Is A Compression Garment Post Your Brazilian Butt Lift Recommended?

By Jerome Edelstein, MD

After undergoing a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) procedure, there are certain steps that you should follow during the recovery process in order to ensure optimal results, such as wearing a compression garment. Your plastic surgeon will likely prescribe the use of a post-operative garment for compression. These devices, which help remodel tissue and minimize swelling, pain, and discomfort, are quite popular amongst patients recovering from cosmetic surgery.

In most instances, plastic surgeons utilize compression garments that cover both the buttocks and the donor sites, which have undergone liposuction. The garment works to remodel the tissue without applying significant amounts of compression, thereby minimizing the potential for fat cell damage.Compression garments have a number of benefits, including:

1. Assisting with the retraction and shrinking of skin from areas that underwent liposuction.
2. Reducing the amount of swelling that occurs and promoting its resolution by mechanical pressure.
3. Decreasing the amount and severity of bruising.

Essentially, compression garments are designed to support the shape of the buttocks after a BBL, while reducing swelling and smoothing out the appearance of the skin. It’s important to note that the pressure from the compression garment is not the same as pressure from sitting.

Your plastic surgeon will provide guidance about how long you should continue using your compression garment, as this will vary depending the amount of fat removed, the elasticity of your skin, the amount of loose skin remaining at the liposuction site, and how much swelling is occurring in the buttocks.

However, it is typically recommended that you wear the compression garments full time for a minimum of three weeks post-surgery and thereafter for 12-hours a day. Often, if there is minimal loose skin following liposuction, the compression garment is prescribed for as few as six weeks.For the greatest therapeutic effect, the compression garment needs to fit snugly. However, if it is too tight, it can cause discomfort due to the pressure being applied to the area. A tight garment will also cause localized elevation of tissue pressure that results in cell damage and contour irregularities. Usually, the first compression garment that is prescribed will be applied while in the operating room which ensures that the fit is appropriate. A proper fit also ensures that  rolls and folds do not develop. As the swelling mobilizes and resolves, the fitted compression garment will become loose and need to be replaced. A garment such as Spanx usually works as an effective compression garment by this time in the recovery period as it is able to give sufficient support and is easy to find the right size.The most important advice regarding BBL aftercare and the use of compression garments is to listen to your plastic surgeon’s instructions as they are knowledgeable about your procedure and your individual needs. Be sure to ask about your recovery process at your initial consultation to help you prepare for a speedy and healthy recovery so that you can enjoy your new body after a successful BBL.