Let’s not pretend we all haven’t seen the viral photos and videos of patients trying to avoid sitting after BBL surgery—from kneeling in front of airplane seats to finagled air mattresses in the trunks of SUVs.
We’ll be the first to admit that the idea of not sitting or laying on your booty for an extended period isn’t exactly easy to embrace. But avoiding pressure on your new curves is a must for preserving your stunning new curves. We promise it’s not as hilarious as these images suggest.
At Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery, we’ve performed hundreds of successful BBL procedures. A big part of that success? Adhering to your post-op guidelines, which is why we’re with you at every step of your recovery. That means knowing when it’s safe to sit on your newly sculpted derriere.
The good news? Opting for a BBL doesn’t mean you’ll be on your feet all recovery long. With the right preparation and post-op support, you can lock in your gorgeous new figure without ever sacrificing a minute of lounge time.
The Dynamics of Sitting After BBL Surgery
A Brazilian Butt Lift, or BBL, is a surgery that removes fat (via liposuction) from targeted areas of the body (like your back or waist) and transfers it into the buttocks for enhanced shape and size. It’s a transformative procedure for contouring trouble spots and creating your dream booty.
But as with any surgery, there is some downtime and post-op instructions you’ll have to stick to. Part of your BBL post-operative care includes activity restrictions, like not sitting or sleeping on your backside.
Most patients assume this is to avoid irritating the surgical site and incisions, but that’s only partly true. The more critical reason for avoiding pressure on your buttocks? It’s all about fat transfer protection.
The Importance of Fat Transfer Protection
When you undergo a BBL, only 50-70% of the transferred fat cells actually survive. The rest are absorbed by your body. Don’t worry, though—master surgeons like Dr. Cat anticipate this, tailoring your surgical plan accordingly.
As for ensuring fat survival, it doesn’t end when your surgery does.
It takes six to eight weeks post-op for the new fat to stabilize and settle into the surrounding tissue. Leading up to this “fluffing phase,” your newly transferred fat cells are extremely fragile.
Therefore, they need time to heal and form new blood supplies to survive. Sitting too soon could disrupt this process, hindering the formation of these vital blood supply connections.
That means keeping as much pressure off your buttocks as possible is imperative. Otherwise, you risk compromising the newly injected fat and, more importantly, your results. We can’t have that now, can we?
Brazilian Butt Lift Care: Timing and Techniques
To give you a better idea of what lies ahead, here’s what the BBL healing timeline typically looks like:
Immediately Post-Op
You’ll awake from surgery a bit groggy and sore, wearing your new outfit for the next few weeks: a BBL compression garment. This will be custom-fitted and slipped on while you’re still under.
Week 1
These initial days are all about rest and recovery. You’ll continue wearing your compression garment daily, taking it off only to shower or use the restroom.
From this moment on, you must avoid any and all pressure on your booty (except for sitting on the toilet, of course).
Week 2
Around this time, most swelling and bruising start to subside, gradually revealing a better glimpse of your results. Sitting and laying on your back is still a no-go.
Weeks 3-4
At this point, you can start sitting on your behind for brief intervals. Swelling, bruising, and any pain should be mostly gone by now.
Weeks 6-8
Your BBL is beautifully fluffing and settling into the surrounding tissue. At this stage, your surgeon might give the green light to alternate wearing your compression garment on and off.
Sitting and sleeping on your back is allowed, but remember: the less pressure you put on your booty, the better for maximizing your BBL results.
Weeks 12-Year 1
Life can pretty much get back to normal. Your BBL has gradually taken shape, with the final results blossoming in the next year or so.
We promised you wouldn’t be on your feet for the entire BBL recovery process. So, what’s a safe posture after BBL for sitting?
Post-BBL Sitting Precautions
Here are some tips to help you kick back without leaving your curves to chance:
Invest in BBL Cushions Before Surgery
Prep your recovery space with BBL chairs and pillows. These special pillows and furniture help support your back while eliminating pressure on your buttocks. When sitting after a BBL, these are your holy grail.
Wear your compression garments
Compression garments aren’t just for aiding the BBL recovery process. They also encourage safe posture after BBL surgery. Feel free to continue wearing them, even after your doc gives you approval to dial it back.
Get creative sitting after BBL surgery
If you find ways to sit without straining your derriere, we’re all for it (no matter how silly it looks). So straddle a chair with your booty hanging off the front, or kneel in front of an airplane seat—whatever works.
If you must sit, do it wisely
If you happen to find yourself in a situation where you must sit and don’t have your BBL cushions with you, be strategic. Opt for a soft surface and take breaks every 10-15 minutes.
Be wary of post-surgical massages
Some surgeons recommend lymphatic massages after plastic surgery—Dr. Cat is not one of them. In fact, she believes these painful massages can do more harm than good, especially for BBLs.
Once you’ve reached the end of your BBL healing timeline, is there anything you can do to safeguard your curves long-term? Absolutely.
Maximizing BBL Results: Long-Term Practices
After recovery, your results are locked in. That said, your habits and lifestyle choices can make all the difference in how your BBL matures in the coming years.
Here are some tips for maximizing BBL results long-term:
- Loved your BBL cushions? Keep using them! There’s no harm in keeping undue pressure off your behind, even as time goes on.
- The fat cells in your new curves are still susceptible to change. Meaning? They can grow with weight gain or shrink with weight loss. Maintain a stable weight to uphold those beautiful results.
- Speaking of healthy habits, include exercises that strengthen and tone the glutes in your post-BBL workouts. This helps enhance your booty’s shape and firmness over time.
- We know you’re tempted to slip into tight jeans and bandage skirts but avoid anything too constricting. Miss the snug, smoothing effect your compression garment offered? Keep rocking it. It certainly doesn’t hurt!
Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery: Curves and Confidence That Endure
Just like the inventiveness of those patients from viral social media posts, the journey of sitting after BBL is one filled with patience, post-op guidance, and maybe a dash of ingenuity.
Whether it’s carrying your trusty BBL cushions everywhere or coming up with hilarious sitting solutions, we fully support your endeavor. The goal? Making sure your striking figure and self-love endure, year after fabulous year.
