GLUTEOPLASTY : BRAZILIAN BUTT LIFT SURGERY

Decisions about cosmetic surgery should not be based solely on cost. The cheapest procedure might mean that the surgeon does the procedure quickly and incompletely. Five years after your cosmetic surgery, you will probably not remember the exact amount you paid for the surgery, but you will aware of the quality of the results for the rest of your life. It is more reasonable to base your decision about cosmetic surgery on the surgeon's reputation, the surgeon's apparent skill, the surgeon's experience and the surgeon's ability to communicate with you in a manner that is professional, sincere, comfortable, and unhurried.

The most common source of disappointment following plastic surgery is dissatisfaction with the degree of improvement ("it looks as if nothing was done") or unhappiness with uneven lumpy-bumpy results. The cost of cosmetic surgery should not be the main basis for your choice of surgeon. Do not put your body on the bargain rack.

The recuperation period used to be three to four weeks; however, now with the latest surgical advancements the recuperation period has been greatly reduced. We recommend the use of ice packs for the first 48 hours and then special stretching exercises following. Although it will take one month before you feel completely normal, most patients are back to work in one-to-two weeks.

One of the biggest improvements in the recuperation period over the years has been stretching exercises. The example below will help clarify:

Say for example you are someone who enjoys working out, but you have been unable to exercise for some time. When you finally return to the gym, the following day you notice how sore you are. And what happens if you decide not to return to the gym because you feel too much discomfort? In most circumstances, you will feel even more discomfort as the time progresses. However, what happens if you return to the gym even if pain persists? Generally, you will be sore, but as the time progresses, the muscles loosen up and the discomfort improves and disappears.

The same principal applies to the gluteus augmentation, the quicker you stretch the quicker the muscle will relax and not spasm, thus, tremendously improving your recuperation period.

The patient can sit from the first day after the surgery for any of the bodily necessities; however sitting for prolonged periods of time i.e. watching TV, computer work, etc., is discouraged. We suggest you wait about one week before participating in these exercises. This takes the stress off of the suture line and allows for better wound healing. We recommend our patients to lie on their stomachs during leisure time and to sleep on their stomachs for one week. You will also be wearing a support garment for at least 2-3 weeks.

This is a very common question and the answer is NO.
Please perform the following test. In the sitting position, take your hand and place it on the bottom part of you buttock — the part that you are sitting on. You will notice that this area is bony; it is called the ischial tuberosity. As you keep your hand on this area and stand up, you will notice that your hand is nowhere near your actual buttock. Thus, the implant is placed under the muscle and is way above this particular area, so you are never actually sitting on the implant.

This is a very common question, unlike the silicone breast implants which are made of a silicone gel (which means that the gel of the implant can leak), the buttock implant is made out of solid silicone; it cannot rupture or leak. This is the highlight of the implant; even though it is solid, it remains to feel soft. When someone touches your buttock, it will have a natural feel to it. It will feel firm as if you have worked out vigorously for many years.

There have been many studies made on the safety of silicone butt implants. To this date, there has been no evidence linking silicone to any autoimmune diseases or causing any medical problems. Most of the studies have been done on breast implants. The solid silicone form has been used for years without any problems.

Like any surgical procedures, complications — although as rare as they may be — still exist.

The complications are as follows:

