How you can take care of your BBL scars & make them fade away quickly!

Most of the cosmetic procedures can’t be done without a cut in the skin. These cuts can be tiny or larger depending on what surgery the patient will undergo. Speaking of cuts, do you know enough about BBL scars if you are planning to get your buttocks fuller?

Same as other cosmetic surgeries, BBL requires tiny incisions in order to harvest the patient’s unwanted fat and inject it into the buttocks. Reaching the desired shape is the main point of BBL, but knowing how your body deals with surgical scars is important as well.

In this article, we explained Brazilian Butt Lift surgery incisions, where they happen, are they permanent, how to take care of them, and what to do if they leave scarring. We gathered everything you need to know in one place. So, Let’s start right away.

BBL Scars: What are they?

In order to make the patient’s butt fuller, rounder, and bigger, fat should be harvested from other parts of the body and transferred into the buttocks. Without a cut, the cannula cannot be inserted through the skin and BBL can’t be performed. And this is where your body starts its fight.

Scars form when your body gets damaged or cut. When tissues get damaged, a protein called collagen gets released and accumulates in the area to restore the damage. Collagen will grow new tissues and fill the gaps in the area. This is how scars form in brief.

Where do BBL scars happen?

Where are BBL scars? The answer is quite simple and direct: Your BBL scars will be located where liposuction is performed and in your butt. Meaning that the incisions can be in your hips, lower back, thighs, abdomen, arms, and of course, your buttocks.

Are BBL scars big enough to be seen?

No, your scars will be as small as 2 or 3 millimeters in diameter. After the surgery, your BBL incisions will be closed by invisible sutures to not make them stand out. However, depending on the cut and the cannula surgeon used during the operation, your incisions can go up to 5 millimeters.

Besides, the location of incisions is another factor that can determine visibility. If cuts were made in discrete areas, such as within your body’s lines, they will be concealed well. Also, the surgeon can choose places that can be concealed with clothing.

Will there be permanent scarring?

No, your BBL scars are not permanent and should be gone eventually. However, it depends on how well you treat your surgical wounds during the healing process. If you don’t follow your surgeon’s instructions, your scars from BBL can turn into visible or minimal scarring. So, make sure that you act accordingly. You can also consult the doctor for a scar treatment plan to make post-op care easier.

Stages of BBL scars recovery

So, your Brazilian Butt Lift surgery is over, had your post-op check-ups and everything is fine. You go home and stand in front of the mirror to check how well your buttocks are doing. Then you see the little red spots around your abdomen or back, your liposuction incisions. Are they redder than yesterday? Or is swelling increased? Don’t be alarmed because it is your body’s normal process. Let’s see the stages scars go through during recovery time.

Stage 1

The body starts to manage the wound as soon as the incision is made in the operation. Your body orders the blood vessels to narrow to reduce bleeding, call platelets to form a blood clot to plug the wound and proteins such as collagen and fibrin help with the production of tissues. (1)

Stage 2

White blood cells will accumulate in the wound to fight bacteria and remove debris. This stage can last for a week and you may notice pain, swelling, and redness in or around your wound. Check if there’s pus drainage in your scar regularly during this period because it may be a sign of infection.

Stage 3

Now that the debris is cleaned, it is time to rebuild the damaged tissue. Your wound will be tightened and thickened, there will be a new deposit of collagen to repair the scar. It will take around 4 days to a month to fill the gap completely.

Stage 4

The wound is sealed completely and the new skin surface is ready. Now it is time for the final, remodeling phase. This stage can take 6 months to 2 years. Collagen will keep improving the tissue and you will observe the scarring will go red from skin color in time to blend with your skin tone.

DISCLAIMER: Most of the time, surgery wounds heal completely in two weeks and the remodeling stage starts.

So, seeing that scars after BBL takes a while to recover completely, are there any tips for a speedy recovery? Yes. There are some easy steps you can take to improve your skin’s condition, reduce swelling and prevent infection from happening.

Taking care of your BBL scars

Your BBL scars will be very delicate during the recovery process. This means that you have to take care of them properly in order to prevent any risk of complications. Inappropriate post-op care can slow the recovery of your wound or even cause BBL scarring in the end. Then, what should you do? Actually, it is pretty simple and you will see that there’s nothing extra to do. Then, let’s explore how you should treat your BBL surgery scars.

Clean your incisions

Cleaning your surgical wounds reduces scarring and prevents bacteria fromation. But, how to clean BBL incisions? You can clean your BBL scars with mild soap or with a mixture of sterile water and salt. Grab a piece of soft cloth, soak it in water, and rinse the area. After that, gently pat your wound with a soft towel to dry. If your surgeon recommended any ointments, apply them.

