Buttock Augmentation with Fat – Safe Subcutaneous Buttock Fat Transfer
Buttock enhancement is a procedure that refines and enhances your buttock area, giving you with a more shapely buttock in profile. In the last few years, this procedure has become increasingly popular worldwide, with round, firm buttocks often seen as a symbol of femininity and sensuality. The most frequent method for enlarging and reshaping your buttocks is by fat grafting using your own natural fatty tissue popularly called the “Brazilian butt lift”. This name is now being changed globally to Safe Subcutaneous Butt Fat Transfer as the concepts have evolved specially regarding the safety aspects of this surgery!
How is a buttock augmentation procedure performed?
This procedure harvests fat from another area of your body, processes it and uses the same to enhance and reshape your buttocks.
- Liposuction is done to remove good quality fatty tissue from areas of your body with excess fat, such as the abdomen, hips, back, or thighs.
- This harvested fat is processed or prepared for fat transfer.
- The fat is then injected into the buttocks in the subcutaneous plane (under the skin) using cannulas through 2-3 small incisions, which are easily hidden under clothing.
- The fat is always grafted in layers at multiple levels (but always in subcutaneous plane), with the cannula moving back and forth to ensure that a smooth, linear deposit of fatty tissue is placed to reshape and augment the buttocks.
- A compression garment is worn following surgery for about 4 weeks.
Not all the fat transferred to the buttocks is expected to survive. Between 25-50% of it can get reabsorbed and lost over the next 6-9 months after the procedure. The final result may therefore be somewhat less than initially projected. Repeat procedures (a 2nd or 3rd sitting) may be necessary depending on a patient’s final result from the 1st procedure.
Am I a candidate for Buttock Augmentation?
- If your buttocks are too small for your body frame and you want a more balanced look
- If you feel that the shape of your buttocks is too flat or square and you would like more curves and a more youthful appearance
- If you are a female but have lateral hip depressions and want to correct them
- If weight loss or the aging process has left your buttocks loose, sagging or flat
- If clothes and swimwear do not fit properly on your figure
- If you would gain self-esteem or self-confidence from such a procedure
If you are in good general health, have a positive attitude and realistic expectations, you are an acceptable candidate for this procedure.
What can I expect on the day of procedure and subsequently after my discharge?
Your buttock augmentation surgery must be performed in an accredited hospital, a free-standing ambulatory facility, or an office-based surgical suite by a qualified Aesthetic Plastic surgeon. Most buttock augmentation procedures take between 2-4 hours depending on the amount of augmentation done. Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure.
- General anesthesia is most commonly used though local anesthesia with sedation may be possible in some cases.
- Your surgeon will follow the surgical plan discussed with you before surgery.
- After your procedure is completed, you will be taken into a recovery area, where you will continue to be closely monitored. It may be done as a day care procedure or may necessitate overnight stay.
- After fat transfer, you will have to wear a compression garment over the liposuction areas and over your buttocks for 3-4 weeks.
- Antibiotics and analgesics shall be prescribed to you by your doctor.
- Expect minor discomfort for the next couple of weeks after the procedure. Your buttocks may be sore and painful, but this usually begins to resolve after just a few days.
- You can also expect some bruising and swelling in the buttock area during recovery – this may spread up to the lower back or thigh area. This is normal and will begin to subside after a few days or weeks.
- You will be advised to sleep on your tummy (prone) or on the sides so as to not put pressure or weight over the fat grafted areas for about 3 weeks. There are also restrictions on sitting in the first 10-14 days except while using the toilet. After 2 weeks, you can sit with a soft pillow or ring cushion placed beneath your thighs but not touching your buttock, so that your buttocks are in the air and there is no direct pressure on the newly augmented buttocks.
- The final results of your buttock augmentation may be initially obscured by swelling. When the swelling subsides, sometimes taking three to six months, your true results will be evident.
Risks
Risks specific to buttock augmentation are:
- Fat absorption is usually between 25-50% over a period of 6-9 months. This makes the final result of this procedure difficult to predict, requiring additional fat grafting sessions to be done over time to attain the desired shape, size and contours.
- Fat embolism – this is a risk of fat being injected into a blood vessel and traveling (embolizing) to the heart or lungs. This is rare and usually occurs with fat transfer into the muscles or deeper but in the unfortunate event that it occurs, this can be a fatal event. Fat transfer into the subcutaneous tissues only, obviates the risk significantly.