BBL Q & A’s

I looked through doctors portfolios and tried to find bodies that looked like mine in their pre-op pictures. If the “After” photo was something that I wanted to achieve, then I saved those photos while I contemplated my decision. I knew that this procedure had more to do with the aesthetic (the look on the outside) than it did with someone’s height and weight. I paid no attention to height, weight, or even BMI. Someone could have been 5’4″, 168 lbs, and a BMI of 29 – my exact stats at the time of surgery – but their body type could have been completely different. If I wasn’t looking for body shapes that looked exactly like mine, and assessing whether or not the doctor could yield a result that I would have been pleased with after surgery, then there was no point looking through the portfolio at all.

I personally think the fact that you’re browsing this site is a great start! Check out my BBL Timeline for a chronological account of every step of my process, which may serve as a guide when preparing for your own journey.

1. Take a deep breath.
2. Decide if the surgery is right for you.
3. Research doctors to pick the right one for your financial abilities and personal goals.
4. Be realistic in knowing that no doctor will be able to completely transform your body into something drastically different, especially with one surgery.
5. Once you’ve found the best doctor for you, stay close to this site and know you’ve made the best decision for yourself.
6. TRUST THE PROCESS.

There is really no way to answer this question. This surgery is a very personal one and this should be decided by you and you alone. You can ask your surgeon for certain shapes or sizes, but again, there is no guarantee that they will be able to deliver.

I don’t like to advise on a lot of “personal” questions, but this is one area where I will interject my opinion. It’s very important to know that in surgeries that require an incision (like a Tummy Tuck), surgeons in the US are limited to removing a certain amount of fat through liposuction. Surgeons outside of the US may also be limited to how much they can liposuction…check the legal limits in your geographical area of interest. While the Tummy Tuck does include a bit of liposuction – areas dependent on the surgeon’s practice – the surgeon may only be limited to removing 1 (one) liter of fat. During a BBL, those limits increase because there is technically no scalpel-incision required. In the state of Florida, for example, the legal limit at the time of publishing this site is 4 Liters. Texas’ legal limit is 5 liters.

Now… Tummy Tucks are usually performed to rid the body of excess skin. After a BBL (because of the large amount of liposuction) there is bound to be some remaining loose skin. If I knew I wanted to get a BBL, but also knew that I had excess skin that I would want removed via Tummy Tuck, I personally would opt for the BBL first. Here’s my line of thinking: have the maximum amount of fat removed via liposuction and then remove all the excess skin that I started with – plus the additional excess left after the BBL – during a Tummy Tuck afterward. You get the maximum results during both procedures by planning them this way.

This is another personal decision. It all depends on your priorities, your goals, and your financial fitness…but I don’t think there’s a benefit to doing one before the other. However, something to note: you may not sit or lay on your back for several weeks/months after a BBL, and you may not lay on your stomach for several days/weeks after a breast augmentation (if you’re getting a lift this time increases). Just be prepared to be totally healed before jumping from the first procedure to the next. You’ll need a few months in between at minimum.

For the most part, there is a list of drugs that are prohibited before, during, and after surgery. Check with your clinic or surgeon and make sure you receive a list of medications that are not allowed. If you are on medication that you must take daily for your physical and/or mental wellness and you are not comfortable stopping the medication prior to your surgery, be sure to communicate this to your clinic or surgeon ASAP. They will direct you on next steps to ensure that you are happy and healthy. Check out this list  of medications to avoid that I was given by MIA Aesthetics before my BBL.

You can start by calling your surgeon or clinical facility to ask them exactly what medications, quantities and dosages you will most likely be prescribed after surgery. Then you can check with your medical insurance provider and ask them what your costs will be for those medications, dosages, and quantities.

If you don’t have insurance, a great website and/or mobile app to use is “GoodRX”. www.GoodRX.com can direct you to save on prescriptions.

At my surgical center it did, yes.

This isn’t a definite answer. Depending on how long it takes you to make your corresponding appointments, how long it takes the professional filling out the clearance letter, how long it takes for the blood work to be evaluated and received, and how long it takes for all documents to be sent back to your surgical clinic all play factors here. Expect a long process. The clearance process at my surgical center consisted of two parts:  Blood work and a Medical Clearance Letter filled out by a doctor. NOTE: Patients over 40 are also, in most cases, required to undergo an EKG, a mammogram, and a chest X-ray.

