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Buttock Lift (Buttock Augmentation)

A buttock lift, commonly referred to as buttock augmentation or gluteoplasty, is performed to improve the shape, rate of projection, and overall appearance of the buttocks. While each patient has their own reasons for pursuing the surgery, this procedure is often considered when individuals have a flat or “deflated” buttock and wish to achieve a more youthful or shapely body contour. Dr. John Ayala, our skilled plastic surgeon, offers a buttock lift at his San Antonio practice for patients who seek to enhance the volume, shape, and firmness of their backside for results that can appear natural.

What is a Buttock Lift?

A buttock lift is designed to add volume to the buttocks while recontouring its shape, resulting in a rounder and firmer appearance that can appear proportionately to one’s unique figure. This can be achieved non-surgically by using fillers such as Sculptra® Aesthetic and RADIESSE®, or through a surgical procedure in which liposuction is performed on a fat-rich region of the body and then the extracted fat is redistributed to the buttocks. The surgical technique, known as a Brazilian Butt Lift, utilizes a patient’s own fatty tissue for injection into the buttocks, so there is generally no risk of an allergic reaction. By increasing the volume in the gluteal region, the projection and contour of the buttocks can also be enhanced.

What Does Buttock Augmentation Accomplish?

If you are bothered by a flattened appearance in the backside, or if you are experiencing sagging, a buttock lift may be a solution to your concerns. In general, the procedure can improve the aesthetic of the buttocks by:

Since surgical buttock augmentation harvests fat from another body area through liposuction, the region in which fat is extracted can be reshaped at the same time of the buttock augmentation. Common extraction sites include the flanks, abdomen, and thighs. After listening to your concerns and assessing your needs in a consultation, Dr. Ayala can help you determine whether a non-surgical or surgical buttock lift is best-suited to achieve your aesthetic goals.

Who is a Good Candidate for a Buttock Lift?

Buttock augmentation is usually most successful for patients who have realistic expectations for the final results of the procedure. In addition to discussing your goals and concerns with you, Dr. Ayala will also carefully review your medical history to help ensure buttock lift surgery is an ideal treatment option for you. In general, the procedure may be beneficial for patients who are:

To help you get a better idea of the outcomes typically achieved with buttock augmentation, we invite you to explore the before-and-after photos in our patient gallery. A buttock lift can improve the shape of the lower body in many ways, often helping individuals get more definition in the buttocks as well as obtain a better fit in certain types of clothing.

How is a Buttock Lift Performed?

A buttock lift is performed at our private, accredited surgical center under general anesthesia, unless you are simply using dermal fillers to enhance volume in the buttocks. Treatment with fillers is performed in an in-office setting and usually doesn’t require any downtime. In cases of a Brazilian Butt Lift, liposuction and injection techniques will be utilized to reshape and firm the buttocks. This typically leaves small, inconspicuous scars in the area(s) of treatment.

Buttock Enhancement With Fillers

At our San Antonio practice, we can augment the volume and shape of your buttocks without the anesthesia, downtime, and invasiveness associated with surgery. If Dr. Ayala confirms that your goals can be achieved with fillers, Sculptra® Aesthetic and/or RADIESSE® can be excellent options to improve flat or sagging buttocks.

Composed of poly-L-lactic acid, Sculptra® Aesthetic is an injectable that can stimulate your body’s natural production of collagen to temporarily achieve a fuller, more shapely buttock contour. This filler offers the advantages of a non-surgical treatment, but it often takes more than one appointment to achieve the desired results. Another volume enhancing option includes injections of RADIESSE®, which is a filler composed of aqueous calcium microspheres. This unique chemical composition allows the skin to absorb the plumping solution almost immediately. As a product often used to augment the hands and face, RADIESSE® can be very effective at achieving a non-surgical buttock lift.

Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)

Surgical buttock augmentation is typically an outpatient procedure performed under general anesthesia. While the exact nature of your surgery will depend on your needs and goals for the outcome, buttock enhancement is usually achieved through the Brazilian Butt Lift technique. Prior to treatment, Dr. Ayala will walk you through every step of your unique procedure to ensure you are well-informed about the various aspects of gluteoplasty.

A Brazilian Butt Lift is a procedure in which augmentation is achieved by transferring excess fat from one body area to the buttocks. As such, surgery will take place in two general stages: liposuction from a fat-rich region of the body, and subsequent fat redistribution into the buttocks. After reviewing the amount of fat available for transfer, Dr. Ayala will help you determine the most ideal extraction site (commonly, the flanks, abdomen, or thighs). The fat is then collected, purified, and prepared for transfer. Dr. Ayala will meticulously re-inject the fat to maximize survival of the transferred fat cells and achieve the desired enhancement. Once completed, Dr. Ayala will move you to our recovery area, where our team can monitor you while the effects of the anesthesia wear off. After an adequate amount of time, you may return home with the help of a friend or family member to recover from the comfort of your own surroundings.

What is Recovery From a Buttock Lift Like?

Non-surgical injections with Sculptra® Aesthetic and/or RADIESSE® do not require any downtime or recovery period, although the treated area may feel tender or sore immediately after your buttock augmentation.

Following surgical buttock augmentation, Dr. Ayala will provide post-operative instructions to facilitate your recovery period. In general, you will be instructed to avoid sitting directly on the treated areas. Pressure on the augmented regions can affect the outcome of surgery, so patients should sleep on their sides or stomach. When he sees you in person, Dr. Ayala will discuss ways that you can avoid harming the transferred fat in more detail. Some degree of bruising, swelling, or tenderness after surgery is to be expected; however, these reactions should subside as your healing process progresses. Most patients can return to work and normal activities after one week, although strenuous activity and exercise should be avoided for approximately four weeks, or until such activities are cleared by Dr. Ayala.

How Long Do Buttock Augmentation Results Last?

Surgical buttock augmentation via a Brazilian butt lift often provides a long-term improvement in a patient’s lower body proportions. While it is normal for some of the transferred fat to be reabsorbed by the body, the fat cells that survive should provide a lasting enhancement to the buttock contour. Most individuals are able to see the final outcome of their procedure within six months of surgery. Results should then remain stable indefinitely as long as patients lead an active lifestyle and maintain their weight.

For patients who used Sculptra® Aesthetic and/or RADIESSE® for their augmentation, results will be temporary and fade naturally over time. The plumping effect achieved with these fillers can last as long as nine months to two years, but the collagen stimulating capabilities of Sculptra® Aesthetic and RADIESSE® may provide benefits for much longer.

Will I Have Visible BBL Scars?

Scarring from cosmetic surgery is often inevitable, but a Brazilian butt lift usually leaves smaller scars when compared to other procedures. Liposuction and fat grafting are the only techniques used during a Brazilian butt lift, so scars will generally resemble the incisions used to harvest/re-inject the transferred fat. Dr. Ayala will do his best to place incisions in discreet locations whenever possible to minimize the amount of visible scarring after surgery. In most cases, residual scars left after your incisions heal can be concealed by underwear or a bikini bottom.

How Much Does a Buttock Lift or BBL Cost?

The cost of buttock augmentation depends on your goals, unique needs, and the technique used to perform your gluteoplasty. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average surgical fee for buttock augmentation via fat transfer is approximately $4,300. This price estimation does not include the supplementary costs of cosmetic surgery, such as fees for anesthesia, post-operative care, and the operating facility. Dr. Ayala and our team will be able to assess the total cost of your procedure based on the details of your treatment plan.

