Brazilian butt lift (BBL) surgery, which involves fat grafting to the buttocks, has quickly risen in popularity since the early 2000s, but its reputation is mixed. While many patients love their results, and a BBL can be performed safely by an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon, the procedure inherently carries higher risks—and mortality rates—than other cosmetic surgeries. The good news is there is a safer, easier alternative: a non-surgical butt lift using Sculptra Aesthetic can provide fairly long-lasting results without any of BBL’s risks.
Whereas a BBL uses liposuction to harvest unwanted fat from other areas of your body for transfer to your buttocks, a non-surgical butt lift relies on safe and effective Sculptra Aesthetic dermal filler injections to enhance the derrière. As such, you don’t need to have excess fat to be a good candidate for the procedure. This makes it ideal for the many patients who wish to have more shapely buttocks but simply don’t have enough available fat. As you might imagine, recovery from a non-surgical butt lift is also far easier: while you may feel a little sore, you can immediately go about your business and will simply be asked to refrain from exercising for a few days.
Sculptra is an FDA-approved poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) injectable filler that encourages collagen production in your skin. Unlike other dermal fillers which rely on a gel to volumize the skin, Sculptra’s PLLA microparticles immediately go to work within your deep dermis to replace lost collagen and reinforce your skin’s structure for a natural, youthful backside.
Sculptra patients love their results. A 2011 study found that 99% of patients were satisfied with their Sculptra injections, and concluded, “Sculptra Aesthetic is a powerful and predictable volume restoration stimulator that should be added to the continuum of care for the patient seeking correction of volumetric changes.”
BBLs can be very dangerous if a surgeon is inexperienced with gluteal fat grafting techniques. Due to the rise in popularity of BBLs (a BBL is now performed every 30 minutes), many uncertified and inexperienced surgeons have attempted to profit from offering the procedure without understanding how to properly inject fat. BBL complications typically occur when fat is injected below the subcutaneous layer of the skin into the gluteal muscle and/or veins. This mistake can easily lead to a fatal complication called fat embolization, in which the misplaced fat cuts off blood flow to your heart and/or lungs. If your surgeon knows how to properly inject fat, it still can be a safe procedure—but why take the risk when there’s a significantly less risky alternative?
Unlike BBL surgery, non-surgical butt lifts are non-invasive, don’t use general anesthesia, and require little to no downtime. Because Sculptra—an FDA-approved PLLA formula used safely for over 20 years—is injected instead of fat, a non-surgical butt lift doesn’t carry the risks that BBLs have become known for. And unlike BBL surgery, which has a significant recovery period, you can be back at the gym within just a few days after your non-surgical butt lift.
Because of its collagen-producing qualities, Sculptra not only increases volume in the buttocks but also gives the skin a more youthful appearance with gradually improving results to skin firmness and contour. These “evolving” results are due to the unique collagen framework that Sculptra’s PLLA microparticles build within your skin to support future collagen growth.
Dr. Schlesinger can increase volume and improve skin structure in your buttocks through a simple series of targeted, collagen-promoting injections of Sculptra. He typically recommends patients undergo three injections spaced over two months to fully benefit from Sculptra’s continuously-improving results, which last for about two years after your final treatment. Periodic injections within this two-year window can ensure you maintain maximum lift and “plumpness” in your buttocks, but most patients love the results from their initial injections.
Dr. S. Larry Schlesinger is a board-certified plastic surgeon with over 30 years of experience, including non-surgical butt lifts. He is renowned by his patients for his compassionate and thorough approach to plastic surgery and his skill at injecting dermal fillers, like Sculptra Aesthetic. To discuss your butt lift options with Dr. Schlesinger, contact the Breast Implant Center of Hawaii online or by calling (808) 597-8835.