In recent years, Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian have inspired many women to get a “bigger booty.” And while these two celebrities still remain muses for numerous patients seeking a larger derriere, there is a new public figure on the scene who recently made headlines at one of the biggest events in history – the Royal Wedding.

Wearing a form-fitting Alexander McQueen white gown, maid-of-honor Pippa Middleton (younger sister to now “Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge”) revealed her slim physique, as well as the “perkiness” of her buttocks. The buzz soon began in the media, and it seemed as though women rushed out to find out how their butt can look like hers! In response to the hype that quickly swarmed Pippa, I was asked to provide expert insight to why her butt is gaining such attention. As reported on various news websites, I explained: “Pippa Middleton has become the new queen of the booty! She opens the doors to those who did not know you could have a small, shapely and perky backside without the large size. Patients want to be more proportionate [with] buttocks that look natural and sexy and go with the rest of their body.” 

While Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian-esque shapes still emit sexiness, the trend of being voluptuous with “junk in the trunk” is not the only reason why women show interest in a butt lift surgery. The desire to appear elegant and petite is prompting many of my patients’ interest in butt enhancement, as they are showing interest in having a more subtle shape that is proportionate to the rest of their body.

I can discuss my “Highlight Liposculpting and Lipo Fat Transfer” 3-D approach with you during a consultation. Butt enhancement surgery via fat transfer has gained more popularity than butt implants due to the fact that an individual can smooth certain areas of the body with liposuction, and have the fat then transferred to the buttocks for an improved shape. This procedure also allows me to personalize your results.

 No two bodies are the same, and I will strive to provide you with beautiful, authentic-looking results!

One of the benefits of buttock augmentation via fat transfer, or “fat grafting,” is that the patient is able to undergo two procedures in one setting. Liposuction is first performed on specific areas of the body that store excess fat, giving those regions a more svelte appearance. Following that, the fat taken is harvested and prepared for buttock injection, which will be done in predetermined points of insertion. Prior to surgery, I will have defined the patient’s buttock shape, learned about his/her aesthetic goals, and determined how much bigger he/she would like to go. The fat transfer technique allows for accuracy and gives me the opportunity to create an artistic piece of work. I take the whole body into consideration when enhancing the buttocks in order to provide overall proportionate, flattering, and natural-looking results. 

The “Miami Thong Lift” is one of my most recently developed signature techniques. It is an innovative procedure that is designed to raise the buttocks from an inconspicuous location – where a thong panty string would lay. Women can enjoy having a fuller, enhanced shape without dreading noticeable scars that are associated with many procedures. 

Ninety percent of patients request butt augmentation at my practice; and in a thorough consultation, I help them learn about the differences between implants and the fat transfer method, and which one will benefit them the most.  

Celebs continue to pave the way….inspiring women to do something about enhancing their buttocks…

As a Miami, Florida plastic surgeon who understands the female form as well as the female perspective, I provide natural-looking results that truly help provide women with greater self-confidence and better overall proportions.

That said, my knowledge in butt enhancement recently led me to a wonderful opportunity; I presented a new plastic surgery solution during a conference of British Aesthetic and Plastic Surgeons in London. This technique is now coined the “Miami Thong Lift.” Because no one wants visible scars, I approach buttock contouring and enhancement surgery with delicacy, striving to produce refined, aesthetic results. The droopy buttock can be lifted with fat grafting, but sometimes it needs an extra touch. Through a scar placed inside the buttock cheeks the Miami the thong lift will boost a woman’s “booty” volume without visible scars.

Buttock reshaping is the most requested procedure at my practice, due to the fact that women are continuously looking to improve upon their natural beauty and maintain a proud self-image. This is the most frequently requested procedure at my practice.

As my studies continue to lead me toward innovative body contouring approaches, I look forward to speaking to a group of colleagues once again.

To learn if you qualify as an ideal candidate, it is important to visit an experienced plastic surgeon for a consultation. During one-on-one visits with patients at my Miami office, I assess their bodies and learn about their butt enhancement goals. I will also learn if they are physically and psychologically healthy, as well as realistic in their expectations of butt enhancement surgery. By listening to their concerns and answering all of their questions, I am able to get a clear idea on whether they are ideal candidates for butt augmentation or not.

Patients who wear between an eight and a size 12, or are slightly overweight, are usually the most qualified for the fat transfer method; liposuction is used for this technique, which entails extracting fat from one area of the body and injecting it into the buttocks. Those who are a size two to four are typically not good candidates for this technique because there is very little fat that exists on their bodies, which would not allow for the transferring of fat. Therefore, slim individuals who desire butt enhancement most commonly receive butt implants because there are no target areas where the fat can be extracted.

Procedural and patient-specific, butt enhancement surgery offers beautiful and natural-looking results. If you believe that you are an ideal candidate for butt augmentation, please contact my office to schedule a consultation.

Unfortunately, not every individual who undergoes this procedure is well-informed of the risks nor goes to an experienced surgeon. This is typically where problems arise, and the need for butt enhancement revision is required.

Buttock augmentation via fat transfer poses no risk to the patient, because fat is a natural substance. Semi-solid silicone implants, on the other hand, carry more risks. If you have undergone butt enhancement surgery with the use of implants, then it is important that you take notice to any problems, such as capsular contracture (hardening), displacement, and infection. Some of the other complications that may cause for a revision also include drainage, seroma (fluid collection), and the thinning of tissue in the buttock region.

