Getting Rid of Smile Lines

Posted on: 29 August 2018

While trim backsides were once the envied look among women, celebrities like Kim Kardashian have made ample backsides the sought-after look. Few women naturally have such a voluptuous backside, so if you want to achieve this look, you may be considering a procedure called buttocks augmentation. Many women are very happy with the results of such a procedure, but there are some intricacies to consider. Keep these points in mind as you talk to a plastic surgeon and decide if a butt lift is right for you.

1. There are options that do not involve using silicone.

Traditional butt lift procedures involve removing some skin from the backside for a more toned appearance, and also adding a silicone implant to give your butt more shape. Some women shy away from butt lifts because they are afraid of a reaction to the silicone or because they do not like the idea of having a foreign object in their bodies. Thankfully, there are now techniques that use your own body fat, rather than silicone, for the augmentation. Fat will be lifted from your abdomen or thighs using liposuction or a similar procedure, and then it will be injected into your buttocks.

2. Recovery takes about three weeks.

You may picture being laid up for months after your butt lift. However, most patients recover a lot faster than assumed. You can generally bathe, walk around, and complete most simple tasks within a few days. You'll want to take it easy for a few weeks, but you can return to exercise within three weeks. There is some individual variation in recovery, however, and your doctor can give you a better idea of how long you will be laid up based on the extent of the procedure and your age. (Older women take longer to heal, typically, than younger women do.)

3. You'll get used to the implants or implanted fat.

You may think that having implants will make it forever feel like you're sitting on a pad or cushion. This sensation may strike you in the beginning, but you'll be surprised how quickly you adapt to the implants and stop noticing them. Your skin will stretch to accommodate the implants, so it will stop feeling so tight after a few weeks. Plus, your nerves will get used to the stimulation from the implants and basically start ignoring them. If you opt for a fat-based augmentation, then you'll adapt even faster.

4. There is some risk of infection.

All surgical procedures come with some risk of infection. This risk is somewhat higher in the buttocks, where there is not so much circulation. Taking proper care of your surgical wounds and following your doctor's aftercare instructions will reduce your risk of infection. However, you still want to be aware of such risks when signing up for surgery. If infection does occur, you may need to have the implants removed and to take antibiotics for a week or two.

5. The results are often more dramatic when paired with liposuction or a tummy tuck.

Part of what makes the look of a butt lift so dramatic is the difference in width between the buttocks and hips. If you have extra weight around your hips, you may need to also undergo liposuction or a tummy tuck to get rid of this extra skin and fat and make your buttocks more prominent. Work with your surgeon to come up with a complete plan to achieve your desired look.

A butt lift procedure can give you the backside you desire, but it's not always as simple as it seems. To learn more, talk to a doctor like Dr. Robert J. Troell, M.D., F.A.C.S.