Removing Painful Silicone Injections With The Open Technique and Butt Lift*

Some patients are told their injections are “safe” or “sterile,” but permanent foreign body injections can still cause serious long-term problems. Our patient is a 50-year-old Black female who previously had foreign body injections placed into her buttocks and left thigh. She was told the product was sterile silicone but later developed pain, burning, itching, and migration into her left thigh. As her pain continued to worsen, our patient came to Dr. J. Timothy Katzen for help removing the product from her body. Under general anesthesia, Dr. Katzen performed silicone injection removal of the buttocks using the open technique with a posterior butt lift. The open technique allows Dr. Katzen to directly access the affected tissue, remove silicone-damaged areas, and address scar tissue that may be trapping the foreign material inside the body. This approach is often necessary when silicone has migrated or caused inflammation because suction alone may not fully remove the problem. After the removal, Dr. Katzen performed a posterior butt lift to help lift, tighten, and reshape the buttocks for a smoother contour. These photos were taken 10 days after surgery, and our patient achieved remarkable results. Her early healing already shows an improved buttock shape while addressing the source of her symptoms. For patients suffering from illegal silicone injections, open silicone removal with posterior butt lift surgery can help improve comfort, contour, and quality of life.