HIP AUGMENTATION PLASTIC SURGERY

Hip augmentation is a plastic surgery that increases the width and size of the hips. People choose to have this aesthetic surgery to enhance their legs’ appearance, make their body look better shaped and curvier and achieve a so-called hourglass figure. It is especially effective for the improvement of body shape because getting wider hips is very difficult to achieve with exercising or a proper diet. 

Hip augmentation can be performed in two ways – with fat grafting and with hip implants. Both techniques have their advantages and help patients fulfill their aesthetic goals. 

This cosmetic surgery is a very rewarding experience – it can help the patients improve their self-image and feel more self-confident.

Procedure info at a glance

Will I be awake or asleep during the surgery?Local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia can be used
Do I stay in hospital after surgery?Might be needed to stay for 1 night
What is the recovery time? When can I return to work/exercise?1-8 weeks, depending on the surgery; back to work after 1-2 weeks, back to gym after 2-6 weeks
How long will the surgery last?1-2 hours, depending on the surgery
How long until the final results of surgery are visible?3-6 moths after the surgery

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIP AUGMENTATION TECHNIQUES?

Hip implants

are an effective method for achieving a curvier figure. They are made of similar silicone to breast implants and can be custom tailored to suit each patient’s body proportions and aesthetic goals. 

When inserted, they create natural-looking enhanced hips and carry a minimal risk of leaking or deflating with time. 

During this cosmetic surgery, the surgeon makes an incision under the beltline or near the hips. The surgeon inserts the semi-solid implant underneath the muscle which keeps the implant in the right place. This method creates a natural-looking symmetrical appearance of the hips. The hips instantly appear curvaceous.

The scar is the most noticeable during the first year after the procedure. Then it slowly fades and becomes almost invisible. It can be easily hidden by underwear. 

Hip implant surgery is performed under general anesthesia. The patient can leave the hospital soon after the surgery unless advised otherwise. Then he/she needs to spend the night at the surgical facility. It’s important that the patient arranges for someone to drive him/her home and stay with him/her for the first 24 hours. 

The surgery doesn’t require a long recovery

because the very surgery is less extensive than some others. The downtime is usually 2 to 4 weeks. The aftercare includes avoiding sleeping on the side for 3 weeks, refraining from strenuous activities and lifting heavy objects. After the surgery, the patients wear special protection garments that help speed up their recovery.

The hip area doesn’t have a lot of nerves, veins or arteries so hip augmentation surgery with implants doesn’t cause a lot of severe side effects. Also, the implants are not placed very deeply in the tissue which additionally lowers the risk of complications. 

Hip implants have several advantages. 

They are a long-lasting solution.

Once they are inserted, silicone implants keep their quality and shape permanently, as long as there is no need for them to be repositioned or removed.

They provide consistent results.

They don’t require additional touch-up procedures. Only one surgery is necessary for inserting them into the patient’s hips. 

They are ideal for patients with lower body fat.

Patients who don’t have excess body fat can enhance their hips with silicone implants and achieve curvier figures. 

 

On the other hand,

Hip augmentation with fat grafting

is a less invasive technique. It is ideal for people who have excess body fat on the abdomen, waist or other body areas. These excess fat deposits are extracted with liposuction, then purified and finally injected into the hips. The injected fat enhances the hips and makes them appear better contoured. 

This method of hip augmentation provides a double benefit for the patient – the body area from which the fat was harvested becomes slimmer and the hips get more enhanced. This way, the patient achieves the desired figure. 

This surgery is usually done under general anesthesia and it is an outpatient procedure – the patient can leave the surgical facility soon after the operation. It is very important that the patient arranges for someone to drive him/her home and to stay with him/her for the first 24 hours.

Fat transfer for hip augmentation carries fewer risks and complications because it doesn’t cause allergies or infections – the patient’s hips are enhanced with his/her own body fat. Also, the surgeon doesn’t need to make lengthy incisions – he uses a syringe and tiny cannula to inject the fat. That makes the surgery much shorter. 

The recovery time is at least 8 weeks, but full results are seen after 3 months.

After the surgery, the patient may experience bruising and swelling but these side effects should resolve in 3 weeks. In order to achieve the best results, the patient needs to sleep on the stomach or back during recovery because this way most of the injected fat won’t be reabsorbed by the body. 

