Buttock enhancement: Every specific aspect you must know

Buttock augmentation or enhancement, medically known as Gluteal augmentation has become a common procedure these days. As per the data estimation of American society of Plastic Surgeons, it has increased by 252% over the years from 2005 to 2015. Typically, your body structure is determined by your genetics, but now with cosmetic surgeries, anyone can get aesthetically pleasing results. Buttock augmentation is the surgery specially designed to improve the contour and size of the butt. It will certainly reshape your buttocks and will help you to get a round, lifted and firm figure

Possible reasons why people undergo buttock augmentation surgery

People are extremely conscious of their looks in this modern world due to several reasons like desire to look and feel their best appearance, safety and social acceptance of the cosmetic procedures and also the affordable costs. This is true with butt augmentation also. Now people desire to have the perfect attractive shape and toned muscles. Undoubtedly, exercise and maintaining stable weight may help people to get their desired look and shape but the surgery proves as an easier and faster way to achieve the goal.

There are chances that people are facing such aging signs and effects of weight fluctuations like sagging that exercise is not improving. People may have the feeling that they have a flat shape and are bothered by the poor fitting of clothes. These can be the leading forces for the people to undergo the surgery.

Your surgeon will analyze your overall health, skin elasticity, skin quality, the size and shape of the butt and your activity level in the daily routine before suggesting you to go for the surgery. 

Different types of Procedures

Buttock enhancement can be done by buttock implants, fat grafting or sometimes by combining both the methods.

Buttock implants: - These are artificial and silicone-filled devices. These can be surgically placed deep within the tissues of the buttock to create volume in the area.  Following steps are included in this procedure.

Step 1 – Anesthesia

Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you.

Step 2 – The incision

An incision will be made. The incision can be made toward the top of both sides of the upper buttocks, toward the bottom in both of the gluteal creases (the areas where your "cheeks" meet the top of the thighs), incisions between both cheeks (hidden in the crease) or with one incision placed down the center of the sacrum, or the crease between the buttocks. The length of the incision and scar is directly related to the affected areas.

Step 3 – Implant placement

A silicone implant specially made for the buttocks is inserted either in the muscle or above the gluteal muscle on each side.

The method for inserting and positioning implants depends on the type of implant, degree of enlargement desired, your body type and your surgeon's recommendations.

Step 4 – Closing the incisions

Incisions are closed with layered sutures in the buttocks tissue and with sutures, skin adhesive or surgical tape to close the skin.

Step 5 – See the results

The results of buttock augmentation are immediately visible. Over time, post-surgical swelling will resolve and incision lines will fade. Satisfaction with your new image should continue to grow as you recover and realize the fulfillment of your goal for a fuller butt. Results of this surgery are permanent.

Fat Grafting: - This procedure is also called Brazilian Butt Lift. In this process, the fat is transferred from one area (abdomen, thighs or flanks) of the body into the buttocks to add volume. This procedure involves the following steps:- 

Step 1 – Anesthesia

Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you.

Step 2 – Liposuction 

Liposuction is performed through small, inconspicuous incisions. First, diluted local anesthesia is administered to reduce bleeding and trauma. Then a thin hollow tube, or cannula, is inserted through the incisions to lose excess fat using a controlled back and forth motion. The dislodged fat is then suctioned out of the body using a surgical vacuum or syringe attached to the cannula. In general, your surgeon may liposuction up to three times the amount of fat than what will actually be injected into the buttocks.

Step 3 – Fat injection

The fat, tissue and blood that were removed through liposuction are then processed. The syringes are then connected to a special cannula. Your surgeon will use this cannula to add the fat to the buttocks through small injections all over your behind.

Step 4 – See the results

The results of buttock augmentation are immediately visible; however, you will not see your final results until a year after the surgery, as it takes a while for the fat to "take." This procedure offers natural-looking and -feeling results, but the projection of the buttocks may decrease over time. Some of the initial volume you experience after your fat grafting procedure will fade as the fat is absorbed by your body (on the average patients will retain 60-80% of the transferred fat, in some cases more in others less). Satisfaction with your new image should continue to grow as you recover and realize the fulfillment of your goal for a fuller butt. As you gain or lose weight, your results may change as the transferred fat can grow or shrink just as any other fat in your body.

Sometimes, both these methods are combined to achieve the most natural look possible.

Liposuction: -   Sometimes, liposuction is used to remove excess fat in certain areas of the buttocks to achieve maximum contour. If you have lost a significant weight or you may have some aging signs then your surgeon may recommend you to go for liposuction with butt implants.

