The Brazilian Butt Lift (Fat Transfer): Pros and Cons and Is it Worth it?

If you’ve been researching ways on how to get a bigger butt, you’ve probably heard of the Brazilian Butt Lift here and there. The name has been absolutely everywhere. There’s a very popular workout program by this name, but what we want to talk about here is the Brazilian Butt Lift surgical procedure.

There are generally two types of butt lift or enhancement surgeries.

The first is butt implants. This is simply when a certified surgeon inserts solid or semi-solid silicone implants in your buttocks – pretty much butt implants for the butt. 

The second types of butt enhancement surgery is the Brazilian Butt Lift. This is also known as a fat transfer because it simply transfers the fat from other areas of your body and injects it into your butt.

brazilian butt lift

How does the Brazilian Butt Lift work?

In a nutshell, the surgeon performing the Brazilian Butt Lift will liposuction fat from your back, stomach, or thighs and then purify it. Whatever is left of the purified fat is then re-injected back into the buttocks (where it belongs!).

The fat for the transfer is taken from the more fatty areas of your body like the stomach, the “love handles,” hips, lower back, or thighs. The fat is then removed with a gentle liposuction device designed to protect live fat cells. Once these fat particles are purified, they’re injected back into the muscle layers of the buttocks through a very small incision.

Who can get the Brazilian Butt Lift?

Well, as you already know – the Brazilian Butt Lift involves transferring fat from other areas of your body to your butt. Which means, you actually need to have some spare fat on your body.

brazilian butt lift

a before shot

Every Brazilian Butt Lift case is different, but the average amount of fat needed for each buttock is around 250 to 350 cubic centimeters (cc) of pure fat. So, for both sides, you’re going to need about 700 cc – or around half a pound of fat.

Women without much body fat – say, size 2 or size 4 women – are more suited to butt implants since they won’t be able to spare that much fat.

But if you have extra fat lying around on other parts of your body – the Brazilian Butt Lift is ideal since it both removes fat off parts you don’t want fat on and puts more fat where you want fat.

brazilian butt lift

an after shot

Women who are overweight or wear above a size 8 dress size is the ideal candidate for the Brazilian But Lift. In fact, this is a great procedure if you have extra fat on your body since it functions as a two-in-one liposuction plus butt enhancement surgery.

Is the Brazilian Butt Lift permanent?

This is one of the most important questions for any sort of butt enhancement – if you’re going to spend the time, effort, and money, you want to know “Does it last?

Well, to answer this question, we want to get into a little background. Fat has some interesting properties. If fat is injected into muscles or bones, it’ll feel just like muscle or bone once it’s under the skin. If fat is injected into a fatty area, it’ll feel just like..well, fat.

The downside of transferring fat to the butt, breasts, face, or any other part of the body is that some of it will be reabsorbed by the body. Because the re-absorption varies from person-to-person, surgeon can’t really predict how much will be reabsorbed.

What is for sure is that whatever fat you have remaining after three months of surgery is yours permanently.

What are the PROS of a Brazilian Butt Lift?

Apart from getting a plump, round butt pretty much instantly – there are some other advantages of getting a fat transfer to your buttocks.

In short, the PROS are:

  • Relatively short downtime: Considering this is a surgical procedure, there’s little downtime. You can go back to work in around 2 weeks.
  • Less risk of infection: The fat being injected into your butt is your own fat so there is less risk of infection.
  • Zero change of rejection: Unlike implants, fat is an ideal substance for butt enhancement because fat is your own body’s substance.
  • Feels like muscle: As mentioned above, injected fat will take on the characteristics of the place where it’s injected. It it’s injected near bone, it’ll feel like bone. If it’s injected into muscle, it’ll feel like muscle. None of that lumpy, bumpy look that people mistakenly think injected fat might look like – it looks like it’s a part of your butt muscle.
  • Little discomfort: The recovery time from the Brazilian Butt Lift comes mostly from the liposuction procedure used to remove the fat. The actual injection comes with very little discomfort.
  • Uniform and natural look: Both the liposuction and the fat injection is made through very small incisions so you won’t be left with scars. The fat is also inserted carefully in different fat layers so you’ll end up with a uniform and natural look – exactly like it’s your own butt fat (since it is!). The last huge benefit of the Brazilian Butt Lift is that because they’re not implants, there’s no risk of it migrating or moving.
  • Slimming effect: The fat removed from the fatty areas of your body like the waist and thighs will make your newly-plumped butt stick out even more.

The CONS of a Brazilian Butt Lift

Everything has a set of downsides. Before you starting looking into getting a Brazilian Butt Lift, here are some of the downsides you should know about.

In short, the CONS are:

  • Careful handling of the butt: The newly injected fat need blood supply to nourish the fat so it’s recommended that you not put pressure on the buttocks for at least 2 months after the procedure. This means no tight clothes and limited sitting, which can be quite an inconvenience.
  • Not very high yield: The biggest downside of the Brazilian Butt Lift is that the fat survival rate is pretty unpredictable. Studies show that only about 50-80% of the fat transferred will survive and remain on the buttocks. The rest will be reabsorbed by the body. A reasonable expectation would be around 25-50% increase from your current size.
  • Repeated procedures: Studies have also shown that injecting too much fat at once decreases the retention rate, so if you want a significant increase in your buttocks fat, you’ll have to opt for the option of several fat transfer done every 3 months until you get the booty you want.
  • It will cost you: A Brazilian Butt Lift will cost you anywhere between $7,000 to $12,000 if you get it done in North America. It’s not covered by health insurance at all so you’d have to foot the bill yourself. It’s, of course, cheaper in other countries – it can be as low as $3,000 in South America – and that might be an option to consider if you really want it but do not want to pay too much. Thailand is also a great option.

Other things you should know about the Brazilian Butt Lift

Make sure you get a qualified surgeon

And not just qualified – but a surgeon who has lots of experience in performing fat transfers. Fat can be tricky for doctors to work with so it’s essential you work with someone who knows what he or she is doing.

28 Responses to The Brazilian Butt Lift (Fat Transfer): Pros and Cons and Is it Worth it?

  1. Gwendolyn says:

    I need my butt lift

  2. Ms Tebogo says:

    Hi. I am a South African citizen and im interested in doing the Brazilian butt-lift surgery. Is it available in South Africa?

    • Janet Kay says:

      Hello, I don’t see why it wouldn’t be. Ask your doctor for a recommendation if you are not sure. Good luck!

  3. Gladys says:

    I would like to trasfer my fat to my booty ?
    How much would exactly coast me?
    Does your webside have a number?

    • Janet Kay says:

      The fat transfer is probably the costliest option – but like most surgical procedures, the cost really depends on where you get it done. In the US (or Canada), it seems to range between $7,000 to $12,000. It’s not covered by health insurance at all so you’d have to foot the bill yourself. It’s, of course, cheaper in other countries – it can be as low as $3,000 in South America.
      Hope that helps!

  4. Keeley says:

    I just had a Brazilian but lift and a tummy tuck at the same time and it was only 4500 here in georgia in the United states. It went great. Go f or it

  5. Keeley says:

    Now that was my price but if you have mir or less fat or different size I know the price varies. But still they are so reasonable

  6. Ruby says:

    Hi! I’m from London and going for holidays to india in August do u think it’s safe to get it done there? As I’m sure it will be cheaper there.
    Thanks

    • Janet Kay says:

      Hi Ruby,
      We’re honestly not sure – we’re really not in the position to give medical advice. That being said, there are several Asian destinations that are well-known for medical tourism. Places like Thailand, for example, are known to be both more affordable and as skilled as doctors in the West. Hope that helps :)

  7. Nichole Boyd says:

    Can’t wait to have mines done

  8. Marie River says:

    I am getting my lipo/fat transfer on Weds 7/16/14, I am so excited! my procedure will be done in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania and the price was around $6,500. I will post comments after my surgery.

  9. Latrice says:

    Just had one done on 7/16/14..horrible recovery.. Please consider all other options before doing this surgery.. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone… The Lipo yes.. The fat grafting to butt surgery.. No… It’s tedious recovery

  10. daphne says:

    Hi I want to get a bblt but I only weigh 125 mthe last thing I would want to do is implants since it spent look or feel natural. So I’m very confused on what would be the best option. Any advice?

  11. Kirk says:

    You share interesting things here. I think that your website can go viral easily,
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