Brazilian Butt Lift surgery is an invasive cosmetic procedure and every patient will experience itching after BBL. Itching is a common side effect after any kind of invasive surgery because there will be tissue damage and your recovering cells are responsible for it. They will make you itch during the healing period. So, are there any steps patients can do to minimize this annoying feeling? Yes, and that’s why we prepared this article for you.
In this article, we will dive into the details of itching after BBL: is it normal, why do you itch, how can you deal with this feeling, and what to do if it persists or increases? Let’s start exploring and see what should be done during your BBL recovery period.
Should you scratch yourself?
No, you have to avoid it at all costs. Scratching can increase your itching. Why? Scratching can stimulate your nerves to release more histamine as a reaction. Histamine will make nerve sensors send signals to the brain to make you scratch more. If you keep scratching, more histamine will be produced, more signals will be sent, the itchiness will increase, and you will keep scratching while getting stuck in a cycle. (2)
Over-scratching can cause redness in the skin and increase inflammation, reducing the quality of your healing process. You can also damage your skin and cause bleeding, which can even lead to infections. So, resist the urge to butt itching after BBL and follow your surgeon’s instructions.
How long do you itch after BBL surgery?
Itching duration can differ from patient to patient. Generally, itching after BBL can last for 2-3 weeks. It depends on how well your nerve tissues are healing and the extent of your surgery. The possibility of more tissue getting damaged during liposuction is increased if high volumes of fat are grafted. This means there will be more damage to fix for your body and nerve tissues require more time to recover.
In some cases, itching can even last 3 to 6 months after surgery. However, this situation is considered uncommon and it is best to consult your surgeon if you’re experiencing this.
Other causes of itching after BBL
Apart from your body’s natural reaction, what causes itching after BBL? Lack of skin care after the surgery can be a reason but there can be another reason. For example, your body might be irritated by external or internal factors. But what are they? Here are the other factors that cause itching after BBL:
Post-op garments:
- Compression garments are made of nylon, spandex, silicon, and cotton. They can cause irritation and itching if you are sensitive to one of these fabrics.
Dry skin:
- When your skin is dry, it loses elasticity and can easily crack. Particles can get through these cracks and cause inflammation in the skin, resulting in feeling itchy.
Reaction to medications:
- Your body can react to post-op medications such as pain medicines adversely.
The urge to itch during your BBL recovery time is already annoying to deal with. If you have experienced an allergic reaction to certain fabrics or drugs, do not hesitate to inform your doctor beforehand.
Dealing with itching after BBL
So, let’s say that you don’t have any severe itching after the surgery but you are so annoyed with this feeling already. You know that scratching will be no good and will make you keep going if you do so. Then, how to stop itching after BBL? There are many solutions available to relieve your itching and none of them require any effort to do. So, let’s start with the most frequent one prescribed for patients who underwent surgery.
Use a prescription antihistamine
Do you remember the histamine cells we mentioned before? Antihistamines, as can be understood from their name, block the activity of histamine in your body, relieving your itching after BBL. They can be bought without a prescription but it is not recommended to take them on your own, because there are different types of antihistamines. So, don’t risk anything without consulting your doctor and use the ones you were prescribed with.
Apply cold compress to the area
Grab an ice pack because cooling the area is another way to reduce your itching after BBL. Cold can reduce the effects of histamine, relieving the itch. However, it is advised not to apply it frequently or for a prolonged time, as cold can affect the healing of the area. Don’t apply the cold for more than 20 minutes and at least 1 hour should be passed between applications. Also, don’t apply the cold directly on the skin, put a layer of clothing to protect the skin from direct contact.
Use anti itch creams to moisturize
If your scars are itching after BBL, anti-itch creams are here to rescue you. However, they can only be used after the scar is closed completely. Applying creams on open wounds may increase the risk of infection. So, consult your doctor before doing something that may extend your recovery process.
Also, if your skin is dry use fragrance-free moisturizing creams. You can check the ingredients of the cream online to see if it will cause any irritation on your skin.
Give a try to aloe vera gel
Not surprisingly, apart from its healing benefits, aloe vera is good for itching as well. Magnesium lactate in aloe vera prevents the production of histamine and reduces itching or irritation. However, some patients may experience rash or allergic reactions from aloe vera. You can get an allergy test to ensure your body is not allergic to aloe vera.
Drink more water
Thinking that drinking water to prevent your skin from dying may sound reasonable. Drinking enough water increases the skin’s elasticity and smoothness. However, there is not enough evidence that shows drinking enough water increases skin hydration (3). So, you can not avoid dry skin with drinking water.
Don't take long, hot showers
Actually, showering is not the best answer for itching. The soaps you use during the shower can remove skin’s natural oils, causing dry skin and itching. Also, hot water may inflame the skin which triggers histamine cells, making you feel more itchy. So, avoid long, hot showers and adjust the water temperature to lukewarm.
Worsening BBL itch: What to do?
Have you tried everything we have advised above and your BBL itching is still persistent or increasing? If you are also experiencing redness, rash, pain, or fever, it might be a sign of infection or another systemic reaction. In this case, give your plastic surgeon a visit as soon as possible. There, your symptoms will be observed and treatment will start according to your results.
- (1) Fukasawa T, Yoshizaki-Ogawa A, Enomoto A, Miyagawa K, Sato S, Yoshizaki A. Pharmacotherapy of Itch-Antihistamines and Histamine Receptors as G Protein-Coupled Receptors. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Jun 13;23(12):6579. doi: 10.3390/ijms23126579. PMID: 35743023; PMCID: PMC9223628.
- (2) Mack MR, Kim BS. The Itch-Scratch Cycle: A Neuroimmune Perspective. Trends Immunol. 2018 Dec;39(12):980-991. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2018.10.001. Epub 2018 Nov 21. PMID: 30471983; PMCID: PMC8896504.
- Liu B, Jordt SE. Cooling the Itch via TRPM8. J Invest Dermatol. 2018 Jun;138(6):1254-1256. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2018.01.020. PMID: 29793621; PMCID: PMC6301073.
- Hekmatpou D, Mehrabi F, Rahzani K, Aminiyan A. The Effect of Aloe Vera Clinical Trials on Prevention and Healing of Skin Wound: A Systematic Review. Iran J Med Sci. 2019 Jan;44(1):1-9. PMID: 30666070; PMCID: PMC6330525.
- (3) Akdeniz, M, Tomova-Simitchieva, T, Dobos, G, Blume-Peytavi, U, Kottner, J. Does dietary fluid intake affect skin hydration in healthy humans? A systematic literature review. Skin Res Technol. 2018; 24: 459– 465. https://doi.org/10.1111/srt.12454