I’m so sorry, this is not something that was a part of my surgery journey. I actually had to gain weight for my procedure. However, I do know that everything about this process takes time. There’s a medical reason that your weight needs to be under a certain BMI to safely have surgery. Please continue to work toward your goals and schedule your procedure to take place after you reach them. Some tips: increase your water intake, decrease your caloric intake, and introduce even just a little more movement each day than you currently partake in. The combination of these three things will bring you results before you know it! Consider checking out @denetrabfit, fitness coach and IFBB pro. She’s recently started training BBL Dolls both before and after their surgery, she can definitely help you!

My best suggestion would be to get an at-home hemo-testing kit. (You can find one in my Amazon storefront.) If through testing your hemo level at home, or through the process of getting your bloodwork done, you find that your hemoglobin is low (most surgical centers require your hemo to be between 11.0-15.9 to have surgery at all) then you can take a blood health supplement such as Hemaplex or Floradix, also available on my storefront above! VERY IMPORTANT: ONE OR THE OTHER, NOT BOTH!

I never considered a TT. I’ve never been pregnant, and I have never lost a significant amount of weight leaving me with excess skin. I knew a BBL was the right surgery for me.

NO! I stayed away from these, because I knew that any photo I would have wanted to use, was most likely unrealistic. If you think about this, we all have very different bodies. Pro-tip: check your hopeful surgeons portfolio for before-photos that have body types like yours, and use those same photos to show your surgeon on the day of your consultation. This way you have a realistic expectation, and your surgeon also has something realistic to work off of.

Corresponding with the question above, I showed him photos of his own work. We discussed whether or not those results would be a possibility while he was looking at those photos and my body at the same time. The more detailed and specific you can be with your surgeon about your goals, the better your chances of receiving an educational response from your surgeon.

Honestly, it’s not possible. We can tell our surgeons what we hope for, but there is no guarantee. Due to the differences in our body foundations, due to things inside our bodies that we may not be able to see (such as dense, fibrous tissue in the buttocks which could result in difficulty in fat transfer, and/or uneven hips in our starting foundation), the surgeon will do their best but can not promise us perfection. This is true for any cosmetic procedure, not just the BBL.

This isn’t something that can be predetermined. It all depends on what your doctor will be able to transfer. The amount is determined by your body and your body alone. The elasticity of your skin, and the denseness of the tissues and fibers inside your buttocks also play a huge role, and there is no way to prepare for more or less. You can do your best to voice your goals and hopes to your doctor, but there is no guarantee that they will be able to deliver what you want. Often it takes multiple surgeries to achieve certain goals, especially if the body you are starting with is very different from your goal body.

The amount able to be removed varies by surgeon based on the location they are practicing. For example, in the states Florida limits liposuction to 4 liters maximum. Texas limits liposuction to 5 liters maximum. The amount that a surgeon is able to transfer cannot be predetermined and depends on the elasticity of your skin, and the denseness of the tissues and fibers inside your buttocks, and there is no way to prepare for more or less. You can do your best to voice your goals and hopes to your doctor, but there is no guarantee that they will be able to deliver what you want.

About 2 hours. My nurse asked me to text her right as the doctor came into the room where I was waiting, to let her know I was going in. She then told me they called her to let her know I was waking up, about 2.5 hours later. I had been in recovery for about 20-30 mins by the time they called her.

I can’t even try to sugar-coat this. The pain was terrible. It’s an invasive surgery, and one that covers a pretty large area of the body all at once. The midsection is intensely sore and painful for several days/weeks depending on your body, and you’ll wake up with potentially lots of bruising. I know some people may have purchased my book not because they’re getting a BBL, but for the lipo360 prep, however if you’re getting a fat transfer, the butt and hips where the fat is transferred is very hard and stiff for several weeks. Don’t expect this to be an easy process. The more realistic you are about the recovery, the better your chances of a smooth recovery.

One word and one word only: YES!

 In most cases, you’ll receive three medications:

1. an antibiotic to prevent infections (very important to take this as prescribed and take the entire course of medication even if you don’t think you need it anymore. Pro-tip: if you’re prone to yeast infections, buy a probiotic at your local grocery or health-food store to balance the bacteria in your body. Antibiotics kill all bacteria, even the good ones. Some women can get yeast infections because the good bacteria are depleted…a probiotic can prevent this.)
2. an anti-nausea prescription to prevent and ease nausea (take as prescribed)
3. a prescription painkiller (very important that you don’t take any other over the counter pain relievers at the same time, or within 4-6 hours of taking your prescription)

I knew going into my surgery that I wouldn’t have an incredibly drastic change after my first procedure. I started with an extremely flat booty and a really wide midsection. Right now, I’m incredibly happy with my results. If down the line I desire a change, I’d contemplate a second round. I can’t say now whether or not I’d go back to the same doctor, because there are lots of things that could change between now and the time I decide to have a second surgery. I would have to make that decision when and if I was ready.

