Ask Dr. Pane! Can You Do a BBL and Mommy Makeover at the Same Time?

During our recent Instagram Live chat which gave viewers the opportunity to meet Dr. Thomas Pane, founder and CMO of Atlantic Coast Aesthetics, user Cat Mama asked, “Can you do a BBL and mommy makeover at the same time?” Dr. Pane thought this was an important question because of several factors, not least of which is just how much plastic surgery that is all at one time.

Dr. Pane says yes, it is technically possible to do a Mommy makeover and BBL at the same time—but it’s not a good idea.

With a Brazilian butt lift (BBL), you’re already getting full lipo and fat transfer of the trunk, or at least the lower abdomen and back. The excess fat harvested from the liposuction procedure is then purified and reintroduced into the patient’s body in a targeted manner. Now add to that breast procedures and breast revision such as a breast lift with implants or without, breast augmentation if needed and desired or other breast procedures such as breast reduction or breast implant removal.

When you start adding tummy tucks, loose skin tightening and excess skin removal, thigh lift and other body contouring cosmetic procedures,  or merging multiple procedures into a single combined procedure, you risk increasing the recovery time and encountering complications during the recovery process. For this reason, most medical professionals will balk at this sort of combined body procedure all at once.

There are also guidelines from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Board of Plastic Surgery, surgery center protocols and local, state and federal laws with which a plastic surgeon must comply. These rules and regulations govern everything from the maximum amount of fat removed during lipo to how long a patient can safely remain under anesthesia, and are there for the protection of the patient.

Hypothetically, Dr. Pane says given a healthy patient with no real medical problems, combination procedures such as a BBL and tummy tuck with tightening of the abdominal skin are possible. However, even for a board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Pane, the risk of complications would be higher than he is comfortable with. In the general surgeon population, a combined surgery procedure would just about guarantee trouble for the patient and the surgeon alike.

In fact, the day the Instagram Live chat occurred, there was an item in the Palm Beach Post about the case of Lisa Cooperman, who underwent an extended procedure involving a face lift, neck lift, chin lift, revision rhinoplasty, breast reduction and liposuction. She became unresponsive during recuperation and fell into a coma. Her family removed her from life support five days later. Now the doctor who performed the procedure, which could be considered a form of mommy makeover, and who was not affiliated with ACA’s practice, must face court proceedings to determine whether the surgeon could be considered at fault.

For out of town patients, especially, the desire to get everything they want done at one time is understandable. However, cosmetic surgery epicenters like Florida, California, Texas, New York and Georgia have rules controlling the length and extent of procedures which can be done. Other states do not have these rules, although Dr. Pane anticipates as cosmetic surgery becomes more prominent nationwide, similar statutes will be adopted to protect patients from overly eager, underskilled and overconfident surgeons.

These rules do stem from a very practical place. In the 90s, some cosmetic surgeons got over their skis, as he put it, with regard to what they could achieve. It was common for surgeons to say, “Well, I can do [this procedure] in X time, so I can safely add [that procedure] and [the other procedure] and still be under my maximum time.”

This practice led to complications up to and including the deaths of patients, and some surgeons still try to do it, in an amended form, today. Dr. Pane stresses that is not how you want to choose what you’re getting done, or who is doing it. You want a cosmetic surgeon who can balance results against your wellbeing and safety during and after the procedure, with a view to delivering the best possible outcome without jeopardizing your health and safety. Nobody, patient or surgeon, wants to become a statistic or a data point which draws the attention of lawmakers!

“It’s not that we’re afraid of big procedures. We just don’t want to get too crazy with them,” Dr. Pane said. “I’d rather do two procedures than one big one where you wind up getting into trouble.” However, a lot depends on the patient. Some procedures which Dr. Pane says he would not do on paper may be possible in the case of a patient with exactly the right combination of physical characteristics and medical history, so he says never say never. But for best results, the general rule would be that a mommy makeover and BBL at once is not a good idea.

 ACA and Dr. Pane pride ourselves on offering real patient resources and information about the procedures we do. We have comprehensive FAQs for these procedures and more, so be sure to check out our website! Also, be sure to check back often, because the doctor frequently answers questions from patients just like you who want to make sure they fully understand their procedures and what is involved with them.

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• body lift
• brazilian butt lift faqs
• breast implants
• breast reconstruction
• brow lift
• butt augmentation
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• chemical peels
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• ear surgery
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• facial implants
• laser skin resurfacing
• lip augmentation
• lip lift
• male breast reduction
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• mommy makeover consultation
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To learn more about Dr. Pane and ACA, and how we can help you achieve the look you’ve always wanted to see in the mirror, click here to contact us or give us a call at 561-513-4763. Our friendly, helpful staff is always pleased to talk with you about your cosmetic goals and available options to get you the care and results you deserve. Remember, at Atlantic Coast Aesthetics, we believe the only bad question is the one you DON’T ask!