Plastic Surgery FAQ

The transferred fat works just like your regular fats. Changes in your weight should not significantly change the size of your buttock, unless you undergo a dramatic weight loss.

To be honest, it depends on the results you are trying to achieve. A good plastic surgeon doctor will be able to recommend the amount of fat needed based on your unique body proportions and offer appropriate suggestions.

Fat cells can be vulnerable when transferred from one area to another. Hence, do expect the loss of some transferred fat calls. Fat survival is unpredictable and typically, about 50% of the fat grafting will be naturally absorbed back by your body over 2~3 months after your 1st session of fat grafting for buttocks. Hence, 2 sessions of fat grafting are usually recommended for long lasting results.

That said, it depends on how satisfied you are with the results once the fats has settled in before deciding if you need another treatment.

Avoid straining your buttock muscles and strenuous exercises such as butt exercises, aerobics, jogging, swimming, weight lifting, stretching and intercourse etc. for at least 2 months until after your fat cells have stabilized.

Before surgery: You should stop smoking and drinking at least 3 days before your brazilian butt lift surgery. Best to stop smoking and drinking at least 2 weeks prior to your surgery though.

After surgery: Avoid smoking and drinking for at least 2~3 weeks after your brazilian butt lift surgery. Smoking slows down healing and increases the risk of infection while alcohol thins your blood which causes prolonged bleeding and infections.

No, a brazilian butt lift does not involve or use any butt implants. It is a fat transfer procedure where it involves extracting your own fats from elsewhere on your body to enhance your buttocks.

Typically, stitches from a brazilian butt lift are removed in 7~10 days. So make sure to stay until your stitches are removed.

Yes, but scars are small and minimal. To be honest, you don’t need to worry about scarring because a good plastic surgeon will know to place them in areas where they are camouflaged within the natural folds of your body or can be hidden with clothes.

Good news! The transferred fat does not migrate.

Results are instantaneous, though there will be some swelling and bruising for 1~2 weeks. Most patients are able to enjoy final results in 4~6 months.

Following your brazilian butt lift surgery, sitting directly on your buttocks too soon will cause a disruption in the fat transfer. Prolonged pressure on your buttocks during the healing process can interfere with the survival of your transferred fat as well. You are advised to use an inflatable pillow when sitting for at least 2 months if you wish to have long-lasting results from your BBL.

To be honest, fat survival is unpredictable. Typically, about 50% of the fat grafting will be naturally absorbed back by your body over 2~3 months after your 1st session of fat grafting for buttocks. Hence, 2 sessions of fat grafting are usually recommended for long lasting results.

Realistically, you should expect to maintain 50-60% of the fat transferred into your buttocks for many years if you take care to maintain your results. Often, brazilian butt lift results can potentially last for decades.

A brazilian butt lift is minimally invasive and is a relatively safe procedure with a low risk of major complications. As the procedure uses your own fats, there is almost no risk of rejection from your body. Moreover, because you are using your own fats, the results are natural in both look and feel.

If you do not have enough fats for transfer, your plastic surgeon might recommend that you gain weight before undergoing a brazilian butt lift. But of course, that does not mean binge eating nor a drastic weight change! We do not recommend that you compromise your health for your beauty needs. Remember, you have to be in a healthy condition in order to get the butt lift as well.

If your body type is skinny and its hard for you to put on weight, you might need to consider butt implants instead.

Basically, any part of the body that you have excess fats for extraction. Usually excess fats will be extracted from problem areas such as abdomen, thighs, upper arms, back and chin.

The ideal candidate for a brazilian butt lift is one who is in good overall health and in a healthy weight range. He/she should also have sufficient excess fat in another part of their body that is able to be used for fat transfer.

No, women who get breast implants are not at an increased risk for getting breast cancer. In addition, having breast implants do not delay the detection of breast cancer nor make it harder to detect. 

If you are thinking of getting breast surgery to reshape your breasts that become out of shape due to pregnancy, it is advisable for you to complete your family before you undergo breast augmentation or rejuvenation. This is because each pregnancy and breastfeeding will stretch your skin, which will in turn, reverse the great results of your breast surgeries.

