BBL scars fade significantly but never disappear completely. The incisions used in a Brazilian butt lift are small, typically just a few millimeters wide, and most mature into faint lines that blend with surrounding skin over one to two years. How visible they remain long-term depends on where they’re placed, how your body heals, and how well you care for them during recovery.
Why BBL Scars Are Small to Begin With
A BBL involves two types of incisions: entry points for liposuction (where fat is harvested, usually from the abdomen, flanks, or thighs) and injection ports where that fat is transferred into the buttocks. Both use a thin tube called a cannula, often around 4 millimeters in diameter. That means each incision is roughly the width of a pea, far smaller than what most people picture when they think of surgical scars.
Surgeons place these incisions strategically to keep them hidden. Common locations include the fold between the buttock cheeks, the crease where the buttock meets the thigh, and the outer corners of the upper buttock. Some scars end up concealed in natural skin folds where they’re nearly invisible even before they fully heal. Others may sit on flatter surfaces where they’re slightly more noticeable, but their small size still works in your favor.
What the Healing Timeline Looks Like
Scar healing after a BBL follows a predictable pattern, though the exact pace varies from person to person. In the first one to two weeks, the incision sites close and the initial wound healing wraps up. During this stage, scars typically look red or dark pink, and they may feel slightly raised or firm to the touch.
Over the next six months to a year, that redness gradually shifts to pink, then to a lighter shade closer to your natural skin tone. The texture softens and flattens during this window. By the one- to two-year mark, most people find their scars have faded to a faint white, brown, or skin-toned line. Some scars settle into a slightly different shade, appearing as a subtle pink, mauve, or grayish mark depending on your complexion.
Redness is usually the last thing to resolve. Research from the National Institutes of Health shows that complete resolution of redness takes over a year for about a third of patients with superficial scars. In rare cases involving thicker, raised scars, lingering redness can persist for two years or longer.
Skin Tone Affects How Scars Heal
Your natural skin tone plays a real role in how your BBL scars look as they mature. People with darker skin tones face higher rates of two specific complications: raised (hypertrophic or keloid) scarring and changes in skin color around the incision site. These color changes can go in either direction. The scar may darken compared to surrounding skin or lighten noticeably, and both outcomes can be more visible on deeper complexions.
If you have a history of keloids or raised scars from previous injuries or surgeries, that’s worth discussing with your surgeon before a BBL. It doesn’t rule out the procedure, but it may change how your incisions are managed during recovery.
How to Help Your Scars Fade Faster
The single most important thing you can do is protect healing scars from the sun. UV exposure can permanently darken new scar tissue, turning what would have been a faint line into a noticeably pigmented mark. Keep incision sites covered or apply broad-spectrum sunscreen for at least the first several months. This matters even on cloudy days and even if the scars are under clothing that’s thin or light-colored enough to let UV through.
Silicone-based scar treatments are the most studied option for improving scar appearance at home. Silicone gel, applied as a thin film twice daily, can be started within days of wound closure. It works by keeping the scar hydrated and creating a protective barrier that mimics the skin’s outer layer. Consistent use over at least 90 days gives the best results. Silicone sheets work on the same principle and are a good alternative for scars in areas where a sheet can stay in place.
Gentle massage of the scar tissue once the incisions are fully closed can also help. This breaks up collagen buildup beneath the skin and encourages the scar to flatten and soften. Your surgeon’s office will typically give you a timeline for when it’s safe to start.
Options if Scars Don’t Fade Enough
Most BBL scars become barely noticeable on their own, but if yours remain more visible than you’d like after a year or two of maturation, professional treatments can make a meaningful difference.
Pulsed dye lasers are the go-to for red or raised scars. Studies show they can improve the appearance, texture, and color of hypertrophic scars by 57% to 83% after just one or two sessions. For scars that are slightly indented or uneven in texture, fractional lasers (both ablative and non-ablative types) are effective. Non-ablative fractional lasers have shown 26% to 75% improvement in raised scars after two to three sessions spaced about a month apart. Fractional CO2 lasers, a more aggressive option, improved scarring in 70% of patients treated over six monthly sessions in one study.
The right laser depends on your scar type, skin tone, and how much downtime you’re willing to accept. A dermatologist or your plastic surgeon can assess the scar once it’s fully mature and recommend the best fit.
What “Fully Healed” Really Means
It’s tempting to judge your scars at the three- or six-month mark, but that’s too early. Scar tissue continues remodeling for well over a year, and what looks pink and slightly raised at month four may be nearly invisible by month fourteen. The final appearance of a BBL scar reflects your genetics, your skin type, how well the incisions were closed, and how consistently you followed aftercare. For the vast majority of patients, the end result is a set of tiny, faint marks that are difficult to spot unless someone knows exactly where to look.