Buttock lift

Aging or weight fluctuation can lead to sagging and volume loss of the buttocks. Patients complain that their buttocks is flat or drooping and they have difficulty finding clothing that fits well. Many patients are too self-conscious to wear bathing suits, form-fitting clothes, and athletic wear. The buttocks can be rejuvenated with a lift procedure to create a more youthful, round, or athletic shape.

There are many options when it comes to surgical technique. A buttock lift involves removal of skin from the upper part of the buttocks and leaves a scar at the junction between the lower back and the buttocks, from hip to hip. Care is taken to design the skin excision so that the final scar is easily concealed beneath an undergarment or bathing suit. To improve the definition of the waistline and accentuate the buttocks and hips, a buttock lift can be combined with SAFE liposuction of the lower back. For patients with volume loss, conservative fat grafting can be performed. Some patients desire a more augmented appearance and their own tissue can be used to create a round implant-like area of fullness. This procedure is called the purse-string gluteoplasty. Silicone buttocks implants are an alternative, however, they are prone to complications and we do not place them in our practice.

Buttock lift incisions are closed with buried dissolvable sutures to create a fine line scar and avoid the discomfort of suture removal. A closed-suction drain is typically necessary to reduce the risk of seroma (formation of a fluid collection by your body). Recovery is fairly easy and patients resume their usual activities soon after surgery. After fat grafting or augmentation with their own tissue, patients are discouraged from sitting or putting pressure on the buttocks for two weeks. Exercise is limited to walking only the first two weeks with gradual increase to normal activity over the next few weeks.