For natural-looking and long-lasting results, mothers are advised to wait at least 6~12 months after they have finished breastfeeding before undergoing a breast lift or breast augmentation. 

Yes, breast implants does not affect your ability to breastfeed at all. Because the implants are placed under your breast tissue or under your chest muscles in a way that doesn’t interfere with mammary duct functions.

That said however, it depends very much on the type of incision method chosen. If your implants are inserted through the armpits or under the breasts, there are no issues.

On the other hand, if your implants are inserted through the areola, there is a risk that your milk ducts may be damaged or injured during your breast augmentation surgery. Hence, affecting or reducing milk supply. Therefore choosing the right incision method matters a lot if you are planning to breastfeed in future.

No, breast implants will not affect pregnancy. Even with breast implants, you can become pregnant, safely give birth and breastfeed.

While nothing is 100% unbreakable, breast implants have extremely low rupture rate. But when silicone implants leak, the silicone gel remains within the implant and still holds its shape. On the other hand, when saline implants leak, their shape will collapse, the saline will be absorbed and naturally expelled by the body.

In a way, silicone implants pose more of a risk if they rupture but they look and feel more natural. Therefore plastic surgeons recommend checking for ruptures every few years through MRI.

It is recommended to get an MRI three years after the initial surgery, and then every two years after that. Going for regular checkups can help you extend the life of your implants and buy you more time before you need breast implant replacements.

Yes, extreme weight loss or gain after surgery will affect your breast augmentation results. Large weight fluctuations can cause the sagging of breast tissues which might result in the need for a breast lift to correct the sagging.

So do maintain a steady weight with a healthy diet and an exercise routine.

Before surgery: You should stop smoking and drinking at least 3 days before your breast surgery. Best to stop smoking and drinking at least 2 weeks prior to your surgery though.

After surgery: Avoid smoking and drinking for at least 2~3 weeks after your breast surgery. Smoking slows down healing and increases the risk of infection while alcohol thins your blood which causes prolonged bleeding and infections.

There are usually post-op checkups of 1~2 times after your breast surgery. Post-op follow-up visits are necessary to ensure that you are healing well so make sure that you do not skip them!

Wearing bras with underwire too soon can affect the positioning of the implants, irritate breast incisions, and interfere with your recovery results. So wear your compression bra or surgical bra during the recovery period and wait at least after 6 months to start wearing underwire bras.

You should wear a special breast garment or surgical bra for at least 3 months so as to help reduce swelling and bruising, and maintain the shape of your new breasts and position of your implants as well.

It is recommended to wait at least 6 months after your initial breast augmentation surgery to undergo breast implant revision.

Typically, stitches from breast augmentation surgery are removed in 10-14 days. So make sure to stay until your stitches are removed.

You breast augmentation scars depend on the type of incision methods chosen – armpit incision, areola incision and under breast incision.

The best incision option is the under breast incision as it allows for more accurate and precise placement of breast implant. Scar lines follows the folds under your breast so scar is hardly visible.

In general, the incision scars for breast enhancement are not obvious actually, so you don’t have to worry!

While breast implants are generally safe and designed to last a long time, they are not guaranteed to last a lifetime. There is no set expiration date but breast implants can last anywhere from 10 to 20 years.

Some may need replacement sooner, while some will last longer, and for many indeed, a lifetime. The truth is although breast implants could last a lifetime, it doesn’t mean that they will last a lifetime.

Read our article on the shelf life of breast implants for more details.

Breast implants come in different materials, sizes, shapes and textures. There is no one best size & type of breast implants that fits all but what you choose will affect the look and feel of your augmented breasts.

The bigger the better is not always the case. Before choosing your breast implant size, consider how it will affect your lifestyle, daily activities, people’s impressions of you and your new breast size.

At the end of the day, implant size is your choice but think thoroughly instead of just getting the largest implants. Because they will be staying with you for long so make sure you can live comfortably with the size.

