01Buttock implants: who are they for, and what results?
Buttock implants are suitable for anyone wishing to increase the volume of buttocks considered too flat — most often congenital — or sagging after significant weight loss. Exercise builds the buttocks but does not always create the rounded, full shape sought after; an implant, by contrast, delivers clear, lasting projection. It applies to both sexes, with demand more frequent among women. It is the most appropriate option for a slim patient who has little fat available to transfer.
Buttock implants are made of silicone gel, similar to breast implants but with a thicker shell and a denser (cohesive) gel, to withstand a heavily stressed area (sitting). The usual volume ranges between 250 and 500 cm³ depending on the body shape, in a round or anatomical form.
02Implants or lipofilling: the advantages of an implant
Compared with buttock lipofilling (BBL), a buttock implant offers three advantages:
- a substantial increase in volume, greater than what fat transfer allows;
- a round, well-defined shape, independent of fat reserves — ideal for slim people;
- a permanent result (the implant does not resorb), while remaining reversible if you wish to remove it.
In return, it is a procedure with heavier recovery than a BBL and leaves a scar (hidden in the intergluteal crease). An implant and lipofilling can also be combined (a composite technique) for a more natural result.
03An intramuscular implant: why it matters
Unlike a breast implant, a buttock implant is placed within the thickness of the gluteus maximus muscle, sandwiched and fully covered. This intramuscular positioning makes it invisible and imperceptible, protects it from the friction of sitting and keeps it away from the sciatic nerve. It is also why the risk of capsular contracture is almost non-existent here, unlike with breast implants — but it is what explains the more painful recovery in the first few days and the ban on sitting while healing takes place.
04How the procedure works
Before the procedure
A two-stage consultation precedes the procedure: gathering your expectations, explaining the course of the operation and the recovery, and a clinical examination defining the implantable volume according to your body shape (generally 250 to 500 cm³). A blood test and an anaesthesia consultation (at the latest 48 hours beforehand) are carried out. Contraindications are checked: anticoagulant treatment, infection, heart conditions posing an anaesthetic risk; stopping smoking is required one month before so as not to delay healing.
During the procedure
The operation takes place under general anaesthesia, lasts around 1 hr 30 and requires 1 to 2 nights in hospital. With the patient lying on their stomach, the surgeon most often makes two incisions on either side of the intergluteal crease (a hidden scar, with each pocket isolated from the other to limit the risk of infection). A custom intramuscular pocket is created in the gluteus maximus and the implant is inserted, fully covered (sandwiched), with great care over the lateral positioning to avoid any deformity when walking. The layers are closed with absorbable sutures and a fitted dressing is applied.
After the procedure
Recovery is fairly demanding and should be planned for: noticeable pain for around ten days, and above all the ban on sitting (≈ 1 week) and on lying on your back (≈ 2 weeks) — you stay standing or on your side. Painkillers, compression stockings and anticoagulants (to prevent phlebitis), with swelling and bruising during the first week. A compression garment is worn for one month. Allow about 2 weeks off work, no sport before 6 weeks, and no cycling or gluteal exercises before 3 months. The result becomes clearer at around 1 month and becomes permanent at 2-3 months, once the implants have softened and stabilised. A check-up every 5 years is recommended.
05Prices & fees in Paris
| Procedure | Aesthetic fees |
|---|---|
| Buttock implant | 7 500 – 9 500 € |
Indicative “from” prices, surgeon fees included. The final quote is given at the consultation, after examination, depending on the area treated and the technique chosen. Part of the procedure may be covered by French national health insurance when the medical criteria are met.
06Your questions
How much do buttock implants cost in Paris?+
Allow approximately €7,500 to €9,500 for buttock implants, including hospitalisation and anaesthesia. A precise quote is given during the consultation, depending on the volume and any combination with liposuction.
What are the drawbacks of a buttock implant?+
Mainly the demanding recovery: pain for around ten days, the impossibility of sitting or lying on your back for 1 to 2 weeks, and a recovery of about 2 weeks. Added to this is a scar (hidden in the intergluteal crease) and, as with any surgery, rare risks (infection, implant displacement) that call for an experienced surgeon.
Buttock implants or lipofilling (BBL): which to choose?+
An implant provides greater volume and a round shape, ideal if you are slim and lack fat to transfer. Buttock lipofilling (BBL) gives a more natural result using your own fat and a lighter recovery, but a more modest gain in volume. Without surgery, HYAcorp augments the buttocks temporarily.
How long does a buttock implant last?+
Very long: 20 years, or even more. Unlike breast implants, the risk of capsular contracture is almost non-existent. A check-up every 5 years is advised to anticipate any rupture.
Can a buttock implant be removed?+
Yes, the procedure is reversible: an implant can be removed or changed, for example in case of discomfort, displacement or simply a change of mind. Removal is done through the same approach.
Where is the scar located?+
Most often in the intergluteal crease, which makes it very discreet. An approach above the buttocks is possible but leaves a more visible scar.
Is a buttock implant painful? What is the recovery like?+
The first few days are painful because the implant sits within the muscle. You must avoid sitting for ~1 week and lying on your back for ~2 weeks. About 2 weeks off work, sport at 6 weeks, cycling and gluteal exercises at 3 months.
Is there a risk of capsular contracture as with breast implants?+
No, the risk of capsular contracture is almost non-existent for buttock implants, thanks to their intramuscular position, which is well vascularised and fully covered.
What volume and shape of implant?+
The usual volume ranges from 250 to 500 cm³ per buttock, in a round shape (a full effect) or anatomical shape (more natural), chosen according to your body shape and the result you want.
Are buttock implants covered by insurance?+
No: as a purely cosmetic procedure, buttock implants are not covered by the French national health insurance.
How do you sit and sleep after buttock implant surgery?+
For the first two weeks, you stay lying on your stomach or on your side most of the time and avoid prolonged sitting (allowed for journeys and meals): the aim is to protect the scar in the intergluteal crease, an area that heals slowly, and to let the implants stabilise. After 2 weeks, there is no longer any forbidden position.
