A buttock lift (also known as a gluteal lift) involves correcting the shape of the buttocks by removing excess skin and, if necessary, lifting and shaping the deep fat tissue. Women with loose buttock skin and a sagging buttock shape who want a firmer and better shaped bottom can benefit from a gluteal lift. The changes to the buttocks are often age-related, but can also be caused by poor connective tissue, hereditary factors, weight fluctuations and major weight loss.
Considerations
A buttock lift may be useful for you if one or more of the following conditions are present:
- You want a firmer, better shaped bottom
- The skin of the buttocks is sagging, and the shape of the buttocks is flat or drooping.
- The volume of the buttocks has decreased over time or due to weight loss.
- Excess skin in the form of a fold has formed on the lower buttock contour.
- The buttocks are asymmetrically shaped.
- Your well-being and self-esteem are affected by the change in the shape of your bottom.
Consultation
A gluteal lift is used to remove excess skin and, if indicated, fat tissue of the buttocks that cannot be removed by other means. The fatty tissue on top of the gluteal muscles, which mainly attributes to the shape the buttocks, can also be lifted with this method to create a rounder buttocks shape.
A buttock lift can be combined with gluteal augmentation using a silicone implant or autologous fat grafting (lipofilling) if the patient’s own tissue is missing. Buttock surgery is generally possible at any age and as long as there are no serious underlying illnesses that would increase the risk of surgery too much.
A largely stable body weight is a prerequisite for a successful buttock lift, as significant weight fluctuations can impair the results of the operation. Planned weight loss should therefore be considered before a buttock lift. Significant excess weight can be a contraindication for a buttock lift or significantly increase the risk of surgery and impair the expected result.
Procedure
Individual factors and personal preferences determine the choice of the surgical procedure to improve the shape of the buttocks. In a buttock lift, excess skin is removed, usually from the upper buttock contour, less frequently from the lower buttock crease, and the buttock skin is lifted and tightened. Excess fat deposits on the buttocks or adjacent regions (hips/thighs) can be removed in the same session by liposuction, or missing buttock volume can be replaced by a silicone implant, the injection of the body’s own fatty tissue (lipofilling) or with local fat tissue (dermis fat flap).
Excess skin and fatty tissue in the form of a dermis fat flap can be used to tighten the skin and build up the volume of the buttocks with the body’s own fatty tissue, particularly in patients who have lost a lot of weight. Once the excess skin has been removed, the underlying fatty tissue with the supplying blood vessels is used to shape and fill the buttocks.
Unlike lipofilling (Brazilian butt lift), where non-perfused fat cells are injected in small portions, the dermis fat flap employs vascularized fatty tissue, which has a higher healing rate. The scar resulting from the dermis fat flap is usually located on the upper buttock contour.
A buttock lift is usually performed under general anesthesia as an outpatient or short inpatient procedure at the AARE KLINIK. The operation usually takes 2-3 hours and is performed by PD Dr. Oliver Scheufler. Drains are sometimes inserted at the end of the operation to evacuate blood and wound secretions from the wound and are removed after a few days.
Risks
A gluteal lift is an operation that is frequently performed by plastic surgeons. If correctly indicated and performed, serious complications such as infections, wound healing disorders or circulatory disorders of the tissue are rare. In individual cases, however, they may require longer follow-up treatment or a repeat operation. You will therefore be informed about all risks and possible complications during your consultation.
Minor complications, which usually heal without consequences, include bruising (haematomas), accumulation of wound fluid (seroma) and swelling. However, they may require repeated punctures, which are performed on an outpatient basis at the AARE KLINIK. Rarely, a hematoma must be removed surgically in order not to jeopardize further wound healing. Sensory disturbances in the skin of the buttocks occasionally occur but are usually only temporary.
The risk of more serious complications, such as circulatory disorders of the gluteal skin and wound healing disorders along the suture, is increased in smokers or patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes. Combination procedures also increase the risk of complications.
If silicone implants are used at the same time as a buttock lift, infections, scarring or defects of the implants may occur, which may require their removal in severe cases.
