Background: Buttock augmentation is the fastest growing body contouring procedure in the U.S. which is primarily done by fat injections. Known as the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) it is a natural procedure that has a coincidential body contouring effect from the liposuction areas. (primarily abdomen and flanks) When adequate fat is available this is the clear choice for buttock augmentation.
But not all patients that desire buttock augmentation have enough body fat to use. This is particularly true in the Asian population where many females are smaller and thinner and rarely are great candidates for the BBL procedure. This leaves buttock implants as the only buttock augmentation option in the fat deficient patient. While necessitating a longer recovery period, buttock implants offer an assured buttock augmentation result.
Buttock implants can be placed above the gluteus maximus muscle or inside the muscle. (intramuscular location) While there are advantages and disadvantages to either location, deeper placement of the implant usually offers a long-term result with fewer potential complications. This is particularly true in the Asian female who usually has little subcutaneous tissue and a subfascial location will end up with a visible implant outline show.
Case Study: This 35 year old Asian female wanted buttock augmentation to correct a very flat buttock shape. She had no visible buttock contour and was very flat across the upper and lateral buttock surface.
Under general anesthesia she had natural contour silicone gel low profile buttock implants (300cc in size) placed in an intramuscular position. This was done through a single intragluteal incision of 7 cms in length.
Her six months results show an uncomplicated buttock implants augmentation result with a visible improvement in the size and shape of her buttocks. The intergluteal incision was well healed with a slight widening of the scar line
Buttock augmentation in the Asian female often requires the use of buttock implants. Because their buttock augmentation goals are often more modest and designed to improve a flat buttock contour, large buttock volumes are not needed. Buttock implants provide the most assured method when there is a thin subcutaneous fat layer. To avoid an unnatural and too round of a buttock augmentation result, the lower profile natural contour buttock implant is an excellent choice for an intramuscular implant placement.
Highlights:
- Buttock implants are the only option for buttock augmentation in the fat deficient patient.
- Buttock implants offer assured buttock volume retention albeit with a more significant and prolonged recovery.
- The intramuscular location of buttock implants limits the ultimate size of the buttock augmentation result.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana