More Women Seek Butt Augmentation

Every couple of years, the trend in cosmetic plastic surgery changes based on the “current celebrity idol.”  For instance, the Paris Hilton look, which was all about having a slim body and limited curves, used to be the “in thing” during the early 2000s that liposuction at the time was popular.

In fact, Los Angeles plastic surgeon Dr. Tarick Smaili has seen some thin patients asking for liposuction even there was no excess fat to remove.

“Of course I have to decline such patients who want to go extreme.  My priority is not only improving their appearance but also their safety,” Smaili said.

But the ultra-thin look has been bumped off by another trend: more curves, particularly large hips and buttocks.  It all started when celebrities endowed with a large derriere such as Kim Kardashian, Beyonce Knowles, and Jennifer Lopez stole the limelight.

Figures from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery show that US adults spent about $31 million on buttock enhancement surgeries in 2010, increasing by 40 percent from the previous year.  Meanwhile, the procedure’s growing popular is expected to continue in the next coming years as curvy celebrities remain the media’s darling.

Butt enhancement is performed either through implant surgery—the same technique applied in breast augmentation—or fat grafting in which a patient’s own fatty tissues from other parts of her body are used.

But unlike in breast augmentation, butt implant surgery does not pose any risk of rupture because it uses solid silicone implant, which is supposed to last a lifetime.  However, patients should accept the fact that just like any surgery, there is always the chance of needing revisions in the future due to certain factors.

Just like butt implant surgery, fat grafting can also augment the backside, though instead of using synthetic devices, it uses a patient’s own fat from abdomen, thighs, or other areas abundant with this tissue to enhance her derriere.  And because it does not introduce foreign material, there is almost no risk of rejection.

However, the result of fat grafting is somewhat unpredictable because some of the fats are reabsorbed by the body.  In most cases, the acceptable survival rate is 60 percent of the transferred fats, and those which remain a year after the procedure will likely last a lifetime.

Patients should remember that both techniques in buttock augmentation have their limits.  For instance, implant surgery can only augment the upper part of the butt while the result of fat grafting depends on the absorption rate and amount of excess fats in the body.