Doctors are warning the popular trend of Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs) can be deadly – especially when women travel overseas in search of a cheaper procedure. Celebrities like rapper Cardi B have famously received the surgery, where a person has fat from their abdomen moved into their hips and buttocks to create an hourglass shape.
More than 61,000 butt implants were performed in the US in 2021, a 37% increase from the previous year. These figures do not include the many women who travel abroad to receive a BBL for a lower price.
Buttock implants are cosmetic surgical procedures that are done to contour or enhance the shape and size of the butt. The global buttock augmentation market size was estimated at USD 1.5 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.0% from 2021 to 2028. See the past and future butt augmentation market in the chart below and learn more here.
Cardi B recently revealed that she had 95 percent of her implants removed over concerns about her long-term health and warned fans against getting the procedure – see video below. “It’s an epidemic that’s getting worse as social media is making it more popular,” Dr. Tansar Mir, a New York-based plastic surgeon, told ABC.
Known risks include fat embolization, where fat from the injection enters the bloodstream and travels into the lungs or heart. Women may also suffer a seroma, where fluid builds up underneath the site of a surgical incision and could become infected.
The risk of suffering these issues only increases when a person seeks cheaper options in less-developed nations. Improper sanitation can raise the risk of infections, and improperly trained or certified doctors are more likely to make errors that increase the risk of complications.
Even when appropriately done, recovery from a BBL can take months and require a woman to avoid sitting down and sleeping on their back. Many people opt for silicone butt implants, which give the same hourglass shape but could carry even more danger. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that these injectable silicon procedures can lead to severe complications or death.
And yet the butt augmentation market continues to explode and is set to explode even more in the future. What one will do in the name of vanity. How about you? Is a butt augmentation procedure in your future? Give us your take in the comment section below.
By Tom Williams
