Can the Gluteal Crease Be Recreated Through Liposuction?

Question

I had my posterior thigh banana rolls liposuctioned last month to disastrous effect. The surgeon left a band of fat running parallel to my gluteal crease (I think because he was afraid to go near it). The weight of the buttocks, which had been previously supported by the banana rolls, simply fell down into this band of fat and has obliterated my natural gluteal crease.
Can you recreate a gluteal crease that has fallen by liposuctioning up into and around the buttocks? I DO NOT need a butt lift, rather the reinstatement of my natural gluteal crease up where it used to be.  But how can this be achieved?

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

It is sometimes possible to fix this without removal of skin with a scar to lift the sagging portion. In other patients it might be possible to suction above the crease and replace fat in the area around the crease and buttock. It will depend on how much was removed and how much sagging there is.

Douglas J. Mackenzie, MD · Answer

There are subtle fibrous attachments that create the natural gluteal crease, and liposuction that disturbs these attachments can make that contour worse, not better. This is probably what has happened, but an examnination would be necessary, as well as a review of your pre-op and post-op photos. Some targeted liposuction and fat reinjection might help, but a surgical procedure to support the fold might be needed. Unfortunately, scars in the crease do not tend to heal well. A percutaneous procedure can avoid this.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Hard to say what could have happened to your gluteal crease without an exam, and knowing exactly what was done in the OR.  Suctioning just the banana roll sholdl not make you lose the crease.

Pat Pazmino, MD, FACS · Answer

Liposuction is a safe, popular, and effective way to contour the body. When performing liposuction, care must be taken to avoid certain areas of the body that had important connections between the skin and the underlying muscle. These are the structures that create the creases of our body. If too much liposuction is done in these areas, it is possible to erase some of these creases and create an unattractive appearance. This is what might have occurred in this case. At this time, your best bet is to work with a board-certified plastic surgeon who has a great deal of experience in liposuction and body contouring techniques. They will examine your body and present options such as a direct incision and resuspension of the skin in this area that may help fix this difficult problem.

Peter A. Aldea, MD · Answer

Liposuction of the banana roll areas, if done, should be done superficially only. It is easy to take more in this area. If, as it sounds like in your case, the liposuction aims at removing fat excess rather than just shave the very top of the bump off, the buttocks loses their support and fall into a new, deeper and more laterally extending infragluteal creases.
The solution may be several sessions of fat transfer to these areas to build the support again. It MAY have to be combined with a buttock lift which leaves a permanent belt-like scar above the buttocks.
Hope this was helpful.

Can the Gluteal Crease Be Recreated Through Liposuction?

Answers (5)