How long does a fat transfer in the hips last? I have very bad hip dips that I'm very insecure about and need fixed.

Question

I'm on the thinner side, I'm 5'5 and weigh 125-130 lbs. I'm worried I dont have enough extra fat to correct the problem plus I loose weight very quickly because I'm an anxious person. I need to know if I have a fat transfer into my hips to fill out the denting is the fat going to go away? Am I better off going with hip implants? I want whatever will give the longest result. Are hip implants dangerous? Could they cause me to not be able to walk? I heard they can be painful

Ryan A. Stanton, MD · Answer

Allow me to answer your question as best i can without any photos. However, please keep in mind that an in-person consultation with physical exam, or at least a virtual consultation,  is first necessary before any legitimate evaluation or final surgical recommendations are made.

In general, cosmetic hip implants are the most reliable, predictable, and permanent option for filling in the hip dips and creating more of that feminine hourglass figure, whether slim or not.  On the other hand, fat transfer to the hip area tends to survive quite poorly in most patients, especially lean patients as you describe yourself, and thus produces only short term results (often less than 10-12 months). Injections/fillers such as Sculptra ir hyaluronic acids are cost prohibitive (i.e. guaranteed to be the biggest waste of money of your entire lifetime), short lasting and possibly deadly with high volume injections. Others such as silicone/PMMA/hydrogels/etc are cheap but extremely dangerous and a personal commitment to a life of serious and sometimes deadly consequences. Typically hip implants are best custom designed and created for each individual patient’s anatomy. Because an extremely few number of board-certified plastic surgeons perform this procedure, make sure you seek consultation with a reputable and experienced cosmetic hip implant specialist.  You may have to travel a long distance from home to find this particular surgeon. Glad to help.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear nicoletaylor1228,
fat viability depends a lot of surgeon technique. The fat has to be placed back into the buttocks as soon as possible so that it has a greater chance of survival. It has to be placed carefully so that not too much fat is placed in only one area. In most cases 30-50% of fat tissue is lost after some time. 
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Luis Fernando Reyes, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question, it’s really important and so many patients don’t know what’s the best option in those cases, definitely in our case, our recommendation will be to perform butt implants with fat transfer to your hips, this combination always has great results, obviously as you said every patient and every procedure is totally different for everybody but mostly of patients have a great response with both of them, it is necessary to study your case deeply to give you the best advice!Good luck with your surgery and feel free to ask more questions about your case..!!

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

If you want us to make an assessment you will need to post proper pictures. Pictures should include your body from your knees to your collarbone‘s showing the front, side and backside standing in a neutral position with pictures taken from about 8 feet away using the timer on your camera or someone else taking the picture. Photos should be taken with the patient wearing undergarments.

A substantial amount of grafted fat will dissipate in the first three months after that any fat that remains is permanent.

There is no good muscle to cover hip implants with so it’ll sit underneath your skin and thin fat layer and may be noticeable on the skin surface.  I don’t think I’ve ever met a patient who had hip implants and most plastic surgeons in the country don’t offer them.

Based on your weight if you’re only treating the hip dip it should be possible to harvest enough fat. Patients who want a more dramatic correction or have very little soft tissue in the area of concern may require a second round a fat transfer.

Without pictures we can’t make an assessment.

Best,

Mats Hagstrom MD

How long does a fat transfer in the hips last? I have very bad hip dips that I'm very insecure about and need fixed.

Answers (4)

Answer: Treatment options and making an assessment

Answer: Treatment options and making an assessment

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Everything you need to know about Hip Augmentation

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

How long does a fat transfer in the hips last? I have very bad hip dips that I'm very insecure about and need fixed.

Answers (4)

Answer: Treatment options and making an assessment

Answer: Treatment options and making an assessment

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Hip Augmentation

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