BBL has become something very common in Nigeria, and I wonder if Brazilians who are named after the cosmetic surgery undergo it like Nigerians. The Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) has become a statement among females, far beyond cosmetics and fashion. The majority of young ladies make statements that they are financially capable and they care for themselves, their bodies when they undergo the BBL surgery, amongst other things, like buying donor hair, and Birkin bags.
Facial, body, and breast procedures are common among women, and BBL is the procedure with the highest death rate of 1 in 3000 to 4000, compared to procedures like Cosmetic breast surgery with a death rate of 1 in 75000 to 100,000, yet it is the most popular procedure after liposuction in Nigeria. What's this procedure about?
This procedure involves 5 processes. For clarity, BBL is not an implant; it involves taking fat from one part of the body and putting it in another. First, anesthesia is given, followed by liposuction, where small cuts are made in the skin, and a cannula is used to extract the fat in the part where it is to be removed, usually the superficial layer. This is not something that you should be awake for if you are to undergo such a procedure, which is why anesthesia is important. Once the fat is removed, it is purified to remove blood, injured fat cells, and other material from the viable fat.
When the fat has been purified, it is injected into the other part of the body where it is needed, usually in layers. It is during the injection process that a lot of complications happen because injecting fat into a blood vessel can lead to fat embolism, which can be dangerous when it goes to the liver or the heart, leading to death. The recovery stage can take up to 6 to 8 weeks, which is very long, and one cannot sit on the back using the buttocks during this period.
In Nigeria, a lot of the people who claim they can do BBL cannot actually do it. A lot of them do not have the licence, and some use other people's licences. The ones with the licences do not perform it in good facilities, and are not able to handle the procedure and the risks associated with it. When ladies do their BBL in these places, there can be lots of complications, including asymmetry where one side of the butt is bigger than the other. Another surgery will be needed to correct that. Another complication is the necrosis or death of fat cells. Damage to nerves can also be another complication, and this can come with numbness, pain, or loss of sensation. The body can also begin to form fluid pockets. Other complications include thrombosis and sepsis.
At the end of the day, I cannot tell you to either do or not do a BBL if you want to because it's your choice. You have the right to do whatever you like, but it is my responsibility to help you know about it, and it is yours to decide.
Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10229447/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/breast-lift/about/pac-20393218