Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)

De La Cruz Plastic Surgery Houston performs Brazilian butt lift (BBL) using VASER liposuction for fat harvest and a closed-system fat processing protocol, followed by targeted subcutaneous fat transfer to enhance buttock volume and shape. Dr. De La Cruz adheres strictly to subcutaneous-only fat injection — not intramuscular — in line with current safety guidelines developed to minimise risk. Donor fat is typically harvested from the abdomen, flanks, and lower back in a Lipo 360 pattern, producing dual benefits of a smaller waist and fuller buttocks. Results mature over three to six months as transferred fat integrates into surrounding tissue.

The Brazilian butt lift at De La Cruz Plastic Surgery Houston is performed as a combined fat harvest and fat transfer procedure, and it may represent one of the most transformative body contouring surgeries available in a single operative session. The procedure begins with VASER ultrasound-assisted liposuction to harvest fat from multiple donor sites — most commonly the anterior abdomen, bilateral flanks, waist, and lower back in a Lipo 360 pattern. This dual-site approach delivers a complementary aesthetic benefit: as fat is removed from the midsection to narrow the waist, the same volume is transferred to the buttocks, amplifying the visual contrast between waist and hips. The harvested fat is processed using a closed-system protocol that maintains sterility and preserves adipocyte viability throughout the preparation phase. Centrifugation and decanting remove blood, tumescent fluid, and oil from the fat graft before injection. Dr. De La Cruz performs fat injection into the subcutaneous tissue plane of the buttock only — consistent with the 2018 Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation (ASERF) task force recommendations and subsequent safety updates that identified intramuscular injection as the primary risk factor for fat embolism in BBL surgery. The subcutaneous approach allows the transferred adipocytes to receive nutrient diffusion from surrounding tissue while they develop their own vascular supply over the first four to six weeks — the phase during which the final retention rate of the transferred fat (typically fifty to seventy percent) is established. Patients are advised to avoid direct pressure on the buttocks for a minimum of eight weeks to protect the graft during this revascularisation window. Light work activities may be resumed within seven to ten days following surgery, and a BBL cushion is provided for seated activities during the restricted period. Final results are visible at three to six months as swelling fully resolves and retained fat stabilises. International patients visiting Houston for this procedure benefit from the clinic's travel coordination services, which include hotel recommendations, recovery nursing, and logistics support to ensure a supported recovery away from home.