Read our comprehensive guide on size & type of breast implants for more details.

Breast augmentation can be achieved by 2 methods – breast implants and fat grafting. When it comes to results, breast implants are known to provide more satisfying results and is preferred by most women.

That said, if you prefer not to have foreign materials inserted into your body, you might prefer fat grafting instead. It provides the most natural breast augmentation but results are not as long-lasting as breast implants.

Ultimately, both procedures has its own pros and cons. And which to choose, really depends on your health conditions and expectations. Read our article for more in-depth comparisons about breast implants vs. fat grafting.

It is not necessary to remove your eyelash extensions before your eye surgery. However, be prepared that some of your eyelash extensions might fall off during surgery.

If you require revision eye surgery, revision surgery can typically be done 6 months after the first surgery. Do allow your wounds from the previous surgery to completely heal before getting a revision!

There are usually post-op checkups of 1~2 times after your eye surgery. Post-op follow-up visits are necessary to ensure that you are healing well so make sure that you do not skip them!

You will usually be prescribed an ointment to be applied on the incision areas for 7~8 days. Apply only a thin layer of the ointment 3 times a day or as prescribed by your plastic surgeon. The purpose of the ointment is to moisturize your incision areas and help with healing.

You will be prescribed pain medications and ointment, and also be given an icepack for your eyes after your eye surgery. Make sure to take the medications and use the ointment as prescribed, and use the icepack on your eyes to hasten your recovery period.

You will be prescribed medication such as painkillers and stomach liners after your eye surgery. Sometimes, antibiotics or anti-flammatory could be given too. Make sure to take your medications as prescribed by your plastic surgeons, typically 3 times a day for 5~7 days.

Avoid touching or washing your eye area until all stitches are removed. Do not even use wet tissues or wet wipes on your eye area. You may remove any eye mucus or eye boogers with q-tips, but gently and carefully to make sure that you do not touch the incisions.

You should avoid wearing contact lens at least 2 weeks after your eye surgery. Touching or pulling the area near the incisions can increase the risk of infections, and cause the incisions to re-open and not heal properly.

Avoid any eye makeup for at least 2 weeks after eye surgery. In fact, it is safest to wait until your incisions have completed healed before using eye makeup. Any touching or rubbing the area near the incisions can increase the risk of infection, and cause the incisions to re-open and not heal properly.

Vigorous exercises such as gym workouts and swimming is prohibited for at least 3 weeks. But it is recommended to take lots of light walks to help hasten the recovery period.

Typically, stitches from eye surgery are removed in 5~7 days. So make sure to stay until your stitches are removed. There may not be a need for stitch removal for non-incisional eye surgery but follow-up visits would be necessary to ensure a smooth recovery.

Before surgery: You should stop smoking and drinking at least 3 days before your eye surgery. Best to stop smoking and drinking at least 2 weeks prior to your surgery though.

After surgery: Avoid smoking and drinking for at least 2~3 weeks after your eye surgery. Smoking slows down healing and increases the risk of infection while alcohol thins your blood which causes prolonged bleeding and infections.

No food or water should be taken at least 4 hrs before your eye surgery. In general, prescribed medications such as blood pressure (heart) medications, hypertension pills and cholesterol medication (no aspirin or NSAIDs) can be taken on the morning of surgery with a sip of water.

That said, you should always inform your surgeon about the medications you are taking and double check if it is ok to take it before surgery.

Yes, it may be possible. But it depends on various factors so it is best to check with your plastic surgeon if it is possible.

Silicon implants (for nose bridge), ear cartilage or septal cartilage (for nose tip) are the most frequently used materials for rhinoplasty. Rib cartilages are also another popular option. All materials come with their pros and cons so it is best to consult your plastic surgeon to find out which is most suitable for you. For more information on the materials used, check out our complete guide on a Korean nose job.

Each additional nose job comes with additional complications. Therefore, it is recommended to let your plastic surgeon know your nose job history and check if it is possible to do another nose job. On average, a patient will be able to get nose revision surgery for up to 4~5 times.

