Undergoing cosmetic surgery to add curves to the body has become more and more popular in recent years. Many patients seek to enhance their butt by getting butt implants or a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL). In this article, we will discuss both procedures as well as the pros and cons of each, helping you understand if BBL or butt implants is better for you.
Buttock implants, or gluteal implant surgery, use medical-grade silicone implants to boost the volume and reshape the butt. This can help to create an overall curvier silhouette.
There are several notable benefits to getting buttock implants compared to other plastic surgery procedures that aim to enhance the buttocks, such as the Brazilian Butt Lift. These include:
Implants inserted during plastic surgery are made of medical-grade silicone rubber implants. These are not to be confused with capsules filled with silicone gel like breast implants. As such, butt implants are more durable and won’t rupture, which is important as more weight is likely to be placed on them (for example, when you’re sitting down). Overall, these solid silicone implants are able to create a rounder, more voluptuous butt by mimicking the gluteal muscle for natural-looking results.
During a Brazilian butt lift procedure, unwanted fat is transferred from one part of the body to another. This means that slender women may be unable to undergo a Brazilian butt lift as they won’t have enough fat to harvest and insert into the buttocks. Therefore, butt implants provide a viable alternative to a BBL in adding volume and curvature to the posterior.
Medical-grade silicone butt implants come in a vast range of sizes and typically range from 200-300cc. This allows you and your surgeon to tailor your butt augmentation to your desired volume and shape. However, it is important to choose a size that will be both natural-looking and flattering to your body type.
Butt implants that are too large may distort the shape of your body and can cause medical complications such as infections and nerve damage. Therefore, it is important to discuss your wishes with an experienced, responsible surgeon who is able to determine the right size for you and your body.
A butt implant procedure is completed under general anaesthesia and typically lasts between one to two hours. To begin, the surgeon makes an incision, usually within the gluteal folds or between the buttock cheeks. The butt implants are then placed over, under, or inside the largest gluteal muscle (the gluteus maximus).
The exact placement of butt implants varies from patient to patient and depends on a range of different factors, including BMI, tissue volume, and buttock shape. The correct tailoring of implant positioning and size means that having a surgeon with significant clinical expertise in the field of butt implants is paramount.
After undergoing butt augmentation with implants, you may experience side effects such as swelling, soreness, and bruising in the buttocks. Symptoms typically fade over the initial two to three weeks after plastic surgery. After this, you should be able to resume most light daily activities and return to work. However, you should wait at least a month to slowly recommence exercise.
You will immediately notice the volume gained from the addition of butt implants. However, the final result won’t be fully visible until three to six weeks after plastic surgery. This gives time for any swelling or other side effects to dissipate, after which your butt will feel natural and have more definition to it.
Many patients seek to enhance their butt by moving excess fat from one part of the body and injecting it into the posterior. This cosmetic procedure is called a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) and helps to modify the shape of the butt by adding volume.
There are many benefits of undergoing BBL rather than adding surgical butt implants, including:
The first part of a BBL involves the collection of excess fat deposits from places such as the thighs and hips via liposuction. This technique is referred to as a fat transfer and has the added benefit of further contouring the zones where the fat is removed, sculpting the overall body shape. For example, the fat below the butt and upper thigh, commonly referred to as ‘banana rolls’, can be removed from the legs and moved to the buttock to further pronounce the contours of the butt.
Following a Brazilian But Lift, patients will go through a fluffing stage. This is a 6-8 week period where the skin expands to make room for the extra fat injected into the butt. By using the body’s own fat instead of inserting foreign implants, the butt appears more natural-looking and creates a proportionate physique. In addition, a fat transfer is a very customisable cosmetic procedure as the amount of fat put into the butt can be personalised to each patient’s needs.
Another additional benefit of a BBL procedure is that it can help to even out the skin’s texture by injecting fat into areas where there is a lack of volume. One common area that can be targeted are hip dips, indents or depressions on the outside section of the upper legs, just below the hip bone. Many women have more pronounced indentations, and a BBL can help to add filler to these areas, so the skin appears smoother and perkier.
As mentioned earlier, a Brazilian Butt Lift can be finely tailored to an individual’s body type. A skinny BBL is perfect for patients who are thinner (a Body Mass Index less than 22) and have less excess fat to harvest. In these patients, even a small amount of fat transfer can create a more pronounced and curvier butt.
Butts come in a range of different shapes and sizes and, as such, come with unique desired BBL outcomes. During a BBL, the surgeon has more control over how much fat is injected and where this is administered. Furthermore, fat is taken from areas where there is excess fat, such as in the hips and thighs, which adds greater definition to these areas and can help carve an hourglass figure. This is unlike butt implants which are placed on the back of the buttock and can only create posterior projection.
After anaesthetic or sedation is administered, your surgeon will use liposuction to harvest fat from areas where there is an excess, such as the hips or thighs. This fat is first purified and then injected into the needed sections of the butt to achieve the desired shape.
At the CREO Clinic, Dr Tillo uses the Buttock Enhancement and Superficial Transfer of Fat (BEST-F) technique which he developed as a safer alternative to the traditional BBL. This involves the injection of fat over the gluteal muscle and not under the muscle like a traditional BBL, which runs a higher risk of fat embolisms. The surgeon also maximises safety and increases precision by exclusively using a guided ultrasound device to ensure no fat is injected into muscle tissue.
Following a BBL, you may experience side effects such as swelling and bruising in the buttock area as well as in the regions you had liposuction. Recovery from a BBL varies from patient to patient, but most patients are usually able to return to most daily activities 2-3 weeks after plastic surgery.
Immediately following a BBL, you will be able to appreciate the increased volume of your butt. In the first three to six months after plastic surgery, your body will absorb 30-50% of the injected fat, and, as such, the size will decrease. Your surgeon will account for this absorption during plastic surgery so that you retain your desired result.
After six months, swelling usually subsides, and you will be able to appreciate the final results of your newly curvy posterior. Furthermore, a BBL is a permanent cosmetic procedure but will require upkeep through a healthy diet and exercise.
Patients seeking to enhance the buttocks and increase posterior projection alone are ideal candidates for butt implants. Furthermore, patients who have less available excess fat to harvest for a BBL may be more suitable for butt implants.
A BBL best suits patients with sufficient excess fat that can be harvested from the surrounding areas of the body. These candidates usually have a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 23-30 and are slightly above their ideal weight. Finally, a BBL is most suitable for patients who seek a more holistic body contouring treatment that sculpts both the buttocks as well as the thighs and hips where fat is harvested.
If you desire a perkier posterior or a bubble butt, a BBL or butt implants may be suitable for you. Our double-board certified cosmetic surgeon Dr Omar Tillo specialises in the field of body contouring, pioneering the BEST-F technique to ensure patient safety and optimum results. As one of the leading figures for BBL surgeries in the UK, Dr Tillo has not only clinical expertise but also extensive experience, completing over 300 surgeries, including complex revision cases. Contact us today to book a consultation and find out if BBL or butt implants is right for you.
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