The hips and buttocks are an important and visible part of the anatomy and modern fashion places a strong emphasis on their contour. An aesthetic hip and buttock region accentuates the waist, which is the narrowest portion of the beautiful female silhouette. The hip and buttock takes the form of a gentle convexity continuing downwards from the waist, seamlessly connecting the abdomen to the thighs.
From both the front and the back, the underlying hip bone (trochanter) should be very subtly prominent at the upper outer portion of the thighs, and this coincides with the level of the buttock cleft. When standing upright, the outer margin of the shoulders and of the hips should form two parallel vertical lines. When viewed from the side, a youthful, aesthetic buttock has equal distribution of the volume in the upper and lower halves.
An aesthetic hip and buttock region acts in harmony with the abdomen and thighs to project an image of youth and athleticism. Successful hip and buttock rejuvenation restores body image and self-confidence, permitting individuals to choose from a wider range of popular fashion instead of concealing their contours.
Despite having normal weight, individuals may have localized fat deposits that obscure the muscle contour and create unaesthetic silhouettes.
Women tend to have deposits in the inner thighs, hips and lower buttocks. This manifests as the gradual disappearance of the hip prominences and loss of the thigh gap. The hips become wider than the shoulders, and an imaginary line joining the shoulders to the outer hip changes from two parallel lines to an “A” shape. Fat preferentially deposits in the lower half of the buttock, contributing to a heavy and saggy appearance. The combination of these changes creates a matronly appearance.
Men tend to deposit fat in the flanks (“love handles”) and the lower abdomen, and their hips and buttocks are less affected.
Fat deposits may be developmental (“born with it”), persist after weight loss, or occur as a natural consequence of aging. Fat deposits may accumulate despite having a normal BMI and is a result of intrinsic metabolic changes in the fat cells (adipocytes) that occur with age.
Liposuction is a safe procedure in trained and experienced hands. In women, liposuction of the thighs and hips and fat grafting to the upper buttocks are complementary procedures and have synergistic effects on the female form. Liposuction of the inferior half of the buttocks, and structural fat grafting to the upper pole creates the appearance of a natural buttock lift. Liposuction is an ambulatory procedure that is performed under intravenous sedation or general anesthesia.
The following are good candidates for liposuction:
Liposuction sculpts an aesthetic body silhouette by localized reduction of fat deposits. It removes unsightly fat bulges and restores a feminine, hourglass figure in females and enhances masculinity and athleticism in males. Liposuction is performed using small and inconspicuous incisions that are well-concealed when healed. Structural fat grafting further enhances the individual’s silhouette or muscular definition depending on their desires. Successful results improve self-confidence and social functioning.
Individuals are advised to stop herbal supplements and traditional medicine, and start special medications 7 days prior to surgery to minimize bruising and swelling.
Small incisions are made near the areas of intended liposuction, and a local anaesthetic is infused for optimal intra- and post-operative pain relief. Using specialized cannulas and equipment available at Picasso Plastic Surgery, the fat is broken up and aspirated under negative pressure. The optimal amount of fat to be removed is a fine art: sufficient to restore an aesthetic contour, yet within appropriate limits to permit the skin to shrink postoperatively and prevent formation of loose skin folds and irregularities. Proprietary techniques are used to achieve further contour definition (high definition liposuction) in specific areas. In cases where concurrent fat grafting is to be performed to other areas, the fat is extracted, processed, and grafted into the relevant areas through small incisions. Individualizing the surgical approach produces natural-looking, elegant, and bespoke outcomes.
Many individuals are able to return to work between the 5th and 7th postoperative day. Depending on the extent of liposuction performed, the swelling and bruising will mostly resolve by the 14th postoperative day. Stitch removal is usually performed on the 10th postoperative day.
Showering is possible from the 2nd postoperative day onwards. Specific post-operative compression garments may be required in the first 2 weeks to minimize post-operative bruising and swelling, guide shrinkage of the skin and prevent the formation of irregular skin folds. Bruising may be minimized by avoidance of strenuous activity for the first 2 weeks. Individuals may return to their original exercise and gym routines after about 3 weeks.
After structural fat grafting is performed, blood vessels grow into the grafted area (neovascularization). The degree of neovascularization determines the proportion of fat graft survival. In general, 60 to 80% of the grafted fat will survive, and the appearance at 2 months postoperatively is normally representative of the long-term result. The non-surviving fat is absorbed by the body during the first two months. The fat grafts that survive persist for many years.
Dr Yeo is experienced with liposuction and incorporates proprietary techniques to deliver exquisite and sustained results while minimizing the postoperative recovery time. Our clinic has an en suite operating facility that has MOH certification as an Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC). This assures your maximal privacy and convenience while keeping facility and equipment costs contained. Our operating room carries a full range of liposuction equipment tailored for liposuction and structural fat grafting aimed at delivering optimal results.
Effective and safe treatments are the cornerstones of care delivery at Picasso Plastic Surgery. MOH has a set of stringent regulations governing liposuction to ensure patient safety. In accordance with these regulations:
Complementary procedures enhance the result of the hip liposuction and buttock fat grafting and may be performed at the same sitting. These include: