As we age, gravity takes its toll on our physical selves, wreaking havoc on everything from our foreheads to our knees, sending skin south. However, modern science has come to the rescue and the butt lift procedure is readily available for men and women with sagging buttocks.

First of all, keep in mind what a butt lift procedure is not. It is not a way to eliminate fat. For that, you will need a weight loss program or liposuction. It is not a cure-all. You will look better after the surgery, but it is important to be realistic about your expectations.

What’s Your Type?

A butt lift procedure can be done in several ways. If all you want to do is to eliminate sagging skin, you may opt for “butt wedge, � in which a wedge of tissue is removed from underneath at the buttock crease and the skin pulled tight before suturing.

Probably the most common butt lift procedure is the standard one. The surgeon takes skin from the area where the lower back and the buttocks meet, cutting it in an elliptical shape and excising the ellipse of skin. Then he or she draws the lower skin upward until it joins with the upper, effectively raising the buttocks.

Brazilian Shape

Interestingly, while fat is not taken away during a butt lift procedure, it can be added. One way to smooth out the skin is to add support from underneath. This can be done to a person with thin or drooping buttocks, but someone of normal weight can benefit from this type of butt lift procedure as well. It all depends on how the fat is distributed. This type of procedure is called the “Brazilian butt lift.�

The fat is taken from elsewhere on the patient’s body, “purified, � that is, sterilized, and injected into the upper buttocks in small amounts at many different locations. Since the fat cells are the patient’s own, there is no problem of rejection. In rare cases, if the patient is very thin, silicon implants may be used, but this is not recommended.

Weigh in on Risks

There are risks, however small, with any surgery, and it is not a good idea to let someone perform any on you unless you are good candidate for the procedure. Talk to a cosmetic surgeon about your need for a butt lift procedure. Reputable doctors do not perform the butt lift on someone who does not need it. He or she may recommend diet and exercise instead.

Interested in improving the contours of your body? Plastic surgery procedures such as breast augmentation, liposuction, and tummy tuck can sculpt and refine the shape of your body so you feel more comfortable and confident in your skin.