Sculptra Butt Lift: -   Your surgeon may use a filler to inject into the soft tissues of the buttocks.  This filler is called Sculptra. This filler adds a small volume at the time of injection and then over some period, it may increase the volume in that area as your body uses it to form additional collagen. It can be a bit expensive as you may require multiple sessions to see the difference.

Buttock Lift

There are chances that people undergo the buttock lift procedure. It is preferred when people don’t require to make the area larger or fuller instead they want to get rid of excess sagging skin. In this procedure, soft tissues are surgically removed. People may have lost the elasticity and firmness of the skin due to several reasons like weight fluctuation, aging, genetics, pregnancy. A buttock lift or gluteal lift aims to improve the shape and tone of underlying tissues that support skin and fat in the buttock area.

Buttock lift procedures are surgical procedures and they may require extensive incisions. Incision length and pattern depend on the amount and location of excess skin to be removed, as well as surgical judgment. Advanced techniques usually allow incisions to be placed in strategic locations where they can be hidden by most types of clothing and swimsuits.

Step 1 – Anesthesia

Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you.

Step 2 – The incision

One common technique of gluteal lift uses an incision just below the waist line and is commonly combined with an abdominoplasty incision in a body contouring procedure. Liposuction may be used for improved contouring as well. If it is determined by your surgeon that you are a good candidate for an auto-augmentation, some of the tissue that is normally removed is strategically left in place hidden underneath the remaining skin.

Another technique uses an incision just below the buttocks and is placed in the crease between the buttocks and the upper thigh. The excess skin and tissues are removed resulting in a more defined crease and sometimes smooths the skin of the back of the upper leg.

Step 3 – Closing the incisions

Deep sutures within underlying tissues help to form and support the newly shaped contours. Sutures, skin adhesives, tapes or clips may be used to close the skin incisions.

Step 4 – See the results

The results of a gluteal lift are visible almost immediately. However, the tissues will need to settle within the first 3-6 months and the incision lines can take up to two years to mature. Get more information on gluteal lift results.

The primary goal of the buttock augmentation procedures is to enhance the shape of buttocks. It can successfully increase the fullness, roundness and projection of your buttocks. This way you will have an improved balanced figure.

Right Candidates for the procedure

• Who is leading a healthy life-style
• Who is a non-smoker 
• Whose butts are not symmetrical
• Who is bothered by the natural shape of the buttocks
• Who want to get rid of aging affects like sagging and flatness
• Who is at or near to his ideal weight
• Who has realistic expectations

A board-certified and well-experienced surgeon will observe and analyze various aspects before planning the surgery.

Surgery Results

Buttock augmentation surgery has an overall high success rate due to modern technology. Its results are permanent to a certain level.  Your surgeon will prescribe you some medicines like painkillers. He will also recommend you to wear a compression garment for some period. He will guide you with all the do’s and don’ts that must adhere to. You are supposed to avoid sitting or lying on your back for at least 2 weeks following surgery. You should avoid all kinds of strenuous activities for 4 to 5 weeks.

You will be able to notice the desired results in 3 to 6 months.

Over the years, you may feel the need to have a follow-up or revision surgery to maintain the results as you may have implants break or signs of aging.

Possible complications 

Though it is rare, you might experience some of the side-effects and these will fade away with time or with the guidance of your surgeon. Some of the butt enhancement risks are:-

• Anesthesia risks
• Pain
• Swelling
• Numbness
• Scarring
• Excessive bleeding
• Skin discoloration
• Infection
• Poor wound healing 
• Fluid accumulation
• Skin loss or skin discoloration
• Changes in skin sensation
• Asymmetries
• Allergic reactions

When you have opted for silicone implants then you may face complications like uneven appearance and your implants may slip or move from the place and you may need to get it fixed.

When you have undergone the fat grafting procedure you may find the asymmetrical results that can happen in case of fat absorption in the body which can be fixed with follow-up surgery. 

Involved cost

It is mandatory that you analyze all the aspects including cost before undergoing the surgery. 

Data provided by ASPS says that the average cost of buttock augmentation with fat grafting is from $ 4,500 to $ 4810. A butt implant average cost is $ 5,278 and buttock lift average cost is $ 5,482.

You may have to pay for medical tests, room fee, and surgeon fee or anesthesia charges separately.  Your chosen surgeon and his team will give you all the details about the cost.

You need to keep in mind that this is an aesthetic cosmetic procedure therefore it will not be covered by health insurances. But you can be benefited by the offers or discounts given by your surgeon so make sure to ask for it.

Conclusion

You must take the decision after considering all the specific aspects like, your reason behind the surgery, cost, risks, procedure, recovery downtime and most importantly your health. It must be a personal decision not an influential one. Make sure to choose the surgeon with great care. Your surgeon must be board-certified and well-experienced so that you can go under his knife with utter faith.