Buttock Lift
When the skin across your buttocks and thighs has loosened over the years or after weight loss, a buttock lift helps you regain a firmer, smoother contour and feel more at ease in your clothes.
Is this right for you?
A buttock lift is surgery that removes excess skin and firms the skin of the buttocks and thighs once that skin has lost its elasticity. The procedure suits some people more than others, and an in-person consultation is the way to find out whether you are one of them.
This may be a good fit if
- You have exercised and lost weight, but the skin on your buttocks and thighs still hangs loosely and has not tightened the way you hoped.
- The skin on your buttocks has lost its elasticity with age or after significant weight loss.
- The skin on your thighs is wrinkled, uneven, or slack, for example because of cellulite (skin that dimples like an orange peel).
- You keep up a healthy lifestyle, eat sensibly, and exercise regularly.
This may not be right if
- You currently smoke and are not ready to stop, because smoking makes the incision heal more slowly.
- You expect a result with no mark at all, because this surgery always leaves a scar.
- You are not yet able to keep your weight and daily routine steady after surgery.
How it works
Before surgery, you will be examined and counseled by our plastic and reconstructive surgeons. Your surgeon will ask about your current health, any allergies, and anything you are taking, such as supplements, vitamins, aspirin, blood thinners, alcohol, or tobacco. If you are using any of these, your surgeon will usually advise you to stop before the operation.
During the consultation, your surgeon will talk through the surgical approach and what you are hoping for, and consider whether adding liposuction would give you a smoother result. You will also have the routine pre-operative tests. Your surgeon then examines you, takes your body measurements, and plans the incision that fits you.
A buttock lift is usually performed under general anesthesia, which means you are fully asleep throughout the operation. In some cases, your surgeon may choose an epidural (numbing you from the lower back down) combined with a sedative to help you feel relaxed. The surgery generally takes about 2 to 3 hours, depending on how wrinkled and loose your skin is.
Your surgeon will assess how much excess skin you have on the thighs and buttocks in order to plan the incision; the more loose skin there is, the longer the incision. Often your surgeon places the incision above the buttocks and extends it toward the front, but if there is only a little excess skin, the incision can be set along the buttock crease so it is easier to hide under underwear. This surgery often goes hand in hand with liposuction, because liposuction helps your surgeon judge how much skin needs to be removed and firms the skin further.
Realistic expectations
A buttock lift improves skin on the buttocks and thighs that has become loose, wrinkled, or uneven. So you can picture it clearly, here are a few things this surgery will not do.
What this will not do
- It will not erase every trace: you will have a scar, though it is usually placed where it can be hidden under underwear.
- It is not a substitute for keeping your weight steady and your lifestyle healthy; gaining or losing a lot of weight later can affect your result.
- It will not hold your result fixed forever, because your skin keeps changing as you age.
Recovery
Recovery is different for everyone, and depends largely on how much excess skin there was and how long the surgery took. The milestones below are common timeframes, not fixed numbers.
- The first 1 to 2 days
- If there was not much excess skin and the surgery was short, you may go home the same day. If there was a lot of excess skin and the surgery ran long, you may stay in the hospital for 1 to 2 days for monitoring; any drains that were placed are usually removed within 24 to 48 hours.
- The first week
- Gentle movement as soon as possible helps you recover faster. Your surgeon will usually give you antibiotics and pain medicine for about 5 to 7 days. Any stitches are typically removed after about 7 days.
- The first few weeks
- Your skin may stay swollen and bruised for a while, then gradually settle and fully recover after a few weeks. If liposuction was done as well, you will be fitted with a compression garment and should keep it on for about 3 to 4 weeks.
- Around 2 weeks
- Most people recover fairly fully after about 2 weeks.
- Around 6 weeks
- You can usually return to sports after about 6 weeks.
Risks & safety
Like any surgery, a buttock lift carries its own risks. Most are uncommon, but you deserve to understand them clearly before you decide.
- Altered sensation (numbness or tingling) in the skin of the buttocks, which usually recovers gradually over a few weeks.
- An allergic reaction to the anesthesia.
- Infection of the incision.
- A collection of fluid or blood under the skin.
- Injury to the small nerves just beneath the skin.
- Unevenness between the two sides of the buttocks.
- A poor scar.
How we do it
At The Gioi Dep, every buttock lift begins with an examination and consultation with our plastic and reconstructive surgeons. Your surgeon will assess how much excess skin you have, take your body measurements, plan an incision designed for you, and consider whether to add liposuction for a firmer, smoother result.
You will also have the routine pre-operative tests and a conversation about your health, your allergies, and any medicines you are taking. After surgery, our team follows you closely, guides you in caring for the incision, fits a compression garment when liposuction has been done, and sets your follow-up schedule so your recovery is as safe as it can be.
Frequently asked questions
Does the surgery hurt?
The operation is done under general anesthesia, so you feel no pain during it. Afterward you may have some pain, and your surgeon will usually provide pain medicine for about 5 to 7 days.
Will the scar show?
This surgery always leaves a scar, and its length depends on how much excess skin there is. That said, your surgeon usually places the incision where it can be hidden under underwear.
How much time off work will I need?
This is different for everyone. Most people recover fairly fully after about 2 weeks and can return to sports after about 6 weeks.
Will I need to stay in the hospital?
If there is not much excess skin and the surgery is short, you may go home the same day. If there is a lot of excess skin and the surgery runs long, you may stay in the hospital for 1 to 2 days for monitoring.
Will the result last forever?
Your skin keeps changing as you age, so the result is not fixed forever. Keeping your weight steady and your lifestyle healthy will help the result last longer.
Why is this surgery often combined with liposuction?
Liposuction helps your surgeon judge how much excess skin needs to be removed and firms the skin of the buttocks further. Your surgeon will advise whether your case calls for added liposuction.
Can I have the surgery if I smoke?
Smoking makes the incision heal more slowly, so your surgeon will usually advise you to stop before surgery for a better result and lower risk.
When can I move around again?
Gentle movement as soon as possible is encouraged, because it helps you recover faster. Strenuous sport should usually wait until around 6 weeks.
Is there anything I need to do to prepare before surgery?
You will be examined, have the routine pre-operative tests, and talk with your surgeon about your health, allergies, and any medicines you take. If you use aspirin, blood thinners, alcohol, or tobacco, you should stop before surgery as directed.
The next step
Book a consultation to find out if this is right for you.
The content on this page is for reference only and does not replace a direct examination and consultation with a specialist physician. Surgical outcomes vary from person to person.