The average cost of a Brazilian butt lift varies based on the length of the procedure and should not be mistaken for a butt implant, which varies in its procedure and the cost. This type of plastic surgery is becoming increasingly popular in America.
Brazilian Butt Lift Overview
Dr. Anthony Griffin, a prominent plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, California, is considered one of the pioneers of the Brazilian butt lift (fat injections). Dr. Griffin is the director of the Beverly Hills Cosmetic Surgery Institute and is most widely recognized for his role as one of the plastic surgeons on the hit TV show "Extreme Makeover." He is also a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and a diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery. The procedure that Dr. Griffin pioneered should not be mistaken for butt implants (gluteal augmentation), which consist of the physician slicing open the butt cheek and inserting a silicone implant similar to breast implants.
Costs
While butt implants are cheaper, costing from $6,000-$13,000, recovery is much more painful and takes much longer than recovery from a Brazilian butt lift. Dr. Griffin charges $15,000-$20,000 for his butt lift procedure, but the average butt lift costs between $7,500 and $15,000.
Procedure
During the Brazilian butt lift, fat is extracted from the abs, hips and thighs and transplanted into the butt. The patient is given general anesthesia and after fat extraction the fat is then injected between the butt muscles. The upper quadrant of the buttocks is filled so that the butt appears lifted and perky. Human fat contains collagen and stem cells that help the butt retain its shape. The cost of the procedure is determined by how much fat is extracted/injected and the length of the surgery.
Prevalence
Dr. Griffin told the "St. Petersburg Times" in a February 2009 article, "I see more disasters in the buttocks than in any other part of the body." For this reason the doctor will only perform the procedure on women that have enough extra fat on their bodies to be removed and injected into their buttocks. The number of "butt lifts" has increased 283 percent nationwide between 2000 and 2005. (From 1,356 to 5,193 reported procedures).
Downsides
Dr. Richard Ehrlichman, a consultant in plastic surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, said the downside to the surgery is that during the first year after the procedure, in 10 to 30 percent of cases, the transplanted fat tissue can get reabsorbed by the body instead of staying where it was put, which may require the patient to have the procedure repeated. Dr. Griffin says his butt lifts last, on average, 10 years before a repeat procedure is necessary.
Tags: butt lift, butt lift, Beverly Hills, Brazilian butt, Brazilian butt lift
