Buttock Augmentation (Brazilian Butt Lift – BBL)

Dr. Zuckerman has performed buttock augmentation for both male and female patients, but the majority of patients are women. This procedure can help patients who would like their buttocks to be in better proportion and balance to the body. Dr. Zuckerman can also help you eliminate fat that has accumulated in the abdomen that often results from pregnancy or aging. He can correct asymmetrical buttocks or those altered by injury. Many patients also desire the correction of a lack of buttock projection. Dr. Zuckerman is an expert in buttock augmentation and whether you desire a large augmentation or a small, subtle enhancement, he will customize your surgery to create the silhouette you desire. If you feel you may lack enough fat to undergo the procedure, Dr. Zuckerman urges you to contact the office and come in for a consultation. Fat may be harvested from several other locations outside the midsection including the arms or thighs. In addition, buttock augmentation with buttock implants may be an option.

Follow the journey of a patient of Dr. Zuckerman as she undergoes combined liposuction and fat grafting to the buttocks.

During the procedure, Dr. Zuckerman will harvest fat from donor sites on the body by performing liposuction, which he will then graft to the buttocks. Fat is typically harvested from the flanks (love handles), hips, abdomen, or back. Dr. Zuckerman purifies the fat from the donor site to remove any liquids and to concentrate the fat for injection into the buttock. After the purification process, Dr. Zuckerman then injects the fat into the desired areas. The volume of fat grafted depends on the degree of augmentation and enhancement the patient desires, and Dr. Zuckerman grafts strategically to correct a patient’s particular aesthetic deficits. For example, depending on the patient’s preoperative symmetry and buttock projection, Dr. Zuckerman may employ slightly different grafting patterns. Dr. Zuckerman is an expert in this procedure and can achieve beautiful results with small augmentations and large, grafting over one liter of fat to each buttock for some patients. The only incisions required for this procedure are poke holes on the abdomen for the liposuction procedure, and poke holes above and below the buttock for the fat grafting portion. These typically heal to very small, almost invisible, dots.

Dr. Zuckerman typically performs buttock augmentation under general anesthesia, and the procedure lasts approximately two to three hours. You may undergo surgery at Dr. Zuckerman’s state-of-the-art, fully equiped operating room located inside his office in midtown Manhattan. This operatory has been certified by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc. (AAAASF), recognizing it as maintaining the highest standards in patient care. Many patients appreciate the privacy, comfort, and convenience afforded by this private facility.

Maximizing the Fat Available for Grafting during a Brazilian Butt Lift

Dr. Zuckerman uses the latest surgical equipment to maximize the amount of fat that can be grafted from that which is harvested. The Wells-Johnson High Volume Precision Auto-Graft System allows him to perform liposuction, purification of the suctioned fat, and fat grafting with a single closed system. It eliminates any loss of harvested fat, custs operative time in half, and is more sanitary than older, more traditional methods. Using this device, Dr. Zuckerman never touches the fat during the procedure. As a specialist in buttock augmentation, Dr. Zuckerman feels strongly that using the latest surgical innovations helps him achieve the best Brazilian Butt Lift outcomes for his patients.

Each Buttock Augmentation is Different: Small versus Large Augmentations and Harvesting / Grafting Locations

The techniques Dr. Zuckerman employs for buttock augmentation are customized to each patient. Grafting over 1000cc, or one liter, to each buttock requires different grafting techniques and locations than smaller augmentations. Dr. Zuckerman can place fat in strategic locations to increase overall buttock size, projection, and symmetry. He can also graft to correct dimples or other minor aesthetic issues. In addition, fat is a natural material. It is therefore itself rejuvenative and may improve the appearance of cellulite or dimples over time. With a Brazilian Butt Lift, your plastic surgeon’s choices in grafting location and amount will directly affect your final result, so it is important to visit an experienced specialist surgeon like Dr. Zuckerman. For each patient, Dr. Zuckerman seeks to create round, symmetric, beautiful-looking buttocks. As noted above, Dr. Zuckerman may be able to harvest fat from areas outside the midsection should the patient lack sufficient donor fat at the more common sites. Additional donor sites may include the arms, thighs, upper back, axillary rolls (“bra rolls”), or other locations. Liposuction must be performed carefully in these areas given their overall lower volume of fat.

How Much Grafted Fat Survives after a Brazilian Butt Lift?

Patients generally retain the majority of the grafted fat in the buttocks long-term, but the overall cosmetic surgery result strongly depends on how well the patient complies with Dr. Zuckerman’s postoperative instructions to minimize pressure on the buttocks in the weeks after surgery. Dr. Zuckerman generally advises patients that if they are careful with their result, and highly compliant, they will likely retain about 75% of fat grafted. However, this may vary individual to individual in spite of postoperative care, and plastic surgery research is still being conducted on the subject.

Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) versus Butt Implants versus Butt Lift Surgery

The Brazilian Butt Lift, buttock implants and butt lift surgery are three distinct surgical procedures. Buttock implants, or butt implants, are an alternative to using the body’s own fat for augmentation of the buttocks by placing silicone implants specialized for the buttocks. Buttock implants have also increased in popularity, with the number of procedures performed rising 18% between 2015 and 2016. This may be a good option for very thin patients with too little fat anywhere on the body to graft. However, outside of that patient population, Dr. Zuckerman prefers to perform the Brazilian Butt Lift using the body’s own fat, because buttock implants are associated with a higher incidence of infection. The third procedure, butt lift surgery, is used to lift the buttocks or eliminate excess skin or ptosis (sag). It is a good option for weight loss patients and is one of several body contouring procedures Dr. Zuckerman performs. Unlike the BBL, it generally results in visible scarring and is not used for augmenting the size of the buttocks.

