Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) in Turkey

A Brazilian butt lift (BBL) reshapes the buttocks using your own fat. Fat is removed by liposuction from areas such as the abdomen, flanks, back or thighs, processed, and then placed in the buttocks to add projection, round out the upper pole and soften hollows at the sides of the hips. Because the donor areas are slimmed at the same time, the change in proportion between waist and hips is often as noticeable as the added volume.

If you are considering a Brazilian butt lift in Turkey, Plastic Surgery Turkey Group (PSTG) plans your treatment with you and coordinates your stay, while the operation itself is carried out by the treating surgeon at a contracted healthcare institution in Istanbul or Antalya. This page explains how the procedure works, what makes it safer, and what recovery realistically involves.

Brazilian butt lift at a glance#

• What it is: liposuction of donor areas followed by transfer of the processed fat to the buttocks.
• Anaesthesia: general anaesthesia.
• Operating time: typically around two to four hours, depending on the number of donor areas and the planned volume.
• Hospital stay: an overnight stay is usual.
• Time in Turkey: many surgeons advise around a week to ten days, so that the first check-ups happen and you are walking comfortably before the flight home.
• Back to desk work: commonly after about two weeks, with sitting restricted at first and a cushion or standing workstation helping.
• Final result: judged after around three to six months, once swelling settles and the fat that survives is stable.
• Usually not advised if: there is too little donor fat for the change you want, you have a high BMI, a history of blood clots, uncontrolled heart or lung conditions, or you smoke and cannot stop.

Who is a good candidate#

A BBL depends on having enough fat to harvest. Good candidates are usually people who:

• have fat deposits in areas they would like reduced, such as the tummy, love handles, lower back or thighs;
• want more buttock projection, a rounder shape or smoother hip contours;
• are in good general health, at a stable weight and not planning major weight loss;
• are non-smokers, or are willing to stop well before and after surgery;
• understand that the final size depends on how much transferred fat survives.

A BBL may not be the right choice if you:

• are very slim with little donor fat, in which case a smaller-volume skinny BBL or buttock implants may be discussed instead;
• have a high body mass index, which raises surgical and anaesthetic risk (see plastic surgery and BMI);
• have a history of blood clots, a clotting disorder or heart and lung conditions that are not well controlled;
• want a very large increase in a single session, because the volume that can be grafted safely is limited.

Our guide to whether a BBL in Turkey is right for you goes through candidacy in more detail.

Techniques and options#

Every BBL combines two parts: contouring the donor areas and grafting the fat. The main differences between plans are where fat is taken from, how much is transferred and how the fat is placed. If you do not have enough fat, or want more volume than fat can safely give, the alternatives are a lean-patient version of the operation or an implant. The table compares them.

Read more about the lean-patient version on our skinny BBL page, which also covers BMI and donor fat limits.

Liposuction of the donor areas#

The surgeon chooses donor sites that both supply enough fat and improve your silhouette, commonly the abdomen, flanks and lower back. Contouring the lower back and waist is what creates much of the curve people associate with a BBL. Some patients also want wider liposuction of the thighs or arms at the same time. The surgeon weighs this against total operating time.

Volume and shape#

Your surgeon will discuss shape as well as size, for example whether the aim is more projection, a lifted look at the top of the buttock or filling of the hip dips. Not all transferred fat survives, because part of it is reabsorbed in the first months. Some surgeons graft slightly more than the final target for this reason, within safe limits. How surgeons approach this is covered in our article on natural-looking BBL results.

Fat placement: why the layer matters#

This is the most important safety point of the whole operation. The buttock has a layer of fat under the skin (the subcutaneous layer) sitting on top of the large gluteal muscles. Large blood vessels run beneath and within those muscles.

If fat is injected deep into or beneath the muscle, it can enter these vessels and travel to the lungs. This is called fat embolism, and it is the most serious complication associated with BBL. International plastic surgery societies have reviewed the problem and have advised placing fat in the subcutaneous layer, above the muscle, rather than deliberately into or under it. Practice varies between surgeons, so ask what your surgeon does. Safer practice commonly involves:

• keeping the fat in the subcutaneous layer and not deliberately into the muscle;
• keeping the cannula moving and angled so that its tip stays in the superficial plane rather than diving downwards;
• using ultrasound during grafting in some practices, to see the cannula and confirm it stays above the muscle;
• limiting the amount grafted to what the tissue can accept without excessive pressure.

It is reasonable to ask at consultation which plane the fat will be placed in, how the surgeon confirms it and how many BBLs they perform. A careful surgeon will welcome the questions. None of these steps removes the risk completely.

How the procedure is carried out#

A BBL is performed under general anaesthesia and typically takes around two to four hours, depending on the number of donor areas and the planned volume.

• Marking: before surgery the surgeon marks the donor areas and the zones of the buttocks to be shaped while you are standing.
• Liposuction: through small incisions, a tumescent solution is introduced and fat is harvested with a cannula.
• Processing: the harvested fat is filtered, washed or decanted to separate usable fat from fluid and oil.
• Grafting: the fat is placed in small amounts through small incisions, in the subcutaneous layer, building shape gradually.
• Closing: the small incisions are closed or left to drain, and a compression garment is fitted.

You are monitored as you wake up and usually stay in hospital overnight. Measures to reduce the risk of blood clots, such as early walking, compression stockings and sometimes medication, are part of standard care.

