Compare the plan, the surgeon, and the care behind the photographs.
Choosing a BBL surgeon in Chicago becomes easier when you know what to ask. A useful consultation explains what is realistic for your body, who will perform the surgery, how it is planned, and what support you will need afterward.
This guide is published by BodyLuxe, a surgeon-owned cosmetic surgery practice in Chicago. It is not an independent ranking of clinics. Use it to prepare for consultations, including consultations at other practices.
Your first in-person consultation with Dr. Farrugia is complimentary.
On this page
- Start with the change you want
- Know who will perform your procedure
- Ask about both sides of the operation
- Understand the anesthesia and fat-placement plan
- Make before-and-after photographs useful to you
- Ask what the numbers actually describe
- Make sure the recovery plan fits your life
- Compare written quotes, not isolated promotional prices
- How BodyLuxe approaches the consultation
- Questions to ask a BBL surgeon in Chicago
Start with the change you want
Describe what you want to see from the front, side, and back. Is your priority projection, hip contour, waist definition, asymmetry, or how a particular garment fits? Explain which features you would like to keep.
Reference photographs can help communicate a preference. Ask which parts of the pictured result might be achievable for you and which reflect a different starting body, pose, or additional procedure.
A useful question is: “What would you recommend for my proportions, and what would you advise against?”
Know who will perform your procedure
Ask for the surgeon’s name before making a surgical commitment. Verify the precise board certification rather than relying on the phrase “board-certified” alone. Ask about relevant training, experience with gluteal fat grafting, and who handles follow-up.
Look at credentials, relevant experience, and results together, then ask how they relate to your individual plan. Ask whether you will consult with the operating surgeon and who to contact with a clinical concern after the procedure.
At BodyLuxe, your consultation and surgery are with Daniel J Farrugia, MD PhD FACS, a cosmetic surgeon board-certified by the American Board of Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Read his professional biography.
Ask about both sides of the operation
A BBL includes removing fat and placing fat. Your surgeon should explain how each selected donor area is expected to look after liposuction, not only what the buttocks may gain.
Ask which areas contain suitable fat, what limits the harvest, and what happens if the available supply cannot support the result you want. A smaller plan, liposuction without transfer, a different procedure, or no operation may be appropriate alternatives.
If you are lean, ask how the available donor fat relates to the change you hope to see. Read about limited donor fat.
Understand the anesthesia and fat-placement plan
“Awake” describes an anesthesia approach. It does not mean that the procedure has no surgical risk. Ask what you may feel, what medications are involved, how discomfort is managed, and what could cause the team to stop or change the plan.
Ask where the fat is placed and how injection depth is checked. Gluteal fat grafting has a specific risk of fat embolism, which can be fatal. The multisociety safety statement explains recommendations intended to reduce harm; no marketing label is a substitute for those clinical questions. [1]
For the BodyLuxe experience, read what an awake BBL involves. For more detail about risk, see BBL risks and safety planning.
Make before-and-after photographs useful to you
Ask what procedures were performed, which areas were treated, and when each photograph was taken. Compare similar views and look for differences in pose, lighting, clothing, and camera position that may affect the impression.
Look for patients with relevant starting anatomy, not just the most dramatic result. A front view may help you assess donor-area contour; it cannot by itself demonstrate buttock projection. One successful example does not describe every patient’s experience.
Ask what the numbers actually describe
A quoted volume may mean the material collected during liposuction, the prepared fat transferred, or the amount expected to remain. Ask which measurement is being discussed.
For complication or revision statistics, ask about the time period, number and types of operations, follow-up completeness, and what counted as a complication or revision. A study from another practice does not establish a surgeon’s own rate. An absence of reported events in a small series does not prove zero risk.
A clear explanation of the numbers can help you compare the proposed plans more confidently.
Make sure the recovery plan fits your life
Tell the practice about desk work, driving, childcare, lifting, exercise, and travel before choosing a surgical date. Ask about sitting and sleeping restrictions, garments, follow-up visits, and whom to contact after hours.
Arrange adult support for discharge and early recovery, including a backup plan. Confirm your own travel and return-to-work arrangements with the surgical team before booking. [2] [3]
For someone traveling to Chicago, ask how initial assessment, early checks, an unexpected concern, and later follow-up would be handled. A video consultation can help you start that planning before making travel arrangements.
Compare written quotes, not isolated promotional prices
Check that two quotes describe the same donor areas and the same procedures. Ask about professional fees, anesthesia, garments, testing, medication, follow-up, and any services charged separately. National fee averages and a transfer-only price are not the total for your individual plan. [4]
Ask for the deposit, cancellation, payment, and revision terms in writing. Consider the financial arrangements alongside the clinical recommendation, and take the time you need to decide.
How BodyLuxe approaches the consultation
BodyLuxe focuses on awake body contouring with Dr. Farrugia. The consultation brings together your desired shape, donor-area assessment, fat-transfer goals, health history, and practical recovery needs.
If you are looking for a BBL surgeon in Chicago, you are welcome to bring comparison questions. Tell us what you have been offered elsewhere or what you do not yet understand. We will talk through the options and explain how each part of the proposed plan relates to your goals.
Our first in-person consultation is complimentary. Begin with your Health Profile, then choose your appointment. A video consultation is $75, applied toward your procedure under the consultation terms.
BodyLuxe | 875 N Michigan Ave Suite 3620, Chicago, IL 60611 | (312) 999-5505
Questions to ask a BBL surgeon in Chicago
| Ask | What the answer should clarify |
|---|---|
| Who will operate, and what are their specific credentials? | The actual surgeon, relevant training, and continuity of care. |
| What shape change is realistic for me? | The intended benefit, limits, and alternatives. |
| What will happen to the donor areas? | Why those areas were selected and what contour is expected there. |
| How are anesthesia and fat placement managed? | The approach, its limitations, and the clinical precautions. |
| What do these photographs and statistics show? | Treatment details, follow-up timing, and limits of the evidence. |
| What help will I need afterward? | Adult support, work and travel planning, and follow-up. |
| What is included in the written quote? | The complete scope and applicable financial terms. |
Sources
[1] Multisociety statement on gluteal fat-grafting safety.
[2] American Society of Plastic Surgeons: Recovery.
[3] American Society of Plastic Surgeons: Preparation.
[4] American Society of Plastic Surgeons: Cost considerations.
This guide supports an informed consultation. It does not certify a provider’s quality or replace a personal medical evaluation.
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.