Are butt implants safe and do they feel natural?

Question

Do butt implants jiggle and are soft like a natural butt? Thanks.

Shlomo Widder, MD · Answer

Dear formentera,   Butt implants, when done in expert surgeon hands can look natural and jiggle. The butt  softness depends on the thickness of the skin. On a very thin person, even though the implants are made from ultra soft silicone, the butt may feel a little tighter, like when you tighten your muscles.   You have to realize, that not all results are the same, because there are different techniques and different implants. I have been doing butt implants surgery for  18 years and performed the surgery on about 600 patients. In my opinion, the best looking butt with most anatomical (natural) appearance is achieved with the sub fascia technique and using oval round ultra soft silicone   implants (check my reviews on 'RealSelf').  Additionally, experience, skills and aesthetic eye are critical for good and safe outcome.   So, do your due diligence carefully and choose your surgeon wisely, to avoid bad result and need for corrective surgery.   Always, consult with experienced board certified plastic surgeons who operate in accredited surgery center for your safety. Most importantly, check the before and after pictures in the photo gallery, to make sure that they are numerous, consistent and attractive with nice 'S' curve, nice projection, round hips, single hidden incision between the cheeks and natural look.                          Best of luck,                                                Dr Widder

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

It is very difficult to determine the exact size and shape implant you will require to best match your ideal butt image without an examination by a board certified plastic surgeon. Not just any board certified plastic surgeon, but one with many years of frequently performing breast augmentation surgery including different approaches, techniques and implant choices. This is because several measurements not to mention your breast characteristics are needed to determine the optimal implant size to obtain your goals. Without knowing these dimensions it would be difficult to make this determination. For example, the existing base width of your buttock will determine, in many cases, the maximal volume per implant profile that you can accommodate. Liposuction of your lower back and fat transfer is also helpful as an adjunct to implants. Using “want to be” photos however are useful if simply provided to the surgeon.

Ryan A. Stanton, MD · Answer

If performed by a buttock implant specialist, buttock implant are no more dangerous than fat transfer or breast inplants:
Risks and potential complications of buttock implants are very similar to breast implants. One main difference is while breast implants have a nearly 20% risk of hardening from excessive scar tissue formation surrounding the implant (aka capsular contracture), in my experience buttock implants have ~2% risk of this.

On the other hand , because at least 80+ % of the fat transferred will melt away within a year, most patients are not good candidates because they lack an adequate amount of fat to harvest. Another tip is that if you purposely gain weight (i.e. fat) for the procedure, the fat you lose first as you get back to your baseline weight is that very same fat that was transferred into your buttock...so don't fall victim to this recommendation. Even those patients that had adequate amounts of fat pre-operatively, still end up seeking buttock implants after a year or so because most of the fat transferred melted away leaving them with minimal result.

Although overall using your own fat is relatively safe, it not infrequently melts away unevenly leaving one butt cheek bigger than the other or with dimpling or hard fat cysts.  The one serious complication that can rarely (< 1%) happen is "fat embolism" in which some of the fat gets into the blood stream and travels up into the lungs, heart, and/or brain causing serious problems. This complication is more likely to happen with the larger amount of fat being transferred. This is even more likely to happen when using fillers like liquid silicone, PMMA, Sculptra, and hyaluronic acids. Also fillers, when injected in large quantities, have a relatively high infection rate, guaranteed tendency to migrate away from the original area they were injected, and almost always stimulate a lot of inflammation with a subsequent and disastrous amount of scar tissue/hardening.
Thus buttock/hip implants become a very good, safe, and long term reliable option for most patients seeking buttock/hip augmentation (at least in my practice).
Although it takes 6 - 7 months for buttock implants to settle into their final position and fullness, it can take a full year for them to completely soften. This is how long it takes for all the micro-inflammation to disappear. I tell patients, in the end, they will feel similar to an Olympian sprinter's athletic buttock. If you surf around RealSelf, you will see patients twerking with buttock implants...so yes they can really "jiggle" as well.

Arian Mowlavi, MD, FACS (license on probation) · Answer

Butt implants are placed inside the muscle of the buttocks and although they are firm, when in the muscle they are cushioned by the muscle; regardless, the feel of the buttocks is much like a dancer's buttocks, strong and firm and not like a fatty bottom feel, one which you get with a BBL.

Tarick K. Smiley, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Butt implants that reflect the dimension of the buttocks and other relevant anatomical features can feel and look natural.  Furthermore, choosing the "correct" implant size can also prevent or at least minimize a wide range of problems such as inadvertent displacement, poor healing or protracted recovery, and increased palpability.

Placing the implants within or beneath the muscle can further ensure a more natural feel and look.

Nonetheless, your own tissue remains the best material to reshape and augment your buttocks.  Called as the Brazilian butt lift, we collect unwanted fats usually from the lower back, abdomen, and flanks, which are then transferred to the butt area.

Of course, before re-injecting the fats we process them--i.e., remove all the impurities--to achieve a high survival rate, about 70 percent or higher.  The fats that remain after 3-6 months are expected to last a lifetime.

Are butt implants safe and do they feel natural?

Answers (5)

Answer: Butt implants

Answer: Butt implants

Answer: Buttock implants can provide great results provided the patient's anatomy is respected

Answer: Buttock implants can provide great results provided the patient's anatomy is respected

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Butt Implants

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

Are butt implants safe and do they feel natural?

Answers (5)

Answer: Butt implants

Answer: Butt implants

Answer: Buttock implants can provide great results provided the patient's anatomy is respected

Answer: Buttock implants can provide great results provided the patient's anatomy is respected

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Butt Implants

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.