No Butts About It: Celebrity-Inspired Butt Enhancement on the Rise

Gossip columnists used to only gab about whether or not Hollywood's it girls have gotten breast implants or nose jobs. Plastic surgery is still a hot topic, but the focus is often on another part of a woman's anatomy. Everyone's obsessed with having a bigger butt these days, and many are willing to go to great lengths to achieve the look they want. Although having a curvy lower half is certainly not a novel concept (many black women have been holding it down forever), a handful of sexy stars have made the look trendy and desirable.

Whether it's Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé or rap newcomer Nicki Minaj, celebrities with notable posteriors are and causing regular folks to head to the nearest plastic surgeon.

Dr. Anthony Griffin, a Los Angeles-based plastic surgeon who invented the Brazilian Butt Lifft, during which fat from the patient's body is injected into the buttocks to make it fuller, says that what used to be a hush-hush procedure is now both popular and commonplace -- especially among people of color.

"Initially, it was funny, because I thought it was mostly going to be Caucasians that wanted this procedure," he told Black Voices. "But, ironically, mostly people of color wanted it, because they're like, "Hey, look -- I'm supposed to have a butt.'"

The rate has slowed a bit due to the economy, but for a while Griffin said he was doing a few procedures a week. Since 2000, he said, buttock procedures have been up 162 percent at his clinic.

"The problem is that a lot of things that we do follow fashion," he said. "Fashion is more denim and tight-fitting jeans, low-rise jeans -- [larger butts are] what people want because, ultimately, most people want to be able to fit in their clothes and look good in their bathing suits. That's whats driving it."
With the increased popularity of the procedure, there has also been an increase in dangerous behavior from both patients and medical professionals. Griffin said he recently treated a woman who got infected after having hydrogel injected into her buttocks by a doctor in South America. And just last month, six women were hospitalized after unlicensed providers gave them butt-enhancement injections using the same silicone used to caulk bathtubs.

Silicone buttock implants, Griffin said, are very painful, prone to slipping out of place and generally less desirable than a natural fat injection. They are also more noticeable. With a butt lift, a regular person -- or a big-name celebrity -- might just look a little better in their clothes, he said.

Regardless of what kind of procedure you choose or whether you decide to go through life with the flat (or fat) butt that your mama gave you, the influx of interest in butt enhancement is a sign of the times. A body type that women of African descent used to receive scorn or ridicule for is now highly sought after and coveted.

"I think what it is is that as people of color, we have always been ridiculed for our features, " Griffin said, "and it's ironic that now everyone wants to have those features."

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Did She or Didn't She?

The following ladies are famous for their considerable assets -- but did they go under the knife for their bodacious butts? Some did, and some were lucky enough to be born with the goods!

Axelle Wousson, Bauer Griffin

Getty

BlackVoices.com

The College Survival Guide

A Fridge
Regardless of whether you have a wonderful sized meal plan, your fridge may come in handy with leftovers or when you feel like stocking it with bottled drinks.

Computer
The convenience of a computer is essential when sending your kids off to college. Forget the hike to the computer lab across campus students need a computer in the comfort of their room. A printer comes in handy as well. Depending on whether your child plans to carry his laptop around campus, you might opt for a desk top since they're lighter on the pockets.

Snacks
You will surely survive with off of a meal plan but it doesn't hurt to stock up on snacks when you don't feel like leaving your dorm room. Bottled water, pop corn, cereal and Ramen noodles are all low budget snacks to stock up on. Just be weary of the freshman 15.

Things from home
Some college students suffer from homesickness the first year. It's best to surround yourself with things like photos of the family, pillows or even stuffed animals. Anything that reminds your child of home.

MP3 Player
With all the stress that comes from school and exams, sometimes it's nice to block out the chaos in your life and even your roommate with music. It's nearly impossible to find students walking to class who aren't jamming to tunes.

Budget
Students who enter college often come in at the ripening age of 18. A great time for credit cards. Parents beware, your child may end up ruining their credit at a young age

Alarm Clock
When you're in college you don't have the luxury of getting awaken by your parents. It's now your responsibility to get to class on time so alarm clocks are a must. But keep your roommate in mind. You shouldn't wake him up ever morning with a blow horn alarm.

Cleaning supplies
Now you don't necessarily need to bring in the rubber gloves, mop and gas mask but it doesn't hurt to bring along Clorox all purpose wipes for spills or dust. Vacuums and brooms come in handy too depending if you have a carpeted dorm.

Bedding
What most parents aren't aware of is that most college beds are twin sized but extra long and require special sheets. When shopping keep your eye open for sheets that clearly state 'extra long' or else your child may come up short.

Shower shoes
You really don't know what some people do in the shower these days. College showers are known to be creeping with germs so spare yourself the fungus and purchase flip flops for the shower. You'll thank us later!