Buttock augmentation improves the contour, size and shape of the buttocks. A buttock lift improves the tone of the underlying tissue in the buttocks. A Brazilian butt lift is a common buttock enhancement procedure.
What is a Brazilian butt lift?
A Brazilian butt lift is a specialized fat transfer procedure that augments the size and shape of the buttocks without implants. Excess fat is removed from the hips, abdomen, lower back, or thighs with liposuction, and a portion of this fat is then strategically injected into the buttocks.
A skilled cosmetic surgeon can improve the proportions of the entire lower body with Brazilian butt lift surgery, helping a patient lose fat in common “problem areas” and enhance the buttocks, with results lasting many years.
Why have a Brazilian butt lift?
The shape and proportion of a person’s buttocks are largely determined by genetics; both your skeletal structure and how your body stores fat influence the appearance of the lower body. A healthy diet and exercise can work to achieve a healthy body weight and tone the muscles, but many patients remain unhappy with a “flat” buttocks that lacks shape, despite a healthy lifestyle.
Brazilian butt lift surgery can help overcome the effects of genetics by reshaping the buttocks and surrounding areas, such as the hips, lower back, and thighs. You might consider a Brazilian butt lift to:
•Enhance the curves of your lower body
•Reduce fat pockets on your hips, thighs or belly while adding fullness to the buttocks
•Help clothing fit more attractively
•Give a more youthful, aesthetically pleasing shape to flat buttocks
•Enhance your overall proportions by improving balance between your upper and lower body
Buttock augmentation
Buttock augmentation, or gluteal augmentation, is used to improve the contour, size and/or shape of the buttocks. This is done through the use of buttock implants, fat grafting or sometimes a combination of the two.
Buttock implants are silicone-filled devices that are surgically placed deep within the tissues of the buttock. Buttock augmentation through the use of fat grafting involves the transfer of fat from one area of the body into the tissues of the buttocks. This technique is sometimes referred to as a Brazilian Butt Lift.
What buttock augmentation surgery can do
•Increase fullness, roundness and projection of your butt or buttocks
•Improve the balance of your figure
•Enhance your self-image and self-confidence
•In addition to buttock augmentation procedures, a buttock lift can be accomplished by the surgical removal of soft tissue.
Buttock lift
A buttock lift, or gluteal lift, improves the shape and tone of the underlying tissue that supports skin and fat in the buttock area.
Aging, sun damage, pregnancy, significant fluctuations in weight and genetic factors may contribute to poor tissue elasticity that can result in sagging of the buttocks.
In order to achieve a smoother and more pleasing contour, excess sagging skin and fat are removed. A traditional gluteal lift will not make a butt larger, but may improve a dimpled, irregular skin surface. This procedure may be included in a body lift or may be performed separately.
What a buttock lift can't do
Buttock lifts are not intended strictly for the removal of excess fat nor are they intended to add volume to the buttocks. Fat grafting, buttock implants or auto-augmentation (when some of your own tissue is left underneath the skin) can be used to add volume. Liposuction is sometimes added for better contouring.
A Brazilian butt lift can be a great option to improve the shape and size of the buttocks; however, certain patients are better suited to the procedure, and it is important to have realistic expectations about the surgery, recovery, and results. In general, you are likely a good candidate for a Brazilian butt lift if you agree with the following:
•You want a buttock augmentation without implants
•You have good skin tone in the hips and buttocks
•You have adequate fat stores in other areas to harvest for injection into the buttocks
•You are willing and able to avoid sitting directly on your buttocks for several weeks
Despite its name, a Brazilian butt lift is not a traditional “lifting” procedure—it does not address loose skin on the buttocks. If you are bothered by excess, sagging skin on the buttocks or thighs, thigh & buttock lift surgery may be a more suitable option.
One significant advantage of Brazilian butt lift surgery is that it increases buttock size without implants. In the hands of a specially trained cosmetic surgeon who operates in an accredited facility, the procedure has a low risk for complications and can achieve remarkably natural looking and feeling results.
However, if you are very lean, you may not have enough fat to harvest, and buttock implants may be the only way to achieve your desired size increase. Buttock implants may be a good option for some patients; however, it is important to understand the added risks of having implants, including capsular contracture and a higher risk for infection. Buttock implants can also look and feel less natural compared to a skillfully performed Brazilian butt lift.
A Brazilian butt lift involves three basic steps:
1.Fat is removed from the hips, lower back, thighs, abdomen, and/or other areas with liposuction
2.The extracted fat is purified and prepared for transfer
3.The cosmetic surgeon injects fat into specific points on the buttocks to increase volume and improve shape
Surgery is typically performed as an outpatient procedure, using general anesthesia or intravenous sedation and local anesthesia. It is typical for a portion of the injected fat not to “take” in its new location—an experienced cosmetic surgeon will take this into account and may initially inject a slightly greater amount of fat into the buttocks than is needed to ensure your final results most closely achieve your goals.
Having an operation on the buttocks requires some special modifications during recovery. While pain is typically minimal and easily controlled through pain medication, you will not be allowed to sit or lie directly on your buttocks for about 2 weeks after a Brazilian butt lift.
During this time, you will need to sleep on your stomach or side, and either lie this way or stand for all activity except using the toilet. When you are ready, your cosmetic surgeon will allow you to sit in a modified position, using a “donut” seat or placing a pillow under your thighs to avoid pressure on the buttocks. Normal sitting activity is typically allowed after 8 weeks or so.
Given you follow your cosmetic surgeon’s instructions, you should be able to resume light daily activities within 1 week after surgery and return to work within 10 to 14 days.
Brazilian butt lift results are meant to last for many years. Fat cells removed with liposuction will not return to the area, and fat cells that survive transfer to the buttocks will remain for years to come. However, significant weight fluctuations can affect your results, so maintain a stable weight to keep your results looking their best.
Results are typically final within 6 months of surgery, after residual swelling has gone away and you are fully healed. By this time, your curvier buttocks and improved lower body proportions will be noticeable in how you look and in the way clothing fits.
When performed by a qualified cosmetic surgeon, a Brazilian butt lift is a rewarding procedure with long-lasting results. The best way to learn more is to meet with a board certified cosmetic surgeon for a consultation.