Fillers are having what we like to call a mo-ment. Injectables are conquering new anatomical territory every week — from nipples to ear lobes — so it was only a matter of time before they hit the, er, booty. Here's what you need to know about the non-surgical butt-lift.
Given the number of injectables filling up our social media feeds, it's no surprise the 2016 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) lists a steady increase in the use of syringes filled with plumping formulas. Now, plastic surgeons are noting an increase in the use of Sculptra — a poly-L-lactic acid that plumps by stimulating your body's own collagen production — as an alternative to surgical butt-lifts. "There has been a huge request and demand for gluteal augmentation including fillers," Jaime S. Schwartz, a Beverly Hills-based plastic surgeon and RealSelf contributor, tells Allure.
To get a booty boost, there are three main options. "The first is fat grafting (the classic 'Brazilian Butt-Lift') where you take fat from other places [via liposuction] and put it in the butt. The other surgical option is butt implants where you take actual implants and insert them,” Darren Smith, a New York City-based plastic surgeon, tells Allure.
Option three is your non-invasive route to a plumper posterior. For the non-surgical butt-lift, a plastic surgeon injects your buttocks with a filler — specifically Sculptra. "Of all the fillers around Sculptra is the one that's best suited to this purpose because you can get a fairly significant augmentation without actually using that much product," explains Smith. “What it's doing is inducing your own collagen to grow around the product." In other words, rather than hyaluronic acid fillers, which basically just pump more volume into your skin, Sculptra triggers an inflammatory response in your body. "As part of that, you create a combination of scar tissue and fresh collagen," says Smith.
The upside
For many, the allure of fillers is that they often give subtle results that fade naturally over time, as opposed to enhancements that are more obvious. The non-surgical butt-lift is no different — think more of a change in contour and shape than a totally-lifted look, says Smith.
Secondly, the non-surgical butt-lift is an excellent option for patients who aren't interested in the liposuction that a Brazilan Butt-Lift requires. "A patient who does not have any fat that can be harvested via liposuction may still have an opportunity for hips and buttocks enhancement without resorting to a buttocks implant," John Paul Tutela, a New York and New Jersey-based plastic surgeon tells Allure.
Finally, unlike a surgical procedure, this doesn't really have any downtime at all. "You might be a little sore but that's it," says Smith. With a non-surgical butt-lift, you can go back to (almost) all of your normal activities same day. "I probably wouldn't want someone going to the gym the first day, but resuming normal activities, like going back to work same day, I'd be fine with,” he says.
The downside
Though not as risky as going under the knife, the procedure does come with its own set of risks. "The big problem with Sculptra is that you can't dissolve it like other fillers," Smith says. "There's actually a fairly high incidence — some literature suggests as much as 8 to 10 percent — of lumps and bumps with Sculptra." In that case, you're either stuck with a bumpy behind for a few years until the effects of the Sculptra naturally fade or faced with the possibility of surgery to cut the affected areas out — not ideal.
Then, of course, there is the risk of infection, which is present any time a needle is. "Injections can also damage overlying skin if the filler gets into blood vessels," says Smith. "But these are both extremely remote possibilities." The most common side effect is a few days of soreness near the injection site, adds Schwartz.
The fine print
Like many fillers and non-invasive procedures, the non-surgical butt-lift requires a few sessions to get the full effect, unlike a surgical butt booster. "I would plan on three or four sittings spaced every two or three months," says Smith.
Cost can vary, but typically a vial of Sculptra runs around $1,000. Most patients end up using four to seven vials total, but other surgeons reported patients requesting 10 and up. (For comparison, the average price of a traditional butt-lift is $4,571, according to ASPS's 2016 statistics report.
Despite the growing interest in backside injectables, some surgeons say the Brazilian butt-Lift (BBL) is still the gold standard. "More popular is the BBL, which not only provides patients with a fuller, more-lifted, and shapely buttocks but with better overall body contour as well, as it requires liposuction to harvest the fat for transfer," Stephen T. Greenberg, a New York-based plastic surgeon tells Allure.
The bottom line? Deciding which option is the best for you ultimately comes down to the look you're going for. "Each patient must be evaluated individually and it is important to have an honest conversation about what the patient's ultimate cosmetic goal is," says Greenberg.
For the best bottom results, make sure you consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon who is familiar with both butt-lifting methods.
You can see plastic surgeon Jamie Schwartz perform a non-surgical butt lift, here:
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Now, watch as a dermatologist explains lip fillers:
