With developments in liposuction and fat grafting techniques, there is a growing popularity of buttock augmentation. Unfortunately, not everyone was born with a curvaceous buttock, and then again, not everyone wants a fuller buttock. As with the rest of your body, those choices are personal and individualized.

However, enhancing the appearance of your buttock may improve self-confidence. If it is your desire to enhance your buttock, that is good; don’t do it to satisfy anyone else. As with all cosmetic procedures, the surgeon can enhance what God has given you but cannot give you someone else’s buttocks.

Request an Appointment

An advantage of fat grafting to the buttocks is that it requires liposuction of another area of the body which can be simultaneously contoured along with the buttock enhancement. There are three choices to choose from to satisfy the patient’s desires and goals to increase the size and shape of the buttocks.

Options for Buttock Augmentation

The method that is most appropriate for your particular circumstances and physical features will be determined by your cosmetic surgeon according to your aesthetic goals at the time of your consultation.

  • Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) or Butt Augmentation with fat grafting. This requires obtaining fat from another area of the body via liposuction, such as the abdomen, flanks, back, thighs, etc. The fat removed from those areas is injected into the buttock area for overall, regional, or localized enhancement. Given the proper candidates, liposuction around the buttocks may further enhance the appearance.
  • Surgical Butt Lift with skin excision (Glutealplasty) is similar to a Tummy Tuck, which requires skin above the buttocks to be excised, thus lifting a sagging buttock. Fat grafting can also be done simultaneously to yield an even greater result. For marked saggy buttocks, the butt lift procedure may be the best option.
  • Buttock / Gluteal implants will enhance the size and shape of the upper and outer parts of the buttocks and give great projection.

Who is a candidate for buttock augmentation?

  • Patients who are in good overall health, including those individuals with well-controlled medical problems.
  • Patients who are dissatisfied with the appearance (too small or asymmetric) of their buttocks.
  • Patients who desire to increase the size and shape of their buttocks (buttocks are too loose).
  • Patients who have sagging or depleted buttocks from aging or significant weight loss.
  • Patients that have reasonable and realistic expectations.
  • Patients committed to good nutrition, exercise, and healthy lifestyle.

Who is not a candidate for buttock augmentation?

  • Patients whose general health is compromised.
  • Patients who do not have reasonable and realistic expectations.
  • Patients who smoke.
  • Patients who want absolute perfection.

Does buttock augmentation produce permanent results?

It is the goal of all three options of buttock augmentation to permanently improve the size and shape of your buttocks. If the patient gains or loses a large amount of weight, then the size and shape will change respectively and possibly be disproportionate. However, most modest weight gain or loss will not adversely affect the patient’s results. As with all things in life, age, gravity, and time will eventually change the size, shape, and overall appearance of the buttocks.

How much fat can be injected into the buttocks?

Generally, the maximum amount of fat that can be injected depends upon several different factors. Your surgeon will give you a realistic estimate and overall expected result based on your particular circumstances, fat donor sites, present buttock size, and related information. There have been serious complications due to the injection of fat in close proximity to the vascular structures. Safe guidelines have been proposed but do limit the extent of fat augmentation. The first and primary goal of any procedure is to be safe.

General description of buttock augmentation procedure

All three options can be performed with either tumescent or general anesthesia, although general anesthesia may be preferred depending on patient factors and desires.

The Caudle Center offers either Brazilian Butt Lift (liposuction and fat transfer) or Buttock Lift Surgery. Buttocks implants are not available at The Caudle Center.

Procedure Description for Brazilian Butt Lift

  • Either tumescent or general anesthesia is available.
  • Fat is harvested from the donor site(s).
  • The harvested fat is prepared for reinjection.
  • The sterile fat is reinjected into the buttocks.

How long will it be before I see results?

The preliminary enhanced results are seen immediately but are temporary. The initial improvement is followed by loss of volume as the body reabsorbs the fluid and the fat that doesn’t survive the fat transfer, followed again by gradual enhancement over the next 6 months to a year as the new fat cells grow into mature fat cells.

Will I be in pain?

Buttock Augmentation with liposuction and fat transfer can be performed with either general anesthesia in a certified outpatient surgical facility or in the surgeon’s specialized procedure room in his office, depending on various patient factors and financial considerations. Your post-operative pain will be the same with either anesthesia technique. With general anesthesia, you will experience no operative pain or discomfort.

With awake tumescent anesthesia, patients will receive pre-operative medication to help them relax so that they can more easily tolerate the initial discomfort with administering the tumescent anesthesia into the treatment area and donor area. The tumescent technique produces profound and long-lasting local anesthesia of the skin and subcutaneous fat. Since the patient is awake and relaxed, they can notify the surgeon immediately of any discomfort. The tumescent anesthesia technique, in many cases, eliminates the need for general anesthesia along with its additional risks and costs.

For the buttock lift procedure, the surgical dissection and incisions are much more extensive and would be best performed under general anesthesia.

How long does buttock augmentation take?

From the time that you arrive at the facility until the time that you are discharged home will require several hours. Usually, it takes several hours to complete either the Brazilian Butt Lift or Butt Lift procedure depending upon the extent of the procedure and if tumescent anesthesia is administered.

How much does buttock augmentation cost?

The fee for Brazilian Butt Lift (liposuction with fat transfer) usually depends on how many areas and location(s) are treated by liposuction and the amount of fat required to be harvested. When only one area is treated by liposuction, the fee is less than when multiple areas are treated. Liposuction with fat transfer usually begins around $2500-$3000.

The fee for Butt Lift surgery includes the surgeon’s fee, anesthesia fee (general anesthesia), and facility fee.

For an accurate estimate, it is necessary to have a consultation with the surgeon.

What is the recovery like?

  • Home Care: You will be discharged home to the care of a responsible adult.
  • Activities: Plan to rest in bed immediately after treatment. Later in the day, short walks are good. Resume light daily activities the following day after your procedure. Depending upon extending the procedure and your tolerance for discomfort. You may be required to miss work from a few days to 2 weeks. Resume exercise gradually as tolerated by “listening” to your body’s messages. 
  • Avoid lying on your buttocks: It is critical to avoid lying or sitting on your buttocks for the first three months as much as possible to avoid “suffocating” the transferred fat cells that are trying to survive.
  • Elastic Compression Garment: Wear your compression garment for the first few weeks.
  • Wound Care and Drainage: Some blood-tinged drainage is usually expected for the first several days.
  • Bathing: It is preferable to shower rather than bathe for 7 days after surgery.
  • Diet: Generous fluids are recommended in the first 24 hours. Resume light foods as tolerated.
  • Follow-up Appointment: Usually 3-7 days after your procedure.

What are the risks?

As with all surgical procedures, there are inherent risks. The specific risks and suitability of this procedure for a given individual can only be fully determined at the time of consultation with your cosmetic surgeon. All surgical procedures have some degree of complications. Most are minor and rarely affect the overall cosmetic results, occur occasionally such as swelling, bruising, minor lumps and bumps, and skin numbness.

Major complications are uncommon but include significant cosmetic irregularities such as lumps and bumps, poor contouring or body shape, indentations, scarring, skin necrosis, discoloration of the skin, infections, bleeding or hematomas, seromas, or fat embolism that could be lethal. Some major complications can take months to resolve or improve, or maybe permanent and should be discussed with your surgeon prior to the proposed procedure.

For more information on buttock augmentation, or to schedule an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact us today at (423) 926-2400.