The ultimate guide to Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) in Turkey

Last fact-checked: 15 November 2021

With a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) in Turkey, you can safely get that fuller, rounder-looking bum with savings of between 50% and 70% compared to prices in the UK and EU.

This guide gives you the lowdown on what this hugely popular procedure entails, how it can help achieve your desired results and other important considerations for your money-saving medical holiday to Turkey.

With Medical Departures, you can also book a free appointment with any of our fully licensed, fully verified BBL clinics in Turkey, with no upfront charges and no cancellation fees up to 24 hours prior to your appointment.

What Is a BBL?

If your derriere is sagging or you feel like you don’t have enough volume, a Brazilian butt lift in Turkey may be the answer— especially if you’ve already seen the high prices back home at private clinics.

Known now simply as a “BBL,” the Brazilian butt lift involves the harvesting of adipose fat tissue from another part of the body; once refined, the cells are then transferred to the gluteal area (that’s your buttocks) via a series of small injections.

As a result, you can expect:

• Greater volume

• A fuller, rounder shape

• Improved contours

• A more projected, or pronounced, bum

As well as improved confidence, patients often report that they feel less self-conscious when wearing swimwear, fitted clothes that hug the body, skinny jeans, and bum-hugging dresses.

The BBL is, according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, one of the fastest-growing cosmetic procedures around the world, with tens of thousands of people undergoing the procedure every year in America alone.

What Is the Difference Between a BBL and a Traditional Butt Lift?

Names can often be deceiving and that is definitely the case with a BBL: the procedure did not actually originate from Brazil, and nor, importantly, does it involve any surgical “tuck.”

By this, we mean that a BBL does not involve the removal of any sagging, excess skin; it only adds volume.

For those wanting to get rid of excess skin around the glutes, it should be noted that:

• In some cases, where a patient only has minimal excess skin, a BBL creates a “filling out” effect, resulting in a tighter, more pert bum without involving any incisions.

• In cases where a patient has a large amount of excess, loose skin— possibly following bariatric surgery or dramatic weight loss—a BBL can be combined with a traditional butt lift during the same session of surgery. You can find out more about what this procedure entails with Medical Departures’ Ultimate Guide to Butt Lift Surgery.

BBL and Other Combined Surgeries

While both butt lift and BBL procedures may be combined, most surgeons would advise against combining a BBL with any other surgeries; for example, those interested in a mommy makeover involving a breast lift, tummy tuck and liposuction would need to wait until they have fully recovered before considering a BBL.

This is because a BBL is already a major procedure in itself, combining both liposuction and fat transfer techniques; work on any other areas of the body would significantly increase the risk of complications.

Am I Suitable for a BBL in Turkey?

While a Brazilian butt lift is the most popular butt augmentation procedure in the world right now, it may not be suitable for all individuals. You do need to have some excess fat in your body for removal (this will also reduce the fat from those areas of your body).

Patients should also be in overall good health, have had a relatively stable body weight for 6-12 months and should not have any serious medical conditions that may potentially cause complications associated with general anesthesia.

As for your suitability for surgery in Turkey, all you really need is a valid passport, a bag and perhaps a few Turkish lira! Our partner clinics work with English-speaking surgeons and support staff, while our Customer Care Team will be on standby 24/7 during your time in the country in case you need any assistance.

Note: To confirm your suitability before you fly to Turkey, arrange an appointment with a local GP or simply send us a message to confirm your interest. Next, the Medical Departures team can help set up a virtual consultation with a prospective surgeon in Turkey over Skype or Zoom. Be sure to be honest about any medications you may be taking, as well as your medical history.

How Long Does a BBL Take?

Brazilian butt lifts generally take three to four hours. Surgery times may be slightly shorter than this in cases where only a small amount of fat is being transferred.

Undertaking major BBL procedures where a large amount of fat is being transferred (thus taking longer than four or five hours) is not advisable due to the increased risks. For those wanting to add more volume, the best solution is to increase size in small increments over time, rather than in one long session.

Patients visiting Turkey for their BBL can expect to spend most of the day at the hospital or surgical clinic. As well as surgery, the day will involve first being admitted, then further preparation, administration of anaesthesia and post-surgery monitoring.

What Does a Typical BBL Procedure Entail?

