Can You Have a BBL Without Removal of Silicone Injections?

Question: Can I still get a BBL (Brazilian buttlift) without removal of the injections?

Answer: I see two or three patients a week who have had injections of something into their buttocks.  Many times they are unsure of the product.   Silicone may pose an unnecessary risk to fat transfer in this situation.  In the past, I have cut these areas out and then fat grafted in the future.  If the silicone has been injected in the distant past without difficulty, then fat transfer may be appropriate.  However, the patient should understand that there is probably an increased risk of problems following the surgery.Kenneth Hughes, MD, ABPS Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

A: Can a person who is diabetic do a BBL, MM, lipo, tummy tuck or any type of plastic surgery?  If blood sugars are well controlled and there is minimal end organ damage, plastic surgery can usually be performed safely.Kenneth Hughes, MD, ABPS Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

A: Is it better to work out before or after getting a BBL? For most patients, the improvement in physique that can be made in 2 hours in the operating room cannot be achieved with diet and exercise.   Keeping fit is good before the surgery.  As long as you have enough body fat for the surgery, then working out can only help you.  For most patients strenuous activity can be resumed 6 weeks post op.  Squats and lunges after BBL will increase muscle bulk and definition, which is probably a good thing if you are looking to achieve a more projected, lifted buttock.  However, just make sure that the body fat percentage is held in check or you will lose some of the fat.  Kenneth Hughes, MD, ABPS Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

A: Can you get a Brazilian Butt Lift, a rhinoplasty, and a revision Breast’s augmentation at the same time? Depending upon the complexity of the procedures, your health, and the surgical skill, you may be able to have all of these together.  Two options for sleeping are on your side or my patient coordinator recommends a "mattress" called a holo lilo.  It's a swimming pool raft, not a mattress with a hole cut out in the middle for pregnant ladies to lay on their stomachs. Instead, you will lay on your back with your head elevated and your buttocks in the hole of the raft so there's no pressure on them.  Recovery from BBL is patient dependent. Much of this depends upon the amount of liposuction performed and the amount of fat transferred. I have observed that between 4 and 6 weeks the buttocks tend to stabilize in volume.  Usually by 3 months, the swelling is minimal and totally resolved by 6 months.   Kenneth Hughes, MD, ABPS Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

A: Lost volume MONTHS after bbl, can I still fix it or do I need another surgery? (photo) It is difficult to answer your question from the photos provided. Having the BBL done a second time is an option as long as you have enough fat to be transferred. The revision implies that there is less fat than the first time, and scar tissue will make the surgery much more difficult on the surgeon.  The percentage of fat survival in the BBL the second time should be about the same. Recommend that you set up an appointment with the PS who performed your first BBL to discuss your options.Kenneth Hughes, MD, ABPS Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA