Brazilian Butt LiftPre & Post-Op Instructions

woman in a white bathing suite with a her butt showing

What should I do or not do before the day of surgery?

Please do not:

Smoke (cigarettes, vape, or pipe) or use any nicotine products 4 weeks prior to and after your surgery. Smoking and nicotine greatly impair healing, which can cause an increased risk for infection and complications, such as delayed incisional healing or wound opening, which leads to worse scarring.
Expose yourself to secondhand smoke, as this can also cause wound healing problems. If you use nicotine products, you will need to stop 4 weeks prior to surgery; you will also need to undergo a nicotine test prior to surgery to ensure that it is out of your system.
Drink alcohol before or after your surgery (until cleared by your surgeon). In addition, please do not drink alcohol while taking pain medication, as this can have serious and life-threatening side effects.
Do not take blood thinners such as Advil, Aleve, Naproxen, Fish Oil, Garlic, CoQ10, Omega 3,6, Motrin, Excedrin, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, medications for arthritis or any medication that contains these medications for ten days prior to your surgery and two weeks after.
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery.

What should I do prior to the day of my surgery?

Please do the following:

Leave all valuables at home. If you have body piercings, kindly remove them prior to surgery.
Have someone available to drive you home. Due to the lasting effects of the general anesthesia, you will be unable to operate a car after surgery. A taxi or car service is not adequate in this situation. You will need a family member or friend who can assist you.
Carefully follow the instructions given. The surgery facility will call you the day before your surgery to let you know what time and where you should arrive.
Obtain pre-operative tests at a lab facility or your primary care physician if requested. Your pre-operative tests (labs, X-rays, EKG, etc.) need to be completed at least three days before your surgery. If you have them done at your doctor’s office, the results will need to be faxed to (210) 362-1582.
Shower the morning of or the night before your surgery with your normal soap and water. Do not use deodorant, lotion, cream, perfume, aftershave, oils, or makeup after bathing.
Please call our office if you have an infection of any kind prior to your surgery.

Some guidelines for aftercare

To make your recovery faster and more comfortable, we recommend that you prepare before your surgery. Some actions you can take prior to surgery include:

Prepare a sleeping area that is easy to get to. For example, set up a couch downstairs so there is no need to walk to an upstairs bedroom. Keep your toiletries close by and prepare your food ahead of time. Arrange for someone to be with you the first night after surgery.
You may receive your post-operative medications at your pre-operative appointment. You should pick up these medications prior to your surgery.
Review your post-surgery instructions given to you at your pre-operative appointment
When undergoing sedation for the procedure, you will need to have someone drive you home. You will not be allowed to undergo surgery if there is no confirmed designated driver, so please prepare ahead of time.

Will I be taking pain medication after my Brazilian butt lift?

After surgery, you will experience some level of discomfort. The goal of pain medications is to reduce pain, but not necessarily eradicate all pain. A good measure of whether you need more pain control is: can you take a deep breath without severe pain? Do not wait until your pain is unbearable to take the next dose of pain medication because it will take longer to get your pain under control again.

Medication guidelines for after your surgery:

It is important to follow certain guidelines regarding your medications after your procedure. These include:

You may resume your medications after surgery apart from blood thinners, which will need to be determined by your surgeon.
You will be given a prescription for pain medication. If you are prescribed medications that contain acetaminophen (Tylenol), it is important that you do not exceed 3500 milligrams of acetaminophen (Tylenol) per day.
Do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or make important decisions while taking narcotic pain medications.
Narcotic medications may cause constipation. Ensure you have adequate (>25 grams/day) of fiber in your diet and drink at least 64 oz. of water daily. You may also wish to take an over-the-counter stool softener such as MiraLAX or Colace once or twice daily.
You can alternate your narcotic medication with Ibuprofen 600mg every 6 hours. Take ibuprofen with food to protect your stomach from irritation.
If you have a history of nausea or vomiting after anesthesia, you may be prescribed an anti-nausea medication (Ondansetron), which can be taken as needed.

Will I be prescribed narcotic medication after surgery?

Before prescribing any narcotic medications, we are required to check the Texas controlled substance history database (Texas Prescription Monitoring Program). If you currently have a pain medication contract with another physician or are currently on narcotic medications, we will have to coordinate your medications with that physician.

How long will I be prescribed pain medication?

We will prescribe pain medications for recovery after surgery but do not prescribe long-term pain medications and do not supply more than one refill for any pain medications. If you have pain that is beyond what is usually anticipated for your surgery and there is no surgical reason that can be found, we will help by referring you to one of the many pain management specialists that we work with.

How to care for your surgical site:

You may shower 48 hours after your surgery. Do not scrub the incisions; simply let the water run over them and dab them dry afterward. Gauze should be applied over the surgical site daily as needed for light drainage. Do not immerse your incisions in baths or hot tubs until at least 2 weeks after surgery.

Please call us at once if:

Please call if you have the following signs/symptoms:

Temperature greater than 100.5 F
Increasing pain that is not controlled on oral pain medications
Increasing redness or size at the surgical site
If your incisions come apart, bleeding, or pus draining from the wound site. If you have bleeding, apply direct pressure to the area for 20 minutes
Any other concerns

For non-emergency questions:

During business hours (8 AM – 430 PM): call (210) 658-3555.
After hours and on weekends/holidays: call (210) 658-3555, and you will be forwarded to the on-call surgeon.
If you are having any serious problems or symptoms, such as difficulty breathing or chest pain, call 911 or proceed to your nearest emergency room.

Activity restrictions:

After your surgery it is important to not engage in vigorous activity. That means no pushing, pulling, bouncing, housecleaning, yoga, running or heavy lifting greater than 5 lbs. until your follow up appointment. Avoid activities that raise your blood pressure or heart rate. You are encouraged to walk around and may climb stairs after surgery. You should not lay in bed and remain sedentary.

Follow-up clinic appointment

Your clinic appointment will be scheduled at your pre-operative appointment before surgery. If you need to change your appointment time or date, please contact our clinic at (210) 658-3555. The surgeon may adjust any of the above guidelines and instructions based on the patient and the type of surgery performed.