Brazilian Butt Lift, Butt Fill, Butt Augmentation

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Brazilian Butt Fill - Get a Derriere Fit for the Beaches of Rio

By Dr. George Lefkovits

"I like big butts and I cannot lie" is a lyric to Sir Mix A Lot's Song, but it is also the song of people who opted for 4,000 buttock lifts in 2004. The number of buttock augmentation surgeries increased 158 percent between 2000 and 2004, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

So if you like a firmer, more rounded rear, you're not alone. Buttock enlargement or augmentation is an increasingly popular procedure. It allows flat or poorly developed buttocks to be enhanced. While many women will increase the size of their breasts, they find that there is an imbalance between their front and the back. Buttock enlargement addresses this disproportion.

There are many women who have the curves of the breasts and the thighs, and need to round out the buttocks as well. This procedure is especially popular with Latinos and African Americans, but is gaining in popularity among Caucasians as well.

After many years of experience in the cosmetic surgery industry, I have seen buttock augmentations undergo major advancements and become one of the most highly requested procedures in my practice.

The use of fat grafting has revolutionized buttock augmentation. Compared to buttock implants, it is safer and requires less operative time (1½ hours). It has less pain and discomfort post-operatively, and requires minimal recuperation. An additional benefit is that in removing fat from the donor site(s) to be used for the grafting, such as the abdomen, the patient also benefits from a modified liposuction to the donor site.

During the procedure the fat is injected through two very small incisions and is carefully layered through tunnels throughout the buttocks. In 30% to 35% of the patients a repeat fat grafting is necessary because of significant absorption of fat. However, it is unlikely that further fat grafting beyond the second treatment will be necessary.

An important consideration for buttock fat grafting is the availability of extra fat in different parts of the body. While fat is usually in abundance, there are patients in whom there is no extra fat available. In these patients, buttock augmentation with fat is obviously not feasible. Before the advent of fat grafting, the technique employed the use of solid silicone implants, which is still used by some doctors today.

However, the technique is more difficult, more painful post-operatively, fraught with more complications, and needs longer post-op recuperation.  The results are never quite natural because of the presence of a foreign body.

What are the risks of buttock augmentation using fat grafting?

The main risk is that in about 30% of patients significant fat absorption occurs early on, necessitating a second grafting procedure. It is unlikely that further butt fat injection procedures would be necessary. Other risks such as bleeding, infection, and scarring are rare.

After a fat transplantation procedure, how do the buttocks feel to the touch?

Newly shaped buttocks will usually feel natural after the healing process. Since the additional shape is created by a patient's own living cells, the result will look and feel normal. Patients will not even be able to distinguish which areas have been grafted.

Following surgery patients wear a special surgical garment for 1-2 weeks for comfort and to minimize swelling. They are encouraged to have massage and ultrasound sessions beginning one week after surgery to minimize swelling, hardness, and to accelerate the healing process.

When it comes to resuming physical activity, each patient will have his or her timetable depending on the exact procedure performed and individual health factors. Most patients can resume progressive exercise after 2 weeks, gradually getting back to the pre-operative level after about 6 weeks. The good news is that patients can sit from the first day of their buttock enlargement surgery. However, sitting for prolonged periods of time right after surgery is not encouraged.

The average cost of buttock augmentation via fat injection is approximately $10,000.

For More information about the Brazilian Butt FillT please visit www.drlefkovits.com.

By Dr. George Lefkovits
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
New York, NY

Dr. George Lefkovits attended Georgetown University School of Medicine and Downstate College. He completed his residency training at Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital and at Lenox Hospital where he served as Chief Resident in Plastic Surgery.

He has served as an Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery at New York Medical College. Dr. Lefkovits is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Orolaryngology.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is a member of many professional societies including: American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, New York Regional Society of Plastic and Reconstructive surgery, Lipoplasty Society of North America, Surgical Society of New York Medical College, New York County and New York State Medical Societies, and the New York Academy of Science.