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Within the modern world of cosmetic alteration, patients increasingly desire procedures that provide a fuller posterior. Many prospective patients incorrectly assume that buttock augmentation is synonymous with having buttock implants placed, but this isn’t the case. Patients enjoy the benefit of having choices when it comes to picking a procedure that fits both a medical profile and preferences in alignment with physical goals. Understanding the difference between a buttock augmentation and buttock implants is essential before choosing a customized approach to cosmetic care to avoid the case of butt implants gone wrong.
An early arrival on the scene of cosmetic surgery, buttock implants have been used regularly to help patients enhance their posterior and deliver a fuller, more youthful look to their backside. The procedure involves a physician making a significant incision near the upper thigh or within the buttock crease while the patient is under general anesthesia. An implant often made of silicone is then inserted to achieve the desired physical effect. While these implants are highly durable, they are not a permanent solution and patients should expect to undergo follow-up surgeries every 8 to 12 years following the initial procedure.
Butt Implants Gone Wrong: Risks
While buttock implants can provide immediate results, the procedure comes with a number of inherent risks. Because patients undergo the procedure in a hospital, they are exposed to the risks associated with any surgical procedure including environmentally provoked infections and compressed respiratory function associated with an adverse reaction to anesthesia. Patients must also be aware that after the procedure is complete, there is a continued risk of implants dislodging or migrating, which can cause pain and an irregular shaped posterior. In the rare event this happens, a patient would be required to have the implants replaced. Anytime a foreign object is introduced into the body, there is a risk of rejection that must be taken into consideration prior to having buttock implants placed.
An increasingly popular choice among patients due to its less invasive nature and natural-looking results, a buttock augmentation takes a different approach to body contouring and enhancement. This process is carried out as an outpatient procedure and requires a physician to remove fat cells from problematic areas of the body including the thighs or stomach before transferring those same cells directly into the buttock for a fuller appearance. Often referred to as a Brazilian butt lift, this procedure results in a natural look and feel as a result of using the patient’s own fat cells instead of a synthetic implant to achieve the desired result. The attending physician will often elect to use tumescent liposuction for the initial extraction making for easier removal with the injection of a local anesthetic. Fat cells are treated with platelet rich plasma to enhance their collagen building properties before being reinserted into the buttock. A physician will use multiple injection points during the transfer process as a way to improve the chances of successful cell grafting with buttock tissue already in place.
This highly safe alternative to buttock implants provides patients with a less invasive route to redefining their posterior. Patients who are allergic to local anesthetic may not find buttock augmentation to be a successful option, however, most patients enjoy a procedure that is followed up with minimal swelling and redness alongside a reduced recovery period. Buttock augmentation eliminates the risks associated with a hospital stay including infection as well as respiratory ailments linked to general anesthesia.
While buttock implants come with heightened procedural risk, patients seeking significant and immediate results will be please with a visible change immediately after the procedure. Those who elect to undergo buttock augmentation will see permanent results within 2-3 months following the procedure and will need to work closely with a physician at follow up appointments to determine how many fat cells successfully grated to buttock tissue. It’s important that prospective patients take these factors into account when deciding which procedure is right for them.
Dr. Wright and his team at the St. Louis Laser Lipo and Vein Center bring extensive knowledge and a patient-first philosophy into the field of cosmetic alteration. The first step towards creating a treatment plan is for prospective patients to schedule an initial consultation. This meeting allows Dr. Wright the time he needs to review a patient’s full medical history and explain augmentation procedures in great detail. Patients are encouraged to use a consultation to ask questions, voice concerns and express preferences before a personalized treatment plan is carefully crafted.
The cost of both buttock implants and buttock augmentation varies with every patient and it’s important that prospective patients reach out to their insurance providers prior to receiving treatment to see what financial options are available. In the event that treatment is categorized as purely cosmetic, the team at the St. Louis Laser Lipo and Vein Center is happy to speak with patients about the many alternative options that are available for payment and financing.
