The ultimate guide to Butt Lift

Last fact-checked: 11 November 2021

With a butt lift abroad, you can enjoy a holiday in the sun before undergoing surgery to get that firmer, perkier bum—all while saving more than 60% compared to prices back home.

Find out how and where to receive this confidence-boosting cosmetic procedure at one of Medical Departures' quality-checked clinics in dozens of top medical tourism destinations around the world, including Thailand, Turkey, Mexico, Malaysia and South Korea.

What Is a Butt Lift?

Also known as a buttock lift, gluteal lift or gluteoplasty (the correct medical term), a butt lift is designed to transform your butt when it starts to sag—either because you’ve lost a significant amount of weight, it's become slacker as you've grown older and had kids, or just because of those pesky little things called genetics.

The gluteoplasty procedure involves removing excess skin and fat through surgical incisions and liposuction. As a result, patients can expect smoother, firmer, lifted buttocks with long-lasting results.

Important items to consider about butt lift procedures:

• For the surgery, your medical history, amount of fat and skin to be removed and your personal preferences are taken into account by your surgeon and anesthesiologist in order to determine the most appropriate anesthesia plan. As the procedure involves liposuction and removal of skin tissue, it is most commonly performed under general anesthesia.

• Butt lifts can be performed on an outpatient basis at an accredited surgical clinic or at a hospital as an inpatient, which usually involves one overnight stay.

• As well as liposuction, gluteal lifts can also be combined with other cosmetic surgeries as part of a mommy makeover, such as a tummy tuck.

• For those looking to remove sagging skin while also adding volume, a butt lift can also be carried out in combination with buttock augmentation, whereby the size and shape of the buttocks can be enhanced with implants or fat transfer.

Is a Butt Lift the Same as a Brazilian Butt Lift?

A traditional butt lift (gluteal lift) is not the same as a Brazilian Butt Lift.

The main difference is that a BBL involves fat, usually harvested from another part of your body, being injected into the buttocks to achieve a fuller-looking behind; a similar procedure may also involve butt implants.

While a butt lift does help get rid of unwanted skin and contour the buttocks, it does not add volume. That said, in some cases, a butt lift can be combined with the BBL technique to achieve a fuller-looking derriere as well as less sagging skin.

If you are interested in BBL abroad, check out Medical Departures’ Ultimate Guide to Brazilian Butt Lift surgery here.

Am I Suitable for a Butt Lift?

Ideal candidates for butt lift surgery should:

• Be in overall good health.

• Have a BMI of less than 30.

• Have maintained a stable weight for around 12 months beforehand.

• Genuinely have loose, excess or sagging skin around the buttocks.

• Understand that a butt lift does not add volume.

• Be committed to leading a healthy lifestyle following surgery, and not piling the pounds back on.

If you are unsure as to your suitability due to preexisting health conditions, or have any other questions or concerns, consult with your local GP back home or get in touch with Medical Departures, who can arrange for you to have an online consultation with a global doctor before you fly for treatment.

Butt Lift Before and After – What Should I Know?

Take note of these considerations as to what you should do before and after butt lift surgery abroad:

• You should stop smoking for at least six weeks before the procedure, as smoking interferes with blood flow and the healing process.

• Maintain a healthy diet before and after surgery, eating nourishing food with vitamins, minerals and proteins that will help your body heal.

• Although the results from a butt lift are long-lasting, weight fluctuation, or becoming pregnant may affect the long-term results.

• Ageing will eventually take its toll as well; again, you can help prolong the results by maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regime.

• Immediately following surgery, you’ll need to have transport back to your hotel arranged as you won’t be able to drive. Your clinic or medical center can usually arrange a shuttle to your accommodation.

• You should also ask your surgeon as to when you will be able to fly home (normally around one week later); in this regard, it is best to purchase flexible tickets so you won’t lose money if your departure dates change slightly.

How Long Does a Butt Lift Take?

The buttock lift procedure can take between two and five hours, depending on how much skin and fat needs to be removed, and what method your surgeon chooses to use.

When you wake from the procedure you may find surgical drains are in place to remove fluid, and you may be wearing a compression garment.

What Does a Typical Butt Lift Procedure Entail?

This surgery is most commonly carried out under general anaesthesia; for minor procedures where only a small amount of skin is removed, you may be given a combination of local anaesthesia with IV sedation.

To begin, your surgeon will make incisions across the top of your buttocks, or in the crease below your buttocks, where they join with your legs, and/or in the hip or groin regions–depending on your specific needs.

Excess skin will be removed with further incisions and the remaining skin will be tightened. Liposuction may also be used to eliminate any stubborn pockets of fat, creating a smoother contour.

To complete the procedure, incisions will be closed with layered sutures so that the skin remains tight. These will be dressed, and drains may be inserted to help reduce swelling. You may be asked to wear a fitted compression garment to help reduce swelling and support your new shape as it heals.

 Patients also have the option to combine their butt lifts with augmentation, which essentially adds more volume if needed, or as part of an extensive tummy tuck.

What Is the Butt Lift Procedure Recovery Time?

Following your butt lift, take note of these short and medium-term considerations as your body heals over the course of several months:

• Once the anesthetic has worn off, you may feel some pain and you will be swollen and red for some weeks after surgery.

• A course of painkillers can be prescribed to help ease the immediate discomfort.

• You will be discharged as soon as you are comfortable moving around and walking.

• Your surgeon will be able to estimate how long you’ll need to stay in your country of choice before you fly; in general, patients should be able to fly home after around a week, depending on the extent of the surgery.

• It usually takes two or three weeks before you will feel able to continue with everyday activities. It is advisable not to do anything too strenuous, including lifting, for at least a month after surgery.

