The Brazilian Butt Lift Is a 1, 2 Punch

“The Brazilian Butt Lift is really a slang term for fat transfer to the buttock and hips,” says Dr. Mark Epstein of Stony Brook, NY. During this procedure, a surgeon removes fat from an area where it’s not wanted – such as the abdomen or thighs – and places it into the buttocks where it is wanted, meaning that the patient is actually getting two procedures bundled as one. Which could explain why there has been a 16% increase in butt augmentations since 2012, according to the latest statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. And though this doesn’t put the numbers anywhere near the requests for breast augmentations, it does make the Brazilian butt lift one of the fastest growing cosmetic procedures on the market today. Why? Because patients now realize that a butt augmentation actually re-contours the entire torso, delivering the body of their dreams.

by Katherine Stuart
and Mark Epstein, MD

It’s About Re-shaping the Entire Torso

A Brazilian butt lift is not just about getting a larger butt, it’s about a more shapely butt. Furthermore, it’s as much about re-contouring the waist, abdomen and thighs as it is about the buttocks. During your BBL procedure, a surgeon will harvest fat from areas where you have excess such as the abdomen, thighs, upper back/“bra rolls” or arms. The right spots are going to depend on each patient’s individual needs.  The goal for surgeons such as Dr. Epstein is to strategically remove the fat, sculpting as he harvests. This leaves the patient with the bonus of a more well defined donor site in addition to a fuller looking buttock. He typically uses about 80% of that fat for shaping or contouring and about 20% for augmentation.

Some patients come in with large areas that bother them and some come in with small areas. The most common patient that Dr. Epstein sees is the one who wants his or her abs and/or flanks re-contoured with the fat put into the buttocks and hips. “I call that the 1-2 punch,” says Epstein. “It’s the harvesting of the fat from the abdomen and flanks with resultant liposculpting of those areas, followed by the bbl, giving them a more shapely buttock and hip.”

 

A Bigger Buttock = A Slimmer Waist

By removing fat from certain areas such as the abdomen and placing it into the buttocks, a surgeon can restore harmony to your body, accentuate your waist, and re-contour your entire torso. “You want to have a narrower waist but a more shapely buttock and hip which gives you a slimmer, sexier figure,” explains Epstein. “That’s the goal that we want to achieve.” When a patient comes in for a BBL consultation, a surgeon will examine him or her from a 360 degree perspective, determining the best places for harvesting the fat in order to achieve that patient’s ideal body. It’s truly a tailored approach.

The Right Patient Comes in all Shapes and Sizes

Though celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé, and Jennifer Lopez may have started the trend of celebrating the “derriere”, it has quickly spread across age and ethnic lines. Dr. Epstein’s BBL patients range in age from 20 to 66. While some of his patients are very fit with little fat, others may be carrying a few extra pounds. Bottom line, great results can be achieved regardless of age or body type. Additionally, “patients who undergo fat transfer to the buttocks are very, very happy because this is an area that bothers so many,” says Dr. Epstein. A happy patient is what every surgeon strives to deliver.