The desire for a curvier backside has surged in recent years, with a record number of women in the US undergoing cosmetic procedures to enhance their buttocks in 2022, new figures reveal.
According to data, a staggering 28,600 women in the US opted for butt enhancement procedures in 2022, marking a significant 54 percent increase over the past five years. Experts attribute this surge in popularity to the influence of social media platforms like Instagram, the growing prominence of hip-hop culture, and what’s been dubbed the “Kardashian effect.”
While some high-profile transformations, such as those seen with celebrities like Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, and Kim Kardashian, are more obvious, there’s also been a rise in a subtler form of buttock enhancement in recent years.
Plastic surgeons note a trend toward what they call “tweakments,” where only a small amount of fat is implanted into the buttocks to accentuate natural curves. Celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Latina singer Becky G are speculated to have undergone such procedures.
The Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), also known as butt augmentation with fat grafting, has become increasingly popular since the mid-2010s. This procedure involves extracting fat from one area of the body and implanting it into the buttocks, often accompanied by liposuction to enhance curves.
Dr. Christopher Costa, a plastic surgeon, emphasizes the importance of achieving natural-looking results with BBL procedures. He points to celebrities like Iggy Azalea as examples of successful outcomes.
Despite the popularity of larger buttocks in the past, there’s been a recent shift toward more subtle enhancements. Dr. Costa notes that many women now seek only slight enhancements to achieve the perfect hip-to-waist ratio, rather than opting for dramatically larger buttocks.
Interestingly, the trend of BBLs isn’t limited to women; some men, particularly in the gay and trans community, also seek buttock enhancements for various aesthetic reasons.
However, experts caution about the potential risks associated with BBL procedures, including fat embolism, tissue death, and fluid retention. Earlier this year, the CDC issued a warning about butt lifts in the Dominican Republic, citing numerous deaths among Americans who underwent cut-price BBL procedures in the country since 2008.