Below is a summary of the main steps of undergoing a BBL procedure in Turkey:

Arrival: After touching down in Turkey, patients have the option of taking some time out for the “holiday” part of the trip—perhaps exploring some of the iconic historical sights in Istanbul or relaxing by the beach in Antalya or elsewhere along the Turkish Riviera. This downtime before surgery will be your only real chance to get out and about as after surgery, activity will be very limited.

Consultation: The first step of your treatment will be to meet with your surgeon and the rest of the medical team at your chosen BBL clinic in Turkey. You will undergo a pre-surgical evaluation to confirm your suitability, as well as discuss different aspects of the procedure, such as the amount of fat to be transferred, the anaesthesia plan and where on the body (eg. the flank, abdomen, thighs or upper arms) the fat will be harvested.

Surgery: This may take place on the same day as your consultation or on one of the following days, depending on your schedule.

Normally carried out under general anaesthesia (administered by a fully-licensed anesthesiologist), the procedure is a three-stage process:

1. Harvesting: First, fat is harvested from the predetermined donor area. While several different liposuction techniques can be used, the most common method is via tumescent liposuction, considered safe and effective, with a quick recovery time.
2. Preparation: The harvested adipose tissue solution is prepared outside of the body before being transferred; this purification process involves the use of special equipment to wash and separate the fat cells from blood and other fluids from the collected solution.
3. Placement: A needle or cannula is normally used to transfer the fat, which is passed in and out of the designated areas of the glutes (that are being augmented). This depositing process is repeated until the desired volume or correction has been achieved, often at multiple sites. The area(s) may be massaged to create desired contours. To complete the transfer step, a dressing or bandage is placed over the grafted area.

Other Types of Buttock Augmentation & Fat Transfer Procedures

In cases where a Brazilian butt lift is not possible (often due to insufficient fat elsewhere on the body or your personal preferences), there is a range of other methods to augment (i.e. add volume) to the buttocks. These include:

• Sculptra® (filler injections) butt lift

• Hydrogel and silicone buttock injections

• Silicone implants

Remember to consult a qualified doctor before deciding to proceed with any of the above-listed procedures, as each carries its own set of unique risks and may not be suitable for everyone.

Fat transfer can also be used to augment other areas of the body that may lack volume or fullness. Such procedures include:

• Facial fat transfer

• Breast augmentation with fat grafting

• Breast implants and fat grafting

• Hand rejuvenation with fat grafting

BBL Post-Op Recovery

• Immediately following surgery, you will feel sore and stiff; painkillers can help ease any discomfort.

• Most patients are given a removable compression garment to wear, normally for several weeks after surgery; this helps to ease swelling, thus speeding the recovery process.

• The doctor will give you advice as to how long you’ll need to avoid sitting down (thus applying weight to the buttocks). Instead, you will be asked to lie on your stomach for at least five days following surgery.

• You will gradually start to apply weight to the affected area by lying on your back; a pillow placed at the small of the back can help lift off some of the pressure.

• Although you won’t be able to sit for prolonged periods of time, patients are advised to start walking after a few days; this promotes blood flow around the body and helps the overall healing process.

• Most people return to work after around two weeks, although this will depend on the type of job you have.

• It may be two weeks before you can manage most everyday tasks again; for fitness and any other vigorous activity, you may need to wait around a month or more.

• A full recovery can take two to three months.

How Much Does a BBL Cost in Turkey?

See the Medical Departures’ Turkey BBL prices in the table below; these estimated figures were provided to us at the time of writing from three of our top partner clinics in the country:

Please note: These are average price estimates; feel free to connect with our Customer Care Team for a personalized, no-obligation quote.

How Much Can I Save on BBL Surgery in Turkey Compared to Prices in the UK?

As an elective. and therefore non-essential procedure, BBLs are not covered by the NHS; likewise, those with private medical coverage in other countries obviously can’t expect any payouts for this purely cosmetic procedure, thus meaning the total cost will be out-of-pocket.

And with BBL prices of up to £10,000 in places like London, Birmingham and Manchester, this confidence-boosting procedure is simply not a viable option for many people in Britain and the EU.

Instead, see how much more affordable treatment is abroad with these average BBL price estimates for treatment in the UK compared to Turkey

• On average, BBL surgery in the UK costs: £8,000–£10,000

• On average, BBL surgery in Turkey costs: £2,500–£3,500

• Your savings: 60%–75%

As you can see, when booking your treatment in Turkey, you can expect to make savings of several thousand pounds, even when factoring in flight and accommodation expenses for the duration of your time relaxing in attractive places like Istanbul, İzmir or Antalya.

