to sculpt those areas and to provide the fat. Liposuction alone slims without adding buttock volume.

Liposuction

Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) vs Body Lift (Lower Body Lift)

A Brazilian Butt Lift adds volume and shape to the buttock with fat transfer. A body lift removes loose skin around the trunk after major weight loss and can lift a sagging buttock, but it does not add volume. Patients wanting more projection choose a BBL; patients with loose, hanging skin choose a body lift, and the two address different problems.

Body Lift (Lower Body Lift)

Related Procedures

Medical Sources

Practice Advisory on Gluteal Fat GraftingPubMed, National Library of Medicine
Multisociety Gluteal Fat Grafting Task Force Safety AdvisoryAmerican Society of Plastic Surgeons
Gluteal Fat Grafting Safety AdvisoryThe Aesthetic Society

Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) - Frequently Asked Questions

Is a BBL safe?: A BBL is safe when fat is placed only above the gluteal muscle and never deep. The serious complications reported have involved deep injection near the large gluteal veins. Following the gluteal fat grafting safety guidelines, including subcutaneous-only placement and sometimes ultrasound guidance, is central to safety.
Where does the fat come from?: Fat is harvested with liposuction from areas such as the abdomen, flanks, and back, which also slims the waist and improves overall shape.
How much of the fat survives?: Some of the transferred fat is naturally resorbed in the first few months, and the rest tends to stay. The plan accounts for this, and a conservative, honest estimate is given.
When can I sit normally?: Patients are usually asked to avoid sitting directly on the buttock for a period and to use a special cushion, to protect the new fat while it establishes a blood supply.
Will a BBL slim my waist?: Often yes, because the fat is harvested by liposuction from the waist, abdomen, and back, which improves those areas as it provides the fat for the buttock.
How long do results last?: The fat that survives tends to be long lasting, though weight changes can affect the result. Some patients choose a touch-up for more volume.

Before you decide

Why patients choose Dr. Ruben Castro

The decision of who operates on you is deeply personal, and it deserves a surgeon who understands what is at stake for you. Dr. Ruben Castro leads with that judgment. He trained at UCLA and completed the Bruce Connell Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship, advanced training in natural, lasting results across the face, breast, and body, and his precision and discipline were shaped just as much by his service in the U.S. Navy. He builds every plan around your anatomy and your goals, so you can move forward with confidence and see a result that looks like you at your best, not like surgery.

Meet Dr. Castro

Performed by Dr. Ruben Castro in Newport Beach, California