Is a BBL Possible When You’re Skinny?

Many men and women who are at (or very near) their goal weight are curious as to whether they would qualify for a Brazilian butt lift — also known as a BBL. This is because Brazilian butt lifts necessitate a certain amount of excess body fat so that extra cells can be harvested and relocated to the butt and hip area. Skinny patients, then, may have a harder time.

While not every thin patient will be a good candidate for a Brazilian butt lift, the good news is that — most of the time — even if you are thin, you will be able to take advantage of this procedure. Below, we’ll take a look at what to expect if you are skinny and interested in a BBL. First, however, let’s go over what a Brazilian butt lift entails.

What Is a BBL?

A Brazilian butt lift, also known as a BBL, is a common cosmetic procedure that aims to add volume to the buttocks area and hips. The surgery has largely replaced butt implant procedures. Both women and men get Brazilian butt lifts. For women, the surgery is especially popular — alongside breast augmentation — at helping to achieve a sexy hourglass figure à la Khloe Kardashian or a more athletic “bubble butt” shape.

Brazilian butt lifts involve two stages. The first stage is liposuction.

Your surgeon will use liposuction to remove excess fat from parts of your body where you’d like to slim down. For example, fat is generally extracted from the abdomen, flanks, upper back, upper arms, or other “problem” areas. This fat is then processed outside the body before being reinjected around the hips and/or buttocks.

Brazilian butt lifts achieve natural, long-lasting results and can do amazing things for your figure. Still, not everyone will qualify as a good candidate for this procedure. Let’s take a look at the requirements for this surgery.

BBL Requirements

For starters, the best candidates for BBL surgery are those who are in overall good physical health. You should be a non-smoker and at or near your goal body weight. This is because too much weight on the body might make it difficult to discern the changes created by BBL surgery.

Your goal for a BBL should be to enhance the general shape of your buttocks — perhaps making it rounder, wider, more symmetrical, or simply larger overall. You can discuss more concerning your options at your BBL consultation appointment. 

In addition to the above requirements, patients should also have relatively elastic skin. 

How much extra fat do you need for a BBL?

BBL patients need to have enough extra fat on their bodies so that a BBL is feasible. This does not mean that you should be overweight, and there is no specific weight required for this surgery. Everyone’s body is different, and we all carry our weight differently as well. 

In the end, you’ll need to have a consultation appointment and be examined before your surgeon can know for sure if you have enough fat to be eligible for this surgery. The good news is that those with a “normal BMI” as well as those with a slightly elevated BMI should be able to undergo a BBL as they will usually have enough excess fat for the procedure.

Of course, another factor to consider is what types of changes you are looking to achieve. If you only want small, subtle changes to the size of your hips and buttocks, you’ll naturally only require a small amount of fat to be removed and transferred. More drastic changes, on the other hand, will require more stores of excess fat for harvesting.

Can you be too skinny for a BBL?

Yes, in some cases, a patient may end up being too thin for a BBL. When this happens, it’s important that the patient does not understand this to mean that they should intentionally gain weight in order to undergo the procedure. This is not only a risky and unhealthy practice when done solely to have a BBL, but it probably wouldn’t work to achieve your desired results anyway. 

That is, even if you were to gain extra fat and have it harvested and moved to the hips and buttocks area, chances are, your body would eventually achieve its skinnier equilibrium again. In turn, this would cause you to lose all — or a significant portion — of your results. 

If you are thin and do not have excess fat that can be harvested and used in a BBL, you do have other options. Some patients in this situation might choose to undergo traditional butt lift or glute implant surgery, for example. You might also consider a thigh lift to fix any excess skin or tissue on the thighs or near the groin.

Preparing for Your BBL Consultation

When preparing for your BBL consultation appointment, be sure to bring the following with you:

• Pictures of your goal figure. These might be photos of you in the past or pictures of celebrities and other individuals whose looks you’d like to emulate with surgery.
• A list of procedures you’d like to consider. Brazilian butt lifts can be combined with tummy tucks, Mommy makeovers, breast lifts, and more.
• Your medical records, including a list of current medications and supplements. It’s also good to keep a list of any medical conditions or illnesses that may complicate your ability to undergo elective BBL surgery. Speak with your doctors ahead of time if you feel more comfortable. 
• A notebook with all of your questions and concerns listed.

Schedule Your BBL Consultation Appointment Today!

Online research can only take you so far when it comes to understanding your candidacy for a Brazilian butt lift. The best way to know if a BBL will work for you is to meet one-on-one with a board-certified plastic surgeon. 

At Hill Country Plastic Surgery, Dr. Scott Farber and Dr. Amita Shah are at your service to help find the best cosmetic procedures for your goals. Book a consultation appointment with one of our doctors today to find out if a Brazilian butt lift could work for you!

References

https://www.healthline.com/health/brazilian-butt-lift

https://www.theaestheticsociety.org/procedures/body/butt-lift