The first day may be easy for some because the body will most likely have a numbing fluid injected alongside the liposuction. Days 2-3 through 7-10 are most intense. The intensity of the pain will continue to decrease, especially as we move our bodies and keep the blood flowing. Make sure to walk enough, and rest. Sleep and blood flow assists in healing, and the more we do of both the quicker we get back on our feet so to speak.

Yes, of course! Like any other surgery and deciding on a doctor, it all depends on your comfort level with the surgeon you chose after researching. The arms are numb and sore, and may feel tender to the touch. It’s important to keep stretching them multiple times per day, because any area of the body that is traumatized by invasive surgery is at risk for scar tissue to grow and build up in that area. To prevent lumps and fibrosis, stretch and move the area so the scar tissue breaks up. In my experience: any area that receives liposuction should also receive manual massage in order to help prevent the build-up of scars.

The pain in my chin was literally undetectable. There was lots of facial swelling for several weeks, but I didn’t have any pain. The arms were a slightly different story. The arms were still not as painful as the pain of my abdomen, but I did experience soreness and stiffness for several weeks. There were times that my hands/fingers would even feel tingly and numb, which I understood the cause to be scar tissue forming where the incisions were. My incisions on each arm were in two places: one in my armpit and the other at the elbow. The one at the elbow was right near the area we call the “funny bone”, and the sensations I sometimes felt as scar tissue began to form were far from funny. However, nothing intolerable, and very manageable.

Ankle-length maxi dresses! Period. I didn’t even try to find anything else. They did the job at covering up the faja and my compression socks, and I was able to throw on a zip-up hoodie if I needed one. I opted for black, since we are often still draining fluids in the first week PO, so this eliminated any stains or drainage from being visible on the dress while I was at my appointments.

I went alone, too! You got this, sis! Before I knew that there is an entire industry for cosmetic surgery recovery aftercare (especially in popular surgery cities like Miami), I thought of hiring a nurse to help me recover from my surgery. Because of the sheer intensity of the procedure itself, the complexity of the recovery, and the risk of complications that come with it – and any other surgery – I highly recommend hiring a private nurse. Factor this into your budget and make it part of your process. Even if you plan to travel with a partner or a friend, I know the many sisters that chose to hire a nurse anyway were very happy that they did. The nurse will be able to coach both you and your companion on best practices for recovery after they leave, and they will be privy to looking out for signs of complications that your companion may not be aware of. I recommend Nurse Stacy’s company, Elite Concierge Recovery.

Different nursing companies will offer different packages. I decided to opt for 48 hours with the option to add a number of hours on the third day. In most cases, the hours begin when the nurse picks you up from your surgery center after the procedure is over. VERY IMPORTANT: ask the company for their license and credentials before you book. I recommend using this database to look up nursing credentials.

A seroma is a collection of fluid under the skin, usually at the site of a surgical incision. Fluid builds up under the skin where tissue was removed. It may form soon after your surgery, and continue to form for several weeks after the procedure.

Fever, severe vomiting, fainting, increased redness around incisions. Please read your post-op instructions, as any accredited surgeon should include warning signs and/or things to look for in your post-op instructions. You can check out the Post-Op instructions that I received from MIA Aesthetics, here.

Depending on your recovery and comfort level, right away you will be able to walk around, pick up light items, and carry light things on your own. Bending over and picking up things that are a bit heavier are not recommended for the first few weeks. Check with your surgeon for their instructions on this.

Babe. This is what I tell everyone that I consult with: what you see in the mirror will change 1000 times over before you are 1 year post op. The body that you see in a matter of days or weeks after surgery will not be the same body that you see 6-12 months after the procedure. Most doctors like to give us the impression that our recovery will be over by 3 months post-op, and a lot of the time that sets up the expectation that we should also be completely bikini ready, and that there will no longer be any changes to our body after 3 months. THIS IS IN FACT THE OPPOSITE. My body only started changing the most drastically after 3 months post-op. In other words, I personally believe that our final results only begin to take shape well beyond 12 weeks post-op. In fact, I didn’t see the final results of my new body until 6-9 months after surgery. Please give yourself time to heal, and do not expect to love what you see in the mirror in the first few weeks or months.

