10 Tips For Saving Fat Cells After a BBL Procedure

Fat transfers reduce fat from unwanted areas and place it in a new, more desirable location. The technique is used in several popular procedures, such as the Brazilian butt lift and cosmetic facial rejuvenation.

With a fat transfer, only a portion of the transferred fat survives in its new location, and the percentage that remains varies depending on a wide array of factors. Factors include how much fat was transferred, the skin's tightness and laxity, and how patients care for themselves during recovery.

While many surgeons champion the Brazilian butt lift, patients must be aware of their actions during recovery, given that it significantly impacts how fat survives.

Therefore, here are ten things you should know that can make your recovery efficient and save fat cells after a buttock enhancement.

1. Wear The Right Garments

Aside from wearing compression garments that your surgeon recommends after surgery, you'll need clothing that supports your healing process.

Exposing the transferred fat to pressure and squeezing is the fastest way to kill those cells. Therefore, ensure you're not wearing tight and restrictive clothing during recovery.

2. Nurture The Fat

Your body will need extra calories to sustain the extra work of establishing a blood supply for the new fat cells.

Eating nutrient-dense foods gives your body vitamins and minerals essential for recovery. Add healthy fats to your diet, such as avocados, salmon, organic butter, nuts, and olive oil, to help yourself out.

3. Sleep The Right Way

Adding pressure to your newly transferred fat must be avoided for at least two months after surgery. Therefore, you'll need to get creative about not lying on your back or the buttocks.

The Brazilian butt lift usually calls for sleeping on your side or your stomach. Your body will be less likely to roll onto its backside in this position.

4. Do Not Drive

Brazilian butt lift patients should take off at least two weeks from driving.

Sitting on the transferred fat will pressure the fat cells is already one thing, but pushing on your car's pedals is worse. That causes strain against your buttocks and lower back, compromising fat cell survival.

5. Sit On Your Thighs

A trick that helps most BBL patients keep themselves off their butt is to sit on a towel. Roll your towel to form a cylinder and place it underneath your thighs as you sit to keep weight off your buttocks. Be careful not to cut off your blood supply, so stand for a few minutes if you feel your thighs going numb. Many practices also will provide a BBL cushion to sit on during recovery. 

6. Do Not Smoke

Smoking should be fully avoided after any surgical procedure. Smoking disrupts the flow of oxygen and nutrients to your bloodstream, affecting your body's ability to heal.

With a fat transfer, the transferred cells need to establish a blood supply to survive in their new environment. Smoking affects your body's ability to build new blood vessels, decreasing the quality of blood that new fat cells receive.

This also applies to second-hand smoke. At all costs, avoid smoke during recovery.

7. Strenuous Exercise After Week 8

Exercise is a great way to get blood and fluid circulating throughout your body. Still, you should refrain from strenuous activity during the first two months to not burn off many calories that will affect the state of your transferred fat.

Before the 8-week mark, light walking is recommended to help your body recover. After the 8-week mark, your fat should be nicely adapted to the buttocks with a proper blood supply; therefore, exercise at this point won't be harmful to your results.

Nonetheless, do enter strenuous exercise progressively and still refrain from extended periods of pressure on the buttocks. 

With some procedures, you may be able to begin heavy exercise earlier, but it's always best to confirm with your doctor before returning to the gym.  

8. Stay Hydrated

Hydration is optimal to remain healthy. After surgery, your body works hard to repair itself. Therefore it relies heavily on water to remove waste and move nutrients throughout the body.

Drinking water isn't enough, though. You must provide your body with electrolytes, salts, and minerals to help your body hold onto that water.

Incorporate pinches of Himalayan salt or drink the occasional sports drink each day during the first two months of your recovery.

9. Do Not Gain or Lose Significant Weight

Weight fluctuations can negatively affect your Brazilian butt lift—one key to saving fat cells after a BBL is maintaining your current weight.

That's why surgeons generally recommend that you should already be at a weight that you're content with before surgery. 

Gaining a significant amount of weight post-fat transfer or fat reduction can cause fat to accumulate in new areas. If you lose a substantial amount of weight, the transferred fat may not adapt within its new space and could even be burned off.

10. Get Your BBL With the AirSculpt® + Experience

The AirSculpt® + Power Brazilian Butt Lift is an innovative procedure that doesn't use a scalpel, needle, stitches, or general anesthesia to sculpt the buttocks. The precise nature of our AirSculpt® + Power BBL™ allows for a downtime of 48 hours on average and a shorter, more seamless recovery process than traditional liposuction.

While most procedures call for an extensive, months-long recovery, our process can have you enjoying your results in as little as three weeks. Full recovery takes a couple of months, but most of our patients can return to their daily routines in just two days and heavy exercise within a few weeks.

Call our Toronto body contouring office for your complimentary consultation to learn more about the Brazilian Butt Lift and ideal recovery tips.