The idea is to consume enough calories—and the right kinds of calories—to give the newly transferred fat cells the best chance of survival. It's not just about eating more; it's about eating smart. Consuming nutrient-dense foods can support cell health, which in turn helps to solidify the results of your BBL procedure.
How Much Fat Survives After a BBL? Approximately 50-70% of the new fat cells survive after a BBL procedure, while your body absorbs the rest. The fat cells take about 3 to 6 months to stabilise and integrate into the surrounding tissue, after which it will become a natural part of your body.
On the opposite end, weight loss after BBL surgery can cause the fat cells transferred to the buttocks to shrink, reducing the overall size of the buttocks. Even so, the patient's buttocks will always be larger than before the BBL surgery, thanks to the additional fat cells present in the area.
Weight Fluctuations. Significant weight fluctuations after a BBL can alter the results. Losing weight can cause the fat cells transferred to your buttocks to shrink, diminishing the volume gained from the procedure.
If instructions are followed carefully after BBL surgery, 80% of the transferred fat cells will survive after the edema has recovered. What can I do to help the transferred fat cells survive? It is important to wear a surgical corset to increase the amount of live fat cells.
Before and after the procedure, refrain from smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Both can compromise blood flow and hinder fat cell survival. Eat a healthy diet. Following your fat transfer surgery, we recommend you adhere to a nutrient-dense diet based on healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.
It can take up to six months to see the final results. During this time, the fat cells settle into their new places, where they remain for life.
Avoid medications containing aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Naproxen) for 2 weeks before and after surgery. These medications may increase bleeding. Substances to Avoid: Avoid alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine, for these will dramatically slow the healing process.
After a few weeks, the fat that survives develops its blood supply and integrates naturally into the fat there. Transferred fat should live indefinitely in the buttocks, and Brazilian butt lift results are usually permanent.
3 months: Most patients enter the BBL fluffing stage around this time as the residual swelling continues to dissipate. 6-8 months: By this stage, you will see the final results of your liposuction and BBL procedures.
Remember that if you squeeze the newly transferred fat by any means, it may kill or ruin the cells. That is why it is essential to make sure you do not wear restrictive or tight clothes during your recovery process.
In fact, wearing a garment that's too tight can negatively impact your BBL results, says Dr. Franco, who adds that it's a common mistake patients make.
BBL Recovery Tips
We strongly recommend staying off your buttocks for up to eight weeks and drinking your protein shakes every day to promote healing. The hardest part of your recovery from this specific procedure is sleeping, because you cannot lay on your back or your sides and you are not able to sit normally.
In fact, only about 50% to 80% of injected fat cells will survive the transfer. The biggest reason for this? Inadequate blood supply. For your transferred fat cells to survive, they must quickly establish a blood supply in their new location.
Don't skimp on resting
You may also experience mild facial swelling, which can last a few days. However, after approximately two weeks, the results are visible. We recommend taking at least one week off from work and avoiding exercise and other physical activity until two weeks after your procedure.
If your eyes look sunken, tired or have dark circles, an under-eye fat transfer or other dermal filler may refresh and rejuvenate your appearance. This type of dermal filler uses fat from your own body, so there's little risk of an allergic reaction. Plus, the fat graft may last for life.
Recommended Sleeping Positions After BBL Surgery
While sleeping on your back might seem like a natural choice, it's generally not recommended after a BBL, especially when the fat has been transferred to the buttocks. Lying on your stomach is often the preferred position after BBL surgery.
The recovery process for a BBL lasts up to 6 weeks after surgery. This is because patients should avoid putting prolonged pressure on their buttocks (lying down or sitting) for the first 3 weeks to prevent pressure necrosis or tissue death of the transferred fat cells.
Meaning doctors couldn't predict fat reabsorption rates, and it was common for patients to lose most of the fat transferred in the first year. With the unpredictable nature, many patients were left with the results of being overfilled, underfilled, or left with fat in areas where they didn't want it.
The idea is to consume enough calories—and the right kinds of calories—to give the newly transferred fat cells the best chance of survival. It's not just about eating more; it's about eating smart. Consuming nutrient-dense foods can support cell health, which in turn helps to solidify the results of your BBL procedure.
We suggest a total of 5-10 lymphatic drainage massages as part of your BBL aftercare plan. This package is designed to offer a comprehensive approach to your healing, addressing various aspects like reducing swelling, alleviating discomfort, breaking down scar tissue, and speeding up overall recovery.
Perfect execution of this surgery will fills in the hip dips, other indentations but also enhances curves, creating a smoother transition between the waist, hips, and thighs. By doing so, BBL helps achieve a more balanced and proportionate silhouette, ultimately boosting self-esteem.