Buttock Surgery
What Is Buttock Surgery?
Buttock surgery enhances the shape, volume, projection, or position of the buttocks. Depending on the patient’s anatomy and goals, this can be achieved by transferring the patient’s own fat, placing implants, lifting sagging tissue, or a combination of these approaches — creating fuller, rounder, or more lifted curves that improve overall body proportion.
Symptoms and Concerns Buttock Surgery Can Address
Buttock surgery may be suitable if you experience:
- Flat or underprojected buttocks
- A desire for a fuller, more curved silhouette
- Sagging buttock skin after weight loss or aging
- Hollow indentations along the outer hips ("hip dips")
- Insufficient body fat for fat-transfer-based enhancement alone
- A disproportionate waist-to-hip ratio
Types of Buttock Surgery
Dr. Esen recommends the appropriate technique based on the patient’s available fat, skin quality, and desired outcome:
Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)
Combines liposuction with fat transfer: fat is removed from areas such as the abdomen, waist, lower back, flanks, thighs, or arms, purified, and then strategically injected into the buttocks and hips. This approach enhances buttock volume and projection while simultaneously sculpting a more defined waist and hourglass silhouette, using entirely natural tissue rather than implants.
Butt Lift
Removes excess, sagging skin from the buttocks and surrounding area to restore a firmer, more lifted position — most beneficial for patients whose primary concern is skin laxity rather than lack of volume, such as after significant weight loss.
Buttock Augmentation
A broader approach to increasing buttock size and fullness, using fat transfer, implants, or a combination of both depending on the patient’s available donor fat and desired outcome. This option is tailored individually when a patient’s goals or anatomy fall outside a standard BBL or implant-only approach.
Buttock Implants
Uses solid silicone implants placed within or beneath the gluteal muscle to add volume and projection. This approach is particularly suitable for patients with insufficient body fat for a fat-transfer-based procedure, offering a predictable, significant increase in size.
Hip Dip Fat Grafting
A targeted fat transfer technique that fills the concave indentation along the outer hip (“hip dip”), smoothing the transition between the waist and hips for a more continuous, curved silhouette. Often performed alongside a BBL, but can also be done as a standalone, smaller-scale procedure.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Buttock Surgery?
You may be a suitable candidate if you:
- Desire fuller, rounder, or more lifted buttocks
- Have adequate fat deposits available for liposuction and fat transfer, or prefer implants if fat is limited
- Have sagging buttock skin you would like addressed
- Are in good overall health
- Have realistic expectations
- Do not smoke, or are willing to stop before and after surgery
During your consultation, Dr. Esen evaluates your body proportions, available donor fat, and skin quality to recommend the most suitable technique or combination.
How Buttock Surgery Is Performed
Buttock surgery is performed under general anesthesia, typically taking 2–4 hours depending on the technique used.
- 1. For fat-transfer approaches: liposuction is performed at donor sites, and the extracted fat is purified before being carefully injected into the buttocks and hips in precise layers
- 2. For implant-based approaches: an incision is made, typically within the natural crease, and the implant is placed within or beneath the gluteal muscle
- 3. For a butt lift: excess skin is removed and the remaining tissue is lifted and secured into a firmer position
- 4. Incisions are closed with fine sutures, and a compression garment is applied to support healing
Recovery Timeline
Days 1–3 Swelling, tightness, and discomfort are expected. Patients are advised to avoid sitting directly on the buttocks and to sleep on their stomach or sides.
Days 4–10 Most patients return to daily activities within 7–10 days, using a specialized cushion when sitting is unavoidable.
Weeks 2–3 Avoiding direct pressure on the buttocks remains important during this period to protect fat transfer or implant results.
Weeks 4–8 Compression garments continue to be worn, and strenuous activity remains limited until cleared.
Months 3–6 Final results appear as swelling fully subsides and transferred fat or implants settle into a stable, natural position.
Expected Results
A successful buttock surgery delivers:
- Fuller, rounder, and more projected buttocks
- Improved waist-to-hip ratio and overall body proportion
- A smoother, more lifted contour when a lift is included
- Reduced hip dip indentation, when addressed
- Long-lasting, natural-looking results
With fat-transfer techniques, typically 60–80% of the transferred fat survives long-term, depending on aftercare and lifestyle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which is better: fat transfer (BBL) or implants?
It depends on your available body fat and goals. Fat transfer offers natural-feeling, natural-looking results without a foreign implant, while implants are recommended for patients without enough donor fat. Dr. Esen will help determine the best option during consultation.
Can I sit normally after surgery?
Direct sitting on the buttocks should be avoided for 2–3 weeks after fat transfer to protect the newly transferred fat cells, using a specialized cushion when sitting is necessary.
How long do results last?
Results can last many years with a stable body weight, healthy lifestyle, and proper aftercare. Additional fat transfer sessions can be performed if further enhancement is desired.
Will very slim patients have enough fat for a BBL?
Very slim patients may require a modified or staged approach, or may be better suited to implants, depending on available fat volume.
Can buttock surgery be combined with other procedures?
Yes. It is frequently combined with 360 liposuction, a tummy tuck, or hip dip fat grafting for a fully sculpted, proportionate silhouette.