Overview
A Brazilian butt lift (BBL) is gluteal fat grafting: fat is removed by liposuction from areas such as the abdomen, flanks or back, purified, and injected into the buttocks and hips to change their shape and projection. No implant is used. ASPS explains that surgeons often harvest up to three times more fat than they finally inject, and that on average about 60–80% of the transferred fat survives long term.
People searching for a BBL in Colombia are usually weighing two things at once: the look they want and whether the surgery can be done safely far from home. Safety deserves the first place. U.S. plastic surgery societies have called gluteal fat grafting a procedure with significantly higher risk than other elective aesthetic operations, and they now support injecting fat only above the gluteal muscle, with real-time ultrasound to confirm the plane.
Dr. Fulvio Correa, a plastic surgeon in Cartagena and member of the Sociedad Colombiana de Cirugía Plástica, evaluates every BBL candidate personally, either in person in Cartagena or through a virtual consultation if you live elsewhere, before any travel is booked. Below: candidacy, how the procedure is done, the sitting rules that shape recovery and how to plan the trip. to discuss your case.
Candidates
A BBL depends on having enough fat to move. ASPS lists the factors that decide the technique: the current size and shape of the buttocks, how much fat is available for liposuction, your goals and activity level, and skin quality.
You are more likely to be a suitable candidate if:
- you have adequate donor fat in the abdomen, flanks, back or thighs;
- your weight is stable, because transferred fat grows or shrinks with weight changes just like any other fat;
- you are in good health, do not smoke and have no history of blood clots or clotting disorders;
- you can follow sitting and sleeping restrictions for the first weeks.
Very lean patients asking for a "skinny BBL" may have limited donor fat, which caps the volume that can be transferred. A consultation measures what is realistic rather than promising a size. If donor fat is scarce, contouring with liposuction alone may give a more balanced result than forcing volume.
Technique
The three stages
- Harvest. Liposuction removes fat from the chosen donor areas through small incisions, using tumescent fluid to limit bleeding.
- Processing. The fat is separated from fluid and blood so that mostly viable fat cells are grafted.
- Grafting. The fat is injected through a cannula in many small passes across the buttocks and hips.
ASPS notes that the procedure is performed under intravenous sedation or general anesthesia, depending on the case.
Why the injection plane matters
The most serious BBL complication is fat embolism: fat that enters the large veins under the gluteal muscle can travel to the lungs. In their 2022 joint statement, ASPS, The Aesthetic Society and their research foundations supported injecting fat only into the subcutaneous space, above the gluteal fascia, and using real-time ultrasound to track the cannula tip. The statement also asks surgeons to operate only in licensed facilities, avoid delegating critical steps to untrained staff, and stay available for complications whether the patient is local or has traveled.
These are useful questions to bring to any consultation: where exactly the fat is placed, how that plane is confirmed and who performs each step.
Stay in Cartagena
Sitting, sleeping and the flight home
ASPS advises avoiding prolonged sitting for about two weeks after gluteal fat grafting—some surgeons prefer longer—because pressure damages the grafted fat. You will be encouraged to sleep face down or on your side and, when you must sit, to use a cushion under the back of the thighs so the buttocks stay off the seat. A long flight works against all of this, and long flights also raise clot risk.
That is why the return date for a BBL is set by your surgeon after the first follow-ups rather than fixed in advance. Your recommended stay is confirmed after evaluation.
Planning your time in Cartagena
- Book lodging where you can lie down comfortably and walk around freely; a desk-bound itinerary does not fit a BBL recovery.
- Bring a BBL-type cushion and loose dresses that fit over the support garment in the heat.
- Keep the return flight changeable and ask about an aisle seat so you can stand and walk.
- Ask how follow-up works once you are home. ISAPS recommends clarifying emergency care abroad and home-country follow-up before surgery.
For a longer decision checklist, read BBL Colombia: what U.S. patients should decide before travel.
Specific risks
ASPS lists the risks of buttock enhancement as including anesthesia risks, asymmetry, bleeding (hematoma), deep vein thrombosis with heart and lung complications, fat necrosis, fluid accumulation (seroma), infection, changes in skin sensation, persistent pain, poor wound healing, skin discoloration or prolonged swelling, and the possible need for revision surgery.
Fat embolism sits above that list in severity. The 2022 joint statement acknowledges that fatalities from fat embolism after gluteal fat grafting have occurred with disturbing frequency, which is why the injection plane and ultrasound guidance are non-negotiable topics in consultation. Liposuction of the donor areas adds its own risks, such as contour irregularities.
Some of the transferred fat is reabsorbed during the first months, so projection can decrease over time. Seek emergency care right away for shortness of breath, chest pain or an irregular heartbeat.
This page is general information and does not replace an individual evaluation.
Recovery timeline
First days
You will wear a support garment around the clock, as ASPS describes, and may go home within hours of surgery. Soreness is usually felt most in the liposuction areas. Walk short distances often; sleep face down or on your side.
Weeks 1–2
Avoid prolonged sitting for about two weeks (ASPS), using a thigh cushion when sitting is unavoidable. Your surgeon may recommend lymphatic massage by a licensed therapist.
Weeks 6–8
ASPS notes that exercise can generally resume after six to eight weeks, as cleared by your surgeon. Swelling in the donor areas keeps settling.
Up to one year
The buttocks look fuller right away, but ASPS explains that the final result takes about a year, once the surviving fat has established a blood supply and the rest has been absorbed.
If you only want to slim the waist and flanks without adding volume, see Liposuction
When loose abdominal skin is also a concern, the donor-area plan may be combined with a Tummy tuck
Questions about brazilian butt lift
Is a BBL in Colombia safe?
Safety depends on the surgeon, facility and technique rather than the country. Plastic surgery societies support injecting fat only above the gluteal muscle with real-time ultrasound, in licensed facilities, with the surgeon available for complications. Ask how each point is handled.
How long can I not sit after a BBL?
ASPS advises avoiding prolonged sitting for about two weeks, and some surgeons prefer longer. When sitting is necessary, a cushion under the back of the thighs keeps pressure off the grafted fat.
How much of the transferred fat survives?
According to ASPS, patients retain on average about 60 to 80 percent of the transferred fat, sometimes more and sometimes less. The final result is visible at about one year.
Can I get a BBL if I am thin?
It depends on available donor fat. Lean patients can sometimes have a modest transfer, but volume is limited by how much fat can be safely harvested, which is measured at consultation.
When can I exercise after a Brazilian butt lift?
ASPS notes that exercise can generally resume after six to eight weeks. Your surgeon decides based on how the donor and grafted areas are healing.
How long should I stay in Cartagena after a BBL?
The date is set after your follow-up visits, taking into account sitting restrictions, swelling and the length of your flight. Plan a flexible return ticket rather than a fixed short stay.