What is a non-surgical butt lift, and who is it for?

Volume without liposuction, anesthesia, or an operating room.

Answered by

Dr. Simon Ourian, M.D.

Published

October 27, 2026

Reviewed

October 27, 2026

A non-surgical butt lift adds volume and shape with injections, done awake as an outpatient, without the liposuction a traditional BBL needs first. Dr. Ourian says it suits patients who have lost twenty to thirty pounds, including on GLP-1 medications, and patients without enough fat to transfer. After forty to fifty pounds of loss, excess skin usually needs surgery.

How it differs from a traditional BBL

A surgical BBL starts with liposuction to collect fat, which is processed and then injected. The non-surgical version skips the harvest.

“So, in the case of traditional BBL, we have to go to someone who has excess fat somewhere in the body, do a complete liposuction, that takes usually an hour to 2 hours to get enough fat, process that, and make sure that the fat is healthy” “In case of using the adipose tissue that is regenerative, we can just that fat comes already packaged and we can get it and inject it into the body very nicely”

	Non-surgical	Traditional BBL
Fat harvest	Not needed	Liposuction first
Anesthesia	None	Required
Setting	Outpatient	Operating room
Bruising	Patients do not go home bruised, in his words	Expected after liposuction

Who it is for

Patients who have lost a moderate amount of weight, often on GLP-1 medications, and patients who do not have enough fat for a transfer.

“If you lost probably 40-50 lbs, this is not the right treatment for you because you probably have to remove some skin, but for someone who has lost 20-30 lbs, the results are fantastic.” “In a lot of cases patients have lost some weight because of GLP-1 medications.” “And honestly, this also a really good option for women who don't even simply have enough donor fat for a traditional fat transfer procedures.”

Recovery

Outpatient, no general anesthesia, and no surgical recovery.

“Patients don't go home all bruised up. They don't have to go under under operating room. It's a very simple procedure that can be done in an outpatient.”

How long it lasts

“They usually last several years. They have very natural feel and look to them. Nobody can tell you have had this done”

Back to Ask Dr. Ourian for more answers from Dr. Simon Ourian.

The figures in this answer reflect Dr. Ourian's observations in his own practice
and are not drawn from published research. This content is for information only
and is not a treatment recommendation. Book a consultation to discuss your own case.

Dr. Simon Ourian is founder and medical director of Epione Beverly Hills, with close to 30 years of practice.

Frequently asked questions

What is a non-surgical butt lift?

A way to add volume and shape to the buttocks with injections, done awake as an outpatient, without liposuction or general anesthesia.

Who is a good candidate for a non-surgical butt lift?

Patients who have lost around twenty to thirty pounds, including on GLP-1 medications, and patients without enough fat for a transfer. After forty to fifty pounds of loss, skin removal surgery is usually needed.

How is it different from a BBL?

A traditional BBL needs liposuction to harvest fat and is done under anesthesia. The non-surgical version skips the harvest and is done awake.

Is there downtime?

Much less than surgery. It is an outpatient procedure with no general anesthesia.