Contouring of the Buttocks with Liposuction
Reshaping of the buttocks can be done through a variety of plastic surgery techniques including, implants, fat injections, lifts, and liposuction. By far, liposuction is still the most common buttock contouring technique used. Liposuction of the buttocks, however, must be done with caution to avoid unsightly cosmetic complications.
Typically, buttock liposuction is part of a body contouring surgery where multiple body areas are being treated as part of the same surgery. It would be common to do thigh, hip, flank, or knee liposuction, with the buttocks to create an overall more contoured mid-trunk region. When doing buttock liposuction, the cannula is introduced through the posterior buttock crease or at the top of the middle buttock crease, dependent upon the positioning of the patient on the operating room table. The key to a successful outcome from buttock liposuction is…..not to overdo it…..or be too aggressive in removing fat! The buttocks is a unique area to liposuction as too aggressive liposuction may disrupt the fibers that connect the skin to the underlying muscle, allowing the skin to hang down over the buttock crease. This is what we call the ‘banana roll’ deformity. In addition, the skin of the buttocks can only contract so much, so over aggressive liposuction can result in unsightly dimpling, irregularities, and loss of any of its rounded shape.
The key to contouring the buttocks is a patient’s understanding that you can not really make a large buttocks small….and don’t try to do so by aggressive liposuction. The buttocks is an area where the risk of cosmetic irregularities and unhappiness with the results is not rare. Buttock liposuction must be done with care, paying great attention to the areas of buttock fat that are being removed and the amount that is being removed. When it comes to buttock liposuction, less is really more!
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis,, Indiana