Cardi B warns fans about butt injections after getting 95% of hers removed

Cardi B has an important PSA for any of her fans who might be thinking about getting plastic surgery on their buttocks.

In a recent Instagram Live video, the rapper got candid about her decision to remove the majority of her buttocks injections, and she cautioned her fans that the procedure can be dangerous.

“In August, I got surgery, and I removed 95% of my biopolymers. ... If you don’t know what it is, it’s a-- shots,” the 30-year-old said in the video, as reported by People.

In 2018, the rapper discussed the procedure with GQ and revealed she had silicone illegally injected into her buttocks in a basement apartment in New York City for $800. She also explained that the woman who performed the procedure ended up going to jail when a customer “died on her table.”

In her Instagram Live video, which is no longer viewable, Cardi B told her followers to think twice before considering the procedure.

“All I’m going to say is that if you’re young, if you’re 19, 20, 21, and sometimes you’re too skinny, and you be like, ‘OMG I don’t have enough fat to put in my a--,’ so you result to a-- shots, DON’T!” she said.

The procedure — which "increases the size and shape of your butt," according to the Cleveland Clinic, and is often referred to as a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) — has increased in popularity over the years.

The safest way to perform a BBL is by injecting fat into the buttocks that's from another area of the body, not by injecting silicone or another substance, Dr. Josef Hadeed, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, California, and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, tells TODAY.com.

Cardi B called the removal process that she underwent "really crazy." Explaining what it may have entailed, Hadeed says: "Depending on the severity of it and how much needs to be removed, sometimes it can be removed with ultrasonic liposuction. But in more moderate to severe cases, tissue may actually need to be excised or cut out and removed from the bottom."

The rapper went on to recommend that her fans research everything that goes into a BBL before making any rash decisions.

“When it comes to BBLs, if y’all want advice from me, before you get your BBL done, you have to make sure your blood levels are all right,” she said. “If a doctor says your blood levels are too low or you have diabetes or whatever, don’t do it.” (Hadeed says reputable doctors will always check a patient's blood levels, electrolytes and blood sugars before elective surgery because if their levels are too low, performing the procedure "isn't advisable.")

Cardi B also explained her motivation for sharing her story, saying that “a lot of people thought as soon as I gave birth (to son Wave), I got my body done.”

The 30-year-old and her husband, rapper Offset, welcomed Wave, their second child, in September 2021.

What to know about BBL surgery

The most important thing to know when considering a BBL is that you should take time to do research and even consult with multiple surgeons, Hadeed says. The goal should be finding someone who's experienced with the procedure, makes you feel comfortable, is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (because of its safety standards) and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, he adds.

These types of surgeons will only perform BBLs with fat transfer, Hadeed says. The risks of undergoing a BBL with silicone or another substance include: "a very intense inflammatory reaction," granulomas (hard knots under the skin), infection, dead skin tissue and death, if the silicone is injected into a blood vessel, he explains.

Because fat is naturally occurring in the body, it comes with fewer risks, Hadeed says. That said, a BBL with fat transfer can still be deadly if the fat gets injected into a blood vessel.

Compared to other plastic surgery procedures, BBL has one of the “highest fatality rates,” Hadeed says. But, he clarifies, "that statistic might be skewed because a lot of the deaths that have occurred with BBLs have occurred with patients going to what are called ... plastic surgery factories, where oftentimes they’re more concerned about quantity versus quality of work. A lot of times these places employ physicians that are not trained specifically in plastic surgery."

In addition to doing research, you should also never make choices about plastic surgery based on what will cost the least, he says.

"That old adage, 'You get what you pay for,' (is) right. A lot of times, when patients try to go bargain hunting for plastic surgery, that’s when a lot of issues can come up," Hadeed stresses. "Choosing to have elective surgery is a very serious decision that nobody has to make, and price should not be the main, determining factor because it’s essentially your health and your livelihood at stake."

This article was originally published on TODAY.com