Hip and Buttock Liposuction

Extra Junk in Your Trunk Weighing You Down?

Extra weight in the hips and buttocks is a problem for many people, especially women. The hips and buttocks are an interesting area because so much of how we perceive beauty is a matter of our own cultural heritage. How much is too much is a matter of personal taste. Hip and buttock liposuction removes common problem area fatty deposits and adds contour and curves to your figure. Our preferred method of liposuction technique for this area is Smart Lipo®. Smart Lipo® is a procedure that allows for targeted removal unwanted fat while yielding the smoothest contour possible. This simple and safe procedure is also the way to regain a more youthful shape and wear more tailored clothing.

Smart Lipo® of the hips and buttocks is much safer than traditional liposuction. With the Smart Lipo® technique, only a local anesthetic is used to numb the area and the patient remains coherent throughout the procedure. There is no need for general anesthesia or IVs. Tiny incisions are utilized so that the cannula can literally suck out the melted fat. The Smart Lipo® procedure also promotes skin tightening in the area. This technique is much more gentle than traditional liposuction techniques and, as a result, downtime is minimal.

Here are some other advantages:

• Liposuction done with the Smart Lipo® technique is a safe procedure that reduces unwanted fat and leaves you with a newly sculpted figure that will allow you to wear your old favorite jeans.
• The Smart Lipo® procedure takes only an hour or two perform, depending on the designated fat removal. This technique is designed to safely remove fat and tighten the area, simultaneously.
• There is very little pain after the procedure, and the tiny incisions leave virtually invisible scars over time.
• Since liposuction with Smart Lipo® is performed with only light sedation, most patients return to normal activity and work within 24 to 48 hours.

Hip and Buttock Liposuction Risks and Safety: An Honest Look

Liposuction is surgery, and every surgery carries risk. Common, usually temporary effects include bruising, swelling, soreness, and patches of numbness that resolve over weeks to months. Less common risks include contour irregularities, fluid accumulation (seroma), infection, and — in the hip and buttock area — uneven transitions between the hips, flanks, and buttocks, over-treatment near the buttock fold that can flatten the natural curve, and asymmetry between sides. Rare but serious complications reported with liposuction include lidocaine reactions, blood clots, and fat embolism.

The awake tumescent technique used at Infini avoids general anesthesia entirely, which removes anesthesia-related risks such as adverse reactions to general anesthetics and post-anesthesia complications. Staying awake also means you can reposition on request — and even stand — helping the surgeon blend the hip, flank, and buttock transitions evenly and check the contour against gravity. Dr. Hall and Dr. Shuell review your medical history, current medications, and individual risk factors at your consultation — and will tell you candidly if hip or buttock liposuction is not the right procedure for you.

For independent information on liposuction risks, see the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ liposuction safety overview and the National Library of Medicine’s liposuction entry (MedlinePlus).

FAQs about Hip and Buttock Liposuction

Click on each question to reveal the answer.

• What are the benefits of hip and buttocks Smart Lipo®?
  • There are many benefits to having hip and buttocks liposuction with the Smart Lipo® procedure such as better fitting clothes, improved confidence, tighter skin, and a more youthful appearance. The tumescent Smart Lipo® procedure reduces fatty deposits and restores proportionality to the body. Get ready for your new body.
• What should I expect to happen during the procedure?
  • Patients are lightly sedated with a local anesthesia, so they remain awake and coherent throughout the procedure. The process is relatively simple. Patients are numbed and then tiny incisions are made for the placement of the cannula which literally takes out the fat away. The cannula is only 3.5 mm in size, so it leaves no unsightly scars. The procedure take only about two hours, and patients are able to walk out of the office with a newly sculpted body. Patients are not permitted to drive, however. Each patient will need to be picked up after the surgery and driven home.
• What makes me a good candidate for hip and buttocks Liposculpture?
  • It is recommended that patients are in good health when undergoing any procedure to reduce risks and potential complications. This procedure is not a means of weight loss. Instead, is a procedure designed to remove moderate amounts of fat and contour the body into better proportion.
• Can hip and buttocks Liposuction be combined with other procedures?
  • Absolutely. Many of our patients choose to combine Tumescent Liposuction of the hips or buttocks with other procedures – particularly with the thighs
• Will the surgery leave scars or excess, sagging skin?
  • Tiny incisions are used on the buttocks or hips and are not noticeable for long after Smart Lipo®. The incisions heal very quickly after the procedure and, after a few months are either invisible, or appear as small barely visible freckles. Sagging skin is not a concern with Smart Lipo®. The lasers promote skin tightening as the fat is removed by causing skin contraction. Most people will actually see an improvement in skin tone and firmness after this kind of liposuction. For looser skin, laser skin tightening is added to the procedure.
• Are there any side effects?
  • Because Smart Lipo® uses local, tumescent anesthesia instead of general anesthesia, the procedure is very safe. In addition, because Smart Lipo® is a far more gentle type of liposuction than traditional technique, discomfort is relatively mild after the procedure. In fact, the vast majority of our patients feel that they can return to work the next day. There are no stitches and the tiny incisions close up within two to three days. Each patient is required to wear a compression garment for about one week under their clothes. These garments are not visible to other people and can be worn in public without feeling self-conscious. There will be swelling in the area after the procedure, which will subside after the tumescent solution is absorbed and eliminated through the body. Results are noticeable immediately but as swelling subsides, the result will get better and better for weeks.
• What if I do not want to be totally awake during my procedure?
  • We NEVER use general anesthesia for liposuction procedures because we feel it is simply unsafe. However, we do offer the option to do the procedure under “Twilight” which is essentially a slightly stronger form of sedation than the usual relaxing pills we provide for you. This type of sedation is EXTREMELY safe and adds virtually no additional risk the way general anesthesia does. Please let us know if this is something that you wish to discuss.

To learn more about abdominal liposuction, please contact our friendly staff to set up a free consultation with the doctor at 480-800-4501.