I did not visit my doctor for a 3-month post-op check-up, but please check with your surgeon on how you should go about this. Some doctors may offer virtual consultations.

There is no guarantee on this, unfortunately. A good surgeon will set your expectations right off the bat by letting you know that only between 50-75% of the transferred fat will survive (your surgeon will be able to give you an exact number, but I’ve seen different surgeons say different things). You can nourish your body by eating healthy fats and taking care of your body after your surgery to try and “keep” as much of your transfer as possible, but there is nothing you can do to guarantee it. Drinking lots of water each day, and eating healthy will help.

This could be a number of things. The nerves regenerating, the blood flowing to all the different parts of our body, the fat cells coming to life and/or staying alive. I knew it was a good thing, so I rolled with the punches.

In my experience, my hands would get tingly from time to time because of the new positions that my body had to get used to being in after surgery. It’s a very uncomfortable phase. We’re not able to lay on our backs for a while, and sleeping can be difficult for those of us who are not naturally stomach-sleepers. Sometimes I found that laying on my stomach and trying to find a way to sleep for hours through the night would result in pinched nerves between my shoulder blades or a stiff neck. This often led to tingling in my fingers/hands/arms from time to time. A simple solution for me was getting up out of bed, moving around to get the blood flowing, and extending my arms to the sides and rolling my shoulders in circular motions. You know, those gym exercises that our P.E. coach used to make us do when we were kids? Try out some yoga moves, too. Nothing crazy, just stretching the neck and shoulders by gently assisting your head from side to side with your opposite hand. If this doesn’t help and the tingling persists, call your doctor and let them know your symptoms and how long you’ve had them. I never experienced ringing in the ears, but again everyone responds to surgery differently. Anesthesia can have some wild effects on the human body. Ultimately, you know your own body and you should know when it’s time to seek professional feedback. Call your doctor if either of these symptoms persist and let them know exactly what you’re experiencing.

This could very well happen simply because you’re not used to the new positioning. A big culprit for facial irritation could also be bacteria on the surface of the materials you’re laying on. Make sure you’re washing your pillowcases and sheets regularly, even though it’s hard to maneuver right now, and try to pay special attention to the area when you wash your face. If the symptoms persist even after cleaning all surfaces and trying different positions, please call your doctor.

Not without my asking. They did provide me with a general letter that said I had just undergone surgery and to please allow me accommodations that I might need. My letter was on a letterhead that had the name of the facility on it (which included “cosmetic surgery” in the header).

Absolutely everything. The confidence I feel when I look in the mirror. The feeling of being proportionate in all areas. How poised I look and feel in certain clothes – that I never would have thought of wearing or even buying before. Do it, sis!

Ankle-length maxi dresses! Period. I didn’t even try to find anything else. They did the job at covering up the faja and my compression socks, and I was able to throw on a zip-up hoodie if I needed one. I opted for black, since we are often still draining fluids in the first week PO, so this eliminated any stains or drainage from being visible on the dress while I was at my appointments.

I have videos up on my YouTube channel on how to insert foams and boards into every stage post-op garment. The foams can be compared to 8.5×11 sheets of paper.One sheet should be placed over your left side abdomen sideways, one sheet should be placed over your right side abdomen sideways, and one sheet should be placed on your belly/front abdomen longways. The top of the foams should be at the same line where your bra strap would be.

In my case, I used maxi-pads underneath my lipo foams on areas that may have been protruding or needed a little extra help in “getting flat”. For me personally, some of these areas included a boxy-looking fat transfer to one of my hips, and the little bulge underneath my belly button.  Place an opened (thick) pad, sticker side facing outward, directly on the skin and then place your foams and boards on top of it. Pay attention to your placement, though, as this area will receive more compression than areas that are not covered with extra padding.

Definitely compression socks, and definitely the rest of your compression garments. In addition to those, you’ll want to wear something loose and comfortable. The most popular choice is a maxi dress, with a removable zip-up sweater or hoodie.

Check out my Amazon storefront for literally every single item I used from the day of surgery through 3 months post-op! I keep my storefront current by constantly searching for the most quality items with the best prices and fastest shipping speed, so you can always be assured that you’re getting the best supplies. Plus, I’ve since added a ‘Clothing Post-Op’ section to the storefront, if you’re interested in where I get a lot of my outfits!

