Ask Dr. Pane: During a BBL, Can You Also Transfer Fat to the Outer Thigh?

The Question

Brazilian butt lifts, or BBLs, are only getting more popular and bigger, pardon the pun. We get a lot of questions about this sort of cosmetic surgery, but one question which is rarely asked is not about the butt itself, but what happens to the tissue around the buttocks. Dr. Pane was excited to tackle this question, because it really does make a big difference in the overall outcome and final appearance of the buttock area after a BBL. The question comes from a viewer on Instagram, who asks, “During a BBL, can you also transfer fat to the outer thigh to make a slim patient’s thigh thicker, and if so, what are the chances of the transferred fat surviving?”

The Answer

Dr. Pane says whenever doing fat transfer to the buttocks, one has to consider the various zones of the buttocks and how and where the fat should be placed to achieve the maximum result with minimum issues. For instance, with the outer thigh, are we talking about the “hip dip” area, where the hip curves into the thigh, or the actual area below and around the buttock region? This is an important distinction because these two areas are addressed differently.

With the hip dip area, fat can be placed to fill that area out a little, presenting a fuller profile and making the dip more gradual. If you’re talking about the actual thigh, between the knee and hip, that area generally does not take transferred fat well because the skin tends to be very tight. You would actually be adding it more in the upper thigh and hip area, below the “hip dip” and to the side of the buttocks, where the skin is more elastic and tolerant of changes in volume. This area spans from about halfway between the knee and hip to slightly above the hip dip.

On the buttocks themselves, the typical sites for fat transfer are in the center zone, away from the cleft of the buttocks, and out to the sides. This adds volume and fullness to the buttocks without occluding the cleft and the anus, and helps to deliver more visible, tangible results to the target areas.

Dr. Pane notes that procedures like this are always very dependent upon the individual person’s build, anatomy and skin flexibility. In many patients, the skin of the thighs is very tight, restricting or eliminating the possibility of a fat transfer because the skin simply cannot accommodate additional volume. This is one area where women who have had children often have an advantage. Bearing children tends to stretch out the skin of the abdomen, leaving it looser and more malleable, which means it can accept more volume in a fat transfer. However, this still varies from person to person, and even with looser skin in the abdomen, the outer thighs may not necessarily be able to take additional fat in the same way as the hip area might.

An in-person clinical evaluation is always the gold standard for determining whether fat transfer is an option, and where and how the fat should be placed for ideal results. Every person, and every body, is unique, and there are a number of variables which may impact seemingly identical people in very different ways. Some people simply are not good candidates for fat transfer, but only a complete evaluation and consultation with medical history can establish this. If fat transfer is not an option, other methods may be available, such as implants, orthotics or surgical body sculpting to achieve a similar result. However, Dr. Pane prefers fat transfer by far when and where possible, due to the low risk of rejection and the high success rate his patients enjoy with it.

If you have a question involving any element of cosmetic surgery, the staff of Atlantic Coast Aesthetics are always happy to take time to discuss your interests. Simply call us at (561) 422-4116; email us through our website; or follow us through our social media channels on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Your question might even help us educate and inform others who share your interests and concerns as the focus of an upcoming Ask Dr. Pane segment, allowing us to give you and others the factual information you need to make sound decisions concerning your cosmetic surgery options. Remember, at ACA we believe the only bad question is the one you don’t ask!