1. Bleeding or Hematoma: This is a collection of blood around the implants. This can occur; however, it is extremely rare. If it does occur, it would require exploration of the wound with drainage of the hematoma. If applicable, bleeding would also need to be controlled.
2. Infection: Again extremely rare, however, if is this occurs the implant will need to be removed and you will have to take antibiotics specific to your particular infection. The implant can then be reinserted in about 3 months as long as the infection is cleared.
3. Capsular contracture/hardening of the implant from excessive scaring: This is extremely rare with buttock augmentation; this problem is seen more often with breast augmentation. The capsule usually remains soft in the buttocks area because the implant is placed under the muscle and is in constant motion; however, if hardening were to occur, medicines would be prescribed, such as papavarine, vitamin E and indomethecin, along with Ultrasound therapy to try and soften the capsule. It other cases, it may require re-operating and removing the implants.
4. Nerve damage or sensation changes in the leg: The specific nerve in association with Buttock implants is the sciatic nerve. However, it is extremely rare for this nerve to be affected by the surgery. If the sciatic nerve were to be affected, you may feel some pain, discomfort or an electrical type of shock that radiates down the leg. As mentioned above, however, this is rare because the implant is placed higher than where the nerve is located. In the case that this does occur, a conservative therapy would be applied first to let the swelling and healing process take place. Additionally, an ultrasound therapy and medical therapy would be prescribed. If the problem persists the implant may need to be removed.
   At times, a patient may experience some temporary skin numbness or sweating in the buttock area, as well as temperature changes, i.e. a cool or warm sensation. This usually resolves over a one-to-three month period. We could also add ultrasound therapy along with medical therapy if applicable.
5. Displacement of the implant: In this scenario the implant moves to far down the buttock area or too far to the side. This is caused because the implant moves down the tissues and creates a bigger implant pocket. The correction would require either internal suturing of the capsule to make the implant pocket smaller or removal of the implant. If the implant is removed then we could place the implant back after 3 months.
6. Wound healing problems or Wound dehiscence: The wound may open up, thus requiring continual changes of bandages and dressing until it heals. The area in which the incision is placed #&151 which is right down the center of the sacrum #&151 has tension and is generally hard to keep clean. As a result, some patients may develop minor wound problems, such as, the wound reopens or has persistent drainage. Even in this case, however, the wound will heal on its own.
7. Prolonged fluid drainage from the incision site: This usually is localized fluid that is around the incision site and not the implant. It may require for the wound to be inspected for severe infection. However, more often than not, it is a suture that has become infected and requires removal. Thus, the removal of the suture will take place or the wound will be left open for proper healing.
8. Fluid collection around the implant: This is most likely a seroma, which is a clear sterile fluid that the body produces as a reaction. This can easily be drained with a needle. This is a benign problem that usually resolves on its own and may not require drainage. Vary rarely will it require more aggressive therapy like drainage, re-operation or sclerosis. However, it is important to distinguish this fluid from an infection. An infection is very different and will require the removal of the implant.
9. Bad scaring: This is hardly ever a problem because of the location of the scar. It is in the middle of the sacrum and is very inconspicuous so it is hard to see. Even if you do get a bad scar, it will be hard for anyone to notice. The scar however can itch.
10. Asymmetry: This is when one side of the buttock looks different than the other side. This is not a complication since it is part of our normal anatomy to have one side of the body different than the other. When we perform the augmentation, you may become more aware of the differences. If you look at your photos before surgery you will see that the differences exited before surgery.

The buttock is made of muscle, fat, skin and its underlying support is bone. The shape and contour of the butt depends greatly on the person’s framework — the "bone" structure. However, the buttock's main volume and definition comes from fat. It is how the fat is distributed that will make the difference between an attractive, and a not so attractive buttock. For the purpose of this section, we will address only the evaluation of the buttock shape. Please remember that there are other variable that need to be taken into consideration before making any decisions (i.e. size, muscle density, and skin quality).

When evaluating the shape of the buttock, it is best to divide the anatomy into three sections: the upper buttock, the mid-buttock and the lower buttock. Each area needs to be evaluated and addressed independently in order to provide the best glutei harmony.

The Upper Buttock: In this area, we need to address two factors: how much volume is present, and more importantly, how the fat is distributed. An aesthetic buttock has most of the fat located directly posterior on the buttock and has enough fullness superiorly to give it a lifted round look.

If more fat is located in the upper-outer aspect, the so-called hip roles, then the buttock will look square and unattractive. Liposuction alone will improve the contour, but it will not add volume to the buttock. In order to increase the size, the fat from the liposuction can be injected into the upper portion of the buttock.

When a gluteal augmentation is performed, the implant is mainly addressing the upper buttock and the upper portion of the mid-buttock. It will not address the other areas. In the majority of patients, a careful analysis of the middle and lower buttock needs to be made since complimentary procedures may be required in order to improve the overall shape.

Mid-Buttock: In some patients, an indentation can be seen in the midsection of the buttock. This is a very subtle and needs to be closely examined. If this area is not properly addressed during the procedure, the defect may become more obvious after the augmentation since we have just made the buttock larger. The best way to address this problem, is to transfer a small amount of fat (about 30 cc), in order to fill this slight depression and give it a rounder appearance.

Lower Buttock: This area typically has some excess fullness giving the buttock its droopy look. This fullness will be even more apparent immediately after the procedure since you are swollen. As the swelling begins to disappear the appearance improves, but the excess always remains. If this area is not addressed, it can give the appearance of dirty diapers or a droopy buttock. The key in improving this area is a careful examination to assess whether the problem is excess skin or fat. The treatment will be either liposuction or removal of the excess skin. In the vast majority of patients, the problem is usually some degree of excess fat. If this is the case, then conservative liposuction will improve the area. If the problem is excess skin, which is hardly ever the case, then it may require removal of the skin.

