More people are searching for the meaning of BBL as this cosmetic procedure continues to increase in popularity. As early as 2010, reality TV star and recent billionaire, Kim Kardashian was making headlines for her increased booty. Many people speculated that the Kardashian had gotten butt implants but she denied it repeatedly, going as far as to submit to an x-ray to disprove the rumors.
However, several surgeons speculated even then that the star had undergone the Brazilian Butt lift surgery (BBL) in order to change the shape and look of her body. Now, eleven years later, several women are toeing this path, shelling out thousands of dollars to get access to a rounder butt and a more shapely body.
But what exactly is a BBL and when did this craze actually start? BBL meaning and origins are some of the things that have made thousands of people curious, especially as its popularity explodes on social media, drawing many women in.
BBL meaning
There are several ways to increase your butt if that’s what you want; you can exercise your way to a more perky and rounder butt, but it takes a lot of time. For most women, this is the downside. Many people don’t have the time or strength to slave away in gyms, watching every day for the slightest curve in the backside to indicate that their efforts are yielding results. This is where the BBL comes in.
The Brazilian butt lift, known commonly as a BBL, is a pretty common procedure these days. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, doctors in America performed upwards of 40,000 surgeries in 2020 alone. Between 2015 and 2019, the demand for BBLs increased by a whopping 90.3%. This is no doubt due to the influence of social media apps like TikTok where the BBL trend has exploded so much that it has gotten people searching for ‘bbl meaning’ and filling up plastic surgery clinics.
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A BBL is simply fat transfer. Doctors take fat from an undesirable area of your body, like your underarms, your thighs, your back, your belly, or wherever, and they put that fat into places where it is needed, like your butt and hips.
How does the BBL procedure work?
In theory, the BBL procedure is simple and straightforward: it is a simple liposuction followed by fat grafting into the area where you need the fat. In reality, though, it is much more dangerous and complicated (as is almost everything). Below is a step-by-step outline of what to expect if you ever decide to get a BBL.
- The procedure itself starts with anesthesia. Depending on how much fat is transferred, your surgeon may administer a light anesthesia (a numbing medication). If you can’t handle this, you should probably ask for something stronger.
- Next, your surgeon will make incisions on your body and use a tube to extract the excess fat from undesirable areas of your body like your thighs, back, or belly.
- The fat that was removed from your body is purified and readied for reinjection. This needs to be done quickly as the fat is living tissue and cannot exist outside your body for more than two hours.
- Your surgeon then makes incisions in other areas of your body and reinserts the fat into your buttocks and hips, giving you a rounder, fuller butt. As they work, they will feel your skin with their fingers to ensure that your butt is symmetrical and the fat is getting to the areas where it is needed.
- Once the process is over, your surgeon will then stitch you up and apply a compression garment to affected areas of your skin to minimize your risk of bleeding.
How much does a BBL cost?
BBLs are generally expensive depending on where you choose for your surgery. It is generally understood though that procedures that are worth less than $5,000 come with higher risks than others. The price for a BBL ranges from $2,000 to $30,000. It all depends on the doctor as well as the quality and location of your aftercare service (which you most definitely need).
In Turkey, which is one of the most popular destinations for BBLs, they cost approximately $3,500. It’s no wonder that this is a top choice for those who want to hit ‘update’ on their body.
In Mexico, the prices are slightly higher at $4,500. Mexico is a favorite for American women because of its close proximity to the country.
Before you pick a location, and particularly a hospital, ensure that you have done a lot of research and are well aware of both their success and failure rates. It’s only right that you protect yourself.
Why are BBLs so dangerous?
BBLs are considered dangerous because they have the highest mortality rate of any cosmetic surgery. Compared to the mortality rate for liposuction, which is 1.3 in 50,000, the number of BBL fatalities is much higher.
In August 2018, it was reported that 1 in 3,000 people died as a result of getting a BBL. The number has lessened thanks to more regulatory efforts. As of 2020, it was 1 in 20,117. This is still considerably higher than several other cosmetic procedures without calling attention to the fact that several fatalities from this procedure go unreported for many reasons.
What is BBL recovery like?
There are centers dedicated to helping women recover after getting BBL surgery and there’s a reason for that. Post-surgery aftercare is broken down into three vital stages: the first few days, the first few weeks, and the first few months.
You should know that it can take several tries and up to six months before you get your desired result. In fact, a lot of the fat that was inserted into your body will end up being reabsorbed, so you might find that your butt isn’t quite the size that it was at the beginning. But there’s no need to worry—you have many tries to get it right.
In some cases, you will be able to return to work within the first few weeks after your surgery. But for two weeks post-op, you won’t be able to lay on your back or your side; you’ll have to sleep on your stomach. You will need to avoid strenuous exercise for a few weeks as well. You’ll also be tightly laced up and it’s very possible that you may bleed everywhere.
However, this will all pass pretty quickly, and most importantly, when you start to enjoy the fruits of your labor (which can last several years), you’ll forget all about the negative experience.
BBL side effects
There’s a reason why the BBL is called one of the most dangerous cosmetic surgeries and the meaning of this is simple: it has a high mortality rate, but why?
You see, there are huge veins in your buttocks, as big as a straw, they’ve been described. If a doctor accidentally injects the fat into one of these veins, then this fat can travel to your lungs, causing respiratory distress, pulmonary embolism, and eventually death.
If you do manage to escape this, then you’re not in the clear. There are non-fatal side effects that you may experience including infection, scarring, pain, bleeding, and lumps underneath your skin.
Benefits of getting a BBL
While some people may fling insults at those who end up getting BBLs, it is undeniable that a BBL gives meaning to some people’s lives and has a positive impact on their quality of life. Many women have reported that their new and improved bodies have helped them to make more money.
It can also help you with your self-confidence which can take a hit and cause you to feel out of place when you see hundreds of women online walking around with enhanced buttocks.
One more benefit of this procedure is its ability to help to lift sagging buttocks. It is also far safer than silicone injections which are dangerous primarily because they are often illegally performed by those who aren’t licensed to do so.
Safer alternatives to BBL
As a safer alternative to a BBL, several plastic surgeons have suggested the Sculptra Aesthetic, which is injected into your body and will boost your body’s natural collagen. It is often used to add volume to the face but it can work on other parts of the body.
The main downside of this option is the fact that it is so expensive and it requires several visits to the doctor before you start to see changes, as opposed to BBLs which let you monitor your progress in real-time. However, if this is something that you can afford, you should probably explore the option.
Conclusion
BBLs are also known as Brazilian Butt Lifts and have skyrocketed in popularity since reality TV stars and influencers started promoting the procedure on social media. The procedure is useful to women in many ways but it also has its side effects, the worst of which is death.
With the rate at which it is becoming more popular, it is unlikely that women will stop getting this surgery. However, you should know that trends come and go. In the next few years, it is highly likely that women will return to hospitals to get rid of their huge butts as beauty standards change.
