Foundation-Funded BBL Research Helped Save Lives

The Gluteal Fat Grafting Task Force set out to answer why people were dying during and after Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) surgeries and how to make the procedure safer. The Aesthetic Foundation co-funded groundbreaking research that uncovered key issues contributing to BBL-related deaths and helped confirm the safest BBL surgical techniques. These learnings led to new guidelines outlining that only board-certified plastic surgeons should perform BBL procedures using these techniques. Two years later, Past Foundation president Luis Rios Jr., MD, conducted additional research that confirmed there was a decrease in pulmonary fat embolism incidents since the guidelines were published. Ultimately, the evidence indicated that the research helped decrease the BBL mortality rate and improve patient outcomes.