Buttock Lifts and Implant Information


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Buttock Lifts can tighten the skin and lift the buttock.
Buttock Augmentation tightens the skin, lifts and adds volume to the buttock. Picking the right procedure involves balancing the results that you are looking for and the risk involved. Lifts do not add volume, but the procedure has fewer risks. Buttock Augmentation adds volume, but you have to factor in the increase risk of an implant (infection, capsular contracture and extrusion).
Buttock Liposuction can be used to help contour the buttock, but removing too much fat will result in a saggy rear end. Liposuction does not tighten skin.
Fat injection into the buttock is another technique that has limited possibilities. The first issue is that only a limit amount of fat can be injected at any one time. In order to achieve a significant difference, multiple procedures (2-3) may be required . The second issue is that you have to have significant excess fat to donate from some other part of the body. It is rare to have a small butt and a lot of excess fat. Buttock augmentation will result in a larger augmentation in one procedure.

How big can you Augment a Buttock ?
For the surgical technique that I prefer and achieves the best results, the buttock implant is placed beneath the gluteus maximus muscle. This limits the implants size and position, since the muscle is only so large. I do not recommend having the implant not covered by muscle.

Understanding Desires And Making Choices
At your consultation, Dr. Gold will discuss your preferences regarding buttock size and incision location. After examining you, he will recommend options that will be best for you and that will balance with the rest of your figure.

Buttock Implants and Cancer or Auto immune disease
Buttock implants do not cause cancer or auto immune disease.
Excellent scientific studies indicate that gel implants are not associated with cancer or auto immune disease.

Reliability Of Implants
Buttock implants are mechanical devices, which are manufactured to extremely high standards. We use only implants that Dr. Gold feels are thoroughly tested. No one can specify the life of a buttock implant. At some point you may choose or need to have it replaced.

How The Body Responds To Implants
When any implant is placed in your body, the body forms a lining or capsule around it. This capsule is similar in some ways to scar tissue and can shrink or contract. If it contracts markedly and squeezes on your implant, it can distort the implant or make the buttocks feel too firm. There are several techniques to decrease the likelihood of developing hardness, but so far the risk cannot be totally eliminated since it is the result of your normal healing mechanisms.
If the implant becomes too close to the skin the implant can break down the skin and the body push the implant out (extrusion). This is why the implant size is limited and the implant must be placed deep within the muscle.

Can Implants Break? What Happens?
Very rarely, the outer shell of a implant can break. Usually, this is due to folds occurring with abrasion of the outer shell, and is more likely to occur following development of hardness due to capsule contracture. If implant rupture can be confirmed, the implant should be replace it with a new implant.

Risks
Other risks common to all surgical procedures such as bleeding, infection and scar tissue formation occur in a very small percentage of cases. Bleeding or infection occur in only 1-3% of cases, but may require another procedure for correction. Infection may necessitate temporary implant removal and subsequent replacement. We encourage you to discuss any concerns that you have during your consultation.


The Operation
The incision for Buttock Augmentation is in the mid line. The incision for a Lift is across the top of the buttock. In both locations, very meticulous closure of the incision minimizes the visibility of the scar and maximizes its quality. Dr. Gold will discuss your preferences about incision location with you.
Buttock implants are placed beneath the gluteus maximus muscle., A pocket is created beneath the muscle for the implant. After final implant placement and position is achieved, Dr. Gold will spend considerable time precisely closing your incisions to achieve the best possible scar result.

Recovery
All of your incisions will be carefully closed with stitches placed beneath the skin, so there’s no chance of your having “railroad track” type marks but rather very fine line scars. You’ll be able to shower or bathe the day after surgery
Following Buttock Lift procedures, most patients have very minimal pain, but rather experience tightness or fullness. Buttock Augmentation comes with more discomfort. Since the incisions and implants are above where you sit, sitting is not a problem. Walking will be uncomfortable with a buttock implant for the first two weeks.
Your buttocks will feel very tight to you for 48-72 hours, and the tightness will gradually resolve over the next several days as the swelling decreases. You may develop slight bruising beneath the skin a day or two after surgery, which will resolve in about two weeks.
You may have a moderate feeling of soreness. We will prescribe medication for that soreness. Most patients require medication for only 2-3 days for Lifts and 5-6 days for Augmentation.


The Stages Of Recovery
Our patients usually want to know about four stages of recovery: surgery time, when swelling or bruising will be resolved, when they’ll be able to return to work or social activity, and when they can return to full aerobic or strenuous exercise.

Surgery: Buttock Lifts and Augmentation are performed as a day surgery procedures. Dr. Gold has a fully Accredited Surgical Suite in his office for your convenience.
Bruising and swelling resolve: 10-21 days
Return to work, social activity: 7-10 days
Aerobic or strenuous activity: 14 days

We encourage returning to full normal activity immediately. Don’t do any type of strenuous exercise that would push your pulse over 100 for about two to three weeks. Any aerobic activity that increases your pulse over 100 also increases your blood pressure, and could make you bleed.