Foams and boards are inserts that go inside our post-surgical compression garments to help reduce swelling and inflammation, and ease discomfort. Better known as Lipo Foams, these are necessary so that the skin and nerves can heal happily. Boards might commonly be known as Ab Board and Back Board. These are necessary so that the swelling in the abdomen and lower back is minimized. Boards can be made of a variety of materials depending on the manufacturer, but are most commonly made out of a compressed foam so they are a bit more dense and solid. So essentially, they are all foams even though some of them are called “boards”. In my experience, the ab board (worn 24/7 anytime I wore my faja) also helped my skin to retract as well as flatten the tummy bulge below my belly button.

I started using them when I received clearance from my doctor at my post-op appointment. Be sure to ask your surgeon when you see them in person after your procedure. When to stop using your foams can be up to the individual, but there seems to be a bit of confusion around this in the community. Most post-op instructions are clear that Lipo Foams should be worn for a minimum of three weeks after surgery. I can only imagine that if anyone is wearing them longer, either their skin is still sensitive and needs the extra TLC, or their garment is not tight enough and they need the extra compression. A quality stage 2 garment will ensure that you are getting the compression that you need without them, and the fabric will not crease in the waist. A quality stage 2 garment will ensure that you are getting the compression that you need without them, and the fabric will not crease in the waist. *IF AFTER 3 WEEKS YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITHOUT YOUR FOAMS, AND YOUR GARMENT FITS YOUR APPROPRIATELY, YOU NO LONGER NEED THEM!*

The clinic that did my surgery had pretty good quality garments.

I decided to opt for purchasing my stage 1 garment at the facility where I had surgery so that I didn’t have to guess my size. You’ll need a stage 1 garment at the ready when you go into surgery, because you’ll wake up in it. However, there’s no way you’d be able to predict your size before you actually have the procedure. Best to let the doctor fit you for the appropriate size while you’re on the table and before you wake up.

I ordered arm compression garments on Amazon and they were great quality.

I decided to buy a chin compression garment from my surgical facility, and the quality was great. The pricing was comparable to others I saw online as well. One point to note, depending on your doctor’s practices, you may wake up from surgery with gauze as compression on your arms/chin/thighs. I started using the garments that I purchased as soon as I saw my doctor in my post-op appointment and received clearance from him that it was ok to do so.

My chin garment was used for about 3 weeks. I think I could have spent more time with this one, but I don’t believe my results were negatively affected by stopping as soon as I did. I wore my arm compression garments for 7-8 weeks. My massage professional was very clear on the fact that I would need to receive massages and treatments on both my arms and my chin, because they both had lipo.  Remember that any area that gets lipo is an area at risk for fibrosis. Keeping up with your aftercare is critical to any successful cosmetic surgery.

I wore my abdominal compression garment (i.e. faja) for approximately 6 months. You can get more information on this in my timeline section of this site.

You should check with your surgeon as to when you can start using your pillow, and how long you are allowed to use it, because different surgeons may have different instructions. BBL patients are instructed to sit on the pillow for only 15-20 minutes at a time before taking a break. The blood flow to the buttocks will be restricted and slowed while using the pillow, so it’s critical to stand up and walk around in order to get that blood flowing again every 15-20 minutes or so.

Each surgeon will also have different suggestions on when you can start sitting without the pillow, too. I personally wasn’t comfortable beginning to sit without my BBL pillow until 13 weeks PO. Even at that point, I was too sore and it became too uncomfortable too quickly for me to enjoy it. It took me a period of a few weeks to try and gradually ease into it. Laying on my back in bed or on the couch was the same. I started at 13 weeks, and by week 17 I was fully sitting and laying on my back with no issues. You can check out my post-op instructions from MIA Aesthetics here, and you can check out my YouTube video on how to sit using your BBL Pillow here.

I personally didn’t try this until week 12-13. It was still painful at that point. I slowly started sitting for 10-15 mins at a time on soft surfaces like a couch or a padded chair. Gradually over a period of 4 weeks, I was eventually able to sit on hard surfaces and fully lay on my back in bed without any pillow support.

Check out Shaped Curvy for your stage 2 and stage 3 garments. If you use code “JESS” at checkout, you get 10% off! I also go into extensive detail about post-op compression garments, different stages, and my experience with each garment, in the FAJA section of The BBL Encyclopedia.

Each garment company will use different methods of manufacturing. You should refer to your preferred vendor (the company where you will purchase your garment) for instructions on how to measure. If that doesn’t help, check out my YouTube video on how to measure. If you’re still confused and want to make sure you get it 100% right…book a consultation with me! This will ensure that you are fitted appropriately.

