Big Buttocks Are In Fashion

Cosmetic surgeons keep hearing about weekend house parties where unknown substances are injected into buttocks. We also hear stories from hospitals and other physicians that, due to this practice, terrible problems with chronic infection have occurred.

There is much speculation about what is being injected. Some think people may be buying breast implants, and injecting the silicone from them into the buttocks with no sterilization. Unfortunately, the silicone in breast implants is a thicker silicone and has a high risk of infection when injected into human tissue in large quantities. To be used safely, this type of silicone needs to be encased in the capsule that surrounds a silicone implant. We have seen several cases of people who had large, firm, tender, red buttocks that looked very unnatural, and were apparently injected with some sort of foreign substance. I was concerned that if I biopsied the area, the whole buttock area would become infected.

There are other injected filler substances that, while legal in other countries, have caused a lot of infection and inflammation in many patients. When the patient shows up in the U.S., we have to deal with it. In some cases, these foreign doctors don’t even document what they are actually using, perhaps because they suspect that the sort of permanent filler they’re administering is really a magnet for infection. We have seen some of these cases in our clinic. They are not easy to treat.

Buttock implantation is also being performed using firm implants that are designed for this purpose. However, the ones I’ve seen look unnatural. The top part of the buttocks often sticks out, and the implant does not adequately support the bottom buttock. It may be painful to sit on and may come through the skin by itself. Additionally, it needs a large opening for placement which ends up leaving a significant scar.

My experience and opinion is that the only reasonable way to improve buttock shape, contour and size is fat transplantation. We do this nearly every week at New Body Cosmetic Surgery and we have many, many happy and satisfied patients. Complications are rare. The procedure can be repeated more than once at intervals of 3 to 4 months. Just the right amount of fat should be transplanted, for if too much fat is placed, infection and other problems are more likely to occur. The buttock size and shape can progressively be improved. And liposuction in the areas around the buttock—the outer thighs and hips—also helps the appearance of the buttocks. If the patient gains back a little bit of the fat that was suctioned away after the procedure, the fat may go to “desired” places like breasts and buttocks, and the overall shape may be enhanced.

Cosmetic Surgery Answers

What is the "Brazilian Butt Lift"?

The Brazilian Butt Lift consists of liposuction of the areas around the buttocks, usually including the area above the butt or “sacral” area and the hips and often the outer thighs. Then, sometimes, fat is transplanted into the buttocks to make them fuller. Contrary to what is said elsewhere, the fat should be transplanted into the lower two-thirds of the buttocks, not the upper two-thirds. There are some doctors who are spinning the fat, so as to make it denser. This does not improve the result. The bottom line is that any given butt can take only so much fat in any one operation or the transplanted fat tends to cause problems like infection. Infection is a risk anyway even if everything is done to the best possible standard. If you have a big butt this technique can be used to make it much bigger. If you have a small butt, the Brazilian Butt Lift can only do so much. Dr. Yoho has been performing this procedure for over a decade. Results vary with the individual, with some people getting almost all the fat to “take”, making the butt more shapely. Others, such as smokers, will have very little retention of the fat. If you are a smoker, it’s probably not worth it.

There are surgeons who are putting implants, made of silicone, into the buttocks. These implants generally go under the muscle and in Dr. Yoho’s opinion often cause unnatural results, with somewhat strange bulges on top of the butt. See results at other internet sites. Fat transplant methods can be repeated if the patient wants more fullness.

Note that the above patient didn’t even have fat transplant to the buttock, but the butt was lifted and the shape was improved anyway. This is because, as noted above, the areas around the butt were shaped beautifully. An additional factor is that slight weight gain (actually the patient stabilizing at a similar weight as before) after a relatively large liposuction like this one can produce very nice fullness of the breasts and buttocks, where the remaining fat tissues can grow a little. There may not be any ultimate net weight loss, but the patient sure looks a lot better.

I have one additional note about this sort of case. It’s generally a mistake (of course there are exceptions) to liposuction the buttocks themselves. Liposuction of the area around the buttocks is best. This usually produces the most improved shape.

Please look at this photo for an example of we can do to produce a great posterior. Sometimes it just involves shaping, as in this example. Here's a few more examples: here, here, and here, and here.
 Visit Dr. Yoho's Los Angeles cosmetic surgery site for client reviews and testimonials. His Pasadena cosmetic surgery website has hundreds of cosmetic surgery before and after photos.