Risks

A buttock lift poses various risks, including:

• Fluid accumulation beneath the skin (seroma). Drainage tubes left in place after surgery can help reduce the risk of seroma. Your doctor might also remove fluid after surgery using a needle and syringe.
• Poor wound healing. Sometimes areas along the incision line heal poorly or begin to separate. You might be given antibiotics if there is a wound healing problem.
• Scarring. Incision scars from a buttock lift are permanent, but they're typically placed in areas that aren't easily visible.
• Changes in skin sensation. During a buttock lift, the repositioning of your tissues can affect superficial sensory nerves. You'll likely feel some reduced sensation or numbness. This numbness usually diminishes in the months to year after the procedure.

Like any other type of major surgery, a buttock lift poses a risk of bleeding, infection and an adverse reaction to anesthesia.

Additionally, if you're having a buttock augmentation procedure when having a buttock lift, discuss the potentially serious side effects that can occur when you're using your own fat (autologous fat grafts), such as infection complications and even death.