The Relationship Between BBL Surgery and Belly Button Appearance
During a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) surgery, surgeons remove unwanted fat from various donor sites on your body and reinject that fat into your buttock. Patients are often concerned about how the procedure will affect the appearance of their belly button. The BBL procedure itself does not directly impact the belly button in any way. The belly button can be impacted, however, if any of the donor fat for the procedure is collected from the abdomen.
The Role of Liposuction for BBLs
Removing unwanted donor fat during a BBL requires the use of liposuction. You and your surgeon will decide where you should have this liposuction prior to your procedure. Common fat removal sites include the abdomen, flanks, and thighs, but liposuction can be performed almost anywhere on the body where you have excess fat. If you choose to have fat removed from your abdomen, your belly button could be impacted.
Skin Laxity Changes After a BBL
After a liposuction procedure, patients with good skin elasticity will notice that their skin easily conforms to their new body shape. Those with poor skin elasticity, however, may notice that their skin sags after the underlying fat is removed. This can cause the belly button to droop a bit or make it appear less defined.
Because liposuction removes fat from around the abdomen, it can change the overall shape and contour of the stomach. This may lead to a slight change in the appearance of the belly button, making it look different as the surrounding tissues adjust.
Some minor scarring around the belly button is also possible. Surgeons need to make small incisions for liposuction, and they do so in inconspicuous places. However, if an incision is placed near the belly button, it could result in a small scar in that area. A good surgeon can make the scar small and inconspicuous, but there may still be one.
How Belly Button Changes Can Be Minimized
If you’re considering a BBL with abdominal liposuction, note that belly button changes don’t have to be a worry. There are many ways that an experienced and competent surgeon can minimize or eliminate belly button changes.
Surgeon’s Technique
A good surgeon does not haphazardly remove fat during a liposuction procedure. The surgery is just as much about sculpting and reshaping the body as it is removing unwanted fat cells. Good surgical techniques and precision fat removal minimize the risk of unwanted changes to the belly button.
Skin Tightening Combination Procedures
If you know that your skin lacks elasticity, you may wish to combine a skin-tightening procedure with your liposuction. At Mia Aesthetics, we offer a J-Plasma skin tightening system that uses a unique combination of RF waves and helium to create J-Plasma. This procedure heats your skin to cause shrinking while simultaneously cooling it to prevent burns and tissue damage.
Post-Operative Care
Even if a surgeon performs your BBL procedure flawlessly, it may not matter if you don’t follow your aftercare instructions. It’s crucial that you follow your surgeon’s post-op instructions closely and wear your compression garment as instructed. If you don’t, you could hamper your recovery or alter your surgical results.
It’s important to continue taking good care of yourself after your recovery, as well. Maintaining a healthy diet and keeping up with a good exercise regimen are also important. They can help you maintain a stable weight so that your fat cells don’t change and alter your results. Good skin care is also helpful as it can improve elasticity and reduce the appearance of scars.