If you can easily pull the garment away from your body, and at least 1 inch of fabric is bunched up in your fingers, your garment is most likely too loose. An easy solution for this is to have the garment tailored – either by the manufacturer/company who made the garment in the first place, or by a seamstress who specializes in garments like these.

As far as being too tight – this can be a tricky one. These garments are not meant to be comfortable, but they are meant to feel secure and “Just Right Tight”. If your body is in a great amount of discomfort in areas such as the crease of the thighs, the cuff of your buttocks, or underneath the armpits, then this most likely means your garment is not fitted appropriately to your body. Reach out to the manufacturer for a solution. Or, if you’d like to be totally sure before you take your next step, let’s connect and I can help you get it right!

I see this a lot in garments that don’t come with boning in them. Check out the question above about maxi pads and this video on my Instagram page for a solution. The added padding is great when needed, but I wanted to avoid this by opting for a garment that comes made with rods/boning in the waist so that I didn’t experience any folding/creasing and didn’t have to wear the added padding every day.

I did not try to lose weight after my BBL, however I did lose weight. In my case it happened because of stress, but a lot of people can lose weight after surgery for a number of reasons. Anesthesia can affect the body in lots of ways: hormonal imbalances, digestive upsets, change in appetite, and change in metabolism. Consider purchasing my book, The BBL Encyclopedia. It has a section that speaks to Feeding the Fat, where I offer meal plans and ideas on how you can ensure you keep as much of your transferred fat as possible.

I’m so sorry, this is not something that was a part of my surgery journey. I actually had to gain weight for my procedure. However, I do know that everything about this process takes time. There’s a medical reason that your weight needs to be under a certain BMI to safely have surgery. Please continue to work toward your goals and schedule your procedure to take place after you reach them. Some tips: increase your water intake, decrease your caloric intake, and introduce even just a little more movement each day than you currently partake in. The combination of these three things will bring you results before you know it! Consider checking out @denetrabfit, fitness coach and IFBB pro. She’s recently started training BBL Dolls both before and after their surgery, she can definitely help you!

I personally did not. I get asked about this all the time, but I let my skin heal organically over time.

For the most part, they closed by day 5-7. I had one stubborn incision that took about two weeks to close fully. Expect different things – there is no “normal” when it comes to different bodies healing from surgery.

Check with your surgical clinic on this one, and please heed their warnings! Limiting sun and heat exposure during the first few days after surgery is critical for reducing swelling. However, scars should not be exposed to the sun for several weeks, or even months depending on the procedure and/or where you live. Sun in some parts of the globe is much stronger than others. Either way, ask your surgeon and take proper precautions in order to care for your body in the best way possible.

Depending on your recovery and comfort level, right away you will be able to walk around, pick up light items, and carry light things on your own. Bending over and picking up things that are a bit heavier are not recommended for the first few weeks. Check with your surgeon for their instructions on this.

I drive, but I didn’t have a car at the time I was recovering. I used trains to get around NYC during my recovery, so I didn’t have to worry about this, but I will give you the best answer I can based on my experience and what I’ve seen other people say. After the first week, depending on your surgeon’s instructions, you should be comfortable enough to sit on your BBL Pillow. As long as you are confident in how your pillow works, and can sit on your pillow comfortably, you should be alright to drive. Again, I will stress that you should check with your surgeon as to when you can start using your pillow, and how long you are allowed to use it, because different surgeons may have different instructions. The one caveat here is that BBL patients are instructed to sit on the pillow for only 15-20 minutes at a time before taking a break. The blood flow to the buttocks will be restricted and slowed while using the pillow, so it’s critical to stand up and walk around in order to get that blood flowing again every 15-20 minutes or so.

Check out the Must-Have PDFs page  of this site to read the post-op instructions that I received from MIA Aesthetics.

Again, this will be up to your doctors’ guidance, and your personal comfort. Our bodies are incredible things, and you’ll know when it’s time to stop. Do what you’re comfortable with, and listen when your body tells you to change it up. In the beginning of recovery, you should only use your BBL Pillow for 15-20 minutes at a time before standing up to stretch and walk around. I never used my pillow for more than a couple hours of combined sitting time throughout the day, especially in the first month. I personally was more comfortable standing or kneeling.

This is another instance where I will suggest you ask your doctor for a definitive answer, however I personally waited 8 weeks before wearing jeans or any other type of pants that may have been tight, restricting, or inflexible/non-stretchy.

I personally didn’t try this until week 12-13. It was still painful at that point. I slowly started sitting for 10-15 mins at a time on soft surfaces like a couch or a padded chair. Gradually over a period of 4 weeks, I was eventually able to sit on hard surfaces and fully lay on my back in bed without any pillow support.

