Recovery travel guide
BBL abroad: where to recover and what you can do
The grafted fat needs time to take hold, so the rules are about pressure: no sitting on your buttocks except on a BBL pillow, sleeping face down, wearing the garment around the clock, walking a little every day and waiting at least one to two weeks before flying.
Confirm with your surgeon. These are general activity limits from published aftercare guidance. Your clinic's written instructions always come first, and they may be stricter or looser for your procedure.
Compare cities for BBL
| City | Safe things to do on days 1 to 3 | Safe things on day 10 | Weather | Clinics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IstanbulTürkiye | 0 to 10 | 10 | Hot, sunny summers (often above 28°C in July and August) and cool, wet winters. | Get quotes |
| TijuanaMexico | 0 to 7 | 8 | Mild and dry most of the year, around 20 to 27°C in summer. | Get quotes |
Counts are activities from our city lists that fit the published activity limits on those days. More cities are coming.
Recovery timeline
- Days 1 to 2
Rest at the hotel in the compression garment, lying face down. Move your hands and feet, and from about day 2 get up for short walks.
- Days 3 to 7
Short walks several times a day. No sitting on your buttocks, except briefly on the toilet and to eat.
- Days 8 to 14
Many surgeons allow short sits on a BBL pillow from 10 to 14 days. Ask about flying.
- Weeks 3 to 8
Keep pressure off the buttocks, with short sits only, for about six to eight weeks. Exercise usually restarts at six to eight weeks.
Typical stay: 10 to 14 days, so your surgeon can check you before a long flight.
Day-by-day guides
BBL
Istanbul
10 days, day by day. The grafted fat needs time to take hold, so the rules are about pressure: no sitting on your buttocks except on a BBL pillow, sleeping face down, wearing the garment around the clock, walking a little every day and waiting at least one to two weeks before flying.
Open the guideBBL
Tijuana
10 days, day by day. The grafted fat needs time to take hold, so the rules are about pressure: no sitting on your buttocks except on a BBL pillow, sleeping face down, wearing the garment around the clock, walking a little every day and waiting at least one to two weeks before flying.
Open the guide
Questions people ask
Sources
- Buttock enhancement recovery. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Six things you need to know about recovering from a Brazilian butt lift. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Butt lift aftercare and recovery. The Aesthetic Society. Checked 2 November 2026.
- BBL pillow: how sitting works after a Brazilian butt lift, and for how long. Acibadem International (hospital patient guide). Checked 2 November 2026.
- BBL recovery time: honest milestones from surgery to final shape. Acibadem International (hospital patient guide). Checked 2 November 2026.
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): long journeys. NHS (UK). Checked 2 November 2026.