What is a mini BBL?
A mini BBL is a body contouring procedure that involves liposuction to specific areas of the body followed by smaller volume fat transfer to targeted areas of the buttocks or for correction of hip dips to provide subtle yet natural-looking results for slender-framed women. Although a full BBL is still the most popular procedure for enhancing the buttocks, a mini BBL has increased in popularity for women not keen on achieving dramatic transformations.
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A standard BBL, also known as a Brazilian butt lift, involves 360 liposuction of the abdomen, waist and back with fat transfer to the buttocks. Many people choose to have a mini BBL to fill out hip dips or create a more athletic shape, and it is commonly combined with high-definition liposuction or HD Lipo.
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Mini BBL surgery first involves liposuction to remove the required amount of fat, followed by processing the fat to remove impurities before being re-injected into the buttocks and/or hips. Compared with a full BBL, a mini BBL is more targeted and is focused on achieving a subtle enhancement of the existing contours of the torso and buttocks as opposed to enhancing the entire volume of the buttocks.
Am I suitable?
The best way to determine your suitability for a mini BBL is to have an in-person consultation with a specialist Plastic Surgeon. As part of the consultation, your surgeon will assess whether you have sufficient fat to be harvested for a standard BBL or whether you may be more appropriate for a mini BBL.
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For patients who prefer to achieve less dramatic results from a BBL, the mini BBL could be ideal. Subtle enhancement in the size and shape of the buttocks and hips is often requested by women with a lean body frame without a desire to achieve an hourglass figure with an exaggerated curvy buttock appearance.
Ideal candidates for a mini BBL should be at or near their ideal body weight. As with any kind of body contouring procedure, it is not a treatment for weight loss. In fact, most people who request a BBL will have a body mass index on the lower range of the scale. Achieving optimal results requires having a minimum of small pockets of fat in other parts of the body to enable successful fat transfer.
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How to prepare for a mini BBL?
You will receive detailed preoperative instructions from your surgeon in advance of the procedure. If you are on any medications or have any medical conditions, you will be provided with customised advice on how to optimise your health before surgery. Patients with well-controlled diabetes may be asked to have the surgery first thing in the morning to limit the amount of time needed for preoperative fasting. There are certain medications he will need to stop before surgery, including medicines containing aspirin, as these are associated with an increased risk of bleeding during and after surgery. Herbal supplements should also be stopped for the same reason. Smokers should stop smoking a minimum of four weeks before the procedure and for at least four weeks afterwards to minimise the risk of wound healing complications occurring in the postoperative period.
What does a mini BBL involve?
Mini BBL surgery is performed under a general anaesthetic at our Baker Street clinic in London. It is a day case procedure which means you’ll be able to recover in the comfort of your own home later the same day. A mini BBL first involves a Liposuction to remove unwanted fat from targeted areas such as the abdomen, flanks, lower back or thighs. Compared with a standard BBL, smaller quantities of fat are removed as many women will often have a slender body frame with limited amounts of fat. The fat will then be purified to remove impurities before being expertly injected into targeted areas of the buttocks to enhance volume. A mini BBL is designed to target specific areas, such as the upper part of the buttocks or hip dips. Your treatment goals and desires will be considered during the procedure planning to achieve the best results. Women can achieve more contoured buttocks that do not appear excessively enlarged with a flatter tummy. The procedure is minimally invasive as only small incisions are needed to carry out both liposuction and fat transfer. This results in little or no scoring after the procedure. Tiny scars ensure you have a quick and smooth recovery. Patients increasingly request a mini BBL due to its ability to produce natural-looking results by using what already exists in the body in the form of fat to achieve both pleasing body contours and enhanced buttock volume.
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Recovery after mini BBL
We would recommend taking at least one week off after a mini Brazilian butt lift to allow adequate time for healing and recovery. It is important not to do too much too soon during the first few weeks after surgery. You should stay mobile around the home button and avoid lifting heavy objects, including young children. It may be wise to arrange for childcare support during your early recovery phase, as your healing may be affected by looking after small children.
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You should avoid driving a car during the first few weeks. Taking adequate time out for rest and relaxation will help to accelerate healing and help you achieve the best mini BBL results. You will receive detailed post-operative instructions from your surgeon, and you should avoid sitting on your buttocks for a minimum of two weeks after having a mini BBL.
How much fat will survive after a mini BBL?
Mini BBL surgery must be performed by a specialist surgeon to achieve high levels of fat survival. Every fat transfer procedure involves a certain proportion of fat being reabsorbed by the body. Between 60 to 70% of the transferred fat will survive and establish itself in the buttocks or hips. Fat cells require a blood supply to survive, and for every 1 L of fat injected into the buttocks, patients can expect a survival rate of approximately 700ml. Your surgeon will account for this by over-injecting the buttocks with fat to ensure the maximum amount of fat will establish itself in the buttocks. There will be significant post-operative swelling, and the final results of a mini BBL will be visible between 2 to 3 months after surgery. Fat is living tissue that will increase or decrease in size with weight loss or weight gain and will behave like fat in any other body part. If people gain weight, the fat cells will increase and will shrink in size with weight loss. This is why we recommend maintaining a stable weight over the long term by eating sensibly and exercising regularly to maintain your mini BBL results.
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How much does a mini BBL cost?
The cost of a mini BBL will be determined by several factors, including the number of liposuction areas, the amount of fat to be transferred, the surgeon you select and the clinic’s location. If the procedure is combined with other body contouring surgeries, the overall cost of the procedure will increase. Some patients may require a second-stage procedure to achieve sufficient fat transfer to produce optimum results. You will be able to discuss in depth what you would like to achieve with a mini BBL, and your dedicated patient coordinator will give you a detailed quotation after your consultation. As with any type of cosmetic surgery, a mini BBL is not available on the NHS and is not covered by private medical insurance. You will need to fund the cost of the treatment yourself.
Centre for Surgery partners with Chrysalis Finance, the leading medical finance provider in the UK. We offer a full range of finance options, including 0% finance for eligible applicants. People who choose to have a mini BBL should view the procedure as a long-term investment in happiness and self-confidence.
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You can learn more about mini BBL costs and prices by contacting us at 020 7993 4849 or completing the contact form below.
Mini BBL Surgery at Centre for Surgery
Centre for Surgery is the leading clinic in the UK for BBL surgery and is home to some of the best BBL surgeons in London. We have more experience in carrying out BBL surgery, including mini BBLs than any other UK clinic. We were the first clinic in the UK to adopt the BAAPS 2022 guidelines on safe BBL surgery three years before they were published.
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Call us today or complete the contact form below to schedule an in-person consultation with a specialist BBL Surgeon at our state-of-the-art Baker Street clinic in Marylebone.