What is a butt lift?
Butt lift, also called gluteoplasty, is a type of surgery that lifts the buttocks skin tighten and lifts it. In the surgery, the surgeon removes the excess skin and the tissue around butts and makes the body contour more youthful and pleasing. This procedure is sometimes confused with Brazilian Butt Lift, but they are different. Because Brazilian but lift inject fat from other parts of the body and adds it to buttocks and makes a lifting effect.
Butt lift may flatten out the buttocks more than it is desired. In this case, other surgeries such as butt augmentation come to help to be done in conjunction with butt lift to change the size and shape, too.
Why do people think of buttock lifts?
As people get older, the skin changes to be looser. Other factors such as genetic, sun damage and weight loss and weight gain lead to poor skin elasticity and buttocks sagging.
People think of buttock when:
- They have lost a large amount of weight and have gained a stable weight for 12 months at least.
- They are overweight and physical activity or diet wasn’t influential to lose weight.
- They have no problem with weight but want to look more beautiful.
- Liposuction did not work for them since their skin elasticity was poor.
But all these candidates should know that butt lift won’t change their skin quality.
Who can’t think of butt lift?
A butt lift is not without a problem for all. People who have these problems can not get it:
- Severe chronic condition. It can include heart diseases, diabetes, etc.
- Plan to lose weight
- Their body mass index is higher than 32
- Smoke
- Do not have a stable mental health condition.
How to prepare for a butt lift
The first step is that you consult with the surgeon. If your general health condition is ok for the surgery he/she will likely:
- Review your medical history
- By asking some questions about the medication you take, your previous surgeries, your reason for being a candidate, your diet, etc. the surgeon will get a general view.
- Do a physical exam
- Blood tests and lower body, skin and buttocks examination will be done to determine the treatment options.
- Discuss your expectations
The surgeon will ask you about your expectations from the buttock lift to assure that they are logical.
If the surgeon recognizes that you can get a butt lift he/ she will ask you to:
- Stop smoking
- Avoid certain medications
- Maintain a stable weight
- Arrange for help during recovery
Questions that you should ask include:
- Am I a good candidate?
- Are my expectations reasonable?
- Where will my scars be visible?
- What type of anesthesia will I have?
- What should I expect during recovery?
- What are butt lift risks and complications? How are they handled?
- What will be my options if the result dissatisfies me?
- Do you have before and after photos?
Butt lift procedure
First, the surgeon gives you some medication to make you feel comfortable during the surgery. Most surgeons give general anesthesia to make you sleep. Some others use a combination of local anesthesia and intravenous sedation. Your surgeon will decide on that.
Then, he/she makes some incisions on the upper portion of the buttocks. Of course, it is not always stable. The incision patterns may vary. It depends on the location of excess skin and fat. Your surgeon will determine the best technique of making incisions before the surgery when you consult with you.
In the third phase, the surgeon removes excess skin and pulls the remaining skin to a new place.
In the last phase, the surgeon closes the incisions with sutures and supports them with tape and adhesive. Then, he/she dresses or bandages them. He/she may put small tubes on the skin temporarily to help drain excess fluid or blood if there is any.
Now the surgery is over. The team takes you to the recovery room. Usually, doctors prescribe an overnight stay in the hospital. Keep in mind that somebody should stay with you on the first day. You may also need to wear a garment or griddle after the surgery to reduce swelling and make the skin tightened.
As mentioned earlier, sometimes liposuction is done in conjunction with butt lift to contour the buttock area. It is also done to tighten the areas and give a more balanced look.
Butt lift incision usually includes a large one on the buttocks top or it can be hidden under them by the crease. If liposuction is done, the scars will be smaller. They will fade and unnoticeable during the time.
How is buttock lift different from Brazilian butt lift?
Brazilian butt lift, despite what most candidates suppose, is not the same as butt lift. In the Brazilian but lift method, the surgeon removes some fat from other parts of the body by using liposuction. These parts can include hips, stomachs, and tights. Then he/she purifies them and makes them ready for injection to buttocks. After injection, the surgeon makes some incisions for fat transfers. Then the incisions are closed by stitches.
However, this surgery is not done by just liposuction. Sometimes silicon is implanted in the buttocks. Brazilian butt lift makes the buttocks more rounded and fuller.
Brazilian butt lifts are riskier than butt lifts. If the procedure is not done correctly, injected fat may enter the large veins in butts. Then, it can go to the lungs and cause respiratory distress and finally lead to death.
Another risk of the Brazilian side effect is that the buttocks may fail to take up the fat. Then, the injected fat is broken down and the body absorbs it.
Butt lift recovery and downtime
When the anesthesia wears off, you will feel pain. Your surgeon will prescribe some medications to relieve it, but if it is long lasting or extreme, contact your doctor.
You will have redness and swelling for weeks or even for months. If you want to know if it is normal or a sign of a problem, contact your doctor.
