Full beautiful bottoms are a sign of youth and vitality, and enlargement procedures are becoming increasingly popular. Statistically, The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery or (ASAPS) notes that buttock augmentation took one of the top spots in 2013 for the most significant increases in the number of procedures performed — by a whopping 58 percent!
By Peter Fodor, MD
and Beverly Brooks
The Plastic Surgery Channel
This comes as no surprise to world renowned board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Peter Fodor. “We’ve seen a significant increase in buttock augmentation in the U.S.,” says Fodor. “It was slow catching on, but that’s no longer the case.” Buttock augmentation gives you curves you never had and makes you feel sexier in clothes that you were never able to quite fill out. The key is confidence. Many people feel celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, along with Kim Kardashian’s voluptuous body could be attributed to some of the buttock enlargement frenzy.
How buttock augmentation is performed
Buttock augmentation reshapes and enhances your gluteal area, providing you with an uplifted and shapelier buttock profile. The most frequent methods for enlarging and reshaping your buttocks are fat grafting using your own natural fatty tissue (popularly referred to as the Brazilian butt lift), or with buttock implants. “We can perform augmentation with an implant, however in general I prefer augmenting with a patients own tissues,” says Dr. Fodor. “We evaluate the sufficient donor site and area to take the fat from and enrich it with stem cells for a better survival rate and longer lasting results.”
Dr. Fodor was able to perfect his technique during his many teaching trips to Rio de Janeiro and other parts of Brazil. The Brazilian Butt Lift works by removing excess fat from one area of your body and redistributing it to your buttocks. The first step is performing liposuction on a harvest site on your body; typically the abdomen, thighs or flanks. After liposuction, the fat is cleansed and purified, and then carefully injected into the buttocks.
Candidates for the procedure
- If your buttocks are too small for your body frame and you want a more balanced look
- If your buttock shape is too flat or square and you would like more curves and a more youthful appearance
- 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
Augmentation in Brazil
While plastic surgery is considered a luxury in the U.S., in Brazil it’s considered a “right”, according to ASAPS. Thousands of the country’s poor have undergone procedures at discounted prices to help boost self-esteem. According to Dr. Fodor, it’s not uncommon for people to be placed on waiting lists for five years or more to have a buttock augmentation.
Achieving the best buttock proportion to fit your body
Finding the right balance, and ensuring your body is in proportion can require a lot of artistic finesse according to Dr. Fodor. “When considering the procedure, the best results are from board certified plastic surgeons who are willing to devote ample time to assessing the appropriate hip to waist ratio.”
Recovery
There is generally minimal, if any pain and a faster recovery with fat injections when compared to buttock implants. Most normal activities can be resumed within the first week. However, it’s important to note that some patients tolerate surgical procedures better than others. On average, most people are back to work within a week or ten days. Your surgeon will advise you of the time you’ll need to be away from your workplace or daily activities.