The Brazilian butt lift is a type of butt augmentation procedure which results in a youthful, prominent, perky buttocks and a more sensual body profile. People of all ages are having the butt lift procedure. The procedure is performed by removing fat from selected areas of your body (abdomen, flank, and outer thighs), purifying it, and then re-injecting selected fat cells into the buttocks area. The process of fat grafting (fat injections) itself involves many injections. The procedure is designed to fill the upper quadrant of your buttocks so that the butt appears lifted and perky. The resulting effect is that the woman appears younger, more attractive, sensuous and fit.

Several people have asked us if fat grafts are permanent. They keep reading from other sources that fat grafts are not permanent or that they may need another procedure. In our experience, when done correctly, fat grafts are permanent. However, some patients could experience a loss of 30% of fat due to re-absorption. Our physicians anticipate this loss by injecting 30% over the requested amount. As a result, we have never conducted a second procedure to add more fat with any of our patients.

• A more natural appearance, as the newly sculpted buttocks use fat from the patient's own body.
• Smaller incision area, resulting in less scarring.
• Shorter healing time.
• No chance of rejection.
• Procedure includes additional body sculpting due to liposuction from areas with excessive fat.

• Allows for buttock enhancement in patients with little or no fat deposits available as donor sites.
• No risk of significant fat re-absorption — a side effect in a minority of fat injection enhancements.

The buttock enlargement procedure, also known as a Brazilian Butt Fill, is suitable for both men and women. If you've tried diet and exercise but still suffer from a poorly developed buttocks, you might want to consider a Brazilian Butt Fill.

• The fat has to be aspirated properly.

  High pressure suction disrupts and kills a certain percentage of fat cells. For this reason, we use a manual syringe technique because the pressure generated by a syringe is much lower than that generated by a suction machine. Thus, right from the start, the chances of success are higher. There are distinct advantages to using a regular suction machine. For one, it's quicker and less taxing to the physician, but it damages the fat cells. Thus, if you hear of a fat grafting-Brazilian Butt Lift in less than four hours, chances are the grafts may not last and the patient will return for touch ups.

• The fat has to be processed properly.

  We let the fat sit in a cool environment (slows down the fat cell metabolism) so the fluid separates from the fat. Then the fat is transferred to smaller syringes where it is then put in a centrifuge. The centrifuge is a machine that spins long enough to separate fluid and contents of dead and disrupted fat cells from the remaining live cells, but not so long as to disrupt live cells. We then separate the live fat cells from the body fluid and contents of disrupted cells by a decanting process which does not touch the live cells. The remaining product is almost 100% live cells. There are very little contaminants that may irritate the surrounding tissues. You want the recipient tissues to work only with live cells, because any inflammation may end up destroying live cells.

• The fat has to be injected properly.

  Think of the fat graft as a tender seedling that has to be planted in the ground, but instead of the roots growing out, the "roots" (blood vessels) from the surrounding tissues grow into the fat graft. If you inject a thick wad of fat cells, the cells in the center of the wad will starve before the blood vessels are able to provide proper circulation. Thus, the fat grafts have to be injected with very fine needles in small quantities. This is a very laborious and slow process. If you inject a lot at one time, many cells will not survive. Note: Some surgeons may say "most of the fat got re-absorbed", whereas in reality, most of the fat never took in the first place.

• The post operative period is as important as the surgery.

  All patients should not sit (at all) for the first week after surgery. Think again of the tender seedlings. Once the fat grafts are in place, they are not likely to take root if they are being compromised with your body weight. The grafts need to be completely free of any pressure until blood vessels grow into them; those vessels must be strong enough to withstand the pressure and shearing effects of sitting on them. Note: Wearing compression garments is very important; they will cut down swelling significantly. When swelling occurs, oxygen delivery and evacuation of toxins are impaired. As a result, fat graft cell survival is compromised.

There are two different ways to enhance the shape and sides of your buttocks:

1. Brazilian Butt Lift: Fat injections (fat grafting) A.K.A fat transfer to the butt
2. Butt Implants: Insertion of silicone implants

Our team of physicians will recommend butt implants over fat grafting-Brazilian Butt Lift ONLY IF you are really thin and have no body fat stored in your abdomen, flanks and lower back. If you have enough donor fat, our physician prefers to augment the buttocks using fat injections. Our surgeons believe that this method results in the most natural and sensual look for the buttocks area. The fat transfer method has a lower risk of infection compared to the butt implant procedure.