Ask your surgeon to know how to sleep and sit to reduce the surgery pain and minimize the incisions tension.
You should measure the fluid amount in the drains every day. When the output fluid is low enough, the surgeon will remove them. It is usually done after 2 to 3 weeks, but it may be left even longer. Most patients can begin their routine work after 2 weeks, but strenuous or work must be delayed to at least 6 weeks since the incisions can’t tolerate excessive force, motion or abrasion. The full healing takes several months.
Of course, it is important to mention that this guideline may vary according to the type of procedure and other surgeries that are done in conjunction with a butt lift. So, the recovery time may get longer. Your body’s being in good health, having someone to help and not smoking will reduce the required time for recovery.
Butt lift risks and complications
All types of surgeries have some degree of risks and butt lift is not and cannot be an exception. Some of its risks and complications include:
- Adverse reaction to anesthesia
- Hematoma
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Some changes in sensation
- Allergic reactions
- Unfavorable Scarring
- Cardiac and pulmonary complications
- asymmetry
- Damage to some underlying structures
- Fat or skin necrosis
- Recurrent skin looseness
- Skin sagging
- Blood clot
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Poor wound healing
Butt lift is almost a risky surgery and can even lead to death. So, consult your surgeon before any decision and if there is not something wrong with your buttocks forget about the butt lift.
Who is a good candidate?
You are a candidate for buttock lift or any other surgery if you are generally in good health and you do not smoke.
For a butt lift, you should have excess skin and fat in your buttocks and around them and you have not been able to lose them via exercise or diet.
Other conditions include:
- Your pregnancy has left you with loose skin below the waistline.
- You have saggy buttocks
- The fat layers are thin below the loose skin
- You have had stable weight for at least 1 year
- You do not suffer from any chronic conditions
- You have a healthy diet since some problems such as protein deficiencies interfere healing
After all of the mentioned points, a good candidate is the one who has a positive outlook and realistic expectations from the butt lift outcome.
How long will the results of butt lift last?
Butt lift results are not permanent, but they are long-lasting. Some factors such as pregnancy, aging, and weight fluctuation will toll on the results. To avoid that you need to keep a healthy lifestyle and do not stretch your body by gaining weight. If you do them you will enjoy body contour for a very long time.
Also, for safety and to keep the maintained beauty, do not forget to return to your doctor for follow up evaluation and every time you notice any change in your butt lift.
Butt lift pros , cons and costs
It varies from surgeon to surgeon and from one geographical place to another. But, the average cost is between 4000 to 15000 dollars. The complexity of the butt lift surgery, the surgeon’s skill and qualifications and also his/her reputation will affect the final costs. Additional costs include:
- Anesthesia fees
- Facility fees
- Lab fees
- Medications fees
- Your buttocks will look more fuller and smoother
- It removes sagging and loose skin and extra fat from the buttocks
- The results are very long-lasting
- Any discomfort that is the result of excess skin will be alleviated
- Buttock lift recovery requires a long time
- Weight fluctuation will change the results
- The surgery may lead to volume loss in buttocks
Dr. Salahi performs hundreds of abdominal and thoracic surgeries, abdominal lipatomics, lipomatic abdominal surgery, thighs and arms, breast prosthesis and minimally invasive surgeries and is one of the top-ranked doctors in Tehran in cosmetic surgery. They specialize in cosmetic surgery.
Are there any alternatives for a butt lift?
There are three alternatives for buttock lift:
- Butt implants
The surgeons place the implants in the buttocks to improve the volume. But, they may not seem natural.
- Lower body lift
It tightens thighs, abdomen, and buttocks. It pulls the skin and makes the underlying skin tight. Buttocks will get the desired shape.
- Exercise and fitness
This is the healthiest way to reshape the buttocks. It has no risks and complications. Sports such as yoga, aerobics, and other techniques make the desired difference for a long time. If you keep doing them the results will be permanent.
What are realistic expectations?
- If you do not have enough fat, the curves won’t look so exaggerated.
- The surgeon cannot change the bone and muscle structures. So, drastic alteration is limited.
- It changes the buttock’s shape by making it rounder and fuller from a flat shape.
- Butt lift is usually accompanied by liposuction of back areas, abdomen, and flanks.
- It improves the entire body balance.
How is a qualified surgeon to do butt lift?
Be careful that not everyone that provides this surgery is a real surgeon. Unfortunately, there are some providers that service butt lift at a very low price. If you find such providers know that they are not legitimate.
All cosmetic surgeries are difficult and require knowledge, skill, experience, and art. In terms of knowledge, cosmetic surgeons must be board certified and have passed special training courses.
Do not choose a surgeon without getting valid information about him/her. Besides all these factors, it is also important that your surgeon must be committed enough to talk to you about probable risks and complications of the surgery if you need for getting that, logical result, etc. to help you to choose the best decision.