Even though fat grafting is the most natural way of enhancing the hips, it isn’t completely permanent. The patient’s body can reabsorb up to 50% of injected fat cells. The fat cells that are present 3 months after the surgery are permanent. It is important that the patient has healthy lifestyle habits and does not gain or lose weight constantly. With proper diet and regular exercise, the patient can maintain the results for a longer time. 

Fat grafting has its advantages:

The recovery is fast.

Since this surgery is done with a cannula the recovery time is shorter. It also doesn’t cause as many complications as some other surgeries might. 

It offers more opportunities for contouring.

Fat transfer is an ideal procedure for people who want to augment their hips and reduce fat in other body areas. This way people can enjoy the advantages of liposuction and hip-enhancing at the same time.

HOW ARE HIP DIPS TREATED?

Hip dips or violin hips are narrow inward dents near the hip bones. Even though hip dips are not a medical condition, some people find them unattractive and would prefer an hourglass figure. Hip augmentation can help them to achieve that.

Hip dips are not usually improved with hip hop implants but rather with fat grafting. However fat grafting can be performed only if the patient has excess body fat. Injected fat cells eliminate the dips, fill out the hips and create an hourglass figure.

Good candidates for hip dips surgery need to be near their ideal body weight, and their weight needs to be stable. Also, the patients need to be relatively healthy without a history of autoimmune or bleeding disorders. 

Even though fat grafting is an effective method of reducing hip dips, almost 50% of injected fat cells can be reabsorbed by the body. Therefore the surgeon needs to inject a higher amount of fat into the hips, or the patient can have additional touch-up surgeries to ensure the best results. 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HIP AUGMENTATION SURGERY?

One of the biggest advantages of hip augmentation with hip implants is that the results are immediately visible. The contours and volume of the upper legs, hips and buttocks are enhanced and improved. Hip implants provide permanent results, they feel and look natural once inserted. 

Hip augmentation with fat grafting also provides natural-looking results. It has a double benefit because it slims one body area and enhances the hips at the same time. With a proper lifestyle, the patients can maintain the results of hip augmentation with fat grafting for a long time. 

On the whole, hip augmentation surgery provides patients with the desired body shape – a curvier hourglass figure. 

FREQUENT QUESTIONS

Asked By Others

  • WHO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR HIP AUGMENTATION SURGERY?

    Good candidates for this aesthetic surgery are people who wish to get a fuller figure by widening their hips. Most adults who are healthy and fit can safely undergo this surgery.

    It’s important to have an initial consultation with the plastic surgeon, who examines the patient’s hip area and determines which technique is better for that patient. The surgeon also takes into account the patient’s goals and expectations from the surgery.

    If the patient is slimmer and doesn’t have a lot of body fat deposits, then hip implants are the best choice.

    If on the other hand, the patient has more fat deposits on other body areas, then fat grafting is a better option. For achieving the best possible outcomes of hip augmentation with fat grafting, it is important that the patient doesn’t have issues with circulation. Good circulation is crucial for supplying injected fat cells with blood. This way more fat cells become permanent. So if the patient smokes, the surgeon may advise him/her to stop a few weeks before fat grafting surgery.

    The surgeon may also advise the patient to stop taking blood-thinning medications like aspirin or ibuprofen a few weeks before the procedure, to prevent excessive bleeding during and after the surgery.

  • WHAT ARE THE GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR RECOVERY AFTER HIP AUGMENTATION?

    The detailed instructions for aftercare are given by the surgeon and it is vital for the patient to strictly follow them. This way the patient can speed up the recovery and achieve the desired results from the surgery.
    The recovery period after this surgery can take between 6 to 8 weeks, but it depends on the patient. Some patients can return to work after a week, while others need more time to feel well enough to work.
    In the first two weeks, the patient may experience swelling, bruising, mild pain and tenderness of the treated area, but this is normal. Every surgery carries a certain amount of side effects so hip augmentation is no exception.
    The patient can walk or sit right after the surgery, but he/she should avoid sleeping on the sides for 3 weeks.
    It’s allowed to take showers after 48 hours, but hot baths, swimming pools and saunas are forbidden for 3 weeks.
    The patient can resume upper body exercises after 2 weeks and lower body exercises after 6 weeks.