In individual cases, a repeat operation may be advisable to treat complications such as extensive hematoma or wound healing disorders.
General risks
- Haematoma (bruising), bleeding and swelling
- Seroma (accumulation of wound fluid)
- Healing problems or infection
- Wound breakdown/dehiscence (separation of wound edges)
- Injury of nerves or vessels
- Numbness in area of operation (temporary or permanent)
- Circulatory problem in the buttock skin (skin slough)
- Scars
- Slight asymmetry
- Unsatisfactory aesthetic result
- Secondary surgery
- Thrombosis or embolism
Overall, a buttock lift in the hands of an experienced plastic surgeon is a safe procedure with few complications and a high level of patient satisfaction. You can help to minimize certain risks by following the instructions we give you on this subject before and after the operation.
Preparation
Our aim is to make the operation itself as well as the time before and after as pleasant as possible for you. You can support us and yourself by following a few rules of conduct.
For example, it is advisable for smokers to stop smoking two weeks before and after the operation, as smoking can impair wound healing. Certain medications that increase the risk of bleeding, such as aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and some vitamin preparations and homeopathic remedies should also be discontinued 2 weeks before the operation. You will receive precise instructions on this from us before the operation.
Buttock lifts can sometimes be performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia. If this is the case, you should ensure that you can be picked up after the operation and cared for at home for the next 24 hours. For certain pre-existing conditions or combination procedures, inpatient treatment at the AARE KLINIK or in a hospital with an overnight stay may be advisable. This is the case, for example, if a buttock lift is combined with other procedures, such as extensive liposuction or a body lift.
Day of surgery
A gluteal lift is performed as an outpatient or short inpatient procedure at the AARE KLINIK or otherwise as an inpatient procedure at a private hospital (Salem-Spital). In either case, you will be operated on by PD Dr. Oliver Scheufler, whom you have already met during your consultation.
During the operation you will be given various medications for your well-being. As a rule, a buttock lift is performed under general anesthesia. For your safety, your heart rate, blood pressure, pulse and blood oxygen level will be monitored during the operation.
At the end of the operation, drains are often inserted to prevent the accumulation of blood and wound fluid in the wound. In addition to the wound dressing, a compression garment is applied to immobilize the wound and reduce swelling.
After the operation, you will be taken to the recovery room where you will continue to be monitored until you are fully awake and able to stand up. After a few hours, you will be allowed to go home accompanied by a person designated to look after you. If you have been operated on an inpatient basis in hospital, you will be transferred from the recovery room to the ward, where you will stay until the next day.
You should be able to stand up regularly and walk for a few minutes on the day of the operation. Walking helps to minimize the risk of thrombosis. The pain after a buttock lift can be compared to strong muscle soreness. It is usually treated with a combination of mild and decongestant painkillers, which you should continue to take at regular intervals at home for the first few days.
After an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia, you should be taken home by someone who will look after you continuously for the first 24 hours. This person will receive all the necessary instructions from us for your aftercare as well as rules of conduct in the event of complications or unexpected events.
After surgery
It is important to know that the recovery time after each operation varies from person to person. You should take it easy physically in the first few days after the buttock lift and not lie or sit on your buttocks. From the first day after the operation, you should stand up regularly and walk short distances to prevent the risk of thrombosis. You will also receive blood-thinning injections to prevent thrombosis. Even if you still have difficulty walking at first, you should avoid lying down for long periods during the first few days.
As a rule, you will have to sleep on your stomach or side for a few days. Only take the painkillers prescribed to you and do not take any medication containing aspirin or other anticoagulants. Wear the compression garment fitted to you continuously during the day and at night.
In the first days after the procedure, you may experience a feeling of tightness and slight soreness in your bottom. You should therefore take the painkillers prescribed for you. Initially, there is often a feeling of numbness of the skin in the buttocks area and on the back of the thighs. This is usually only temporary. However, it can take weeks to months, and in some cases even longer, for the sensation to normalize. Slight swelling and bruising on the buttocks usually disappear within 2-3 weeks.
