“The hip bone connected to the thigh bone . . .” That old spiritual, Dem Bones, said it all. And, as it turns out, it explained why so many women have what we sometimes refer to as hip dips. Even if you have never heard that term, you know what it means – those gentle inward curves found below the hips and above the outer thighs. Today, treatments like hip dip filler and hip augmentation offer new options to smooth and enhance this area.
Especially if you are slender, you may notice this at a young age, explains Dr. Elizabeth Hernandez, because it is part of your genetic build. However, many women notice that the subtle dip becomes more pronounced as they age. As a result of changes in our tissues due to aging and changes in weight, the fat and muscle sink in this area, making treatments like hip dip filler or hip augmentation appealing options to restore smoother contours.
Hip dips reflect the shape of your skeleton underneath. You cannot exercise them away. But that does not mean you cannot take action to smooth away those indentations. At Eterna Cosmetic Surgery, we offer three options for hip augmentation – fat transfer, hip dip filler with Renuva, or Bellafill injections.
Re-Contouring to Erase Hip Dips with Hip Augmentation
The most long-lasting options to correct hip dips are fat transfer or Renuva adipose matrix, though all three options can add volume to the sunken-in areas and can create the same look. However, the cost of hip augmentation procedures varies.
- Fat Transfer. In general, fat transfer is the most cost-effective option for patients who have more severe dips and need more volume in these areas. For this hip augmentation procedure, Dr. Hernandez usually harvests fat from the abdomen, waist or flanks. Fat transfer takes approximately 2 to 3 hours depending on how many liposuction areas are needed, followed by a period of hip augmentation recovery.
- Renuva Adipose Matrix. This is an off-the-shelf injectable option that can be the most cost-effective if you have more subtle hip dips, do not have excess fat in other areas, or prefer not to undergo liposuction. Choosing Renuva allows you to avoid liposuction and the associated downtime, making it a convenient alternative to hip dip filler.
- Bellafill. This is another option to add volume to the hips for patients who prefer not to use their own fat for fat transfer. (Some patients are reluctant to use Renuva because it is derived from donated human fat.) However, hip augmentation with Bellafill is the least cost-effective option because more product is needed to achieve similar results.
Adding Extra Oomph to Your Hips with Hip Augmentation
Hip augmentation is gaining attention because the Brazilian Butt Lift is so well-known and has popularized having an ultra-curvy figure below the waist. Dr. Hernandez says that patients who are interested in getting a Brazilian Butt Lift (which is fat transfer to the buttocks) are often also interested in correcting hip dips with hip dip filler. She can perform both procedures during the same session.
She notes that patients who have undergone buttock augmentation with fat transfer or buttock lift can develop hip dips as they age. In this case, she can restore smooth contouring using hip augmentation with fat transfer, Renuva, or Bellafill. In addition, patients who undergo gluteoplasty (a surgical buttock lift) can also undergo hip augmentation or buttock augmentation to add volume once they are healed from surgery, followed by a smooth hip augmentation recovery.
Because there is so much interest, Dr. Hernandez regularly brings up the option of hip augmentation during patient consultations about buttock augmentation options such as Brazilian Butt Lift, Renuva, or Bellafill treatments.
Transgender patients who desire more obviously rounded hips can also benefit from hip augmentation with fat transfer, hip dip filler, or Bellafill (if you prefer collagen).
To learn more about hip augmentation recovery and available treatments, simply schedule your own personal consultation with Dr. Hernandez.
