6 Things We Want You to Know About a Brazilian Butt Lift

Maybe Mother Nature wasn’t all that generous when it came to your behind, or perhaps shifts like weight loss or pregnancy have flattened it out. Now, you want a little more oomph.

That’s where the Brazilian butt lift (BBL) comes in: It enhances your backside through fat grafting for a rounder, more voluptuous look. This procedure has become increasingly popular, with nearly 30,000 BBLs performed in the United States in 2024.

Dr. Thomas McHugh offers the Brazilian butt lift at McHugh Plastic Surgery in The Woodlands, Texas. If you’re wondering about this procedure, here are six things you should know.

1. It’s not Brazilian, and it’s not a lift

Let’s start with some interesting facts. The BBL isn’t really Brazilian nor a butt lift. It’s a fat grafting procedure in which we harvest fat from your body and inject it into your buttocks to boost the volume. The BBL does not lift your butt; instead, it augments and reshapes it.

As for the Brazilian part, this refers to a Brazilian doctor who first pioneered the procedure in the 1960s.

2. A BBL bypasses your body’s fat distribution

You can’t control where your body stores fat. It’s a biological directive that is usually hard to work around. A BBL, however, can do just that — redistribute your body fat to better effect.

3. It uses your own fat

One of the great advantages of a BBL is that it uses your own fat, taking from areas where you might have a little extra, such as your:

• Abdomen
• Hips
• Flanks
• Thighs
• Back

Once we harvest and prepare the fat, we inject it into your buttocks. The fat integrates naturally because it comes from your own body.

4. You must be a good candidate for a BBL

From a medical perspective, good candidates for a BBL have maintained a healthy weight, are in good physical condition, and have enough fat for harvesting.

5. BBL results are long-lasting

Once you recover fully from your BBL and the fat has settled in — which can take up to 6 months — you’ll be pleased to know that results can last years. Bear in mind that any changes to your body, such as weight gain, weight loss, and aging, can alter these results.

6. The BBL safety record has improved

Some concerns were raised a few years ago about the safety of BBLs and their mortality rate. These deaths were largely due to fat being injected into blood vessels, which created dangerous blockages.

Today, we’re well aware of this risk, and complication rates have been cut considerably. Here at our practice, Dr. McHugh has a great track record with this procedure, and he always puts your safety first.

Your next step

If you’re interested in a BBL and you’d like to sit down with us for a consultation, contact our office. We’ll walk you through the process, answer your questions, and help you decide if it’s right for you.