I’m gonna be real blunt about this one, babe… pooping will either require your BBL Pillow to use on the public toilet (yuck! I never had to do this, thankfully), or figuring out how to balance on your thighs. Those are your options, unless you wait to poo until you get home. After some time, we get used to the new routine and I promise you will get into a groove and know how to navigate your body with your eyes closed. As for peeing, I highly recommend a female urinal. You’ll probably be wearing a tight garment, and I found the Tinkle Belle to be the biggest life-saver! No joke, I’ve used it every single day from the day of surgery until I stopped wearing my faja at 6-7 months PO. Not only does it come in handy when you’re wearing your garment, it’s extremely useful for when you’re in a not-so-sanitary place and don’t want to touch the toilet seat, regardless of what you’re wearing!

Since part of the BBL includes avoiding laying on our backs or sitting for quite a lengthy amount of time, there comes a point in time in our recovery where we’ll need to get really creative. If you haven’t done any research about this procedure/recovery aside from what you’ve on this site, what I’m about to suggest might sound a bit funny. However, I’ve seen women swear by this, and say that they finally got the most comfortable nights’ sleep after using this: an anti-gravity lounger chair with the seat cut out.  *TIP: Remember to start small. You can always cut more out of the seat, but if you cut too much you can’t put it back. I didn’t use this personally, I struggled through laying on my stomach. It was suggested to me to put a bed pillow underneath my abdomen and pelvis to elevate my midsection. This also took pressure off my neck and lower back. This is one of the most frequently discussed topics in the community, and one that none of us can avoid. I’ve seen women hang their booties between the couch and an ottoman to get temporary relief – creativity really starts flowing when we get desperate!

Your post-op massage professional should/will be equipped to accommodate this, as this is what they are there for! When I had my massages, my professional used two special pillows or cushions: one under the small of my back and one under my upper thighs simultaneously. This ensured that my booty hung comfortably above the table and was not at risk of pressure.

SUPER POPULAR QUESTION! All I can say is…very carefully. Surgeons suggest different times based on their practices. I’ve seen some surgeons suggest two weeks PO, and I’ve seen others suggest three weeks. Make sure you’re not afraid to ask, and get the clarity you need on this subject. I feel like all of the topics on this page require an extreme amount of creativity, and I have all the confidence in the world in you. Where there’s a will… there’s a way! 😉

Pro-tips: get a letter from your surgeon that you can present in the airport to allow you to receive wheelchair service. Definitely opt for wheelchair service so you won’t have to walk great distances through the airport. This also allows you to board the flight before everyone else. You’ll need to use your BBL pillow to sit during takeoff, landing, and any other times that the captain turns on the seatbelt requirements, but I opted to walk through the aisle and/or stand the rest of the flight. If ailes are crowded, you can also kneel in your seat facing the back of the plane. One more pro-tip: change your positioning frequently regardless of what you choose to do. This will get blood flowing and make the process a bit easier all around.

Definitely compression socks, and definitely the rest of your compression garments. In addition to those, you’ll want to wear something loose and comfortable. The most popular choice is a maxi dress, with a removable zip-up sweater or hoodie.

Most clinics have requirements that you need to stay a specific number of days after the procedure in order to be seen for your post-op appointments. Again, this is something you’ll need to specify with your surgical facility, but it’s generally around five days PO.  I personally decided to stay ten days PO in order to give myself ample time to get used to living in this new body. Especially given the fact that I was traveling alone, I wanted to make sure I was confident in my mobility so I could get through the travel process as comfortably as possible.

Given what I knew about recovery and aftercare, I knew I would personally need as much time to recover and relax as possible. I took my time and waited to book this surgery until it was right for my personal/professional life to schedule and book a date. I was not hasty about any part of this! Not in picking my doctor, not in scheduling the date, nothing. I was very purposeful in scheduling my procedure in December, because my company shuts down toward the end of the year for the December holidays. I knew that would be 5 business days right there, free from using PTO or sick time, plus two weekends. It nearly equated to 10 free days. I asked ahead of time if I would be able to work remotely from home for the month of January while I recover from an invasive procedure, and I got the approval to do so. At the time of surgery, I had a lot more flexibility in my job than I ever had before, and I knew I might not have this flexibility again. It just happened to be the perfect time. I also didn’t own a car because I lived in NYC at the time, and used public transit. I knew my commute would have been really difficult to navigate while recovering, so I didn’t start commuting to my office until 7-8 weeks PO. I was very lucky. If you’re not in a position where you can make your own hours, work from home, etc, I would recommend taking at least three weeks off of work, minimum. If you drive for a living, or lift heavy objects, you may need closer to 4-6 weeks off. Please know that if you’re in the US, you have the option to explore FMLA. I don’t have any experience in this, but please check with your HR department to start gathering information before you schedule your procedure

