Thinking about getting a bigger butt? Here’s a surgeon’s advice

There was a time that the Jennifer Lopez butt was desired by women, by the time the likes of Kim Kardashian and Nicki Minaj appeared on the scene women the world over were seeking advice from plastic surgeons on enlarging their backsides. The gluteal augmentation procedure is called the Brazilian Butt Lift because it was invented in Brazil.

The desired result is a hip to thigh ratio called the “S-curve” and balanced in accordance with each patient. The idea is to create a sexy silhouette, with a flat tummy and attractive posterior.

Pinehaven based Dr. Brian Monaisa, originally from Itsoseng in the North West, combines his private practice at Marang Aesthetics, with his duties as the head of plastic surgery at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.

He is known for being an expert in breast and buttock augmentation. He spoke to The Citizen about the popularity of the procedure in Mzansi, how and where to get it, and the pros and cons.

Marks on the women’s buttocks, waist and legs before plastic surgery.
Image Istock

Q: Although enlarging your buttocks has been done overseas is it popular in SA?

Buttock enhancement is very popular in South Africa. While some women wish to make the bum bigger, others only wish to improve the shape and lift the buttocks a little. As people age, the love handles spread to the back, and this makes the buttock area lose shape. Removing fat above and below the buttocks can greatly enhance the appearance of the buttock.

Q: What made you start focusing on this aspect of the body?

My focus is on body contouring. This includes breast rejuvenation, where we enhance the size and shape of the breasts, abdominal area rejuvenation by liposuction or tummy tuck, and buttock and thigh rejuvenation. So the focus on buttock reshaping via the Brazilian butt lift is one tool in our bag of tricks to enhance the body shape.

Q: Who is best eligible for this surgery?

Almost anyone can benefit from this surgery, because we both remove the fat from certain areas, and add it in other areas. The procedure works best in ladies who do have a little fat in the abdominal area, but we can also harvest fat from the inner thigh. Very thin clients may not be suitable, however.

Q: What does it involve? Is it a fat transfer and from where?

Yes, it is a fat transfer. The fat is removed from unwanted areas, usually the abdomen, love handles, and inner thigh.

It is then purified and injected into the desired area. This procedure must be only performed by a qualified plastic surgeon. Because of the high demand, you will find certain GP’s who try to make a fast buck by offering this procedure without having been trained to do it correctly.

The most dangerous result of this is that they sometimes inject the fat into the blood vessels instead of into the correct area. This is very dangerous and has client deaths.

Q: Why do some women like Kim Kardashian look disproportionate?

I am guessing that women have different desires of how they want to look, and my job is to give them the result they desire. Celebrities tend to push the envelope, and Kim Kardashian is one of the icons of this time.

Q:Why do women ask for bigger buttocks?

The most common reason is a desire to enhance their body shape, and the buttocks are a part of this desire.

Popular culture has focused on the buttocks for the last ten years, and this has led to an increased desire for surgery in this area. Most of my clients comment on increased self-esteem after surgery.

Q: What is the recovery procedure and does it take long?

After surgery, we put the patient into a garment designed to compress the areas where fat has been removed and keep the fat in the buttock in the desired area.

This is called a Faja and has to be worn for 23 hours a day for the first three weeks. Subsequently, the client can resume their normal life.

Q: Do you ever refuse a patient surgery if yes why?

Yes, we have to select patients that are suitable for the procedure, otherwise they won’t be satisfied with the results. Patients may be denied surgery if their request is outlandish, or they do not have enough fat. If the patient’s expectations are also too high, we may opt to not operate.

Q: What do you recommend patients do after surgery for better results?

For the first ten days, it is essential to not put any pressure on the transferred fat, and we advise the patient to lie flat on their tummies as much as possible. Another trick is placing a rolled towel under the thighs when sitting.

Dr Brian Monaisa consults from the Netcare Pinehaven Hospital and can be contacted on 011 950 5512.

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