Losing a large amount of weight can often result in excess skin around your thighs and bum. It can also leave you with a deflated and sad looking booty. Often, the only way to get rid of the unwanted skin and tone up those areas are with surgery, and while that can get rid of excess skin it’s not always possible to create sexy curves with what you’re left with. This is why fat transfer to the butt has become so popular. So, what’s involved in a thigh and butt lift with fat transfer? We spoke to Dr Gavin Sandercoe, Specialist Plastic Surgeon from Bella Vista NSW, highly skilled in fat transfer, to help us answer that question.
Also known as the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), fat transfer to the buttocks is a procedure that has not received the best publicity of late. It is still one of the fastest growing cosmetic procedures in the world and performed by an experienced and skilled surgeon it can get some pretty awesome results, help the patient regain contour, and bring sexy back to their butt. Dr Gavin Sandercoe was one of the first surgeons in Australia to perform this procedure and says combined with a thigh lift, a BBL can completely restore firmness and contour allowing the patient to wear swimmers and the clothes they want with confidence.
Are a thigh and butt lift always done together?
Most commonly, a buttock lift and outer thigh lift are part of the same procedure. This involves the removal of a wedge of skin from the buttock and outer thigh with a lift upwards. The position of the scar has some impact on the final shape. Lower scars allow more skin to be removed, but tend to flatten the buttocks. This scar shape is better for ladies with heavy saddle bags that are accepting of a flatter buttock in order to get the best result on their outer thighs. Higher scars allow a rounder buttock shape, but do take some time to round out. Higher scars allow less removal of fat and skin from the outer thigh, so are better for those patients who are after a better buttock and accept a bit of laxity in their thighs. Both scar positions do tend to soften with time and the need for touch up surgery is higher than abdominoplasty.
So, when do you need a thigh lift, a butt lift or both?
Dr Sandercoe says like many cosmetic procedures a thigh lift should address several components to achieve the best result. “Your skin tone, position of fat, muscle position and tone and amount of excess skin will help determine which technique or pattern will give you the best results. Additionally your needs such as ability to take time of work and sports and the importance of scar position and length will need to be considered. It is perfect for patients who have lost skin elasticity of the thigh, hip or buttock areas and want improved contours in these areas.”
“The best results are seen in patients that are close to their ideal body weight (BMI around 25) that have thinner (3cm or under) pinch thickness in their outer thighs. Being heavier results in a larger weight hanging off your scar and increases the risk that the result will relapse.”
Some liposuction involved
A butt lift with fat transfer will require you to have liposuction to graft some fat – where this will occur depends on where your surgeon identifies they can find the most suitable fat. Your abdomen, back (bra rolls) and thighs are common donor sites. The bonus is that you are removing fat from areas that could probably do with losing a bit of it, in order to give you better contour and curves where you want it – your bum!
Fat transfer at the same time as lifting the buttocks and thighs carries an increased risk of complications, such as seroma or wound healing issues. Performing the procedure in two steps (lift first, fat transfer 3 months later) has fewer risks but increased recovery time.
If you’ve been at or close to your goal weight for at least 6 months and are ready to get rid of excess skin and fat around your thigh and bum area, you might want to consider a thigh and butt lift. For more information or to arrange a consult phone Dr Gavin Sandercoe’s clinic on 1300 112 358, or search our directory for a fully qualified and experienced plastic surgeon near you.
Further Reading Related to Thigh Lift Surgery
- Medial Thighplasty or Inner Thigh Lift | My Klinik
- Thigh Lift Surgery Sydney – Thigh Reduction Surgery by Dr Kernohan Plastic Surgeon
- Body Surgery | Mr Mark Gittos | Plastic Surgeon UK
- Excess Skin Removal Sydney – Soliman Plastic Surgery – Dr Bish Soliman
- Guy Watts | Perth Plastic Surgeon | Thigh Lift
- Thigh Lift FAQs – Questions about Thigh Reduction Surgery