Buttock lift

Purpose:

The purpose of a buttock lift is to alter the shape, size or appearance of the buttocks.

The procedure:

This procedure should be carried out by a surgeon with relevant skills and experience in an establishment registered with the Healthcare Commission.

The surgery will usually last up to five hours and may involve an overnight stay in hospital.

Buttock lifts often involve a combination of surgical procedures - depending on the desired result. Operations usually take place under general anaesthetic, but an epidural (a local anaesthetic that numbs the body from the waist down) can also be used in certain cases.

The surgeon will cut across the top of the buttock and, depending on the extent of the operation, sometimes along the sides as well. Crescent shaped sections of skin and fat are removed and the skin is pulled together and sewn.

Buttock lifts can also be performed using "suture" or "threadlift" techniques. This involves the placement of sutures or threads with tiny "teeth" into the bottock through a small insertion. The threads are pulled upwards and secured, and the insertion is stitched shut.

The results:

The buttocks should appear higher and firmer. Buttock lifts are sometimes permanent, but the effects may be reversed as you get older or if you put on weight.

The risks:

There are general risks associated with surgery. The surgery leaves permanent scars and can leave you with asymmetrical buttocks.

Considering a Buttock Lift?

Before you start:

Reducing your overall weight through healthy dieting or regular exercise could change the size and firmness of your buttocks, so you may wish to try conventional methods of weight loss before choosing surgery.

Procedure information is copyright Department of Health (http://www.dh.gov.uk. Reproduced under the terms of the Click-Use Licence.