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How Painful is a BBL?
There is nothing better than being completely happy with your body, which may be challenging if you’re dissatisfied with the way your butt looks.
The BBL, or Brazilian butt lift, is one of the most popular ways of getting a great butt, and it can be done from start to finish with only moderate levels of pain and discomfort which are bearable for most patients.
Brazilian Butt Lift surgery is one of the many options you have when it comes to correcting that, if you wish to do so.
BBL Alternatives
Other choices include butt implants, which are typically not advised by most surgeons since they’re prone to infection, and can even move around within your buttocks after they’ve been implanted. Fat augmentation to the butt is your second alternative to a Brazilian butt lift, but it is unable to produce the same dramatic and sought-after results that can be achieved from a Brazilian butt lift.
Finally, there is the option of hitting the gym with a special set of work outs, and following a diet that may eventually help you achieve the booty of your dreams.
All things considered, the Brazilian butt lift, or “BBL” is the best of many options you have when it comes to improving the size and shape of your butt.
BBL Risks
But, the BBL is not without its risks. Far too many patients have died during the procedure, most often in states or countries where regulations are lax, and where surgeons have at least been accused of running “chop shops” that place profits over patient safety.
If you’re willing to do your own due diligence and not just fly to the cheapest surgeon you can find, then the BBL is a viable option for most patients.
The BBL is a surgery that involves removing unwanted or unnecessary fat from one or more parts of your body through liposuction, then processing that fat for purity, and re-injecting it into your buttocks. No plastic or implants of any kind are used in a BBL.
A BBL enables a surgeon to somewhat naturally accentuate, enlarge, and shape the buttocks, giving you the look you might want.
BBL Pain, During and After Surgery
If liposuction and injecting fat into your body sounds too painful to bear, you’ll be happy to know that the procedure itself is virtually painless, thanks to the use of general anesthesia.
It’s the pain after the procedure that you need to be worried about, and that pain is something that both your and your surgeon will have a hand in reducing and keeping under control.
Serious and sudden pain after a BBL is a cause for concern and should be reported to your surgeon immediately, while anything that feels life-threatening or unsafe should warrant a call to emergency services, by calling 911 or the equivalent number in your country.
With that out of the way, let’s look deeper into how painful the Brazilian butt lift is and what you can expect during and after the procedure.
General Anesthesia Makes BBL Surgery Pain-Free
Because the Brazilian butt lift involves both liposuction as well as the injecting of fat into your buttocks, it is standard to do the procedure under general anesthesia.
Some practices and plastic surgeons do offer an “Awake BBL,” or a BBL under local anesthesia, rather than general. There are studies on this that have found “no deaths or complications,” but BBLs under local anesthesia continue to be the exception rather than the rule for a vast majority of plastic surgeons.
In terms of the amount of pain you’ll feel, it should be virtually zero during your BBL surgery. The anesthesia is used to ensure you do not feel pain, or anything else for that matter. That means you will not feel pain from the cannula being used to extract healthy fat from areas of your body, nor should you feel pain from the cannula that is used to inject the healthy fat into your buttocks.
In short, you should feel no pain after the anesthesia has taken hold, but will feel some pain and discomfort until the anesthesia has been administered.
For instance, you may feel discomfort from the needle used to administer anesthesia, although a local or topical anesthetic is used to reduce even this pain. You may also feel apprehension in the moments leading up to surgery.
Beyond that, you should not feel any pain at all during the Brazilian butt lift procedure, barring some very rare occurrence such as the anesthesia wearing off.
Good BBL surgeons also make it a point to actually employ (hire) and use only a licensed anesthesiologist, the expert there during surgery to ensure all pain-management is in place.
It’s also important to understand that not all BBL surgeons rely on a board-certified anesthesiologist, so if you’re at all concerned about your safety during the procedure, it’s advised that you only ever see a surgeon who does use a board-certified anesthesiologist.
(In most states, having and using a board-certified anesthesiologist is not legally required, so be sure you personally verify the credentials of anyone operating on you and anyone administering your general anesthesia.
You can do that here: https://www.theaba.org/diplomate%20directory.html
Pain After BBL Surgery is Managed With Medication
After the BBL surgery is complete, you will be prescribed pain medication to help manage the pain and discomfort you will be experiencing.
Some patients report that the pain after a BBL is easily bearable. Others report the exact opposite.
It’s impossible to tell which patient category you will fall into, but it should be helpful to know that a properly done Brazilian butt lift followed up by proper postoperative patient care is, 9 times out of 10, a very survivable and bearable level of pain and discomfort.
What pain will you feel?
Most BBL patients described the pain that they feel after surgery as being a deep soreness, in both the areas where liposuction was done, and the area of the buttocks where the healthy fat was injected.
