Non Surgical Buttock Lift - Surgical vs Non Surgical

In recent years, more people are opting for cosmetic surgery in their quest for more shapely and voluptuous buttocks. Influences from cultural figures such as the Kardashians, Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce have led to a rise in popularity of the hourglass figure, with a small (or snatched) waist and fuller hips and buttocks.

If you are interested in achieving this popular look, there are multiple options you may wish to consider, both surgical and non-surgical. Non-surgical options such as Sculptra or filler have their own benefits, but may not give you the exact same results as surgery. Depending on you desired results, your budget and whether or not you’re considering surgery at all will all lead you to different decisions around the procedure you choose.

Considerations for a buttock lift or BBL

Heavily exaggerated hourglass figures have been the enduring image of buttock procedures for a number of years, however many people who choose these surgeries are looking for much less dramatic results. 

If you are unhappy with the shape of your buttocks, you’ve found that you have lost volume with age or weight loss, or that your buttocks have become saggy, you may want to consider the benefits of surgical or non-surgical buttock lift or BBL. Many people find that these concerns mean they are less confident in various areas of their lives and they aren’t fully happy with how clothes look.

These are all regular concerns and complaints that patients have and our expert surgeons will be able to discuss the various options with you and help you decide what will work best for you.

What are the pros and cons of a non surgical butt lift?

Pros: The non-surgical buttock lift will give you almost immediate results with minimal downtime, meaning you will be able to return to your normal day-to day activities immediately after treatment. In comparison after a surgical buttock procedure, you will need to take time off work and may take up to 6 weeks to fully recover. 

Possible cons: On the other hand, a non-surgical buttock lift will need ongoing treatments to maintain your results and you won’t necessarily achieve the same impact from a non-surgical treatment.

Solution: If you are not ready for surgical options, a non invasive butt lift is possibly the better option for you, after which you may decide to undergo surgery or on the contrary, stay with the injectable treatments. This is an effective 'temporary' measure, without committing to a full surgery if you feel you're not ready for it just yet.

Surgical buttock lift and Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)

If you have already tried non-surgical options, you’re looking for long lasting, permanent results, or you want a more dramatic result than non-surgical options can provide, surgical procedures may be what you’re looking for. There are two popular surgical options:

Surgical butt lift

The surgical buttock lift is a procedure designed to lift and reshape the buttocks. It is especially suited to anyone who is concerned about having saggy buttocks caused by age, genetics or weight loss but doesn’t want to increase the size of their buttocks. The procedure will leave more shapely buttocks, with improved contours and tone.

We use four different methods for surgical buttock lift, depending on the amount of excess skin present. Generally, your surgeon will remove excess skin and fat before repositioning the remaining skin over the buttocks to give a more toned and contoured appearance.

A buttock lift is a great way to get rid of excess skin caused by genetics, ageing or dramatic weight loss.

Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)

The Brazilian Butt Lift or BBL is very similar to the buttock lift but is perfect for anyone who also wants to increase the size of their buttocks as well as improving tone and contours. The Cadogan Clinic only uses fat transfer in our BBL procedure. We do this because it is much safer for our patients than using silicone implants or other non-natural materials.

The surgeon will use liposuction to extract fat from other areas of the body such as the thighs and abdomen, before treating it and injecting it into the buttocks. This not only adds volume to the buttocks, but also improves the contours of other parts of the body, emphasising the popular hourglass figure of the hips. By using the patient’s own fat, the result looks and feels more natural.

Many patients choose Brazilian butt lift surgery if they are unhappy with the shape and size of their buttocks and wish to restore the voluminous, curvy buttocks they enjoyed in their youth. Alternatively, you may also opt for a BBL if you are naturally slender to give your buttocks and hips a more rounded, pronounced, feminine appearance.

Non-surgical BBL vs. surgical - which should I choose?

There are a variety of reasons that will influence your decision when researching surgical and non-surgical buttock procedures. While surgical options will give you longer lasting results, there is significant downtime, whereas non-surgical result have little to no downtime, but may offer more subtle results.

It is also worth remembering that with a surgical BBL, although your surgeon will extract and inject as much fat as possible, up to 50% of the fat that is injected can be naturally absorbed back into the body in the first three months. Your surgeon may offer for you to come back for a secondary surgery to enhance your results, but remember there will then be further downtime and costs to factor in.

When you speak with a surgeon, they may offer a different course of action depending on your concerns and the results you are looking for. For example, some patients decide that a thigh lift is more suitable for them.

Knowing if surgery is right for you

To make sure you know you are making the right decision for your concerns, it is important that you have a comprehensive consultation with a qualified surgeon, who will be able to advise fully on your concerns and the results you can expect.

Your surgeon may suggest that a surgical procedure is not suitable for you if you have any medical concerns which indicate that you cannot go under general anaesthetic or they have concerns for your health and safety. Similarly, certain injectables may not be the right option for you due to some allergies or medical conditions. All treatments and surgeries - regardless of whether they are major, minor, or non-invasive - are unique in every case and every individual, and our specialists always treat this as such.

Remember to prepare fully for your consultation and go with a list of questions you want to ask your surgeon.

The exaggerated hourglass figure may be particularly visible in Western culture at the moment, but this procedure has been helping many women (and men) feel more shapely before it's sudden rise to popularity.

Whether you decide to go down the surgical or non-surgical route, there are procedures and treatment journeys which can help you feel more confident in your curves. Book a consultation with one of our expert surgeons in Chelsea, London, to discuss your suitability today.