Butt shaping – For a firm, sexy butt!

Buttock shaping is possible for you if one or more of the following criteria are met:

• You would like to have a firmer or more voluminous butt.
• Your butt is flat, sagging or appears flabby.
• Your buttocks have lost volume over the years.
• An unsightly excess of skin appears as a wrinkle on the lower contour of your butt.
• Your buttocks are asymmetrically shaped.
• Your well-being and self-esteem suffer due signs of aging of your buttocks.

To achieve the behind of your dreams, various procedures and interventions are available at Aesthea: In a buttock lift, localized excess skin and, if necessary, fatty tissue are removed from the buttocks that have proven stubborn in the face of other measures (exercising, dieting). In a butt enhancement procedure, volume is built up and a fuller buttock contour is created. In principle, both procedures can be performed at any age and can be combined. However, this is only possible as long as there are no serious underlying diseases that negatively influence the risks of the operation. In order to achieve an optimal result with a buttock lift and butt enhancement, it is important that you are not significantly overweight and have a largely stable body weight. Large fluctuations in weight can significantly affect the results of the operation. If you are planning to go on a diet and lose weight, we strongly advise you to complete this before a planned buttock surgery.

Meticulous planning – an integral part of your in-person consultation at Aesthea – is the best prerequisite for any successful buttock shaping procedure you may be contemplating. Your wishes, ideas and expectations of the desired procedure are discussed together with the specialist surgeon. At Aesthea, it is important to us to realistically convey to you the possibilities and limitations of any buttock shaping or enhancing procedures.

The specialist surgeon will examine your buttocks and the surrounding body regions while you are standing. He will primarily determine the firmness and elasticity of the skin, any excess skin and fatty tissue. Part of the comprehensive physical examination are measurements an exact documentation of the initial situation by means of digital photographs. Based on all these elements, a comprehensive analysis and surgical planning is performed, and the specialized surgeon recommends the appropriate procedure.

An individual treatment plan is developed in close consultation with you. In the context of your buttock shaping, this may include, for example, liposuction or buttock augmentation in addition to the tightening of your buttocks. During the personal consultation, we discuss in detail any risks and possible complications of the procedure, and the agreed procedures are documented in detail.

The next step is detailed planning, which includes a comprehensive questioning of your medical history. Do you have any pre-existing conditions and any previous surgeries? Do you currently suffer from any illnesses or medical conditions (high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, etc.), allergies or intolerances? Are you currently taking any medications? All of these questions allow our physicians to determine your personal risk for surgery and anesthesia. We therefore ask you to bring all current medical findings as well as any medication list to your personal consultation.

Significant overweight or weight fluctuations can negatively impact the result of any buttocks procedure. If you plan to diet and lose weight, we strongly advise you to complete this before a planned buttock surgery.

The decision for a specific buttock shaping procedure will be made based on your individual factors and personal wishes. A basic distinction is made between buttock tightening operations (with or without liposuction) and enhancement operations (augmentations) with implants or the patient's autologous fat tissue (lipofilling/dermal fat flaps).
 

1. Buttock lift (gluteoplasty)

During a buttock lift, excess skin is surgically removed. Most often, the excess skin is removed from the upper border of the buttocks, in rare cases from the lower buttock crease. Then the buttock skin is lifted and tightened. In the same procedure, excess fat deposits on the buttocks or adjacent body regions (hips/thighs) can be removed by liposuction. Missing buttock volume can also be (re)created with a silicone implant, by means of autologous fat injections (lipofilling) or with dermal fat flap surgery.

2. Buttock augmentation with autologous fat injection (lipomodelling/lipofilling)

In so-called lipomodelling or lipofilling, we will remove excess fatty tissue from other areas of the body (e.g. abdomen, hips or thighs) by liposuction. We will then especially prepare the fat tissue and then inject it into the fatty tissue and muscles of the buttocks. This is done using fine cannulas in order to shape and enlarge your buttocks according to your wishes and to compensate for any irregularities in the contours. By removing persistent fat deposits, a more harmonious body silhouette is achieved overall.

Since autologous fat is the body's own tissue, which is often available in sufficient quantities, it does not carry the same risks as the use of a foreign matter and has high plasticity.

3. Buttock augmentation with silicone implants (gluteal augmentation)

If you do not have enough autologous fat tissue in other parts of your body for sufficient augmentation of the buttock volume, the use of silicone implants is advised. Implants are highly stable in form, allowing for a precise planning of outcomes. Today, implants are mostly inserted into the gluteal muscle. Implants of different shapes, sizes and projections are available and can be integrated into the preoperative planning according to your individual needs. Buttock augmentation with implants can also be combined with liposuction of the thighs or hips to create a harmonious body contour.

4. Buttock augmentation with dermal fat flaps (gluteoplasty)

In people who have lost a lot of weight, so-called dermal fat flaps can be used to simultaneously tighten the skin and enlarge the buttocks with the body's own tissue. In buttock augmentation with dermal fat flaps, the excess skin is first removed. Then, the underlying fatty tissue, including the supply of its vessels, is used to build up volume in the buttocks. In contrast to lipofilling, dermal fat flaps are fatty tissue that is supplied with blood. This has a higher survival rate than injected fatty tissue. The scars of buttock augmentation with dermal fat flaps - as with a simple buttock lift - are usually located at the upper borders of the buttock contour.