As a rule, you will be on your feet one to two days after the operation and can resume most of your daily activities. The dressings and any wound drains will be removed in the first few days after the operation, after which you will be able to shower normally again. However, you should avoid full baths and excessive heat (e.g. sauna) for several weeks until all swelling has subsided. Most skin sutures dissolve by themselves and do not need to be removed. Non-dissolvable sutures are removed after one week.
After removal of the skin sutures, we recommend starting intensive skin and scar care with moisturizing skin ointments and light massage. In individual cases, a special scar treatment with silicone gel or silicone patches may be advisable for several months. Fresh scars should not be exposed to UV radiation for at least 6 months to prevent increased pigmentation.
Activities that require prolonged sitting can usually be resumed after 2-3 weeks. However, you should wear a compression garment for a total of 4-6 weeks and avoid physically strenuous and sporting activities for several weeks.
After the operation, you will be examined at the AARE KLINIK at regular intervals, where we carefully monitor your healing progress until the final result of the operation is achieved and you can enjoy your new body shape with a firmer and more beautiful bottom.
Outcome
Swelling and bruising may persist for some time after the operation. The healing process is gradual and it takes several months before the results of the operation can be finally assessed. Scars may initially be red and swollen or appear darker pigmented. Their appearance often worsens even after a few weeks before they become flatter and paler. In some cases, bulging (hypertrophic) scars may require additional treatment with special silicone patches and steroid injections.
A buttock lift serves to improve the shape of the buttocks and overall body contour. It can increase your own well-being and self-esteem and make it easier to wear certain clothing. The initially reddened and clearly visible scars fade over time. Nevertheless, scars can remain permanently visible, even if they can only be recognized as fine lines. The advantage is that the scars after buttock shaping are usually completely concealed by clothing.
The results of a buttock lift are usually long-lasting. However, the ageing process as well as weight fluctuations, pregnancy and lifestyle can influence the result.
Costs
A buttock lift is generally an aesthetic procedure that is not covered by health insurance. An exception is significant excess skin with severe skin folds following massive weight loss, if this leads to functional complaints such as chronic infections, pain or a mechanical disability. The costs of a medically indicated buttock lift are covered by health insurance in individual cases after prior cost approval. Whether a buttock lift is recognized and paid for as a compulsory service of the health insurance is evaluated and decided by the health insurance company on a case-by-case basis following the recommendation of a physician.
In the case of an aesthetic procedure, the treatment costs must be borne by the patients themselves. The costs for an aesthetically indicated gluteal lift are variable and depend primarily on the complexity of the operation, the use of additional aids such as gluteal implants and the facility where the operation is performed (AARE KLINIK or hospital). An exact cost estimate can only be provided after a personal consultation. You should expect costs starting from CHF 12,000.
The costs are composed of:
- Surgical fee (incl. preliminary consultation and aftercare)
- Anaesthesia fee
- Technical service (AARE KLINIK/hospital)
- Hospital stay, if applicable
- Buttocks implants, if applicable
- Compression garnement
- Medication
- Diagnostics (laboratory, ECG, scans, etc.)
Appointments for buttock surgery with Dr. Scheufler in Bern
A gluteal lift is a medical procedure designed to help you feel more comfortable with your body and more satisfied with yourself. PD Dr. Scheufler and his team are happy to accompany you on this journey with their specialist knowledge and experience. You can tell us about your wishes in a personal consultation and we will offer you the most suitable methods.
Why not arrange your personal consultation at the AARE KLINIK right now?
PS: Preliminary examinations and procedures for butt and intimate surgery are, of course, carried out in the presence of a female assistant if you so wish.
PD Dr. Oliver Scheufler, board certified plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon and author of this website, is pleased to be at your service for a personal consultation. Besides his main occupation at the AARE KLINIK, Dr. Scheufler is also scientifically active and lectures at the University of Basel. He also was a visiting professor at Duke University (USA). Please do not hesitate to contact him if you wish a professional consultation!