For those desiring a more subtle buttock augmentation, non-surgical buttock augmentation using Sculptra is also an option, and this injectable stimulates the body’s own collagen production mechanism. However, this treatment is significantly more expensive than the surgical buttock augmentation procedure.

As an experienced and technically excellent plastic surgeon, Dr. Zuckerman is also able to offer a combined tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and Brazilian Butt Lift procedure. Please contact us if you are interested in this combination to see if you may be a good candidate.

After surgery, patients will experience some bruising and swelling, the majority of which will resolve within two weeks. However, the final result won’t be visible until approximately three months. Dr. Zuckerman will fit you with a compression garment to be worn for approximately three months after surgery. This helps control swelling and facilitate the healing process but requires little maintenance: it is essentially the ultimate in shapewear. Dr. Zuckerman’s recommendations are conservative and possibly somewhat longer than other surgeons to ensure the optimal postoperative result. Most patients are able to return to work within one to weeks, but strenuous lifting exercise should be avoided for several weeks afterward. Patient compliance with postoperative instructions to limit pressure on the new buttocks does affect the amount of fat that will ultimately remain grafted to the buttocks.

As a specialist in this procedure, Dr. Zuckerman is highly experienced and takes every precaution to avoid complications. However, all surgery does carry some risk. Buttock augmentation and liposuction are overwhelmingly safe when performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon, but serious, possibly fatal, complications including blood clots due to incorrect grafting are possible if the procedure is performed by an untrained practitioner.

Brazilian Butt Lift Cost in New York City versus Safety

The cost of buttock augmentation (Brazilian Butt Lift) varies by region and is slightly above the national average in Manhattan. According to a cosmetic surgery forum, the average price of this procedure outside major metropolitan areas like New York or Los Angeles is somewhat lower. However, this procedure is one of the most commonly attempted outside the United States, which as noted above, can lead to serious consequences. Unfortunately, this is not theoretical: Dr. Zuckerman was interviewed on local New York City news when a death occurred in the Dominican Republic during a routine cosmetic surgery. Corrective surgery may cost tens of thousands, and there are enough cases that at least one plastic surgeon specializes solely in these corrections. Surgery with Dr. Zuckerman depends on the amount of fat to be removed via liposuction, amount to be grafted, number of harvesting sites, and other factors. Dr. Zuckerman strongly advises you to undergo surgery with an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon in the United States. Find a surgeon who is happy to perform augmentations both large and small and who will strive to achieve your ideal curves.

Illegal Buttock Injections

One final note on risks is the rising incidence of complications due to illegal buttock injections. Performed by a non-medical practitioner, often in an unsterile environment, these injections very often lead to serious complications such as large-scale infection. No substance, other than properly used medical injectables such as Sculptra, are safe for injection. Even sterile medical grade silicone is not safe to be injected directly into the buttocks. These complications are difficult to address, and a prior patient of Dr. Zuckerman’s several years ago lost much of her buttocks after presenting to the emergency room with a serious infection.

Dr. Zuckerman feels that it is important to note these risks in the face of the rising popularity of this procedure and rising incidence of serious complications due to poorly performed surgery. To reiterate, buttock augmentation (Brazilian Butt Lift) is extremely safe when performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon in the United States.

Below are the answers to some questions Dr. Zuckerman most frequently receives from prospective patients. If you don’t see your question below, feel free to contact Dr. Zuckerman’s office, and a member of his staff will be glad to reach out to you.

Can I undergo Buttock Augmentation combined with a Tummy Tuck?

Yes, Dr. Zuckerman is able to perform a combined combination buttock augmentation and tummy tuck. It does make recovery more difficult, but most patients handle it well. Not all plastic surgeons will perform this combination, but Dr. Zuckerman is able to do so given his experience.

I’m too skinny for Liposuction. Can I still undergo Buttock Augmentation?

Liposuction to harvest fat for grafting to the buttocks can come from several donor sites on the body, not just the abdomen, so you may be surprised as to how much fat Dr. Zuckerman can harvest. Other common donor sites are the arms or thighs. If you truly lack enough donor fat, Dr. Zuckerman can also perform buttock augmentation with buttock implants.

Is Buttock Augmentation permanent?

Yes it is permanent. Dr. Zuckerman advises patients that about 75% of the fat remains grafted to the new site with proper postoperative care, but this percentage may vary from patient to patient. The quality of the ultimate result will depend on patient compliance with postoperative instructions, including limiting time sitting down on the newly grafted buttocks during the recovery period.

Are you ready for your buttock augmentation & brazilian butt lift (bbl) consultation with Dr. Zuckerman? He will perform a thorough evaluation of your desired outcome and needs based on your anatomy and medical history. Dr. Zuckerman will also address any questions or concerns you may have about the surgery and discuss with you the details of his approach: incision location(s), procedure length and techniques, likely operative outcome, etc. Contact his office by clicking the button below or by calling (212) 231-9897. Dr. Zuckerman also offers consultations via Skype and a process for out-of-town patients to visit New York City to have surgery with him.