Butt augmentation has gained widespread popularity as plastic surgery techniques have evolved to match the increasing demand. Importantly, butt augmentation should be viewed as both a volume and shape procedure. The idea that bigger is better is simply not true. The art in this procedure is to give both the proper size and shape in proportion to the height and weight of the patient.
The two methods of butt augmentation are implant placement and fat grafting. The advantage of implants is that they can be used in patients who might not have enough fat to harvest for injection. They are also permanent. However, implants also have many common side effects including chronic pain, infection, seroma formation (fluid collections around the implants), and hardening with unnatural feel. Because of these possible complications, many surgeons prefer fat injections.
Fat grafting has the advantage of being completely natural. Liposuction is used to "harvest" the fat by removing fat from unwanted areas such as the abdomen, love handles, thighs, and around the buttocks. The liposuction part of the procedure can be used to shape the butt and to improve other areas of the body. The fat is collected in a sterile container then washed and centrifuged to remove unwanted impurities. The "pure" fat containing the best fat cells is then carefully injected into the butt to give it a perfect shape. The technique for harvest and preparation of the fat is extremely important and can determine the success of the procedure.
There are several limitations of fat grafting. Only some of the total volume of injected fat will survive permanently. For this reason, many patients will need additional fat grafting to maintain the result. As a very general rule, about half of the injected fat will be permanent. Fat grafting is also limited in thin patients who do not have adequate fat for harvest.
Currently, most surgeons prefer fat grafting due to the natural look and feel and to avoid the complications of butt implants. For those women who desire a more shapely and full figure, butt augmentation with fat grafts is the natural choice.
