Brazilian Butt Lift

Most Washington D.C. area patients describe the recovery as sore rather than truly painful, similar to muscle soreness after an intense workout. You’ll likely feel most tender in the areas where fat was harvested through liposuction. Swelling, bruising, and some tightness in the buttocks are expected. Prescription pain medication is provided for the first few days, and many patients switch to over-the-counter options within a week. 

First, you’ll have an initial consultation with Dr. Bitar, where you’ll discuss your goals and determine if you’re a good candidate. Pre-operative appointments may follow, including lab work and medical clearance. After surgery, you’ll return for a post-op check the next day, followed by several follow-ups in the weeks and months ahead. These visits enable us to monitor your progress, address any concerns, and ensure you’re satisfied with your results.

You’ll notice immediate changes in your shape right after surgery, but those early results will be hidden beneath swelling and compression garments. Over the next few weeks, as swelling decreases, your new contours will become more apparent. 

The fat transfer process involves some natural reabsorption, meaning not all of the injected fat will remain. That’s why final results are typically evaluated around the three- to six-month mark. By this time, the surviving fat cells have established a blood supply, and your buttocks will have settled into their long-term shape—fuller, smoother, and beautifully contoured.

Absolutely. In fact, combining a BBL with other cosmetic procedures is fairly common. Since fat is harvested via liposuction, many patients in the Washington D.C. area choose to contour multiple areas at once, such as the abdomen, waist, or thighs. This not only enhances the fat supply for transfer but also slims down surrounding areas to create a more dramatic overall silhouette. 

Other popular combination options include tummy tuck, breast augmentation, or breast lift. 

At the Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute, we take pride in ensuring that we provide our patients with the best possible surgical experience, anticipating potential problems or setbacks and addressing them before they occur. This process encompasses preoperative preparation, the actual surgery, and postoperative care.

• General Complications
  General complications can occur with any surgery. Cosmetic surgery is typically a safe procedure performed on healthy patients and, like all surgeries, carries a low risk. To minimize the risk of complications, we operate in state-of-the-art facilities with board-certified anesthesiologists and experienced nurses. To avoid postoperative complications, we advocate for early mobilization – patients seen in our office one or two days after surgery- and active participation in their own postoperative care. When we create a partnership, the results invariably improve.

• Bleeding
  Before surgery, our patients undergo testing to ensure they do not have any common bleeding disorders, as determined by their own physicians and through laboratory tests. Bleeding is rare with any form of fat grafting. The tumescent solution used during liposuction decreases the amount of bleeding.

• Infection/Wounds
  The most important step in avoiding infections and wounds is to perform the surgery at a first-rate surgical facility with board-certified anesthesiologists and nurses. Patients are given the appropriate intravenous antibiotic coverage throughout the surgery. During the surgery, the patient’s skin surface is cleaned thoroughly. After the procedure, our patients are prescribed antibiotics to minimize infection. As a result of these extra precautions, our rate of infection after Brazilian butt lift is extremely rare. Since everything is done through small incisions, open wounds are extremely rare.

• Nerve Injury
  We exercise caution around the nerves in the body and avoid aggressive liposuction during fat harvesting, thus minimizing nerve injury. Temporary loss of sensation from a “stunned” nerve or a bruised nerve may occur in the time period after surgery, but sensation in the vast majority of cases returns within a few weeks.

• Fat Grafting May Be Temporary
  One of the least pleasant aspects of fat grafting is that it could be temporary. Extra caution is taken in the operating room to ensure the fat is handled and injected properly. Postoperatively, patients are encouraged to avoid prolonged periods of sitting, exceeding 15 minutes at a time, to minimize excessive reabsorption. Patients are also encouraged to sleep on their tummy or on their side. After three weeks, the fat has been revascularized, and they can return to normal activity. Smoking decreases the blood supply to tissues in the operative area and can also contribute to the reabsorption of fat.

• Smoking
  Smoking is an absolute contraindication for a Brazilian butt lift. The carbon monoxide and nicotine in cigarette smoke cause a severe reduction in blood supply to the skin and fat during healing. This results in delayed wound healing, wound separation, skin death, loss of transferred fat, and an increased risk of infection. Cotinine testing is performed in patients with a smoking history to ensure that they are safe when having this procedure.