According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the number of buttocks-augmentation surgeries increased 158% between 2000 and 2004.
“The use of fat grafting has revolutionized buttocks augmentation,” says George Lefkovits, MD, a New York City-based, board-certified plastic surgeon. “Compared to buttocks implants, it is safer and requires less operative time. It has less pain and discomfort postoperatively, and requires minimal recuperation. An additional benefit is that in removing fat from the donor site to be used for the grafting, such as the abdomen, the patient also benefits from a modified liposuction to the donor site.”
In the Brazilian Butt Fill, fat is injected through two very small incisions, then layered through the tunnels throughout the buttocks. In 30% of patients, repeat fat grafting is necessary because of significant absorption of fat. An important consideration for the procedure is the availability of extra fat in different parts of the body. Fat is usually abundant, but there are patients in whom no extra fat is available. For those patients, buttocks augmentation by fat grafting is not feasible.
According to Lefkovits, newly shaped buttocks usually feel natural after the healing process. Because the additional shape is created by the patient’s own cells, the result will look and feel normal, and patients cannot distinguish the areas that have been grafted.
Patients are encouraged to have massage and ultrasound sessions beginning 1 week after surgery to minimize swelling and hardness, and to accelerate the healing process. Most patients resume preoperative activities after 6 weeks.