Buttock lifts and augmentations are procedures that are performed very frequently by plastic surgeons. When correctly indicated and performed by qualified and experienced specialist surgeons, serious complications (infections, wound healing disorders or circulatory problems) of the buttock tissue rarely occur. In smokers or people with chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes), however, this risk of complications is increased and should be taken into account accordingly in advance. In rare cases, complications may require longer follow-up treatment or a second operation. Therefore, you will be informed in detail about all risks and possible complications during your personal consultation.

Mild complications typically include bruising (hematomas), accumulation of wound fluid (seromas) and swelling. In most cases, these subside on their own. Sometimes, however, they may require repeated punctures, which are performed on an outpatient basis at Aesthea. In some cases, very pronounced bruising must be surgically removed to allow further wound healing. Occasionally, there are also temporary sensory disturbances in the buttocks that subside on their own.

Interventions combining different procedures also have an increased risk of complications.

In buttock operations with silicone implants, infections, scarring or defects of the implants are possible. In severe (rare) cases, the implants may have to be removed.

In isolated cases, a repeat surgery may be indicated to successfully treat certain complications (extensive bruising, wound healing problems, etc.).

General risks of buttock surgery include:

• Hematomas (bruises), bleeding and swelling
• Seroma (accumulation of wound secretions)
• Wound healing disorder or infection
• The spreading of the sutures 
• Injury to nerves or vessels
• Numbness (usually temporary) in the operated part of the body
• Circulatory disorders of the skin
• Scars
• Slight irregularities (asymmetry)
• Complications related to the implants (infection, scarring, defect)
• Corrective surgery
• Thrombosis, rarely embolism

Overall, butt reshaping by a professionally qualified and experienced plastic surgeon is a safe procedure with few complications and high patient satisfaction. You can minimize certain risks yourself by following the (pre/post-surgery) advice of your attending physician.

It is important to us to care for you as competently and individually as possible before, during and after your buttock surgery and thus to work together with you towards an optimal treatment result. By following important recommendations of our specialists, you personally make a significant contribution to an ideal result.

For optimal wound healing, we strongly advise smokers to stop smoking two weeks before and after surgery. Certain medications that increase the risk of bleeding (for example aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as well as some vitamin preparations and homeopathic remedies) should also be discontinued two weeks before the operation. Our specialists will be happy to give you the detailed recommendations before the planned surgery.

Buttock contouring is often performed on an outpatient basis under anesthesia. In case of an outpatient surgery, we ask you to make sure that someone will pick you up after the surgery and take care of you at home for the next 24 hours. If you suffer from certain pre-existing conditions or are planning a combination procedure, we tend to prefer inpatient treatment with an overnight stay at our clinic. We refer to a combination surgery when combining a buttock shaping with other procedures (e.g. extensive liposuction or a lift).

For the procedure, you will be given various medications to anesthetize and sedate you. At the end of the operation, wound drains are often applied for buttock lifts to prevent blood and wound secretions from accumulating in the wound. In addition to the wound dressing, you will wear special compression garments after surgery that immobilize the wound and help reduce swelling.

After the operation, you will remain in the so-called recovery room, where you will be monitored until you are fully awake. Usually, after only a few hours, you will be transferred from the recovery room to the bed ward, where you will remain until the next day (in the case of a short inpatient stay). In the case of an outpatient surgery, you will be allowed to go home accompanied after your stay in the recovery room. Buttock reshaping is usually associated with only minor pain similar to a strong muscle ache. Post-operative pain can be treated very well with decongestant painkillers in the days following the operation.

Recovery time after buttock surgery varies from person to person. In the first days after the operation, we ask you to take it easy physically and not to lie or sit on your buttocks. From the first day after surgery, you should get up regularly and walk short distances to minimize the risk of thrombosis. You will also receive blood-thinning injections to prevent thrombosis. Even if you have some initial discomfort when walking, you should not lie down permanently for the first few days after surgery. It is recommended that you sleep on your stomach or in a side position for a few days. For pain relief, please take only the pain medication prescribed by our specialists. In particular, we ask you not to take any medications containing aspirin or other anticoagulants! Please wear the (fitted) compression garment day and night.

A feeling of tension and slight soreness on the buttocks may occur in the first few days after the procedure. You can take the painkillers prescribed for you to relieve the pain. A temporary numbness of the skin in the buttock area and on the back of the thighs is normal. This will subside on its own after a few weeks/months. Slight swelling and bruising around the operated areas will also subside within two to three weeks. You can usually resume most of your daily activities one to two days after surgery. Bandages and any wound drains will be removed during the first few days after surgery. You can then shower again normally but should avoid full baths and excessive heat (sauna) for several weeks to allow swelling to subside properly. Most skin sutures dissolve by themselves and do not need to be removed. Non-dissolvable sutures are removed after approximately one week.

As soon as the skin sutures have been removed, we recommend intensive skin and scar care with moisturizing skin ointments and light massage of the operated area. In some cases, special aftercare with silicone gel or silicone plasters over a period of two to three months proves useful. Please do not expose your surgical scars to UV radiation (sunbathing, tanning booth) for the first six months after the operation. This will help you prevent increased pigmentation.

Activities that require you to sit for longer periods of time can be resumed after approximately two to three weeks. You will need to wear compression garments for four to six weeks. Physically strenuous activities and sports should be avoided for a few weeks.

After your surgery, you will be followed up at our clinic at regular intervals to assess the progress of healing until the final surgical result is achieved.

In the first weeks after the operation, your buttocks and any parts of your body treated by liposuction are still too swollen to be able to assess the final result. Therefore, it only makes sense after about six months to document the result of the buttock surgery with so-called "after photos" and to compare them with the pictures taken before the surgery.