Buttock Augmentation With Autologous Fat Grafting
We use your own fat to give your buttocks more fullness and balance, so you can feel more at home in your own shape.
Is this right for you?
This approach takes fat from your own body, purifies it, and places it into the buttocks to add volume. It suits some people and is not the right fit for others. Here is how to tell which group you are in.
This may be a good fit if
- You are a woman aged 18 or older.
- You feel the volume of your buttocks does not match the rest of your build, and you would like fuller contours.
- You have enough fat in areas such as the belly, hips, thighs, or shoulders to harvest and transfer.
- You understand that the procedure usually needs to be repeated one or two more times, spaced about three months apart, to reach the result you are hoping for.
This may not be right if
- You are under 18 years old.
- You have too little fat in the donor areas, so there is not enough to harvest.
- You expect a fixed result from a single session, since some of the grafted fat will be reabsorbed and a top-up may be needed.
- Your health does not yet allow safe local or general anesthesia; this is something we clarify together during your pre-operative assessment.
How it works
First, a plastic and aesthetic surgeon, who is also the person who will operate on you, examines you and talks through your options. The surgeon assesses your build, the volume and any sagging of your buttocks, and the amount of fat in your abdominal wall, hips, and thighs to decide where fat can be taken from.
You will have routine pre-operative tests and a review by the anesthesiologist. You need to stop any medication containing aspirin for 10 days before surgery and fast for 6 hours beforehand. Depending on how much fat needs to be grafted and whether another procedure is combined with it, the surgeon will use either local or general anesthesia.
During the procedure, the surgeon harvests fat through a small incision of about 2mm using a dedicated instrument, from areas such as the belly, hips, thighs, buttocks, or shoulders. How much fat is taken depends on what you need. The harvested fat is purified and then injected beneath the skin of the buttocks with a specialized needle.
In each session, the surgeon limits the volume of fat placed so that it has a good blood supply and a higher chance of surviving. Surgery takes about 1 to 2 hours, and may run longer if other procedures are combined.
Realistic expectations
This approach improves the volume and shape of your buttocks, and for many people that brings a steadier sense of confidence in their figure. There are a few things it cannot do.
What this will not do
- It will not keep all of the grafted fat; after about three months, the grafted fat decreases by roughly 30%, while the remainder tends to last more durably.
- It will not always reach the result you want in a single session; you may need a top-up graft after a fresh assessment.
- It cannot completely rule out the chance that the two sides end up slightly uneven or that the volume falls short of what you hoped for.
Recovery
Recovery happens in stages. The milestones below are the timeframes we see most often; every body heals a little differently.
- Hospital stay
- You usually stay in the hospital for about 1 to 2 days.
- The first few days
- You are given pain relief for roughly the first 3 to 5 days, depending on whether another procedure was combined and on how well you tolerate it. The areas where fat was removed and where it was placed may be a little swollen and bruised, then settle over the next few days.
- The incisions
- The small incisions used to harvest fat are closed with dissolvable stitches, so there are no stitches to remove. They are covered with small dressings, which are changed after about 2 days.
- The first 10 days or so
- You should avoid sitting or lying with pressure on the newly grafted buttocks for about 10 days.
- After about 3 months
- This is the point to review your result, since the grafted fat has stabilized, so you and your surgeon can decide together whether a top-up graft is needed.
Risks & safety
Most procedures done by the proper principles go smoothly, with a gentle recovery afterward. Even so, as with any surgery, this approach can still carry risks, and you deserve to know them in advance.
- A collection of blood (hematoma) at the treated area.
- Infection, though it is very rare.
- Tissue death (necrosis).
- The two sides of the buttocks being not quite even.
- The volume achieved falling short of what you wanted, which may call for a further graft.
- Complications related to local or general anesthesia.
How we do it
Here, the person who examines you, advises you, and performs your surgery is a plastic and aesthetic surgeon trained in fat grafting. Before surgery, the surgeon carefully assesses your build, the volume and degree of sagging of your buttocks, and the fat available in the donor areas, so the two of you can build a plan that fits your body.
The procedure is carried out in a hospital licensed for aesthetic surgery. You have a pre-anesthetic review by an anesthesiologist, and each session limits the volume of fat placed so it has a better blood supply. These are the steps we take to keep you safe and to help your result hold more steadily.
Frequently asked questions
Will I need more than one session?
Usually, yes. Because each session places only a limited amount of fat, reaching the result you want often means repeating the technique one or two more times, spaced about three months apart.
Will the transferred fat last?
Part of the fat will be reabsorbed. After about three months, the grafted volume decreases by roughly 30%, and the remainder tends to last more durably. That is also why we review your result at three months to see whether a top-up graft is needed.
Will it hurt?
During the procedure, you are under local or general anesthesia. Afterward, you are given pain relief for roughly the first 3 to 5 days, depending on your body and on whether another procedure was combined.
How long do I need to rest and take care afterward?
You usually stay in the hospital for about 1 to 2 days. For roughly the first 10 days, you should avoid sitting or lying with pressure on the newly grafted buttocks.
Will the scars be noticeable?
Fat is harvested through very small incisions, about 2mm each. These are closed with dissolvable stitches, so there are none to remove, and they are covered with small dressings that are changed after about 2 days.
Will I have bruising or swelling after surgery?
In the first few days, the areas where fat was removed and where it was placed may be a little swollen and bruised. These signs usually fade and disappear after a few days.
Where on my body is the fat taken from?
Depending on your build, the surgeon may take fat from areas such as the belly, hips, thighs, buttocks, or shoulders. How much is taken depends on what you need.
Will the result be even and the way I want it?
The approach improves the volume and shape of your buttocks, but there is still a chance the two sides end up slightly uneven or the volume falls short of what you hoped for. Reviewing the result after about three months helps you and your surgeon decide whether a top-up graft is needed.
What do I need to prepare before surgery?
You will have routine tests and a review by the anesthesiologist. You need to stop any medication containing aspirin for 10 days before surgery and fast for 6 hours beforehand.
Who performs it, and where?
For your safety, this technique should be performed by a plastic and aesthetic surgeon trained in fat grafting, and carried out in a hospital licensed for aesthetic surgery.
The next step
The next step is a conversation - book a consultation.
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.