Liposuction, Liposculpture, and Brazilian Butt Lift

Contouring, Shaping, and Enhancing the Body

These fantastic cosmetic operations are reviewed below. Additional information on these topics can be found within our educational writings section. Interested patients are encouraged to read and review these.

Liposuction and Liposculpture

liposuction-bblLiposuction and liposculpture are cosmetic surgery operations designed to remove unwanted and stubborn fat from our body. Fat can frequently accumulate in areas that are unsightly and undesirable. The liposculpture operation targets these fat pockets and specifically removes them to give us a thinner, more attractive, and leaner look. Liposuction is one of the most frequently performed operations by me. I use the latest techniques to give, in my opinion, the best results for each and every patient. If you are looking for an extremely safe and effective treatment for unwanted fat, I recommend you consider this cosmetic operation.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports yearly statistics for cosmetic surgery operations performed in America. Liposuction and liposculpting are always near the top as one of the most popular. This is because the procedure has a high track record for success and quick recovery. I will now review some of the essential information about this operation.

The newest and latest techniques for liposuction have clearly established the role of two factors : the tumescent technique and liposculpting. The tumescent technique or tumescence is the medical term for injecting medicated fluid into the area to be suctioned. The fluid has medicine mixed into it to decrease pain and to minimize bruising. The medicine is usually Lidocaine and Epinephrine. These medicines are extremely safe and of proven value. The tumescent fluid also aids fat removal by allowing the surgeon to more smoothly remove, shape, and contour the areas with excess fat.

Liposculpting or liposculpture is the surgical method where the plastic surgeon is focused on removing fat in the most meticulous and precise method. This includes etching and sculpting to redefine and enhance the body to the highest degree. These procedures are done with cannulas – the essential instrument used for the sculpting. Most people have seen this on the web or TV. These cannulas are basically hollow tubes with holes at the ends that allow for fat to be suctioned. The newest and best ones are very small and delicate to allow for more precise and specific removal of fat. Etching is the process of trying to get the best definition to the body, in particular the abdominal area. Etching can be used to highlight the “six-pack abs” many people desire.

The operations typically take about an hour or two. Most people have general anesthesia or sedation. This is the most common way it is performed, because anesthesia is so safe and patients get maximal safety. Liposuction under local anesthesia is ok for very small areas.

When recovering from liposuction, most people are surprised at how little pain is involved. The majority of my patients will say they had some pain the evening of the operation. Many state they are just “sore” the next day. Everyone is different, however, and some people have more pain. The great majority are surprised at how easy it is and are taking Tylenol or Motrin in a day or two.

Because of the injected tumescent fluid, you should expect some drainage after your procedure. This fluid will be pink or blood stained. It will gradually decrease over 2-3 days.

Compression garments are worn after the surgery during the recovery period. You are placed in one at the completion of the operation, and it is yours to keep. The garments are modern day Spanx or body shapers. The garments are to be worn for about 6 weeks after surgery and sometimes longer.

Surgical risks include -but are not limited to- infection, bleeding, scars, and blood clots. Contour abnormalities, loose skin, and skin irregularities are not common but can occur. Other risks are possible, and I review them in detail during your consultation.

Surgical results from liposuction or liposculpting can be amazing and transforming. The satisfaction for many people can be extremely high as results can give a person the body they only dreamed about! However, we need to have realist expectations. This means that not everyone will be as flat or as smooth as they desired. Cosmetic surgery makes us a “smaller version” of who we are. It doesn’t turn us into movie stars.

Brazilian Butt Lift

Now we will discuss the Brazilian Butt Lift. It is often abbreviated BBL. This operation is liposuction of unwanted fat with transfer of the fat to the buttock area. It is a cosmetic operation that is tremendously successful and has become vastly more popular the last several years. This popularity most likely arises from the desire to have a larger and more shapely buttock or “booty” area.

The first thing to understand about the BBL is that there is no large incision or cut that is done with many surgical lifts. Some buttock lifts or body lifts involve surgical incisions to lift and to remove unwanted skin. The BBL has no incision like this. The buttock is plumped up or filled by filling it with fat. The “lift” is created by fat transfer to the buttock giving it a fuller and lifted shape. This is the latest and newest way to enhance and beautify this area. Some patients with significant loose skin in this area, from major weight loss for example, may need a body lift or a butt lift that involves an incision. This would be reviewed with you during your consultation and can be reviewed under body lifts in the menu.

The first part of a Brazilian Butt Lift is getting the fat. This comes from places we don’t want the fat. Typically, this is the stomach or abdominal area. Other areas are the flanks or love-handles, the thighs, and the arms. This fat removal is done with liposuction and liposculpting that is reviewed above. But instead of throwing the fat away, the fat is kept and used for transfer. The fat is first processed, and this allows for the gentle and safest transfer to the buttock.

The single greatest problem for some patients is not having enough fat to suck out or “harvest.” Thin or skinny patients are not ideal candidates for a BBL, because there simply is not enough fat to remove. However, if the patient has some fat to suction then the operation can be done to make it as shapely as possible. People with larger amounts of fat removed will get a bigger result, because they have more fat to work with and suction out.

I have found that the best technique includes removing fat from the love-handle and the lower back area. This gives the best results and leads to the best contouring of the buttock. By removing the fat from these areas, we can achieve a natural slope and shape that gradually transfers to a shapely and lifted buttock. Go to my before and after photos, you should look for this change. Look for the smaller lower back and love-handle area. Also, look for the transition and the nice change as the buttock gets larger.

Recovery from this cosmetic procedure is very similar to liposuction described above. Pain is actually not too bad for most patients. Bruising gradually goes away and compression garments are worn. The main difference is that you have to keep off the buttock. Sitting on your booty can cause pressure and will worsen the results. This is extremely important. I will review how this is easily done to make the post-operative period easier.

Risks of the BBL are similar to the risks of liposuction reviewed above. One extra risk is understanding that the fat can “go away” or “absorb.” Most medical studies have found this to be a critical understanding of the operation. Up To 30% – 50% of the fat can gradually fade or go away. This is why it is critical to keep off the buttock during healing. I believe the best surgical techniques and gentlest handling of the fat are also critically important – to get the best retention of the fat. If the fat goes away, the buttock area typically isn’t as big as hoped for but a nice shape is usual kept.

Most patients find the Brazilian Butt Lift to be a wonderfully successful procedure with excellent results. The parts of our bodies that are too fat are improved by precise and specific removal, and the buttock simultaneously gets more shapely, larger, and round. Some people have described it as “having your cake and eating it too!”


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