Recovery and results#

The first days are usually the most uncomfortable, mainly from the liposuction areas, which feel bruised and tight. Pain is managed with prescribed medication.

• First two weeks: you avoid sitting or lying directly on your buttocks, so that pressure does not reduce the blood supply to the new fat. A special cushion placed under the thighs is often used when sitting cannot be avoided. You sleep on your front or side, take short, regular walks from the first day and wear a compression garment over the liposuction areas.
• Weeks three to eight: sitting is gradually reintroduced as your surgeon allows. Swelling reduces steadily, although the buttocks may look larger at first than they will finally be. Exercise is built up in stages and strenuous workouts are usually delayed for several weeks.
• Three to six months and beyond: the shape becomes more stable as swelling settles and surviving fat establishes a blood supply. Fat that survives behaves like other body fat, so gaining or losing a lot of weight will change the result.

Results vary with body type, the amount of available fat and how closely aftercare is followed. Our article on BBL recovery and long-term results walks through the timeline in more detail.

This is one patient's result. A BBL adds volume and improves contour, but it does not tighten loose buttock skin, and no photo predicts your own outcome. The BBL before and after gallery shows more examples, and our guide on how to read BBL before-and-after photos explains what to look for.

Risks and limitations#

A BBL is major body contouring surgery. The main risks include:

• fat embolism, which is rare but potentially life-threatening, and is the reason placement depth matters so much;
• blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis) that can travel to the lungs, a concern made more relevant by long flights;
• fluid collections (seroma), infection and delayed wound healing;
• fat necrosis or oil cysts, felt as firm lumps where grafted fat has not survived;
• asymmetry, irregular contours or dimpling in the buttocks or donor areas;
• volume loss greater than expected, sometimes meaning a second session is considered;
• changes in skin sensation and the general risks of anaesthesia.

Where there is marked sagging, a buttock lift or a different combination may be recommended, because fat transfer adds volume but does not remove loose skin. For a broader view of what to check before any operation abroad, see Is plastic surgery in Turkey safe?

How the price is built#

A BBL is priced as a plan, not a fixed package. The main factors are:

• how many donor areas are treated and how much liposuction is needed;
• the volume of fat the surgeon expects to transfer, or whether an implant is used instead;
• whether it is combined with other operations, for example a tummy tuck or a mommy makeover;
• the length of the hospital stay and the number of nights you stay in Turkey;
• what is coordinated around surgery: transfers, interpreter or assistant, medication, nursing and wound care, and follow-up.

PSTG provides a written treatment plan and quote after the surgeon has reviewed your photos and medical history. When comparing quotes, ask in writing what is included, how many donor areas the price covers, how the hospital stay, medication, compression garment and follow-up are handled, and what the policy is if a second session is needed. Our article on what shapes the price of a BBL in Turkey explains how to read a quote.

Flying in from the UK, the US or Australia#

Most of our patients travel a long way, and sitting for hours is the awkward part after a BBL.

• From the UK and Europe: flights to Istanbul are usually a few hours, which is easier on the new fat and makes it simpler to bring a companion.
• From the US and Canada: flights are typically ten hours or more. Plan how you will avoid sitting directly on the buttocks, and ask the surgeon when they are happy for you to fly.
• From Australia and New Zealand: with connections, the journey commonly takes 20 hours or more each way. A longer stay in Turkey before travelling is often sensible.

Long flights after surgery raise the risk of blood clots. Wear your compression garment and stockings if advised, walk the aisle regularly, drink water and ask the surgeon about seating, for example a flight where you can lie on your front or use a cushion under the thighs. Tell your own doctor about your plans in advance, bring your operation notes and medication list home, and set up virtual follow-up.

Planning your treatment in Turkey#

Planning starts with an online assessment. You send photos of your body from the front, back and sides, along with your height, weight, medical history and any medications. The surgeon reviews these and, if a BBL looks suitable, you receive a written treatment plan and quote.

Many surgeons advise staying in Turkey for around a week to ten days after a BBL, so that the first check-ups can take place and you are walking comfortably before the flight home. Depending on your package, PSTG coordinates:

• pre- and post-operative consultations and follow-up appointments;
• a 4-5-star hotel and airport, hotel and clinic transfers;
• a personal interpreter or assistant and 24/7 support;
• post-operative medication, nursing and wound care;
• meals and any special dietary needs;
• virtual follow-up after you fly home and coordination with your home doctor if needed.

A BBL is often combined with other body procedures, for example as part of a mommy makeover. Combining operations lengthens surgery and recovery, and the surgeon decides whether a combination is safe for you.

Where treatment takes place#

Your operation takes place at a contracted healthcare institution authorised for international health tourism, in Istanbul or Antalya. The treating surgeon examines you, decides whether a BBL is appropriate and chooses the technique and volume. PSTG, a TÜRSAB-affiliated health-tourism intermediary, handles the coordination around your treatment and shares the institution's and surgeon's details with you before you commit.

Related reading#

• Skinny BBL in Turkey
• BBL cost in Turkey: what shapes the price
• BBL recovery and long-term results in Turkey
• BBL before and after in Turkey: how to read the photos
• How Turkish surgeons approach natural BBL results

If you would like to know whether a BBL could suit your body, send us your photos for a free, no-obligation assessment. You can also browse the other plastic surgery procedures we coordinate and take your time deciding.