Written by Avery Samuels, Reviewed by Dr. Justin Harper, MD
Over the course of the last ten years, the boyishly slim silhouette has gone out of style. Now, looking “curvy” is in vogue — it seems that women (and men) see nothing wrong with being “bootylicious,” preferring a curvy and lifted posterior that approximates a heart shape or an “O” shape.
Today’s look can be approximated through extreme workouts, but not everyone has the genes or inclination for it. Procedures such as the surgical and non-surgical Brazilian Butt Lift are the rage in this selfie age — driven by social media frenzy over superstars with Instagrammable buttocks.
But does everyone truly need it? The answer depends on how much the age-related volume loss matters to you, and how badly you want to achieve the look without diet or exercise.
There are two versions of the surgical Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) procedure which both promise dramatic results. Voluminous buttocks can be achieved through silicone implants, or by injecting the butt with fat harvested by liposuction from other parts of the body. Because the fat is usually suctioned from the belly, the results will yield a total-body transformation into a more hourglass shape — something not possible with the Sculptra Butt Lift or implants.
While achieving instantly visible augmentation, surgery poses risks not associated with non-surgical BBLs. Respiratory failure can occur with the administration of anesthesia. Furthermore, the silicone implant can be rejected by the body or leak to surrounding tissues. Fat transfers can remove litres of fat and fluid at a time, and the risks include bleeding, infection, shock, and death from embolism when injected fat accidentally enters the bloodstream.
There is also significant pain and downtime — something not experienced with non-surgical procedures.
At Juvly, we augment your shape through the non-surgical Sculptra BBL. This non-invasive procedure uses Sculptra (poly-L-lactic acid or PLLA), a biocompatible product that induces collagen growth. The generated collagen lifts the butt, fills in any dimples, smooths cellulite, and creates a fuller, more rounded shape.
Unlike fat transfers and implants, which can augment the buttock by several hundred millilitres (ml) of volume at a time, the Non-Surgical BBL augments by 100-200 ml from 5 vials of diluted Sculptra.
Results immediately post-treatment may be deceptive because the diluent is absorbed over the next few days, leaving the dispersed Sculptra molecules to do their job. The procedure is customizable, and more vials can be added depending on the aesthetic goal. Some clients opt for packages consisting of 10-20 vials. Ideally, the BBL is repeated 2-3 times for more pronounced results.
If you already have a generous behind, the effects won’t be as obvious — but if you are lean or had lost volume in your buttocks due to aging, excessive dieting or exercise, this procedure is perfect for you. The results are more subtle, with natural-looking enhancement of contours, pronounced lift, and protrusion of the butt.
The Sculptra BBL is perfect for any patient, regardless of age or gender. Aging affects the body in a variety of ways, but cosmetically, the two most noticeable changes are due to the loss and redistribution of fat. Muscle mass in the gluteus maximus (buttocks) decreases, leading to a flabby look. This can affect anyone, regardless of age, hence the rising popularity of “booty-blasting workouts.”
Society seems to be in agreement that everyone looks better with more muscle definition in the buttock. While Sculptra does not increase muscle mass, the collagen growth “mimics” the look resulting to a better contour and silhouette.
That said, patients may have very different goals in terms of the total amount of volume added and where that volume is placed. The Sculptra BBL is ideal for customization. For example, some patients may be more concerned with how large their butt looks when viewed from the side, whereas other patients may wish to fill in their hip-dip so that their silhouette looks smoother from the back.
Alternately, a male patient will have different aesthetic needs to a female patient. The Sculptra BBL can be customized to suit the individual’s preferences.
Furthermore, the Sculptra BBL offers yet another benefit to the buttock’s appearance, in addition to augmenting its size: it improves the quality of the skin, diminishing the look of cellulite and improving overall texture and brightness.
Whereas surgical BBLs are mostly concerned with the augmentation of the butt cheeks, Juvly’s Sculptra BBL is a holistic treatment that seeks to add a youthful, natural look to the patient’s figure — without the pain, danger and prolonged recovery associated with traditional surgery.
