Brazilian butt lift - all you need to know

Written by: Mr Mo Akhavani
Published:
Edited by: Jay Staniland

 

A Brazilian butt lift is a combination of two procedures of liposuction and fat grafting. The first part involves liposuction of troublesome areas such as the abdomen, thighs and flank. The fat that is removed is then washed and processed, before being reinjected back into the buttocks.

 

The procedure is a perfect body contouring procedure that has the advantages of making some parts of the body slimmer, while enhancing the shape and volume of the buttocks. If you are interested, or want to find out more, contact our consultant plastic surgeons.

 

Brazilian butt lift: How long is the operation and what is the recovery time?

 

The operation typically lasts 2-3 hours under general anaesthesia. The procedure can also be combined with a tummy tuck, depending on the patient and what they can tolerate.


If the Brazilian butt lift procedure is performed on its own, the patient will need to sleep on their front for two weeks to take pressure off the buttocks. If combined with a tummy tuck, the patient needs to be nursed into the foetal position swapping sides regularly.


Most patients are ready to go to back to work after two weeks and light exercise after 6 weeks.

 

What are the risks of the Brazilian butt lift surgery?

 

The most common risk of a Brazilian butt lift is asymmetry and a loss of buttock volume secondary to fat grafting reabsorption.
 

Too much fat reabsorption: Some fat reabsorption is bound to occur following the procedure, though roughly 65 – 85% of the injected fat will remain.
 

Sometimes the results following fat reabsorption may be poor, making it necessary to have secondary or corrective fat transfer procedures.
 

Unsatisfactory results: Sometimes the results of surgery may not be to the patient’s liking. This is why the consultant will take time during the consultation process to provide ample information about all of the risks and how patients can achieve the best results given their aesthetic goals.


The most serious risk of the surgery is of infection, which is a common risk in all surgical procedures. The infection is usually treated with antibiotics and the risk is less severe than an infection from implant surgery.

 

  • Other risks include:
  • Bleeding/haematoma
  • Fluid accumulation/seroma
  • Skin necrosis
  • Poor wound healing
  • Wound dehiscence (rupture of the wound)
  • Suture granuloma (development of a benign lesion)
  • Skin sensation
  • Skin irregularities
  • Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary complications
  • Unfavourable scarring
  • Suboptimal results

Possible serious side effects:

 

While minor discomfort, numbness, swelling, and bruising are normal following fat transfer, sometimes patients may experience major pain and discomfort during their recovery. In such instances, they should speak with their surgeon right away.

By Mr Mo Akhavani
Plastic surgery

Mr Mo Akhavani is a highly skilled plastic surgeon based in London. An advocate of innovative quality with over 15 years of experience, he specialises in all aspects of aesthetic, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and currently operates at the Royal Free London NHS Trust and Harley Street Clinic in London. His main subspecialties include breast augmentation, liposuction, skin cancer, hand surgery, and labiaplasty, but to mention a few. 

Mr Akhavani achieved a BSc in 1998 and completed an MBBS in medicine in 1999, both from the University of London. He completed extensive training in London, Rio de Janeiro, Manchester, Toronto, Shreveport, and New York, while working under some of the most respected names globally. Mr Akhavani is one of the few plastic surgeons in the UK to hold both the British and European diplomas in hand surgery. 

Mr Akhavani was responsible for pioneering the ‘BEST’ body contouring technique. Impressively, he has won several prestigious awards to-date, including the Hunterian Professorship for his research in plastic surgery. Mr Akhavani's research has been widely published in both books and peer-reviewed journals and he is frequently invited to lecture both nationally and internationally. His current research interests include limb transplants.  

He is the chairman of the Body Contouring committee of BAPRAS, and in 2022 was appointed to the court of examiners for the coveted FRCS(Plast) examination for a period of five years. In 2021, Mr Akhavani was named by Tatler magazine as one of the top 40 cosmetic surgeons in the “Beauty and Cosmetic Surgery Guide”. 

View Profile

Overall assessment of their patients


  • Related procedures
  • Medicine body aesthetics
    Laser
    Dark circles
    Lip augmentation
    Hidrolipoctasia cavitation
    Laser tattoo removal
    Laser scar therapy
    Laser Lifting
    Alopecia
    Hair transplant
    This website uses our own and third-party Cookies to compile information with the aim of improving our services, to show you advertising related to your preferences as well analysing your browsing habits. You can change your settings HERE.