Introduction
The buttocks signify the femininity and physical beauty of women. Bigger and shapelier buttocks not only look appealing but also enhance your overall body outline. Unfortunately, not all women get bigger and shapelier buttocks naturally. For this reason, most women rely on outside treatments to add projection, volume, and shape to their back ends. Buttock augmentation with implants is a major and highly invasive plastic surgery procedure that effectively treats the aesthetic flaws in the buttocks, making them bigger and voluptuous.
Due to its invasive nature and the fact that the procedure involves the placement of artificial implants inside the buttocks, many risks are associated with the surgery. A trusted plastic surgeon will closely determine your candidacy for the operation and advice you to undergo the procedure only as a last option and only when the benefits are higher than the risks.
Risks associated with butt implant surgery
Buttock implants are prosthetic devices made of semi-solid silicone material. The silicone used in the implants is highly cohesive and immune to rupture or leaks. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia because it is highly invasive. A board-certified anesthesiologist will give you the anesthesia, after which you will go to sleep. You will not remember how the surgery was performed, nor will you feel any pain and discomforts during the procedure.
After the anesthesia administration, the plastic surgeon will make incisions on your buttocks. When the incisions are made, the surgeon will insert and place the implants inside the buttocks. It is pertinent to mention that buttock implants are available in different sizes, and it is essential to select an implant size that is suitable for your butt dimensions and overall body outline. Doing so will considerably reduce the risk of significant complications.
After placing the implants inside the buttocks, the surgeon will suture and close the incisions. Your recovery will start right after the procedure, and it will take you a few weeks and even months to recover entirely. Below are the risks associated with the buttock augmentation with implants:
- Infection
A common risk associated with butt implants is infection. People with a weak immune system are particularly at risk of infection. During the surgery, incisions are made on your buttocks. The operation is also traumatic. These factors make you vulnerable to possible infections. If a mild infection happens after the surgery, it can be treated with oral antibiotics. Moderate infection can be treated with IV antibiotics. However, when the infection is deep and affects the implants, you will need to undergo a new surgery during which the implants will be removed along with the scar tissue.
- Implant displacement
The second complication that may happen after butt implant surgery is displacement of the implant. Various factors can cause implant displacement. First, if the implant is too large for your butt dimensions, you will be at higher risk of implant displacement. Secondly, if the implant has been placed over the gluteal muscle and there is little tissue coverage, it can cause the implants to be displaced.
When the implant gets displaced, the patient is required to undergo corrective surgery. During the operation, the surgeon will remove and replace the implants with suitably sized implants or change the placement of the implants. When the implants are placed within or under the gluteal muscle, the risk of implant displacement will be drastically reduced. Also, the implants come in different sizes. It is important to select a suitably sized implant so that the risk of implant displacement can be decreased.
- Capsular contracture
Capsular contracture is yet another major complication that may happen after butt implant surgery. The good news is that if you choose your plastic surgeon carefully, this risk could be considerably reduced. Incisions are made on the buttocks during the surgery. The incisions develop into scars.
Capsular contracture is a condition whereby the scar tissue that forms begins to contract. The continuous contraction squeezes the implants, which not only changes the shape of the buttocks but also creates physical pain and discomfort for the patient. The condition can be treated during a new surgery. The operation will involve removal of the scar tissue along with the implants. The patient may get new implants in the future if she wants to.
- Excessive bleeding
Given that butt augmentation with implants is a highly invasive procedure, there is a risk of excessive bleeding that may happen during or after the surgery. If you have diabetes or are taking blood-thinning medications, your risk of excessive bleeding will be higher. Also, carelessness during recovery can cause opening of the incisions, which can lead to excessive bleeding.
To prevent this risk, be sure to discuss your health issue with your surgeon. If you are taking blood thinning medications, the surgeon will advise you to stop taking the drugs a few weeks before the surgery and during the recovery period. Furthermore, you must be extra careful during the recovery period and avoid physically strenuous activities.
- Blood clotting
During surgery, your body experiences trauma. As such, you will be required to take sufficient rest during the recovery period. For most of the time, you will be staying in bed. As such, there is a risk the inactivity can cause blood clotting. The risk is higher for people who smoke.
To prevent blood clotting, you must stop smoking at least three weeks before the surgery and stay a non-smoker during the recovery period. Also, be sure to get up and take short and slow walks every four hours during the recovery period. Doing so will improve your blood circulation, which will help prevent blood clotting.
- Seroma and hematoma
Seroma is a condition whereby the fluids that discharge from the incisions get trapped under the skin. Hematoma occurs when blood released from the surgical wounds stay and become clotted under the skin. Both of these conditions, if severe, can trigger other complications. Patients who don’t get drain cannulas after the procedure are more at risk of seroma and hematoma.
- Incision splitting
Splitting of the incisions, also called wound dehiscence, is yet another major complication that may occur surgery. The incisions are fragile during the recovery period, which means that any pressure applied to them can open them up. When incision splitting happens, it leads to bleeding, infection, and poor scarring.
To avoid this problem, you must be careful during the recovery period. You must not do physically strenuous activities for six weeks after the procedure. The first two weeks following the surgery are particularly important. Be sure to take rest and avoid physical movements during this period.
- Butt asymmetry and sagging
After surgery, there is a risk your buttocks may appear unbalanced or they may sag over time. Surgical errors and existing butt asymmetry mostly lead to unbalanced buttocks. On the other hand, the use of overly large implants can cause the buttocks to sag. These problems can be prevented by making sure the implants are suitably sized and fit well in your butt dimensions. Also, choose your surgeon carefully to avoid these problems.
- Abnormal scarring
Butt implant surgery involves significant incisions. The incisions ultimately develop into scars. In most cases, the wounds are normal. As time passes, the scars will become less visible. However, there is a risk the scars may become abnormal. It can happen due to genetic factors or as a result of carelessness during the recovery process. Abnormal scars look aesthetically unwelcoming.
The common forms of abnormal scars include keloid scars and atrophic scars. To avoid this condition, be sure to discuss your complete health history with the doctor in advance and avoid physically demanding activities during the recovery process. Also, if you have diabetes, make sure to bring it to your surgeon’s knowledge during the pre-operative consultation.
Conclusion
Buttock augmentation with implants is a major and highly invasive operation. It involves incisions on the buttocks and the placement of artificial implants inside the derriere. Given the invasive nature of the surgery, there are risks associated with the procedure. Those risks have been discussed in detail in this article. The risks include infection, subnormal scarring, implant displacement, capsular contracture, seroma, hematoma, buttock asymmetry, and sagging.
To decrease the risk of these complications, you must share your complete health history with the doctor, be careful during the recovery, and choose your surgeon carefully. The doctor will examine your buttocks, assess your health, and know your goals during the consultation to determine your candidacy for the procedure. You should undergo the procedure only when the benefits of the surgery are higher than the risks.