• A full recovery takes several months as the wound heals.

How Much Does Butt Lift Surgery Cost Abroad?

Take a look at the table below which displays average prices across three popular medical tourism destinations, including Turkey, Mexico and Thailand:

Please note: These are average price estimates; please check our individual clinic listings for up-to-date prices or connect with our Customer Care Team for a personalized, no-obligation quote.

How Much Can I Save on Butt Lift Surgery Compared to Prices in the US and UK?

Patients booking their butt lift surgery abroad through Medical Departures save between 50% and 70% compared to prices in the UK, EU, US and Australia.

As a purely cosmetic procedure, butt lift surgery is not covered by national healthcare providers, like the NHS or private health insurance companies; thus patients must pay all costs themselves, either upfront or as a long-term monthly bill… which is never a good sign.

Take a look at the country price comparisons below to get an idea of how much you can save on a gluteal lift abroad:

UK butt lift prices compared to Turkey:

• On average, butt lift surgery in the UK costs: GBP 6,000-8,000

• On average, butt lift surgery in Turkey costs: GBP 2,500

• This gives patients a saving of: 65%

US butt lift prices compared to Mexico:

• On average, butt lift surgery in the US costs: USD 10,000-12,000

• On average, butt lift surgery in Mexico costs: USD 3,500

• This gives patients a saving of: 60% - 70%

Best Global Clinics for Butt Lift Surgery

Take a look at Medical Departures’ top-rated butt lift clinics and hospitals in Turkey, Mexico and Thailand below:

Turkey

• Estetik International - medical

• Istanbul Aesthetic Center (Medical)

• Memorial Healthcare Group

>> All butt lift clinics in Turkey

Mexico

• Hospital de la familia

• Panama Plastic Surgery

• Oneline Beauty Clinic

>> All butt lift clinics in Mexico

Thailand

• Yanhee Hospital Health & Beauty

• Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital

• Bangkok Plastic Surgery

>> All butt lift clinics in Thailand

Other clinics listings by country:

• Philippines butt lift clinic and hospital listings

• Malaysia butt lift clinic and hospital listings

• Costa Rica butt lift clinic and hospital listings

• South Korea butt lift clinic and hospital listings

Is the Quality of Butt Lift Surgery Abroad the Same as Back Home?

You can expect the clinical quality in the best international clinics to be on par with what you would experience in countries like the US, Canada, the UK and Australia. However, it is always important to make sure you book with a surgeon who is qualified and certified in this particular area, which normally requires a little background research.

When booking with Medical Departures, you can be assured of being in the care of highly skilled surgeons who are fully licensed and hold professional memberships with the likes of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), as well as domestic medical and surgical councils in their respective countries.

We also provide real patient reviews of their butt lift surgery, as well as high-definition clinic photos and virtual tours to help you reach a decision on whether a particular surgeon is right for you.

Why Book with Medical Departures?

When booking treatment at a clinic abroad on their own, patients are taking an unnecessary risk. This is because it can often be difficult to know the true quality of care being provided at certain global facilities, nor can the training, licenses and credentials of the surgeons be properly verified.

Mere degrees are not enough to testify to their expertise and experience in handling various procedures, like butt lifts; and when things do go wrong, the surgery is typically carried out by a blacklisted surgeon or one who’s had their professional license revoked.

When you book through Medical Departures you are assured that we have investigated and checked out the doctors thoroughly with regards to their training, credentials, experience and skill. We also make sure that the hospitals and clinics we list on our site meet hygiene and other standards so that you do not need to compromise on any aspect.

When booking with Medical Departures, you can also take advantage of:

• Free, 24/7 customer support from our Customer Care Team

• Our Best Price Guarantee pledge

• Exclusive promotions on different treatments, as well as accommodation

• Our free-to-cancel pledge, any time up to 24 hours before your appointment

• No upfront charges when you book (pay at the clinic)

• A choice of over 1,000 fully verified clinics and hospitals around the world.

How Do I Book?

Get started by looking through our full global list of more than 100 butt lift surgeons, clinics and hospitals.

Connect with us here to book your free appointment and start planning your money-saving trip abroad with Medical Departures.

Alternatively, if you have selected your clinic and are ready to schedule your appointment, you can do so right here any time of the day or night, at no charge to you.

Sources:

Cherney, Kristeen, Ph.D. Everything You Need to Know About the Brazilian Butt-Lift (Fat Transfer) Procedure. Healthline. 15 June 2019. https://www.healthline.com/health/brazilian-butt-lift

Buttock Lift. Mayo Clinic. Website accessed: 2 November 2021. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/buttock-lift/about/pac-20393277

Liposuction. Mayo Clinic. Website accessed: 2 November 2021. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/liposuction/about/pac-20384586

International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Website accessed: 2 November 2021. https://www.isaps.org/

Buttock Lift with Augmentation. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2021. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/photo-gallery/procedure/buttock-lift-with-augmentation

Brazilian Butt Lift. American Board of Cosmetic Surgeons. Website accessed: 2 November 2021. https://www.americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org/procedure-learning-center/body-procedures/brazilian-butt-lift/

Vitamin and mineral supplements after weight loss surgery. NHS. PDF accessed: 2 November 2021. https://www.sth.nhs.uk/clientfiles/File/PIL1716%20vitamins%20and%20minerals.pdf

Why is Thailand so popular for medical tourists? The Thaiger. 19 February 2019.
https://thethaiger.com/thai-life/why-is-thailand-so-popular-for-medical-tourists

Understanding NHS dental charges. NHS. Website accessed: 2 November 2021. https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/dental-costs/understanding-nhs-dental-charges/