A Quantitive Study of the Ideal Female Buttock: Ptosis and Point of Maximal Projection

Goals/Purpose: Gluteal augmentation procedures seek to enhance the size or shape of a patient's buttocks by the use of either implants or fat transfer. The latter technique is often referred to as the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL). Although many plastic surgery procedures (such as breast implants) rely on sizing classification systems, there are no classification systems for gluteal augmentations or BBLs that are widely accepted to date. Consequently, a recent paper by Dorfman et al. established a novel system that defined the ideal buttock as having a point of maximum projection that falls midway between the ASIS and infragluteal crease. Herein, we designed this study as a way to further evaluate what constitutes an ideal buttock in society. We seek to put this hypothesis to the test by conducting an analysis of top global models which would maintain the closest societal definition of ideal.

Methods/Technique: In order to evaluate what constitutes the ideal buttock, we studied the most desired, youthful buttocks by analyzing female models from various global modeling agencies. The models were grouped into the three categories: ‘top models’, Sports Illustrated Models, and Victoria’s Secret Models. The six ‘top’ modeling agencies studied were IMG Models, Next Model Management, Elite Models, The Society, and Ford Models, which were chosen based on reputation and credibility in the industry. Once the images for each dataset were collected, three authors (N.G, G.D., M.C.) analyzed the images from a lateral view and evaluated the distribution of gluteal tissue to find a point of maximum projection. Once this was determined, we measured at what percentile mark, between the ASIS and infragluteal crease, this point of maximum projection was located.

Results/Complications: A total of 108 images of model buttocks were gathered as data from each of the six aforementioned top modeling agencies (n=39), Sports Illustrated (SI) (n=43), and Victoria’s Secret (VS) (n=26). Of all the images collected, none of the models presented any ptosis (n=0), 79.6 % (n=86) had a point maximum projection that fell halfway (50%) between the ASIS and gluteal crease, and the remaining 20.4 % (n=22) had points of maximum projection below the halfway mark mentioned. Of the 22 images that had maximum projection beyond the midway point, we then measured at what percentile mark these points were located at. The results are as follows: 6 models had maximum projections at the 55% mark (SI n=3; Top Models n=3), 9 models at 60% (SI n=5; VS n=1; Top Models n=3), 4 models at 65% (SI n=2; VS n=2), and 3 at 70% (VS n=3).

Conclusion: In our previous paper, we hypothesized that an ideal buttock is one in which the point of maximum projection falls halfway between the ASIS and infragluteal crease. Herein, we sought to objectively put this hypothesis to the test in order to determine what constitutes ‘ideal’. The results of our study indicate that the current parameters for a youthful, ideal buttocks has a point of maximal projection that falls halfway between the iliac crest and infragluteal crease, with a semi-circular/semi-oval shape. The knowledge that the point of maximal projection of the gluteus should lie halfway between the ASIS and infragluteal crease can be used as an objective marker for surgeons intra-operatively when reshaping the buttocks in a gluteal augmentation or BBL procedure.This discovery, in conjunction with the recently proposed classification system, allows for a clear establishment of what constitutes an ideal buttock and provides clear guidance for patients and surgeons alike.