Best BBL Clinics in Turkey

Get started now by checking out these five top clinics in Turkey for BBL, as well as other buttock enhancement surgeries:

• Estetik International Medical (Istanbul)

• Istanbul Aesthetic Center (Medical) (Istanbul)

• Memorial Healthcare Group (Istanbul)

• Catch Life Aesthetic (Antalya)

For more options, visit our full list of BBL clinics in Turkey.

Alternatively, explore other popular medical tourism destinations for BBL surgery below:

• All BBL clinics in the Philippines

• All BBL clinics in Thailand

• All BBL clinics in Mexico

Why Book Your BBL in Turkey with Medical Departures?

Medical Departures is the world’s largest international medical and dental travel agency; over the past decade, we have helped over 100,000 people find and book more affordable treatment abroad, including in Turkey.

So, why should you use our site (or friendly Customer Care Team) to book your plastic surgery abroad—rather than go it alone?

First and foremost, we conduct a range of due diligence checks on every clinic, hospital and surgeon listed on our site. Our background investigations involve:

• Sending out an initial questionnaire to prospective medical partners to find out about the services they offer, among other things.

• Publishing verified patient testimonials (because no one can give a better appraisal of the facilities and treatments than people who have actually been there and done it!)

• Verifying credentials, which includes qualifications, professional memberships and clinic affiliations, for example with the International Standards Organization (ISO) for safety and hygiene and the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

• Checking legal claims or criminal backgrounds

• Personally visiting each clinic; if we wouldn’t be happy to undergo treatment there ourselves, you won’t see it listed on our site.

All these measures provide a more complete picture which, taken together, form an accurate reflection of reliability and quality.

When booking with Medical Departures, you are also ensured of:

• Exclusive promotions on treatment packages and accommodation to help you save even more during your medical trip.

• No upfront charges when you book.

• Free, 24/7 customer support before, during and after your treatment.

• Our Best Price Guarantee pledge, meaning we won’t be beaten on price.

• The ability to cancel your appointment for free, any time up to 24 hours before.

Is Turkey Safe for BBL Surgery? What Are the Risks?

Given that BBLs are considered one of the riskier plastic surgeries (as both fat harvesting and transfer techniques are combined while the patient is normally unconscious under general anaesthesia), checking out the credentials of doctors and clinics listed on our site beforehand should give you a good start.

In fact, unlicensed practitioners, the use of incorrect injectables and unsterile operating areas are three of the four main risk factors highlighted by Patrick Hsu, MD.

Thus, checking out qualifications, licenses and professional memberships should be a priority for prospective patients, a process already carried out by Medical Departures.

Find out more about the associated BBL risks and potential complications, such as infection, blood clots, and fluid collection.

Turkey and Medical Tourism

With numbers increasing by the year and success rates higher than ever, no longer is going abroad for surgery looked upon as such a risky business. Turkey has opened its arms to medical tourism, investing in modern facilities and infrastructure, now providing more accredited hospitals and certified surgical centers than ever before.

Although medical expertise is perhaps one of the areas of concern for prospective patients, providing that you book at one of our verified, fully background-checked clinics, you should be able to mor confidently ascertain quality.

When looking through our clinic listings, you’ll see that many surgeons in Turkey are quite often trained in the US, and members of American or European boards. We include this information under the “doctors” tab on each of these pages; you can always ask our Customer Care Team to send you a detailed rundown of the training, experience, qualifications and professional memberships of your prospective surgeon before you book.

And as you can see on our site, we have partnered with clinics and hospitals based in convenient Turkish destinations, including:

• Istanbul

• Antalya

• Izmir

• Ankara

For more information about heading here as a medical tourist, visit our Ultimate Guide to Doctors in Turkey.

How to Book Your BBL in Turkey Medical Departures

Take a look at our listed partner clinics in Turkey that offer Brazilian butt lifts and other buttock augmentation procedures to international patients.

For more options, you can also search through our full global list of BBL clinics.

Feel free to book directly through our site, or if you’d like to know more about BBLs in Turkey, speak to the Medical Departures Customer Care Team at any time of day or night.