If you are considering treatment with Sculptra® Aesthetic and/or RADIESSE® to obtain a buttock lift, the cost depends on how much product is necessary to achieve your goals. These injectables vary in price based on your geographic location, and our office can provide you with a cost estimate during a consultation. In either case, Ayala Plastic Surgery accepts plastic surgery financing for both surgical and non-surgical buttock augmentation. The various financing plans offered by CareCredit® can allow qualified patients to pay for their treatment or procedure in smaller, more manageable installments rather than a lump sum upfront. Please feel free to call our office at (210) 933-0085 for more information about the cost of buttock augmentation.

Is a Non-Surgical Buttock Lift Possible?

Non-surgical enhancement in the buttocks may be possible depending on the types of improvements that will achieve your goals. Dermal fillers can be used to enhance fullness and achieve a plumper look, but the results are temporary and any volume improvements will gradually resolve. Additional treatments are necessary every few months if you would like to preserve the outcome from injectables. While this method does not offer the most lasting results, fillers can be a minimally invasive and convenient way to augment the buttocks.

Although Sculptra® Aesthetic and RADIESSE® can act as non-surgical treatments to add volume to the buttocks, you cannot lift sagging skin without surgery. If your goal is to rid the lower body of stretched, sagging skin, the buttock lift procedure is the only effective way to smooth excess tissue and restore a more sculpted, defined contour in the buttocks.

Complements to Buttock Augmentation

Depending on the nature of your goals, other aesthetic procedures at our San Antonio practice may be able to complement the outcome of your buttock augmentation. Common treatments incorporated into a combined surgical plan usually include:

In general, consulting with Dr. Ayala is the best way to confirm which treatment options are the most optimal procedures to achieve your goals. If your main objective is to remove excess skin after major weight loss, Dr. Ayala can also develop a combined surgical plan called a lower body lift.

Additional Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) FAQs

How do I sit after a Brazilian Butt Lift?

During the immediate recovery period, it’s imperative to minimize pressure on the buttocks and avoid sitting down directly for long periods of time. This is key to not only promoting blood flow, but also to maximizing the survival of the transferred fat. On top of wearing your compression garments for the amount of time prescribed by Dr. Ayala, foam padding and padding from egg crates can help create a comfortable sitting position. Dr. Ayala will show you how to properly sit following a BBL without affecting your volume enhancement.

Does a BBL get rid of excess skin?

No, the Brazilian Butt Lift technique is designed to plump and reshape the buttocks rather than remove loose, hanging skin. However, excess skin can still be trimmed to improve the contour of the backside and alleviate chafing. If your goals include skin tightening, Dr. Ayala can perform a buttock lift at our San Antonio practice alone, or combine it with a BBL to get the exact contours you envision. After assessing your concerns, Dr. Ayala can speak with you about the best treatment plan for your needs.

How safe is a Brazilian Butt Lift?

While a BBL poses its own risks, evolving techniques have allowed the procedure to become much safer in recent years. Following concerns over potential complications, a Brazilian Butt Lift task force was formed by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) as well as other international groups to enhance protocols, refine techniques, and address safety issues. Today, a BBL has the same mortality rate as abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck. That said, a Brazilian Butt Lift is a serious cosmetic surgery and the decision to undergo the procedure should not be taken lightly. The best way to help ensure your safety during a BBL is to select a highly qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate your candidacy and determine whether you would benefit from this technique.

How do I know if I’m a good candidate for a BBL?

A Brazilian Butt Lift is a procedure that has a relatively narrow candidate range when compared to other treatments. Consulting with an experienced aesthetic plastic surgeon is the most effective way to evaluate your candidacy, but patients interested in a BBL should generally be in good health and a non-smoker with realistic expectations for the final results.

Will the volume enhancement from a BBL last forever?

Following fat injections, the surviving fat that “takes” should be there forever; however, fat cells can still enlarge and shrink with weight fluctuations. This can change the outcome of your Brazilian Butt Lift and potentially disrupt your body contours. For this reason, we encourage you to keep your weight stable after a BBL and commit to an active lifestyle.

If you have questions about a buttock lift, or if you would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Ayala, please contact our practice today.

References

BBL Facts – American Society of Plastic Surgeons