One of the fastest growing procedures in the cosmetic industry is butt enhancement procedures. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the year 2015 saw an average of one butt enhancement procedure every 30 minutes. With so many Americans searching for butt enhancements, more doctors are offering the most effective butt procedures: Brazilian butt lifts and Sculptra butt lift.
But what is the difference between a Brazilian butt lift and a Sculptra butt lift? The main difference between these two procedures is the invasive methods versus noninvasive methods. This means that Brazilian butt lifts and Sculptra butt lifts have different means of working on the butt, leading to different side effects, results, and costs.
Why Would You Need a Butt Lift?
Drooping or sagging butts is one of the most common concerns for women of all ages. With the growing cultural fascination with the buttocks, women are looking for tight and firm butts while maintaining the desired thickness. Unfortunately, the perfect butt can be quite difficult to achieve naturally, with the difficulty increasing as a person ages.
The most important factor in shaping the perfect butt is the gluteus maximus, or the main muscle in the buttocks (thigh and butt) area.
Like any muscle, the gluteus maximus becomes stronger, larger, and firmer from exercise and proper nutrition, and becomes weaker and smaller when left unattended. With a weak gluteus maximus, the butt droops and loses definition and tightness. To keep the gluteus maximus in shape, it is important to perform exercises that focus on the buttocks area.
Sitting down for long hours daily is also a major deterrent towards maintaining a healthy gluteus maximus. When we sit for several hours per day, the butt experiences added fat accumulation, further reducing its shape and firmness.
The butt lift helps patients reverse the effects of a sedentary lifestyle, aging, and genetic factors that may be contributing to a less-than-ideal butt. Butt enhancement procedures work towards shaping and contouring the butt, tightening the butt, and (when necessary) adding volume to the butt.
Getting a Butt Lift: Brazilian Butt Lift or Sculptra Butt Lift
When deciding to get a butt lift, patients traditionally only had the option for a surgical procedure. This involved either gluteal implants (silicone implants inserted into the butt through an incision in the butt cheek for added volume) or a fat transfer procedure, commonly known as a Brazilian butt lift.
However, patients now have the option of nonsurgical butt enhancement procedures, with a Sculptra butt lift. This procedure allows the patient to experience improvements in their butt without having to go under the knife.
Watch how Sculptra butt lift procedure is being performed by our expert at Ethos Spa:
What is a Brazilian Butt Lift?
A Brazilian butt lift often confuses patients due to its name, as the procedure actually has nothing to do with Brazil. Originally known as a traditional fat transfer surgery (or a butt fill), the procedure acquired its name when its inventor, Dr. Leonard Grossman, performed it on a show in 1996 entitled “Building the Brazilian Butt”.
The Brazilian butt lift is actually two separate procedures in one: a liposuction and a fat injection. A patient is required to have a source of excess fat in the body – usually the abdomen or waist – from where the fat can be sucked out. This fat is then injected in the buttocks area.
Many patients ask why doctors use fat sourced from the patient rather than a synthetic material. This is due to the nature of fat – it is more pliable (thus simpler to work with), and it is easier to control how it will spread once injected back in the body. A synthetic material would be more unpredictable, leading to a lower success rate.
What is a Sculptra Butt Lift?
Sculptra butt lift is the latest innovation in the butt enhancement industry, and it is growing in popularity due to its nonsurgical and noninvasive methods. Sculptra is a dermal filler, but unlike most dermal fillers (which are made of hyaluronic acid), Sculptra’s active ingredient is PLLA, or poly-l-lactic acid. PLLA is different due to its role in promoting collagen production in the body.
While other dermal fillers are generally injected into the face, filling in cases of thin lips and wrinkles, Sculptra is responsible for increasing the volume of a much larger area, the butt. Instead of adding volume to the butt with the dermal filler itself, Sculptra adds volume by triggering the body’s natural collagen production systems.
Collagen is a naturally-occurring protein in the body, which increases the elasticity, volume, and strength in an area. By increasing collagen production in the butt, the Sculptra butt lift procedure allows a gradual and stable improvement in the butt for months after the treatments.
Read more: Non-Surgical Sculptra Butt Lift: Augment Your Natural Curvaceousness
Comparing Brazilian Butt Lift and Sculptra Butt Lift
| Brazilian Butt Lift | Sculptra Butt Lift | |
| Also known as… | – Fat transfer – BBL – Butt Fill – Gluteoplasty | – Non-surgical butt lift – Liquid butt lift – Buttock augmentation injections |
| Procedure | A two-part procedure. This procedure begins with a liposuction from an area of the body with excess fat, such as the waist, abdomen, or thighs. The fat is then purified and placed into injections. It is injected back into the body, in the butt area to increase fat in the butt. | The patient’s butt is marked, with the doctor clearing up the exact injection sites. Once the sites are identified, Sculptra is injected in various parts of the butt, maximizing the effectiveness of the filler. This treatment takes up to thirty minutes, and for best results must be done two or three times over several months. |
| Results | Results of this procedure are immediate and drastic, and patients can expect to see a much larger butt as soon as the procedure is complete. Results can last up to 10 years. | Results of this procedure are slow and gradual. Patients should not expect to see any real difference to their butt after the first treatment. Best results should be obvious 6 months after the first treatment, if a second or third treatment were performed. |
| Scarring | Yes, there is some level of scarring. | No scarring as there are no incisions involved. |
| Cost | Anywhere from $2000 to $10,000. Cost factors include the area of the procedure, the expertise of the surgeon, and the extent of the desired results. | Each session will require at least 10 vials of Sculptra (5 on each side), which cost roughly $850 to $1200 each. |
| Risks / Side Effects | This procedure is becoming less popular due to cases of failed and even fatal BBL procedures. When performed by less experienced surgeons, there is a possibility of fat embolism, in which the injected fat enters the blood stream, causing dangerous damage to the body. | Unlike surgical procedures, there are no major risks with Sculptra. There may be some slight bruising or reddening that will last for a few days due to the needles. In very rare cases, patients may experience bumps on their butt, due to the Sculptra not shaping properly underneath the skin. This will last for the duration of the Sculptra’s lifetime. |
Still Undecided? Important Differences to Consider
Safety and Risks – The Brazilian butt lift has recently been called the most dangerous cosmetic procedure, due to risks of fat embolism (fat injected into the bloodstream) and fat necrosis (fat dying before it is injected back into the body).
Studies have found that BBLs have a rate of death of around 1 in every 3000 patients, with 3% of doctors who perform BBL experiencing at least one patient death. If you are concerned about your safety, it is best to choose a Sculptra butt lift.
Downtime – Downtime or recovery time can be a major issue, as we can’t all afford to spend several weeks away from work. Brazilian butt lifts can force a patient off their feet for 4-6 weeks as they recover. Sculptra, however, demands little to no recovery time, allowing patients to exercise, go to work, and return to normal living the next day.
Results – Results are immediate and long-term with a Brazilian butt lift, lasting up to 10 years before another treatment is needed. Sculptra can last up to 2 years after a single series of treatment, however maintenance 1-2 times per year can keep results steady for years.
Ethos Spa – For Your Butt Enhancement Needs
The most important factor towards achieving a successful butt enhancement procedure is your choice of doctor, and at Ethos Aesthetics + Wellness, we have some of the most experienced, qualified, and patient-centered doctors for your Sculptra butt lift needs.
We have administered Sculptra butt lifts to countless patients, and understand how to cater to your unique expectations. At Ethos Spa, your goals are our goals – contact us and inquire about our Sculptra butt lift procedure, and learn how we can help you achieve your best buttocks today.
