Should You Get A Brazilian Butt Lift? Questions and Answers You Should Ask

For several decades, women have requested buttock enhancement to fulfill their desire for a curvier backside. In the past, the most common procedure was the insertion of an implant into the buttocks, similar to a breast implant. This surgery carried a high risk of complications and infections, and thus butt implants never gained popularity.

Luckily, a new alternative has been developed known as the Brazilian Butt Lift. This procedure involves modern liposuction technology and techniques that transfer the patient’s own fat to his/her buttock area. In essence, a Brazilian Butt Lift consists of two procedures, liposuction, and fat grafting (buttock injections).

The Brazilian Butt Lift is the perfect body sculpting method that enables patients to both contour their body by removing unwanted fat and add volume to the buttocks. Dr. Daniel P. Markmann at Metamorphosis Plastic Surgery offers the Brazilian Butt Lift in Maryland. Since 1998, Dr. Markmann has developed and perfected his own Brazilian Butt Lift technique, which has become known as the "Markmann Method."

What is the Procedure?

The surgery takes approximately six to seven hours. The first part of the surgery is liposuction to remove unwanted fat. Dr. Markmann uses the latest liposuction technology that increases the survival rate of transferred fat. A common misconception is that "free fat" is removed, but in reality, it’s the fat cells that are filled with fat that are removed. Typically, we do not make new fat cells unless significant weight is gained (maybe 50 to100 lbs). Another nice thing about this procedure is that the areas where the fat is removed will be permanently smaller at any given weight and your buttocks will be permanently larger.

Typically, it is estimated that 70 to 80 percent of the fat cells injected into the buttocks survive. Due to these great survival rates, the fat cells actually thrive in most patients. The final results of the fat grafting procedure can usually be seen within three months after surgery, and the definition and results increase over this time. Results typically last forever.

Will Exercise Remove New Fat Cells in the Buttocks?

Dr. Markmann removes fat cells from stubborn areas of the body where losing fat is typically difficult. Physicians refer to these fat cells as having "institutional memory." Fat cells that are transferred from difficult areas, like the hips or belly, still think they’re in the hips or belly and thus these fat cells, once in the buttocks, still remain "stubborn" and maintain their volume. This is especially appealing to patients who exercise on a regular basis. You can lose the weight, but still keep the curvy backside.

What Should I Expect During Recovery?

Dr. Markmann recommends recovery time for the Brazilian Butt Lift to be at least three weeks, requiring that patients refrain from sitting for two weeks minimum! Patients wear a compressive garment for several weeks to help reduce swelling and bruising. Bruising usually goes away within three weeks. However, swelling takes approximately two to three months to subside. During recovery, the buttocks will shrink a bit in size, as will the areas where liposuction was performed due to the resolution of this swelling.

For further information, please feel free to contact Maryland plastic surgeon Dr. Markmann and schedule an appointment.