It’s been thought about in many terms. Some humorous, some more serious. But whether you’re interested in the specifics of the shape of your posterior or whether you’re just thinking of a “larger rear end”, self-image is vital to our daily affairs. For those who are curious about the seeming obsession regarding women’s rear ends, stretching back thousands of years beyond the days of the rather uncomfortable bustle of the 19th century, the answer is rather simple.

The shape and movement of a woman’s buttocks (when walking) is thought to be a genetically hard-wired psychological “trigger” to the male of the species. For the male, this indicates a woman’s appropriate biological physical structure pertaining to her child-bearing ability.

To put it in simple terms – a woman’s shapely, well-rounded rear end indicates a desirable reproductive mate. Now if you add to that, all of the media attention received by celebrities such as Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Lopez sporting curvy bottoms, more and more women are paying attention to their own bodies.

If you find yourself looking in the mirror and you feel that you don’t have the “appropriate” curves to fill out those new jeans, don’t be disappointed, you’re not alone. Fortunately, modern technology can allow us to achieve the provocative curves that nature may have placed temporarily out of our reach. This can be done through one of three methods:

Butt Augmentation

Butt augmentation, known as the Brazilian butt lift, is performed to enhance curves through fat injections. The fat can be removed by a “gentle” liposuction process from areas around the outer areas of the buttocks, thus initially enhancing the shape of the buttocks. The fat cells can also be removed from other places such as the waist, legs or arms, as needed.

The fat cells are then processed and injected through a small incision called an intergluteal incision, which is an inconspicuous vertical incision made between the buttocks. Since the body’s own fat is used to give the buttocks a shapelier look and feel, the body’s rejection of foreign substances is not an issue. The process usually takes about an hour and does not require any inpatient treatment.

Butt Implants

While butt augmentation has the advantage of using the body’s own natural fat, some people do not have enough fat in their bodies to transplant. Therefore, the alternative may be butt implants, usually made of silicone. This is a more invasive process but most butt implant surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure and you’ll be able to return home within a few hours of surgery. Some patients may be concerned with implants breaking, but this is an extremely rare occurrence.

Gluteoplasty

Gluteoplasty lifts the butt by tightening the patient’s skin in the hips and upper hamstring areas to give the buttocks a higher, tighter look. This procedure is ideal for those who have lost skin elasticity due to aging or extreme weight loss. While this procedure may help reduce the appearance of cellulite or sagging skin, gluteoplasty alone will not make the buttocks appear rounder.

Therefore, gluteoplasty may be performed in conjunction with other butt augmentation methods. There is also the consideration of the necessary downtime associated with this procedure. There may be a 24 hour hospital stay and, on the average, patients are advised not to sit for a week after surgery. There are also pre-operative considerations such as not smoking and the avoidance of certain medications prior to surgery.