A butt lift is an aesthetic procedure that reshapes and enhances your gluteal area by removing or repositioning sagging skin and removing or adding volume to your butt cheeks. A standard butt lift removes extra fat and volume (through surgical excision or liposuction). Alternatively, a Brazilian butt lift (using fat transfer) or butt implants can add volume to enlarge your buttocks and create a more shapely profile.

Why get a butt lift?

Excess skin, fat from aging, heredity factors, or dramatic weight loss can cause your butt to lose its shape and skin to sag. Also, butt enhancements have become increasingly popular worldwide, with round, firm buttocks often seen as a symbol of femininity and sensuality. If you want to restore your butt’s youthful shape or add volume to your butt cheeks, a butt lift may be right for you.

A butt lift is a great option if you have any of the below concerns:

• You have loose, sagging skin in your buttock area
• Weight loss, pregnancy, or the aging process has left your butt looking loose, saggy, or flat
• You have excess fat or skin that makes you uncomfortable or causes mobility problems
• Your butt is too small or too big for your body frame, and you desire a more balanced look
• The shape of your butt is too flat or square, and you would like more curves
• Clothes and swimwear do not fit properly on your figure

Below are some of the benefits of a butt lift:

• Get a smoother and more toned butt
• Alleviate any discomfort caused by excess skin
• Improve the shape and projection of your butt
• Get a more proportionate body
• Add volume to your butt for a more shapely look (with “Brazilian butt lift” or butt implants)
• Create a more youthful or curvaceous appearance
• Get long-lasting results
• Look better in clothes and swimwear
• Improve your self-image and self-confidence

What should I consider before getting a butt lift?

Please consult with your aesthetic plastic surgeon for more information on what is unique to you.

• You need to be in good general health without chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease. People in poor health are not good candidates for buttocks procedures. You must obtain clearance for your aesthetic surgery from your primary care physician or doctors treating you for medical conditions.
• You can’t smoke. Smoking slows down the healing process and increases the risk of serious complications during and after surgery. If you smoke, you must quit before surgery.
• You need to have a healthy diet. Problems such as protein deficiencies can interfere with healing.
• If you recently experienced dramatic weight loss or have undergone bariatric surgery, you should be close to your ideal weight. Your weight has to be stable for at least six months, with no further weight loss expected. For optimal results, your butt lift should not be done until approximately two years after the start of any dramatic weight-loss program. This time allows your skin to shrink as much as possible, and your nutrition to be stabilized and optimized, both factors that will aid your recovery.
• A standard butt lift could result in loss of volume in the buttocks (if you are not also getting BBL fat transfer or implants).
• If you are very slender and want a significant increase in volume, you may need butt implants to achieve the size you desire since you may not have enough other fat to transfer.
• It is possible for butt implants to slip postoperatively or for some of the fat to be reabsorbed, causing asymmetry.
• Because of postoperative swelling, it may take three to six months before the full effect of this surgery is evident.
• Your butt lift results might slowly diminish over time because of gravity and aging (if you are not getting implants).
• Future weight fluctuations can affect your results.
• The recovery time will depend on the procedure or combination of procedures you get done. In general, the recovery period is slightly longer and more painful in the buttock area than other body areas because you use this region for physical activities such as walking, running, and even standing.

What are my butt lift options?

There are several butt lifts options. Your aesthetic plastic surgeon will recommend an approach based on body shape and your aesthetic goals, including whether you are looking to reduce or increase the size of your butt

Standard Butt Lift

If you have a sagging butt after weight loss or due to aging and are looking to reshape, lift or reduce the size of your butt, your surgeon may recommend a standard butt lift.

Depending on the quality of your skin, how much excess skin or fat there is to remove, and your body shape, your surgeon will determine the best approach for you. If there is a large amount of skin to remove, your surgeon may recommend having a lower body lift with your standard butt lift. If removing the skin will result in a loss of volume in your butt area, your surgeon may recommend combining your butt lift with a Brazilian butt lift (fat transfer) or butt implants.

Brazilian Butt Lift using Fat Transfer (also known as BBL)

If you wish to add volume to your butt and you have enough excess fat in other areas of your body that can be grafted, your surgeon may recommend a Brazilian butt lift using fat transfer. This procedure takes fat from one area of your body and uses it to enhance and reshape your buttocks.

Not all the fat transferred in a BBL procedure survives, and the final result may be somewhat smaller than initially projected. You may need to have repeat procedures (round two or round three) to achieve your desired results.

Butt Implants

If you desire a more rounded appearance and are very slender with little excess fat, your surgeon may recommend butt implants. Implants are most appropriate for treating flat or poorly defined buttocks. Butt implants are not as effective for treating sagging buttocks that may occur after significant weight loss. In this case, you may want to consider combining your butt implants with a butt lift.

*Patient safety warning* 

Silicone injections are an unsafe and unacceptable option for buttock augmentation. Unlicensed individuals often offer these injections, and you should avoid them. Always consult with a board-certified aesthetic plastic surgeon if you are considering a buttock augmentation procedure so you can minimize your potential risks.