Yes, rubbing your nose gently after rhinoplasty is usually ok. However, vigorous rubbing will be painful and is not recommended for 3-4 weeks after your nose job. It will be possible for you to do piggy nose after your nose surgery has totally healed.

Major bruising and swelling might last for a few weeks after your nose job but it is common and will subside. In worse case scenarios, complications such as capsular contracture can lead to short nose.

Once you recover fully from your nose job, your nose bones are back to as strong as they were before surgery. A nose job does not make your bones weaker and they should be strong enough to not break unless they take a serious hit. But it is possible to break your nose after a nose job because accidents and injuries can happen, and the damage might affect the results of your previous nose job. In such cases, you will need a revision nose job.

There isn’t any ideal age to get a nose job but it is recommended to wait until your nose have stopped growing, typically after age 18.

If you do not have any issues or discomforts after your final post-op checkup, you do not need regular nor yearly checkups for your nose job.

In short, yes. In the hands of competent and experienced surgeon, the results of your nose job should last forever, unless you encounter issues such as contracture or severe inflammation. If you have used silicon, your results are likely to be permanent. However, if you have used other materials such as rib cartilage or other autologous cartilage, there is a high chance of reabsorption or warping.

Nasal packing is a gauze-like material placed inside your nose to help to control bleeding and will be removed after 1~2 days. It may be hard to breathe through your nose and you might have to breathe through your mouth until the packing is removed.

You will be required to wear a nose splint for 3~4 days after your nose surgery. The purpose of the nose splint is to hold your cartilage and bone in their new position while they heal. It will also help minimize swelling, and to protect your new nose, so wear it as advised by your plastic surgeon.

70% of bruising and swelling will be gone in 2 weeks and rest of the swelling will subside within 1~3 months.

Yes, but the scars (white in color) will fade over time. With an open rhinoplasty, the incisions are tiny and placed strategically at your columella so that they can be camouflaged within the natural features of the skin. Whereas with a closed rhinoplasty, the scars are inside the nose and are not visible at all.

Yes, if your nose surgery involves nasal bridge augmentation. Nose fillers or threads should be removed at least 3 days before your surgery.

If you require revision nose surgery, revision surgery can typically be done 6 months after the first surgery. Do allow your wounds from the previous surgery to completely heal before getting a revision!

There are usually post-op checkups of 3 times after your nose surgery. Post-op follow-up visits are necessary to ensure that you are healing well so make sure that you do not skip them!

You will be prescribed pain medications and ointment after your nose surgery. Make sure to take the medications and use the ointment as prescribed, and wear your nose splint to hasten your recovery period.

You will be prescribed medication such as painkillers, antibiotics and stomach liners after your nose surgery. Make sure to take your medications as prescribed by your plastic surgeons, typically 3 times a day for 5~7 days.

Avoid touching or washing your nose area until all stitches are removed. Do not even use wet tissues or wet wipes on your nose area. You may remove any nose mucus or boogers with q-tips, but gently and carefully to make sure that you do not touch the incisions.

Vigorous exercises such as gym workouts and swimming is prohibited for at least 3 weeks. But it is recommended to take lots of light walks to help hasten the recovery period.

Typically, stitches from nose surgery are removed in 7 days. So make sure to stay until your stitches are removed.

Before surgery: You should stop smoking and drinking at least 3 days before your nose surgery. Best to stop smoking and drinking at least 2 weeks prior to your surgery though.

After surgery: Avoid smoking and drinking for at least 2~3 weeks after your nose surgery. Smoking slows down healing and increases the risk of infection while alcohol thins your blood which causes prolonged bleeding and infections.

No food or water should be taken at least 4 hrs before your nose surgery. In general, prescribed medications such as blood pressure (heart) medications, hypertension pills and cholesterol medication (no aspirin or NSAIDs) can be taken on the morning of surgery with a sip of water.

That said, you should always inform your surgeon about the medications you are taking and double check if it is ok to take it before surgery.