Buttock augmentation is an excellent alternative to fat transfer augmentation in two patient populations.
The first patient population that benefits from this includes patients who do not have adequate fat reserves. Without any fat to harvest, it is intuitive that a fat transfer would not be possible! With the advent of VASER liposuction, maximum fat removal, and transfer to the gluteal region are feasible. However, this procedure may need to be improved in effectiveness for patients who are elite athletes with a body fat percentage of less than 10%. Additionally, extreme weight loss patients who have undergone bariatric surgery may also have observed extreme fat loss, making fat transfer surgery prohibitive. In this patient population, buttock augmentation with buttock implants may be a viable alternative.
The second patient population that benefits from buttock implant surgery includes patients that desire maximum central buttock projection, which is not afforded with fat transfer. This is because the gluteal implants are positioned over the central buttock and provide maximum projection beyond the scope of fat transfer.
When performing the fat transfer, the central buttocks can only be projected in minimal to moderate amounts because fat cells don’t have the structural rigidity to push the buttocks out maximally. Instead, an implant is made out of solid silicone that has the rigidity to push out the central buttocks more effectively. This augmentation can be safe and efficacious when proper surgical design protocols are employed.
Buttock Implant Procedure
The most important aspect of this augmentation process is selecting an implant that will fit inside your gluteus major muscle, which spans the central buttocks region. With proper implant selection and meticulous surgical design, implant augmentation will provide effective results. The buttock implant placement is completed while the patient is lying down using a solid silicone implant placed through intergluteal crease incisions. Dissection is completed through the gluteal maximus muscle, which will minimize the complication rates of implant extrusion compared to the subfascial plane or subcutaneous tissue technique.
This is a 41-year-old female after high-definition liposuction of the back, lower back, flanks, and fat grafting to the buttocks with an implant.