Hydrogel injections to the buttocks – Don’t do it!

In 2007, I wrote a blog post about Hydrogel for Buttock augmentation. In the post I detailed my reasons why I did not think it was a good idea to do a Buttock Augmentation or Butt Lift with hydrogel.  The only thing that has changed since I wrote that post is that I have seen many patients who have suffered terrible damage from hydrogel injections!  My position remains the same: Hydrogel to buttocks: Don’t do it! To recap….

Reasons NOT to have Hydrogel injections for Butt augmentation

1) Not FDA approved

For the amount of filler needed to get a proper Butt augmentation or buttocks lift, the costs are prohibitive. Even if the costs were not an issue, the use of hydrogel for Buttock augmentation is not FDA approved in the USA as far as I am aware.

2) Complications are severe, tragic

The long term results are not very well documented in the scientific literature, but there are plenty of well documented cases in the media of deaths, disfigurement, amputations, and organ failure as a result of these non approved injections.

Essence Magazine detailed the exclusive story of Apryl Michelle Brown (photo: Kawai Matthews), who lost all four limbs due to silicone butt injections. To learn more about these tragic events with various injections, read Shot Girls by Vanity Wonder or the details of the very sad story of Apryl Michelle Brown.

3) Injectors are not licensed

There is a virtual cottage industry of “injectors” plying their trade in hotel rooms and backdoor clinics. Having an ‘injection’ is a medical procedure. It should be performed in a sterile environment.  Medical procedures should be performed by a physician who went to Medical School. These ‘injectors’ are generally unlicensed, dangerous and unscrupulous.

hydrogel to buttocks–don’t do it!

-Dr. Rodriguez

Despite all this, what is truly puzzling in the responses I get to my 2007 blog post discouraging hydrogel usage. In the comments a lot of people are asking me if I do the hydrogel, or could I recommend one who does. ?? I do not recommend it! Would you pay any amount of money for a procedure that can disfigure you, maim you, or even kill you? Even if it is cheap?

Recently I received a sad phone call from an out of town patient. Her buttocks are disfigured because of hydrogel injections from a fraudulent practitioner. Like most patients, she did the hydrogel because it was offered cheap. Medical Procedures should never be evaluated with cost as the primary factor. It is OK to look for bargains with clothing because you can always throw the clothes away. It is not OK to look for bargains with surgery because you only have one body.

So what is the right option to enhance your buttocks?

Fat transfer by a board certified plastic surgeon

If you want a bigger, more prominent buttocks, the best option is a Brazilian butt lift procedure performed by a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. The Brazilian butt lift uses Fat transfer techniques. A Fat transfer uses your own natural fat, and the technique produces long lasting results. It is not just a matter of making your butt bigger, but improving your whole figure. When expertly done it’s as risk free as you can get. In over 300 cases of Fat transfers I have only had one minor infection, which resolved without any consequences. There is practically nothing else I do that has this record of safety.

If you want more prominent and perky buttocks, look for a board certified plastic surgeon and have the Brazilian butt lift procedure. It is possible to get not only a beautiful Buttock augmentation or Buttock lift, but a beautiful new figure. The Brazilian butt lift not only augments your buttocks, but it resculpts your entire body torso. View our procedure photo gallery to see some of our patients’ before and after pictures.

Some patients are also candidates for the B’more butt lift , which is a sculpting around the buttocks area to make them look more prominent. The B’more butt lift is a more affordable option than the Brazilian butt lift because the procedure can be performed in a much shorter period of time.

However, if you can not afford either procedure, then don’t resort to Hydrogel Injections. Either save your money to have the right procedure with an experienced surgeon, or don’t do anything at all!