The TikTok community is a hub for useful (and sometimes not so useful) information based on users' experiences with anything from new recipes to life hacks - and in this case, cosmetic surgery.
The latest abbreviation to have people stumped is 'BBL', which refers to the Brazillian butt lift, a trend which has racked up more than 2.5 billion views on the social media platform.
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But the trend has caused some controversy with users who are worried about how normalised it's becoming.
What is BBL slang for?
BBL is an abbreviation for 'Brazillian butt lift' - a surgical fat transfer procedure which involves the surgeon taking fat from other parts of your body and putting it in your butt to create a more desired appearance.
The hashtag #bbl has racked up more than 2.5 billion views on TikTok. While some people are using it to share their experience of having the procedure, others are using it to poke fun at and criticise people who have had a BBL.
TikTok user Mari Martinez (@matttheradartechnicial) has shared the first part of her BBL procedure, which has amassed nearly 2 million likes.
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Lots of users had questions about her experience.
One user was criticised after she said she thought you had to be under a certain BMI to get the procedure done.
@cayecupcake wrote: "I want mine done but I thought you had to be under a certain BMI to get it done. Is that not true?"
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Some users said she was rude to ask this, while others defended her saying it's a genuine question.
Mari Martinez (the creator) responded saying: "Requirements are different for every doctor. I am over a 31 BMI. What's the problem? I still did it."
Another young TikTok user posted a video of her getting a BBL with her best friend.
The video, captioned 'Getting a BBL with my bestie since 5th grade' has more than 2 million likes and nearly 25,000 comments.
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Many found the picture of the two girls lying flat on their fronts in the car after surgery hilarious.
"'And on our 18th birthday, we got matching BBLs.' Or whatever Katy Perry said." said @organicmelanin_.
"Awww goals but literally didn't think y'all needed one but y'all look good too," wrote @igsoso. This sentiment was shared by several other users.
But others were concerned about the procedure being normalised by its popularity on TikTok, while the risks were being overlooked.
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"Omg everybody getting a BBL - what they having a sale?" wrote TikToker @addixted2javi.
"Bruh just work out," said TikTok user @lyvsmanasf.
Another user commented: "Sad that this gets normalised. One of the most dangerous procedures in the world for a beauty trend which lasts 5-7 years like the other trends do."
There were lots commenting with concerns about how safe the procedure is.
Is BBL surgery dangerous?
BBL is the fastest-growing aesthetic procedure in the US and globally, according to this study by the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation (ASERF), which looked into the risks and fatality rates from BBL procedures.
Based 3 per ent of the 692 surgeons surveyed in the 2017 study reported a death as a result of complications from BBL surgery.
The study concluded that "significantly higher mortality rates appear to be associated with gluteal fat grafting than with any other aesthetic surgical procedure."
Likewise, the NHS said the Brazillian butt lift procedure is one of the most risky forms of cosmetic surgery you can have.
In fact, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has gone as far as advising its members against performing this procedure on patients until more is known about doing it safely.
"There have been a number of deaths following complications of the Brazilian butt lift (BBL) procedure," it says on the NHS website about surgical fat transfer operations.
"The risk of death for BBL surgery is at least 10 times higher than many other cosmetic procedures, and it has the highest death rate of all cosmetic procedures.
"The main concern is that the injected fat can cause a blockage in a blood vessel in the lungs (pulmonary embolism), which can be fatal."
"As well as having the same risks as other surgical fat transfer operations, additional risks of the BBL include:
- a serious skin infection (cellulitis)
- lumpy scars (contour deformity)"
So now you know what 'BBL' stands for on TikTok and what the risks are behind the bubble butt trend.
Featured Image Credit: Unsplash/Solen Feyissa/TikTok/@matttheradartechnicialTopics: TikTok