Understand the experience before you decide.
Considering awake BBL in Chicago? An awake BBL combines liposuction and buttock fat transfer using local anesthesia rather than general anesthesia. At BodyLuxe, Daniel J Farrugia, MD PhD FACS uses tumescent local anesthesia for BBL surgery, allowing you to remain awake and communicate during treatment.
If the idea of being awake raises questions, you are in good company. This guide explains the experience and helps you prepare for a conversation about comfort and anxiety. For shape planning, results, and the full treatment overview, visit our Brazilian butt lift page.
Your first in-person consultation with Dr. Farrugia is complimentary.
On this page
How local anesthesia works
Tumescent local anesthesia numbs the treatment areas while you remain awake and able to communicate. At your consultation, Dr. Farrugia will explain the anesthesia plan and discuss any additional medication needs. Local numbing alone does not imply sedation or loss of memory. Arrange a responsible adult to take you home after surgery.
Your medical history, current medicines, previous reactions to anesthesia, and the extent of the operation help determine whether this approach is appropriate. Tell the team about sleep apnea, medication allergies, substance use, and any prior difficulty with anesthesia. Do not change prescribed medication without instructions from your treating clinicians.
What might you feel?
Numbing injections can cause temporary stinging or pressure. During treatment, you may notice movement, vibration, or changes in position. The experience varies between people and treatment areas.
Your comfort matters. Tell the team if something feels uncomfortable so it can be assessed. Before surgery, you will have an opportunity to discuss the sensations you may notice and how discomfort is managed. [1]
What happens during the operation?
The process has three parts: liposuction of planned donor areas, preparation of the collected fat, and transfer into the receiving tissues. The donor-area contour and the buttock goal are considered together. [1]
At BodyLuxe, Dr. Farrugia performs the surgery and places the transferred fat in the subcutaneous tissue above the gluteal muscle. The length and scope of treatment depend on the agreed plan. Dr. Farrugia can discuss the expected length of your procedure once your treatment areas are agreed.
You can speak with the team during treatment; surgical technique and monitoring remain the clinical team’s responsibility.
What if you are anxious about being awake?
Bring that concern to the consultation. It is worth discussing whether your worry is about pain, hearing or seeing the procedure, feeling unable to move, or a previous medical experience.
Ask what you will be aware of, what positions may be needed, how to communicate discomfort, and what the options are if you are not comfortable with the proposed approach. Together, you can decide whether the awake approach fits both your medical needs and your comfort level.
How does anesthesia fit into the safety plan?
The choice of anesthesia is one part of planning your care. Your health, treatment areas, technique, and recovery support also matter. Awake surgery uses local anesthesia and still carries medication-related and surgical risks.
Gluteal fat grafting can cause serious harm, including fat embolism. Patient selection, the operation’s scope, technique, monitoring, and postoperative care still matter. A published small local-anesthesia series supports discussion of the approach; it does not prove superiority for every patient. [2] [3]
Planning your recovery
Recovery includes healing in both the liposuction and fat-transfer areas. Soreness, swelling, bruising, and temporary activity limits are part of that planning. Your team will explain pain-management options and how to increase activity as you heal. [4]
Discuss your work and home responsibilities before selecting a date. Your written plan will cover sitting, sleep position, garments, activity, and follow-up. Arrange a responsible adult for transportation and early support; do not plan to drive yourself home. [5]
Before traveling, ask how the proposed operation affects the timing of a return journey and access to care. Confirm driving, flying, and exercise plans with the surgical team as you recover.
What about donor fat and shape?
The available donor fat and your receiving tissues help determine the shape change that is possible. These are assessed separately from your anesthesia preferences.
Learn how limited donor fat is assessed. You can also use our surgeon-selection guide to prepare questions about the proposed operation.
Your awake BBL in Chicago consultation
A consultation gives you space to discuss the result you want and how you feel about the awake approach. Dr. Farrugia is a cosmetic surgeon board-certified by the American Board of Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Your first in-person consultation at BodyLuxe is complimentary. Complete your Health Profile, then choose an appointment. Video consultations are $75, applied toward your procedure under the consultation terms.
BodyLuxe | 875 N Michigan Ave Suite 3620, Chicago, IL 60611 | (312) 999-5505
Sources
[1] NHS: Surgical fat transfer.
[2] Chia and colleagues, 2018: Gluteal fat grafting under local anesthesia.
[3] Multisociety statement on gluteal fat-grafting safety.
[4] American Society of Plastic Surgeons: Liposuction risks and safety.
[5] American Society of Plastic Surgeons: Preparation.
This page is general education. Your anesthesia, medications, and postoperative instructions must be individualized.
About the author
Daniel J. Farrugia, MD, PhD, FACS, is certified by the American Board of Surgery and founder of BodyLuxe® PLLC in Chicago. He specializes in awake body contouring, liposuction, Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), and fat transfer procedures performed under local anesthesia in the John Hancock Center. With decades of surgical experience and training at leading institutions including Mayo Clinic, University of Florida and University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Farrugia focuses on natural, proportionate results, meticulous safety, and a patient‑first approach to every case.
Medical review
Reviewed by Daniel J. Farrugia, MD, PhD, FACS, cosmetic surgeon (ABS; FACS). BodyLuxe, Chicago.