The Brazilian Butt Lift: Are You A Good Candidate?

By George Bitar, MD, FACS

The Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) has become an increasingly popular plastic surgery procedure. This guide will help you determine if you’re a good candidate for this surgery.

The Brazilian Butt Lift  is the 12^th most popular cosmetic surgery procedure in the U.S. having grown by 58% in 2013 according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

What is a BBL and Why Do People Get It?

A BBL is a procedure that utilizes fat from liposuction to transfer fat to the buttock region for shaping and augmentation of a flat or misshapen buttock region. While Pop Culture and Reality TV have influenced this trend, beautiful buttocks have been in vogue throughout history.

Ideal Butt Features

Research has shown that regardless of height, weight, or ethnicity the following is considered attractive in healthy women and men:

• Waist: hip ratio of 0.7 for women (0.9-1 for men). This is calculated by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement at its widest point.

Beautiful buttocks also have some additional distinguishing features:

• Pre-sacral dimples (Venus dimples)
• Short buttock fold
• Sacral triangle
• Slight lateral depressions
• No excess fat in surrounding areas

How close you get to these ideal targets post op depends on where you begin. Preoperative shape, buttock projection, skin tightness, skin laxity, and the amount of surrounding fat are the features that determine your outcome after surgery.

Ethnic Variations

Desired BBL outcomes can vary slightly based on ethnicity.

Some general preferences include:

• Caucasians want a more athletic build with conservative projection, and slight lateral dimples.
• Asians prefer a small to moderate shapely buttocks with no lateral fullness.
• Hispanics tend to prefer more projection with slight lateral fullness.
• African Americans tend to prefer more projection with full lateral buttocks and thighs.

The 4 General Buttock Shapes

There are 4 general buttock shapes including the A Shape, the V Shape, the Square Shape and the Round Shape.

A Shape:

• Characteristics: People with heart shaped buttocks tend to have a defined waistline, wider hips and buttocks, natural projection with a slight curve (hourglass figure)
• BBL Suitability: Easy to Correct. The existing roundness provides a good foundation for enhancement.

A Shape Example:

Actual Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute patient

V Shape:

• Characteristics: People with inverted (V) shaped buttocks tend to have a less volume in the lower buttocks, fuller top near waistline making an inverted “V” shape.
• BBL Suitability: Most difficult to correct. Due to the limited muscle and skin base, achieving significant projection and shaping can be challenging.

V Shape Example:

Actual Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute patient

Square Shape:

• Characteristics: eople with square shaped buttocks also called “H” shape tend to have equal width across waist, hips, and buttocks, rectangular outline with minimal projection.
• BBL Suitability: Easy to correct. The square shape provides a stable platform for sculpting and enhancement.
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Square Shape Example:

Actual Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute patient

Round Shape:

• Characteristics: People with rounds shaped buttocks have full volume evenly distributed across the buttocks.
• BBL Suitability: Easy to correct. The round shape provides a good foundation further enhancement.

Skin Quality

Skin that is too tight prevents augmentation with fat and skin that is too loose will prevent adequate lifting and shaping. Just a little bit of looseness without drooping with good skin tone is the best. Some buttock projection is also good so that available fat can be transferred for adequate shaping. Excessive flatness can be improved but is more difficult to shape.

What Makes an Ideal Candidate?

• Enough Fat for liposuction: Ideal candidates for a Brazilian Butt Lift have enough fat of the abdomen, love handles, back and inner thighs for liposuction. A general guide is that you need 2-3 times as much fat to liposuction as you need for injection. If you don’t have extra fat, there is nothing to inject and shape the buttock.
• General health: No major health concerns.
• Realistic Expectations: Understand your shape and the possible limitations and potential risks.
• Commitment to recovery: Follow post-operative instructions very carefully to ensure healthy recovery.

Are There Non-surgical Options for Enhancing the Buttock Area?

But BBL is not for everyone. It is a significant surgical procedure that requires hours under a general anesthetic and not everyone is a candidate for BBL. Fortunately, there are other options. Like a Sculptra Buttlift that injects a liquid dermal filler into specific areas of the butt to stimulate collagen production. This may be a more effective approach for many patients to achieve their goals. Learn more about Sculptra Butt lift.

Remember: These are general guidelines, and individual cases may vary. A consultation with a qualified plastic surgeon is crucial to assess your specific buttock shape and determine the best course of action for a successful BBL procedure.

Have Questions?

Schedule a BBL consultation today. Dr. Bitar is a board certified plastic surgeon located in Fairfax, VA. His specialization in cosmetic surgery allows him to put together treatment plans tailored to your individual goals and concerns. Give us a call 703-206-0506 or book an appointment online.