There are several reasons why a person might want to change the shape of their backside. Sometimes age causes the butt to fall and lose its youthful shape. It can also cause sagging and skin laxity where there used to be tight, firm, youthful skin. Sometimes weight gain or weight loss, such as occurs during and after pregnancy, can contribute to this sagging, slack appearance as well. Other times, a person may simply be unhappy with the look of their backside and wish to change its appearance. Maybe you are someone who has always had a flat butt or maybe you would just like to fill out the backs of your jeans with a perkier, rounder shape. Whatever the reason for wanting to change your shape, a butt augmentation might be able to provide a cosmetic solution.
Butt augmentation, or gluteal augmentation, can give you the boost of self-confidence you need to start feeling better about your backside. It is a permanent way of adding volume and definition to an otherwise small or flat butt. Buttock augmentations can be done through implants, fat transfer (Brazilian butt lift (BBL)), and butt injections.
Butt Augmentation with Implants
Silicone implants are used to enhance the shape and enlarge the buttock area. There are different sizes and shapes of implants available and they are placed into the buttock via an incision towards the edge of each buttock area.
Pros
- Buttock implant surgery does not require you to have extra, unwanted fat in your body. This procedure uses butt implants to enhance your gluteal area, which generates even more impressive results than the fat transfer method.
- The results of the butt implant surgery are permanent. With implants you will not have to worry that your body may reabsorb implants, especially since it is made of semi-solid silicone. This means that it also does not need to removed or replaced so long as there are no complications.
- Buttock implants are carefully placed in a way that it is separate from fat. By doing so, the results are sustainable and consistent because there is no danger of your body absorbing it.
- The butt implants deliver impressive aesthetic outcomes. This is one of the main reasons why so many celebrities choose this procedure over the others. While the results may not appear as natural, the shape of the butt will look amazing and the implants will remain undetectable.
- The full results of buttock implants are apparent relatively faster. Within a few weeks, you will be able to see and feel the difference it has made to your body.
Cons
- While an experienced surgeon can try to deliver you the best results, the outcomes can be unnatural if an inexperienced practitioner performs the procedure. If you are looking for very natural results, then the butt implant surgery is not for you.
- Recovery after the buttock implant surgery requires a longer recuperation period. Because it is a major operation, you would be required to take plenty of rest and take about 2-3 weeks off work. It requires proper healing, and even minor carelessness can trigger major health complications.
- The buttock implant surgery involves excessive scarring. In order to place the silicone implants inside of the butt, the plastic surgeon places incisions on the buttocks. The incisions are relatively larger, which is why you will have large scars that may still be visible even after you have healed completely. The size of scarring depends on the size of implants being used.
- The buttock implant surgery is more expensive than other buttock enhancement surgeries. The cost of the implants normally adds more dollars to the bill.
- The risks, side effects and potential complications involved in the buttock implant surgery are greater than other butt augmentation procedures because this involves introducing foreign objects (implants) into your body.
Butt Augmentation with Fat Transfer or BBL
BBL is popular term used to describe fat grafting or fat transfer to add volume and a more desirable shape to the buttocks. It consists of a two-step process using liposuction to gently remove excess fat from areas such as the abdomen or thighs and injecting the purified fat, through a series of microinjections, into the buttocks and hips.
Pros
- Since this procedure utilizes the patient’s own fat, the results are very natural looking and feeling- nothing feels better than your own body tissue.
- Unlike butt injections or implants, there is very little risk of infection through fat grafting because autologous (patient’s own) fat is used and tiny incisions created close and heal very fast.
- There is no risk of toxicity or allergic reactions since a foreign substance is not being introduced to the body.
- Although it may take up to two weeks before patients can resume work, the recovery time is much faster with a butt lift surgery than the alternative procedures.
- While the liposuction may cause temporary discomfort, the fat injections are typically very well tolerated and local anesthesia placed deep in tissues helps to ensure the patient’s comfort.
Cons
- Since the BBL involves transferring fat from the patient’s own body, individuals who are very thin and do not have sufficient body fat, are unfortunately not eligible for this procedure.
- In most instances, four times the amount of fat injected must be taken from other parts of your body due to the estimation that only 25% of the fat extracted remains viable after the purification process. In addition, when transferred, some of this processed fat may be reabsorbed by the body, which means the results may not be as dramatic or predictable as those achieved with butt implants.
Butt Augmentation with Butt Injections
Butt injections, when non-surgical usually refer to substances such as silicone, PMMA, or hydrogel. These substances are seen as a quick fix by unscrupulous injectors but are an illegal option, which pose a number of serious health threats.
Pros
- These unsafe and unreliable butt injection methods are attractive to some because of their cheap price point, but there are unfortunate reasons for the lower costs including injection by unlicensed practitioners in unsterile settings. People who suffer unfortunate health consequences of unregulated butt injections will often end up paying expensive medical bills. Thus, the serious risks involved mean that low prices are not a real advantage.
Cons
- Butt injections other than fat transfer are not legal, which means that the substances used are not regulated and a person cannot really be confident that what they are receiving is what they think.
- From infections to tissue death, hardening to life-threatening migration of materials, the health risks associated with unregulated butt injections are very serious.
Once you decide to undergo a butt augmentation, take your time selecting your surgeon and understanding the process. While butt augmentation can be a rewarding procedure, it can also be risky without the right safety precautions. Know what you are getting into and speak openly with your surgeon regarding your concerns. Also, keep in mind that individual results will vary as each patient’s body is unique and a “natural look” is not streamlined. Use your initial consultation to be specific about your goals for your buttock area and to share with your surgeon how you hope your surgical results will change your overall shape. The more you know and discuss beforehand, the more comfortable you will be approaching your surgery, and the better equipped you will be as you heal.