I looked up Airbnb first. My logic was to secure housing before anything, since it’s the longest part of the trip. Plus start-end dates could change depending on property availability, so I did this before I booked my flights. Right out of the gate, I knew I wouldn’t stay in a RH because I personally didn’t want exposure to not only the germs/potential lack of cleanliness, but also the risk of not getting care/meds/food when I needed it. Plus, the idea of multiple personalities under the same roof while I’m in the most vulnerable state of my entire life? No amount of money saved was worth my health and sanity.

Second, I knew I’d want to shop around for the best cancellation policy that Airbnb had to offer. I was able to find properties near the surgical clinic that offered a lot of flexibility. Meaning, I would only owe a small amount as a deposit to secure the property, but I wouldn’t owe the remainder of my balance until I checked in. If anything were to happen between the time I booked and the time I checked in, I would be able to cancel flexibly. Then, and this is possibly one of the most important parts of this process, I was honest with all of the property owners I inquired with, about the fact that I would be there for a procedure. This ensured that there were no surprises down the line, and I would have their agreement in writing. Honesty and transparency got me far, and I always suggest it. 💯

Once I secured the lodging, I then booked my private nurse.

After I had Airbnb and a nurse secured, that’s when I submitted the exact dates I needed to take off from work. (See a few questions back about how much time I took off from work for more details on that.)

I used a price-tracking service to track prices on flights, and two one-way flights were the very last thing I bought as far as logistics.

I planned it out so that I was in Miami 4 days before my sx, so I had all my heavy-lift supplies delivered from Amazon to my Airbnb two days before my sx, which left 1-2 days cushion to allow for any shipping delays. I bought all the supplies that my private nursing service suggested (medical stuff) from the dollar store about 2 days before I left, and threw them in my suitcase.

I lived in NYC, and went to LaRealSpa in Queens. Check out my Massage Professional Directory for hundreds of post-op care professionals categorized by location!

I searched for the best! Lots of professionals will come to you. Check out my Massage Professional Directory for a global database of massage professionals based on location. Many of the Miami-based professionals offer mobile services, so be sure to inquire about that!

I decided not to opt for the package offered at my surgical clinic and here’s why:

I knew based on my research and preparation that I was going to be in a great amount of discomfort after the surgery. I wanted to limit the amount of times that I would need to leave my apartment. I knew that if I purchased a package of massages through the clinic, that I would need to figure out transportation to and from that clinic for those massages. They are suggested daily in the first couple weeks after lipo. On top of transportation and leaving the house, I knew there would be a wait-time once I got to the clinic. I did not want to experience this being as uncomfortable and in as much pain as I knew I would be. It was in my best interest to book my massages through an individual who traveled and would come to me.

The first 3-5 days post-op are the most critical time to get massages, if your doctor is recommending them. During this time, your massage professional will use manual technique to encourage the body to drain fluid. After 5 days, you’ll continue to receive Lymphatic Drainage Massage (LDM) or Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD).

Between 7-21 days post-op, after our incisions close, and depending on your surgeon & your state of recovery, the massage professional may also begin to use hand-held machines (not wooden tools!) and different types of treatment such as UV/red light therapy and/or radio frequency, which aids in skin tightening and has anti-inflammatory properties. In order for someone to perform external body treatment (i.e. no bodily fluids are ever involved), they only require a certificate to be trained. In order for someone to perform internal body treatment (i.e. bodily fluids may be involved), this is considered manual lymphatic massage and a license is required! If you are receiving treatment in the state of Florida, and you have concerns about whether or not someone is licensed, you can use this site to verify.

After 12 weeks, you may begin to receive body sculpting treatment which can involve wooden tools of various shapes and sizes. This can be painful after liposuction, so please do not be afraid to speak up if your body isn’t ready for such treatment yet. It doesn’t mean you never will be…but please don’t suffer through treatment just because you think you should be farther along the road of recovery than you are!

Your post-op massage professional should/will be equipped to accommodate this, as this is what they are there for! When I had my massages, my professional used two special pillows or cushions: one under the small of my back and one under my upper thighs simultaneously. This ensured that my booty hung comfortably above the table and was not at risk of pressure.