An additional benefit of this fat injection method is that you not only get a more shapely buttock, but the area with liposuction is now much leaner, giving women an hour glass figure and an "X" for men.

The fat suctioned from abdomen, flanks, back and thighs is carefully processed and purified so that only a fraction of the donor fat removed will qualify for re-injection into the buttocks. In order to get enough qualified fat, the physician must withdraw fat (liposuction) to at least 2 areas of the body or one big area. Following liposuction, the physician carefully purifies the fat so that only the best donor fat cells are re-injected back into the buttocks for augmentation.

The purified fat is injected in small amounts into different areas of the buttocks and at various depths so that the patient will get the highest permanent absorption rate. Thus, the procedure usually involves 'hundreds' of micro fat injections. Correct injection methods are essential to achieve a uniform, smooth and natural appearance to the buttocks.

If the fat is harvested, processed, and injected correctly, the result should be long lasting. The procedure should not require touch ups or a second round of fat injections. The Brazilian butt lift result is highly dependent upon the experience of the surgeon. Surgeons who are not using correct purification or injection methods will not obtain long lasting results. Be sure that your surgeon is experienced in this procedure!

It's our third most requested surgical procedure after Breast Augmentation/Lift and Tummy Tuck.

Some thin women do not have enough fat on their body to perform a Brazilian butt lift procedure. Thus, if a woman does not have enough donor fat, the other butt augmentation option would be silicone butt implants. For butt implants, a small incision is made in the crack between the buttock cheeks. The butt implants are then carefully placed in the tissues of the buttock avoiding the areas where important nerves lie. When the incision heals it is difficult to detect. The result is a round and prominent butt.

It is more difficult to fill out the lower part of the buttocks. The implants cannot be placed in this region because of the risk of nerve damage. To fill out the lower part of the buttocks, fat injection is used.

With butt implants you must not sit directly on your buttocks for up to three weeks — this ensures for a permanent result. Most people can return to work in 2 weeks, provided you do only a minimum amount of sitting. You must wear a special garment (to control swelling) for two weeks. There may be a small amount of swelling for up to 6 weeks. However, you should be able to resume all normal activities at 4 weeks post op.

Cosmetic Harmony requires a minimum stay of 14 days.

The butt lift is a relatively new procedure. The buttocks lift can be performed as a solo procedure or as part of the total body lift. The procedure improves the contour of the buttock and makes it perkier and more prominent when combine with fat injections or implants.

The butt lift can be achieved by two methods:

1. Removing excess skin and tightening the skin above the upper part of the buttocks will lift the buttocks. This procedure is for individuals that have lost a significant amount of weight and have extra skin.
   
2. The butt can also be lifted with fat injections or implants. The fat injection procedure is also referred to as the Brazilian Butt Lift. In addition to more volume and prominence, these procedures give the butt more projection or lift. Fat injections tend to look more natural and round than implants. (Danilo activa las letra en azul como link a el procedimiento GLUTEOPLASTY).

If the buttocks are very large, the patient may first benefit instead from liposuction to reduce the overall size of the buttock. If, on the contrary, you want larger buttocks with more upper projection, you might be better served with a butt implant or fat injection. If you are looking for an overall larger and more natural look, implants or fat injections will fill out the butt and lift the buttocks. Fat injections to the butt are also known as the Brazilian butt lift. This procedure gives a more natural look. However, if your buttocks are sagging, and you do not want an augmentation, the Brazilian Butt Lift will help by removing tissue and tightening skin. If the sag is minimal, a ‘butt wedge’ excision might be indicated. The tissue is excised at the buttock crease. This leaves a relatively unnoticeable scar at the buttock crease.

This butt lift technique cuts out tissue at the junction of lower back and buttock. This allows for a true elevation of the buttock tissues and a reshaping of the entire butt. In combination with a liposuction of the hips and/or thighs, it can result in a dramatic reshaping of the entire lower body.

The butt lift can be done under general anesthesia. For this butt lift technique, an ellipse of skin and fat is cut out from the upper part of the buttock at the junction with the lower back. Our physicians are very careful to hide the scar so that it is hidden even with a bikini bathing suit. The butt lift is easily tolerated as an outpatient procedure.

Yes, our physicians can lift the butt by removing excess skin and then also inject the buttocks with fat.

The patient is advised not to sit for one week so as not to stress the operated area. You may return to work in 2 weeks if you do not do a lot of extensive sitting.

The total fee for butt lift ranges from $13,000 to as much as $30,000 depending on the type of lift and what your goal is.