NHS advice on BBL surgery following woman fearing amputation after liquid BBL treatment
BBLs - or Brazilian butt lifts if you're fancy - have been trending for quite some time now.
However, it's important to bear in mind that the increasingly popular cosmetic procedure comes with some major side effects and health risks.
Just recently for example, one Derby woman was left fearing for her life when she ended up in hospital with sepsis after having a BBL.
Advert
Following the horrific ordeal, the 29-year-old mum, Laura Bassnett, has since made a full recovery, but says her 'eyes have been opened' to the dangers of cosmetic procedures.
Also shedding a light on the dangers attached to BBLs, the NHS has previously provided advice on BBL surgeries.
Side effects to expect
The NHS explains that it's 'common' after a surgical fat transfer to experience a number of side effects.
Some of which include; significant bruising and swelling, temporary numbness, small scars - these will fade, but will not completely disappear and loss of some of the fat from the injected area during the first few months.
What could go wrong?
While a surgical fat transfer is 'generally a safe procedure', the NHS does warn that it can end up causing some health issues.
The surgery can occasionally result in a collection of blood underneath the skin (haematoma), the death of fat tissue (fat necrosis), a blockage in a blood vessel caused by a piece of fat (fat embolism), air leaking into the space between your lungs and chest wall (pneumothorax) and thick, obvious scars which are sometimes known as hypertrophic scars.
The NHS also states that any operation also carries a small risk of; excessive bleeding, developing a blood clot in a vein, infection and an allergic reaction to the anaesthetic.
"The surgeon should explain how likely these risks and complications are, and how they would be treated," the official website informs.
And that's not all as, occasionally, another operation may end up being needed on top of the initial one.
So, for example, with BBLs, further surgery may be needed, either because 'about 50 percent of the injected fat does not survive, or the desired volume cannot be achieved in one operation'.
Safety concerns and risks for BBL surgery
It's important to be aware of the safety concerns and risks when it comes to BBL surgeries as there have been a number of deaths following complications of the procedure.
Now, you may not know this, I definitely didn't, but the infamous BBL surgery has the 'highest death rate of all cosmetic procedures'.
The NHS states that the main concern is that the injected fat can 'cause a blockage in a blood vessel in the lungs' - also known as a pulmonary embolism - which can be fatal.
As well as having the same risks as other surgical fat transfer operations, additional risks of the BBL include a pretty serious skin infection called cellulitis as well as 'lumpy scars' that can 'contour deformity'.
According to the NHS, evidence suggests that fat should 'only be injected into the tissue under the skin' and never directly into the muscle of the bottom.
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has advised its members not to carry out BBL surgery.
The NHS adds: "Instead, they can carry out gluteal fat grafting, which uses an ultrasound during the procedure to make sure fat is not injected into the muscle."
So, in short, do your research so you're well-informed about the risks and dangers before getting any cosmetic surgery done.
Rhiannon Ingle