There are two things you need to be a good candidate for a Brazilian butt lift: the desire for a larger, rounder bottom and reserves of fat on your body that can be transferred to the butt. For those who are worried about meeting point number two, a question arises: should you gain weight before BBL?
You might get different answers from different sources. So let’s take a look at the logic behind whether or not you should put on a few pounds before your BBL procedure.
The Ideal BBL Weight Range
Gaining weight will offer larger fat cells for transfer, but this isn’t the right choice for most clients.
How much extra fat you need will depend on how much you want to boost your bottom. On average, a client getting a Brazilian butt lift will want to transfer somewhere between 500cc and 1000cc per buttock cheek. This translates into about 3 to 4 liters of fat that need to be taken from elsewhere in the body and transferred to the butt. Many clients wanting a better bottom don’t have that much excess fat on the body to give.
The ideal BBL candidate should fall somewhere in the mid- to high-end BMI range. But what if you don’t? Is gaining weight the solution for you?
Gaining Weight Isn’t the Solution
In nearly all cases, the answer to should you gain weight before BBL is no. That might sound counterintuitive given the amount of fat that must be harvested. So, why is gaining weight bad?
The first thing you need to understand is how weight gain works. When you put on pounds, your body doesn’t create new fat cells. Instead, the ones you already have swell in size. This causes two problems with your BBL.
First, harvesting the fat cells relies on the use of a liposuction cannula. When the fat cells are large, they are harder to suction out and more likely to be injured. When this happens, the cells are no longer viable for fat transfer. In other words, putting on weight could just result in less usable fat while also making it harder to heal.
Second, this weight gain cannot be temporary. If you lose weight after the fat transfer, those swollen cells will simply shrink down to their previous size. This means that while your bottom may be boosted compared to what it is before, the most dramatic hourglass effects will be lost.
What Are the Alternatives?
One option is to get the BBL using whatever fat reserves you have. While the results may not be as dramatic, they are more stable over the long term. Then, you can focus on exercises that sculpt the muscles for a perkier, rounder look.
Another is to look into non-surgical procedures. Offered in medical spas, these treatments stimulate the butt muscles, essentially exercising them as if you’d spent days in the gym but doing it all in 30 minutes.
Finally, there are also butt implants. However, these are not for everyone. Most patients find BBLs appealing specifically because they don’t want implants for their bottom.
Of course, the only way to know which option is right for you is to speak with a cosmetic surgeon. So before you settle on a specific procedure, set up a consultation.
Dr. Andan’s good bedside manner and customized approach ensures that every person who visits New York Surgical Arts enjoys a welcoming and positive experience from the initial consultation to the post procedure period and beyond.