Also, don’t try to clean your wounds with skin cleansers, anti-bacterial soaps, wipes, and alcohol, or with shower gels in the shower. They can damage your skin and prevent healing.

Prevent infections

Keep your BBL scars clean and dry all the time. Warm and moist environments are the best for bacteria to multiply. Leaving your incisions wet after showering or cleaning can promote infection in the area. Also, don’t soak your wounds in water until they are closed completely. Water can soften the skin and reopen your wounds, making them vulnerable to bacteria.

Besides, if you are to apply ointments or check on the area without using gloves, wash your hands in the first place. Our hands contain numerous bacteria and you won’t want the bad ones to visit your body through the wound.

If you are suspecting that your wounds might be infected, we have an entire article about BBL infections, in which you can get an idea of which symptoms to look out for and how to treat an infected wound.

Help of compression

Wearing compression garments is one of the best things to do after BBL surgery. Shortly, compression prevents veins to expand and improves blood circulation. With this, swelling and inflammation around your wound will also be reduced because the blood supply is focused there.

Also, garments will act as a protective barrier between your Brazilian Butt Lift incisions and the outside, preventing contaminated surfaces from contact with your skin directly.

Avoid sun and tanning

Direct sunlight exposure or tanning can give you BBL scarring while your wounds are still healing. The reason is simple. During the healing process, newly formed tissues will be very delicate and sensitive. Ultraviolet rays coming from the sun or tanning beds can damage your skin and this will trigger your cells to thicken the area, resulting in hyperpigmentation. (2)

Post-op BBL scarring treatments

Let’s say that several months have passed since your surgery, and your BBL scars resulted in visible scarring. As we said in the beginning, there are countless patients with different demands. So, it wouldn’t be a surprise that numerous options are available to satisfy their needs. Here, let’s find out the answer to the “how to get rid of BBL scars?” question for you.

Silicone

Silicone comes in two options: gel and sheets. Both work in the same way, just different in shape. It increases hydration in the upper layers of the skin, resulting in softening and flattening of the scar. As well as protecting the scar from infections, it also reduces itching and discomfort in the area. According to reports, it is effective 86% in texture recovery, 84% in discoloration, and 68% in improving the height of the scar (3). You can also apply silicone gel after your wound is closed to prevent scarring.

Massaging

Scars shouldn’t be massaged until they are healed completely. There should be no inflammation or scabbing left. Massaging your scars have numerous benefits and the most important one is improving appearance, which is claimed 90% effective in surgical scars (4). Other benefits of massaging are:

Enhancing blood flow
Decrease itching
Prevent scar tissue hardening
Increases area flexibility

Massage your scars by applying pressure with the tips of your two fingers. Combine circular, vertical, and horizontal motions while increasing pressure gradually. Do it two to three times daily for 10 minutes and adjust the pressure if it starts hurting. You can also consult an expert or a doctor for massaging techniques.

Laser therapy

Apart from silicone gel and massaging, how to fade BBL scars or improve their appearance? Here’s a quick and easy solution: Laser therapy.

The main point of laser therapy is not to remove your scar completely but replace the current one with a smaller, less noticeable one. The beam of light will promote the production of collagen and makes your body produce smoother skin. It will be painless because topical anesthetic will numb the skin.

However, the disadvantage of laser therapy is it can require 4 to 6 sessions to get the best results, which can be costly. Also, itching, redness, and changes in skin color are common side effects of laser therapy.

References

(1) Yimin Qin, Functional wound dressings, In Woodhead Publishing Series in Textiles, Medical Textile Materials, Woodhead Publishing, 2016, Pages 89-107, ISBN 9780081006184, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100618-4.00007-8.
(2) Gupta A, Avci P, Dai T, Huang YY, Hamblin MR. Ultraviolet Radiation in Wound Care: Sterilization and Stimulation. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle). 2013 Oct;2(8):422-437. doi: 10.1089/wound.2012.0366. PMID: 24527357; PMCID: PMC3797459.
(3) Puri N, Talwar A. The efficacy of silicone gel for the treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2009 Jul;2(2):104-6. doi: 10.4103/0974-2077.58527. PMID: 20808600; PMCID: PMC2918339.
(4) Shin TM, Bordeaux JS. The role of massage in scar management: a literature review. Dermatol Surg. 2012 Mar;38(3):414-23. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2011.02201.x. Epub 2011 Nov 7. PMID: 22093081.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/scars