eMedicine Specialties > Plastic Surgery > Body Contouring

Body Contouring, Buttocks Surgery: Follow-up

Author: Neal R Reisman, MD, JD, Chief of Plastic Surgery, St Luke's Episcopal Hospital; Clinical Professor of Plastic Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine
Coauthor(s): Azita Madjidi, MD, MS, Clinical Assistant Professor in Plastic Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Oct 29, 2009

Outcome and Prognosis

The outcome of buttock contour surgery depends on the deformity. Excellent results are obtained by liposculpture (routine or ultrasonic-assisted). Depressed scars and defects are more difficult to correct because of the curved buttock shape and the scar-contracting elements across the curvature. Implantation of materials to fill defects may not last but should improve the defect.

The initial outcome is an improvement but is not the final result. Liposuction usually requires at least 6 months and often 1 year before final results are achieved. Caution the patient about early expectations. Approximately 1 month after surgery, marked improvement is noticeable. The initial postoperative weight gain from fluid retention is gone, and the results are approaching a realized form.

Perform massage and compression of the area to facilitate skin shrinkage to the new form over the next few months. This massage is typically done by the patient at home or by a physical therapist or massage therapist. If some form of compression is not performed, the results will not be optimal. Final results may be noted when anesthesia of operated areas subsides, pinching of the area is possible, and the swollen feeling is gone. The prognosis of contour improvements is good if the patient follows all directions and instructions.

The outlook and prognosis of scar revisions are also good. A rule of scar and trauma revisions is that as long as something is changed with the revision, the results should be different. That is, if an aspect of the scar (eg, trauma, infection, suture technique) can be changed with the scar revision, expect some degree of improvement. Massage and the external addition of silicone sheeting or steroid cream may benefit scar revision.

Future and Controversies

The future of contour surgery continues to be positive. More superficial irregularities will be safely addressed with less surgical risk. The cannulas and instruments will continue to undergo refinement, becoming more affordable and more applicable to a wider selection of patients.

Surgical advances and patient demands will always be accompanied by gimmicks. "Magic" creams will continue to be touted to remove cellulite, along with faster and safer machines promising a "too-good-to-believe" result. Patients must be cautious about such promises. Those who make such promises should be investigated thoroughly regarding board certification in plastic surgery and their good reputation. Good results are achieved with careful planning, good patient selection, and surgical skill.

A note must be added regarding the efficacy of the "roller-suction" machines touted to help with cellulite. All large-scale studies of these massage devices, when controlled for weight gain and loss, have shown absolutely no benefit. Herbal wraps and other purportedly magic potions have a similar poor contribution to improving the contour of this area.

An objective measure of the buttock volume or projection is needed to assess the efficacy of each treatment and the long-term result.

For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Procedures Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education article Liposuction.

 
Acknowledgments

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author Robert F Centeno, MD, MBA, to the development and writing of this article.



More on Body Contouring, Buttocks Surgery

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Workup: Body Contouring, Buttocks Surgery
Treatment: Body Contouring, Buttocks Surgery
Follow-up: Body Contouring, Buttocks Surgery
Multimedia: Body Contouring, Buttocks Surgery
References
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Further Reading

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Keywords

buttocks surgery, buttock augmentation, autologous gluteal augmentation, autologous fat transfer, gluteal aesthetics, gluteoplasty, circumferential body lift, buttock liposculpture, buttock shaping, buttock liposuction, buttock reduction

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Neal R Reisman, MD, JD, Chief of Plastic Surgery, St Luke's Episcopal Hospital; Clinical Professor of Plastic Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine
Neal R Reisman, MD, JD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Plastic Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Lipoplasty Society of North America, Texas Medical Association, and Texas Society of Plastic Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Azita Madjidi, MD, MS, Clinical Assistant Professor in Plastic Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Azita Madjidi, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Harris County Medical Society, International Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, and World Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Gregory Caputy, MD, PhD, FICS, Chief Surgeon, Aesthetica Plastic and Laser Surgery Center, Inc
Gregory Caputy, MD, PhD, FICS is a member of the following medical societies: American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Canadian Medical Association, International College of Surgeons, International College of Surgeons US Section, Pan-Pacific Surgical Association, and Wound Healing Society
Disclosure: Syneron Corporation Salary Speaking and teaching

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Alan Matarasso, MD, FACS, PC, Clinical Professor of Plastic Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Immed Past President of New York Regional Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Alan Matarasso, MD, FACS, PC is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Plastic Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, International College of Surgeons US Section, New York Academy of Medicine, New York County Medical Society, Pan American Medical Association, and Pan-Pacific Surgical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Nicolas (Nick) G Slenkovich, MD, Director, Colorado Plastic Surgery Center
Nicolas (Nick) G Slenkovich, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and Colorado Medical Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Jorge I de la Torre, MD, FACS, Professor of Surgery and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Residency Program Director, Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Director, Center for Advanced Surgical Aesthetics
Jorge I de la Torre, MD, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Plastic Surgeons, American Burn Association, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery, American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Association for Academic Surgery, and Medical Association of the State of Alabama
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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