Tulsa Surgical Arts

7322 E 91st St, Tulsa, OK 74133 · 918-392-7900 · tulsasurgicalarts.com

Oklahoma Surgical Arts · 12400 Saint Andrew’s Dr, Oklahoma City, OK 73120 · 405-751-0042

Brazilian Butt Lift (Fat Transfer to the Buttocks)

Plain-language patient guide

What this surgery is

A Brazilian butt lift, or BBL, moves your own fat to your buttocks. Fat is removed from areas like the belly or waist with liposuction. That fat is cleaned and then placed into the buttocks to add shape.

Not all the placed fat survives. The lasting result shows after a few months. We follow a strict safety-first method for this surgery. Read the risks section closely.

What happens during it

You get anesthesia (medicine that makes you sleep).
Fat is suctioned from donor areas through small cuts.
The fat is filtered and prepared for transfer.
The fat is placed ONLY in the layer just under the skin. It is never injected into the muscle.
Placing fat into the muscle is what caused deaths from this surgery in the past. Staying above the muscle is the national safety rule, and it is our rule.
The small cuts are closed. A compression garment goes on.

Main risks

Every surgery has risks. Here are the main ones for this surgery, in plain words. We will go over all of them with you in person.

Fat can enter a vein and travel to the lungs (called a fat embolism). This can be deadly. Placing fat only above the muscle makes this far less likely, but no surgery is risk-free.
Some of the fat is absorbed by the body. The size settles smaller than the day of surgery.
Uneven shape between the two sides.
Firm lumps where fat did not survive (called fat necrosis). Most soften with time.
Bleeding. Some bleeding can need another trip to the operating room.
Infection. Signs are spreading redness, warmth, pus, or fever.
Scars. Every cut leaves a scar. Most fade over a year. Some stay raised or wide.
Numb skin near the cuts. Feeling usually returns over months. Small areas can stay numb.
Blood clots in the legs. A clot can travel to the lungs. That is an emergency.
Problems from anesthesia (the medicine that makes you sleep). These are rare in healthy people.
Uneven results. The two sides of the body are never a perfect match.
The need for another surgery to fix a problem or improve the result.

What recovery is like

First two weeks: Do not sit directly on your buttocks. Use a special pillow under your thighs when you must sit. Sleep on your stomach or side.
One week: The lipo areas are bruised and sore. Walk every few hours.
Two weeks: Careful sitting with the pillow. Many people return to desk work.
Six weeks: Normal sitting and full exercise for most patients.
Three to six months: Swelling clears and the surviving fat is stable. This is your result.

When to call us right away

In any emergency, call 911 first.

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department now — do not drive yourself, do not wait:

Chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, or trouble breathing.
Fainting, sudden confusion, or weakness on one side of the body.
Sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, or confusion.
You have chest pain or trouble breathing.
One leg swells, or one calf hurts more than the other.
Blood soaks a bandage and does not slow down with gentle pressure.

Otherwise call us at 918-392-7900, day or night, if:

You have a fever of 101.5°F (38.6°C) or higher.
Redness spreads out from a cut, or you see pus.
Your pain gets much worse instead of better.
A wound pulls open, or stitches come apart.

Reviewed and approved by Austin Kluis, MD — 2026-08-23.