Watch CBS News

Brazilian Butts Lifts Are Becoming A Big Thing

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - There's a cosmetic surgery that has rapidly become one of the trendier enhancement procedures.

It's the Brazilian butt lift and its popularity just might be influenced by some of Hollywood's biggest stars.

There are no butts about it, rounder rears are in. One could argue that Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez's backsides are some of their best known assets.

Amy McGraw is a working mother of four and a grandmother who has never been happy with her rear view. After much research, McGraw ended up at the Miami Institute for Age Management in Miami and underwent a Brazilian Butt Lift.

"I have had a flat butt my entire life. I used to be teased about it, so especially down here in South Florida, I thought well why not, I'm at a point in my life where the kids are grown and I'm a grandma and why not?" said McGraw. "I am very secure with who I am and so why not."

The procedure was done by Dr. Phillip Craft, a specialist in body sculpting.

"But we are not really doing a butt lift; really what you are doing is restoring volume. Just like when you do breast implants, you're giving back volume, which kind of gives the look like it's being lifted, but really you are getting projection and the same with the buttocks, you are putting the fat in there to restore volume, restore projection at the same time since you are pushing the skin out," said Dr. Craft. "You are also getting like pulling out of the skin, which gives that better shape in the lower part of the buttocks and better shape at the top."

Although McGraw admitted to being nervous about the procedure itself, she was not nervous about the results having seen Dr. Crafts work.

"For the end result, I just want to, and I said this earlier, I want to be able to look on the outside, the way I feel on the inside, that's what I want and this isn't it right now," said McGraw. "So I want to see what it is going to be."

On the day of surgery, McGraw was taken to the on-site operating room at the Miami Institute to begin her transformation.

The Brazilian Butt Lift's popularity in recent years is credited to the fact it's less invasive and has an easier recovery than traditional buttocks implants. Here there is no real cutting involved.

"I am taking from waist, the lateral thighs and anywhere she has a little bit of localized fat collections, which she can't lose with exercise and with diet, sculpting out the deep layers of that fat and then letting it get into the nice thicker fat that can be injected," said Dr. Craft. "We inject in multiple layers so that those fat cells can become enclosed in approximation to the good healthy tissue and survive so you want those fat cells to be able to grow in those multiple layers and give that volume."

When patients like McGraw, who had more intense procedures, go up to a room at the Four Seasons hotel, they stay there overnight and receive the 24 hour care they need, by the nurses from the institute who are right downstairs.

As with any surgery, there are risks and some deaths from this procedure have been reported, usually due to illicit substances that are used.

To avoid complications:

  • Find a competent surgeon. Preferably a board certified plastic surgeon experienced in this procedure.
  • Be in good health.
  • Walk every couple of hours after surgery to avoid blood clots.
  • Never take birth control pills around the time of surgery.

Six weeks later McGraw was flaunting her new look, proudly parading her posterior in her first snug fitting jeans and in a bikini.

She said it's the transformation she was wishing for and then some more.

"It is way more than I wanted it to be. I was really nervous about what would end up happening, I was very nervous I would end up with a booty way too big," said McGraw. I know, I didn't want to be, I wanted to be proportionate to my body and Dr. Craft did an excellent job and my husband is very happy too! So it is beyond."

The butt lift procedure costs about $3000.00 at the Miami Institute. Prices may vary from doctor to doctor but buyer beware, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Don't go for cheap when you have any work performed on your body. Do your homework and find the surgeons with the best reputations.

<strong>RELATED CONTENT:</strong>

 

 

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.