Brazilian Butt Lift
Buttock augmentation using your own fat, with specific safety and recovery considerations.
Consult with Dr. Henry Huson at Queen City Plastic Surgery in West Chester, Ohio, serving the Cincinnati area.
- Setting
- Surgical facility; monitoring needs vary
- Anesthesia
- General
- Procedure time
- Individual estimate at consultation
- Recovery
- Several weeks with individualized sitting restrictions
- Results
- Develop over months; results vary
General planning information. Your procedure, anesthesia, recovery, and results depend on your health and treatment plan. Returning to work does not mean full healing.
About the procedure
A Brazilian butt lift combines liposuction with fat transfer to the buttocks. It adds volume and changes contour; it does not remove excess skin like a surgical buttock lift. Enough donor fat, appropriate health, and realistic goals are needed.
Gluteal fat grafting carries a risk of fatal fat embolism if fat enters the circulation. Surgical societies support injection only in the subcutaneous layer above the muscle fascia and real time ultrasound to monitor cannula placement. These measures reduce risk but do not eliminate it. Ask Dr. Huson to confirm the proposed technique, ultrasound use, facility, and emergency arrangements before proceeding.
Sitting, sleeping, exercise, and travel restrictions need a specific plan. Do not assume that a cushion makes unrestricted sitting safe. The amount of retained fat varies, and further treatment may be needed after healing.
Good candidates
- A flat or asymmetric buttock
- Enough donor fat on the abdomen, flanks, or thighs
- A stable, healthy weight
- Willingness to follow sitting restrictions during recovery
Candidacy is confirmed at your consultation. Dr. Huson will tell you honestly if a different approach would serve you better.
Before & after
Coming soon
Before and after photos for brazilian butt lift will be added here.
What to expect
Your consultation
The consultation reviews your goals, medical history, medications, nicotine use, and examination findings. Discuss alternatives, the proposed setting and anesthesia, realistic changes, costs, and the support you will need during recovery.
The procedure
Fat is harvested with liposuction and prepared for transfer. Safety guidance supports keeping injections above the gluteal fascia in the subcutaneous tissue and using real time ultrasound to monitor placement. Confirm the planned safeguards and facility with your surgeon.
Recovery
Follow the specific plan for sitting, sleeping, exercise, travel, and compression. Both donor sites and buttocks need time to heal. Swelling settles gradually and fat retention is not predictable.
Risks and limitations
- Fat embolism can be fatal. Subcutaneous placement and ultrasound guidance do not make the procedure risk free.
- Other risks include blood clots, infection, fat necrosis, asymmetry, and problems at the liposuction sites.
This is not a complete list. Your clinician should explain the risks of the specific procedure and anesthesia, including bleeding, infection, healing problems, and any medical factors that change your risk.
Other options
Observation, a skin lift for laxity, or another contouring plan may be more appropriate. Implants have separate risks. A lack of suitable donor fat or unacceptable medical risk can make augmentation unsuitable.
Planning your consultation
Bring your medication list and relevant medical history. Ask about the facility, anesthesia team, follow-up, time away from work, and help at home. Request an itemized estimate covering the procedure, anesthesia, facility, and any additional care; confirm coverage directly if insurance may apply.
Common questions
Bring the rest to your consultation. There is no such thing as too many.
What are the main safety concerns?
Fat entering blood vessels can cause a fatal embolism. Blood clots, infection, and anesthesia complications are also possible. Appropriate technique, ultrasound, and facility planning reduce risk without eliminating it.
How much of the transferred fat stays?
Retention varies. A stable assessment takes months, and the immediate postoperative size includes swelling.
Can I use an implant instead?
Implants and excisional lifts address different needs and have their own risks. Not every patient is a candidate for buttock augmentation, and declining treatment is an option.
Related procedures
View all 13Sources and further reading
- ASPS and partner societies: Gluteal fat grafting safety statement
- Cleveland Clinic: Fat transfer, recovery, and risks
- ASPS: Buttock enhancement
- ASPS: Buttock enhancement risks and safety
Patient education from Queen City Plastic Surgery. Updated . General information does not replace a personal medical assessment. Sources explain general procedures and do not establish the services or protocols of this practice. Contact the practice with questions or to request a correction.
Ready to talk about Brazilian Butt Lift?
Consultations are free, unhurried, and educational. Bring your questions and your goals; leave with an honest plan.