Cosmetic Question:
I want to have a Mommy Make-Over with a tummy tuck, liposuction, a breast augmentation and a BBL (Brazilian butt lift with fat implants to my butt to increase its size.)
Is it ok to do this all at one time?
Cosmetic Answer:
It is possible. We certainly can do this combination, but we do recommend that you consider having the BBL at a separate time. Let me explain.
First, let’s consider the length of surgery. If you are slim, your tummy tuck with liposuction may take only 3 hours, your breast enlargement takes an hour or less, which leaves lots of time to turn you over for the buttock fat transplants without surgery taking so long that risks increase.
However, if you are over-weight, surgery takes longer, and risks are higher – because of your weight and because longer surgery has higher risks of infection and blood clots. Therefore, safety is a major consideration. Generally, risks rise a lot after 6 hours of anesthesia. If doing the BBL will take surgery past the 6 hour mark, we prefer to postpone the BBL.
Secondly, and equally important, is how you position yourself after surgery. You will need to lie on your back or sit after having a tummy tuck and breast lift, and you cannot lie on your stomach- even being on your side is uncomfortable. During the first week, you sit, lie on a sofa, a bed or a reclining chair, on your back. Why does that matter? It matters because we want the fat transplants in your buttocks to survive – and unfortunately, sitting and lying on your buttock puts pressure on the fat transplants, cutting off oxygen which means they would be less likely to survive. You may not notice at first, but as early as six weeks, the injections may begin fading away.
Why can’t we just inject lots more fat to compensate for this? Research shows that fat transplant survival falls if we inject more than 250 cc of fat in a buttock cheek. The reason is that as we jam more fat into the space, the fat transplants are squeezed together, and they can’t get oxygen, so they then die. If we have put too much fat into one space, the fat can liquefy, forming an oil cyst. Research shows these cysts do not go away – they are permanent and form harmful lumps in the buttocks. This is a common complaint after high volume fat injections for a BBL.
Finally, what about a compromise – having the tummy tuck, liposuction and breast augmentation plus only a 250 cc of fat transplants, but then planning a second round a few months later if the first don’t survive? This is a very good compromise – and one that we are happy to offer.
We offer all cosmetic office and surgical procedures and cosmetic dermatology.
We have offices in Buckhead (Atlanta) and Alpharette.
We always answer our phones. Give us a call! 404.941-3200
For more information from Dr. Morgan about cosmetic surgery and treatments, search our blogs or go to www.realself.com – where Dr. Morgan regularly posts answers.
Copyright E Morgan July 2014