Whether or not it’s a good thing, we don’t all look like Kim Kardashian. Personally, I believe variety is the spice of life and it would be a tragedy for female beauty if all women turned into cloned replicas.
Jokes aside though, for people who are dissatisfied with their buttocks (too flat, not the right shape, gravity’s done a number on them…things of that nature), one of the options available to them is buttock augmentation surgery. If you are a patient considering this route to the perfect tush, there are a few things you need to know.
First of all, what is a buttock augmentation? Buttock augmentation is a surgical procedure that “reshapes and enhances your gluteal area, providing you with an uplifted and shapelier buttock profile.” This sounds great, but how does buttock augmentation work? Turns out there are two different ways this surgery can be performed.
Buttocks Implants
In this method, incisions are made, silicone implants are inserted into or above the gluteal muscles, and the incision is closed with sutures.
Brazilian Butt Lift or Fat Transfer
During this process, liposuction is used to vacuum out the fat that will be injected into your buttocks; the fat is then processed and added to your buttocks via multiple small injections.
Like any surgical procedure, there will be some recovery time. With either method you will, at the minimum, be wearing a “support garment” for 2-3 weeks and there will be medications, dressings, and follow-up with your doctor. If you choose the fat transfer method, you will also have temporary drains in the incisions beneath the skin so that extra blood and fluid can leak out. Also, it may take several months for the swelling to fully resolve.
A few other things to know: Incision lines will fade over time but will not disappear completely, so there may be some scarring, scar heal products can help with this. With every surgery there are risks, and some of the more serious ones include nerve damage, blood clots, fat embolism, and fat necrosis (death of fatty tissue).
Finally, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost of a buttock augmentation is between $4,000 and $5,000, but this depends on factors such as the surgeon’s experience and geographic location and also doesn’t factor in expenses for anesthesia and operating room facilities.
The bottom line (pun intended): buttocks augmentation is an expensive surgical procedure that entails risks and a recovery time of at least three weeks. But, if you feel that nature has left you with something to be desired in the gluteal department and think that buttocks augmentation might be for you, make sure you take the time to do your research and weigh the pros and cons before making a decision. Your butt will thank you!