This makes sense when you think of it, as a cannula has been used to physically “stab at” the fat in order to break it up and extract it, before yet another cannula is used to “stab into” your buttocks in order to properly deposit the fat into the exact areas of the buttocks where it will do the most good.
There’s Comfort in Numbers
If it’s any consolation (comfort), you should know that each year, hundreds of thousands of women just in the United States undergo Brazilian butt lift surgery.
In 2020, an estimated 396,00 women had the procedure.
If they can get through the pain and discomfort that the procedure requires, then chances are that you can, too.
Of course, it’s extremely important that you seek out a surgeon who is well-trained and very experienced in BBL surgery, and that you ensure they are in fact certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
You can verify whether your surgeon is ABPS-certified here: https://www.abplasticsurgery.org/public/verify-certification/VerifyCert?section=SurgeonSearch
You can not prevent all possible complications from surgery, but what you can do is ensure that the odds are in your favor.
And that means hiring a board-certified plastic surgeon, preferably in your own country.
Your BBL Recovery Timeline
Pain or discomfort after any surgical procedure is normal. Yes, it is a surgery, and just as with any operation, you should be prepared for some swelling, discomfort, bruising, and numbness.
However, all of these are just temporary, and if you have even a little discomfort, a doctor will likely prescribe painkillers to make you feel better.
Unless otherwise directed, you must concentrate on two things as soon as you get home: sleeping and taking brief strolls.
Walking is a simple exercise that improves circulation and aids in managing and reducing edema and bruises. That said, here is a recovery timeline for your BBL procedure:
Days 7-10 After a Brazilian Butt Lift
Most of the healing takes place in the first 7 to 10 days after surgery, so you’ll notice a lot of changes. You will be asked to wear a specific compression garment by your surgeon. This stretchy clothing is a priceless tool that improves the tightness of the places where you had liposuction while reducing edema and fluid retention. It’s important to remember to only sit when absolutely required and to utilize your unique cushion to avoid pain.
Weeks 2-6 After a Brazilian Butt Lift
The majority of patients’ pain, swelling, and soreness subside over this time. Though you may not experience any pain from weeks two to three, try to avoid sitting down as much as you can. Most patients may start driving again as soon as their surgeon gives them the all-clear to sit comfortably, usually between weeks three and four. While you should still refrain from exercising and engaging in strenuous physical activity, you may start taking more active strolls and go on with your regular home duties.
Week 6 and Beyond After a Brazilian Butt Lift
According to experts, the majority of patients are well enough to resume unrestricted lower body exercise. For the majority of patients, if not 100%, at least 80% of any pain, swelling, numbness, and discomfort has subsided. Patients may often see the full effects of their BBL surgery at this point. After week 6, you will be able to see the outcomes that will endure since not all of the fat cells that were transplanted survive.
This is only a general timeline for recovery following a BBL, which is all this guideline is. Each patient might encounter varied symptoms let alone pain levels. As long as you follow the directions that have been given to you by your surgeon and the rest of the medical team, you should be able to go through the recovery time with very little discomfort.
Can You Sit Without Pain After A BBL?
When someone considers a BBL they always ask this golden question: Can I sit during my BBL recovery?
One of the most stringent guidelines for proper post-operative care is this:
For the first 3-4 weeks after your BBL, do not sit directly on your butt.
Some surgeons recommend not sitting on your butt after a BBL for as long as 8 weeks.
“Avoid sitting or lying on the buttocks for 2 to 8 weeks.”
Book chapter: “Buttock Augmentation: S-Curve®” by Nathaniel L. Villanueva and Ashkan Ghavami, MDs.
If you absolutely need to sit down, you must do so on a BBL pillow or similar cushion, which allows for the weight of your body to NOT be applied to your buttocks, but to your legs instead.
An inflatable or memory foam cushion that evenly distributes pressure in your buttocks is a must in order to prevent more loss of the newly injected fat than will already occur naturally even with perfect aftercare.
By carefully following these recommendations, you will be able to ensure that your surgical treatment heals normally and without any difficulties, and that you will feel no discomfort whatsoever either during or after the procedure.
After everything is said and done, this operation is one that many individuals feel is well worth the investment provided that they have a speedy and uneventful recovery.
Why BBLs are so Popular
This technique has become quite popular in recent years. Though it shouldn’t be shocking as it’s a natural technique for ladies to acquire the butt they desire and recovery is simple with the correct care. A BBL is a gold-standard surgical procedure that removes or adds implants to contour and refine the look of the butt. While it’s extremely popular, the recovery process is a long one and requires careful care.
[Photo by Ron Lach : https://www.pexels.com/photo/back-view-of-a-women-wearing-swimsuits-9154955/]