I perform butt enhancement revision procedures on patients who are either unhappy with the aesthetics of their results or experienced such complications as mentioned. Butt enhancement surgery offers a rewarding outcome when performed in the hands of a qualified plastic surgeon.

All cosmetic surgery procedures pose potential risks and complications, and gluteal recontouring is no exception. It is said to have been liquid injections that caused problems for Magnano, however, reports are not yet providing definitive details regarding the substance used for her butt augmentation surgery. As a highly trained and experienced Miami plastic surgeon who specializes in butt enhancement surgery I would like to address many who are understandably concerned and upset, by providing some factual information about gluteal reshaping and augmentation.

There are currently three butt augmentation techniques:

(1)    Fat grafting: This method is becoming the standard for gluteal augmentation and or gluteal reshaping. It has become extremely popular for several reasons; first of all, we are augmenting and reshaping the buttock using your own body tissue. Essentially we take or remove the unwanted fat from areas that have been troubling us for years and then turn around and use the fat to inject in the buttock, giving you a very natural, sexy, and more curvaceous result. This is essentially two procedures in one.  My “Highlight Liposculpting and Lipo Fat Transfer” signature technique delicately recontours the abdomen, waist, hips, and then reshapes and lifts the buttocks using a 3-D approach. There is less than a one percent chance of complications arising from fat grafting because it is all natural. I receive multiple phone calls a day regarding butt enhancement surgery via fat grafting, which proves its growing demand.  The complications are mainly the complication associate with liposuction; skin irregularities, fluid collection, skin discoloration, skin scabbing, skin dryness, and fat reabsorption.

(2)    Butt implants: For many years this was the primary way of augmenting the buttock. Although it has been around since the 1960s it never really gained popularity, and many surgeons just simply ignored this part of the body. It was Jennifer Lopez in the late 90s and early 2000 that revived the dormant interest and many patients began to inquire about buttock surgery. At the time, very little information existed on the procedure. So I set out to classify, explore, and perfect the technique. We have made tremendous advancements, but the most important was learning how to decrease the complication. In the beginning, gluteal implant augmentation had a 30 percent complication rate, and we were able to decrease that to about two to four percent by improving our techniques, learning how to pick our patients, and finally learning how to select the correct implant shape, texture, and size. The procedure is performed by placing scars in the gluteal crease and the implant can be placed under the fascia, or in the muscle. When considering implant surgery, there must be enough skin and fat to stretch over the implant and the implant cannot be too large because the larger the implant the more difficult it is to close the incision.  In today’s world, fat grafting is the first choice for buttock contouring. Some thin patients can gain 15 to 20 pounds to have the fat grafting performed, but many patients are so thin that they cannot gain weight and it is in these very thin individuals that implant augmentation is preferred. The complication in this group is low (about two to four percent). The main complications that exist are wound dehiscence (wound opens up), or infections of the implants that require the implants to be removed. But again permanent-type products can create permanent or lifetime risk; the implant my become hard (known as capsular contracture), the implant may shift or move over time, the implant may extrude (meaning coming out or being rejected), the patient may develop fluid around the implant requiring the implant to be removed, etc. None of these complications are seen with fat grafting because it is your own body tissue and the body will not reject it.

(3)    Fillers: The third way to augment the buttock is through body fillers. This is where all the controversy is arising. Recently another Latin pop star Alejandra Guzman was hospitalized for some injections to the buttock that became infected, also making headline news since she ended up in the intensive care unit. These fillers being used are not approved in the United States.  The attractiveness of butt fillers may be due to the fact that they are known to cost much less than fat grafting and butt implant surgery, and offer no downtime. Many patients can look very good in the beginning; however, it may produce a disfigurement problem within five to 10 years from a foreign body reaction. These reactions occur because the products may not be as pure and have certain preservatives that can react later in life. The other issues with these fillers are that there are currently no standards or monitoring system as to the quality of the product being made and many of these fillers are not as pure. They are often purchased in the black market or they look for the least expensive product. This is highly dangerous. Although such fillers as silicone, hydrogel, aquagel and PMMP (polymethylmethacrilate microspheres) are being used overseas for butt augmentation, they are currently not FDA approved for use in the United States. The FDA is what controls the quality of what is standard and accepted, and it is done through clinical trials, research, etc.  The Major risk is that if it is not injected correctly it may go into the artery or the veins and the substances can travel to the lungs (embolism) and may lead to death (which seems to link directly to what happened to Miss Argentina).

As you can see fat grafting is perhaps the most desired way to augment the buttock. If the fat survives, it seems to be permanent but without the complications that other permanent products have. If you are interested in accentuating your shape, it is important that you use discretion. You should not go to just any doctor who offers, and claims, to specialize in gluteal augmentation. Before you decide that this procedure is right for you, please keep these three things in mind: the plastic surgeon you choose for this procedure should be board certified with the proper training, pricing should never be the first factor to consider because there are various financing programs, and the procedure should only be performed in an accredited surgical setting versus a medical spa.

I am proud to promote safety first! And I hope you found this helpful.

Constantino G. Mendieta MD FACS FICS

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Member of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons &
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

2310 S. Dixie Hwy
Miami, FL 33133
Office 305-860-0717
cmendi@aol.com