Durban - When Kim Kardashian, Iggy Azalea and Nicki Minaj walk the red carpet, there is one thing they all love showing off: their famous derrières.
These are just some of the celebrities who have brought back curves and if the latest trend is anything to go by, the rise of the booty will continue.
Vogue magazine declared “we’re officially in the era of the big booty” and Entertainment Weekly said this would be “the summer of butts”. And who can forget two of the world’s most expensive derrières: Jennifer Lopez insured hers for R297-million and Kylie Minogue, R55m.
Celebrities are not just dressing up in clothes that show off their butts; they are now even singing about them. Although there have been a number of songs in the past, none have garnered popularity like Lopez’s Booty and Minaj's Ana-conda, both recent releases about their butts. Jason Derulo also released Wiggle, all about shaking your big butt and Meghan Trainor released All About the Bass.
Durban-based plastic surgeon, Dr Susan Johnson, said fat injections were popular in South Africa. “There are two procedures. One is the silicone buttock implant, which is like breast augmentation, and the other is a fat injection, also known as a Brazilian lift.
“Implants can be risky because the positioning of the silicon has to be done correctly for the bum to look natural and that can go wrong. It is also a very painful procedure and if not done by one of the few experts in the world, you could be looking at further reconstructive surgery,” she said.
Johnson said fat injections were popular. “I have done many and people prefer them. We suck fat from any part of the body that produces fat and inject that into the bum. There is just a small incision and this procedure is done about three times to get the required result,” said Johnson.
Cosmetic and plastic surgeon Dr Leon Dumas, also from Durban, said big butts were on the rise. “There certainly is a rise. Since the beginning of this year, I have done eight butt implants. Just last week a client flew in from Mozambique to have fat injections,” he said.
When it comes to cost, Dumas said there were many contributing factors. “The fat injection is a two-part procedure. First there is liposuction, which is about R50 000. Then the fat is washed and injected. That is also R50 000. Depending on the result you want, more than one injection will be needed over a period. Implants are a one-off procedure and can cost as much as R60 000,” he said.
Celebrity lifestyle and fitness expert Lisa Raleigh said the main appeal was “the booty is something changeable on all women”.
“Celebrity culture is a big influence and curvier women embracing their shape rather than trying to stick to a mould means more booties are appearing. The more there are, the trendier it becomes,” she said.
Annie Phillipeos, the owner of MovementX uMhlanga (formerly Sweet100) and a fitness expert, said women wanted workout routines that would help them have better looking butts.
“There is a big bum trend, but people understand that it’s not just squatting all day that will get you a bum like Kim or Khloe Kardashian. Before being skinny was desirable, but not any more,” she said.
“There is no way Kim or Khloe got their big butts from squatting. Squatting can help make your bum rounder, lift and tone it, but it cannot make it the size that either celebrity has unless you have some surgical enhancement like a fat injection,” she said.
Phillipeos said local celebrity Boity Thulo has a natural bum. “Her bum is in proportion to the rest of her body. It’s a 100 percent African booty that she tones by squatting with weights.”
Dr Maheshvari Naidu, an anthropologist at the University of KwaZulu-Natal school of social sciences, said: “Body modifications have been around for centuries and augmentation of parts such as the breasts is not new.
“The more recent augmentation (increase in size) trend of the derriere is somewhat less common. Such changes or modifications fit a greater cultural understanding that stretches to our pre-industrial past – treating the body like a canvas that can be shaped, pierced and tattooed.”
Naidu also said many contemporary sub-cultures such as punk treat the body as a physical canvas. “Alongside this, is the modern obsession for the ideal body or whatever is the current template for the perfect shape. Extreme surgical procedures, unlike, say, less invasive lifts for the pursuit of the perfect body can become pathological and obsessive,” she said.
How to tone your booty
l The Squat
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and push your hips back so your weight is on your heels. Squat down to a 90-degree angle. Stand back up while still pressing down on your heels. Push your butt back as far as you can, but keep your feet planted and shoulders back. Do two sets of 20.
l The Squat, Hold and Pulse
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, pushing your hips back so your weight goes down to your heels again. Squat to a 90-degree angle as before. Stand back up while pressing on the heels, but not fully straight. Make small up and down movements, pulsing for burn. Again do two sets of 20.
l The Bridge-Up
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet planted firmly on the floor. Press your hips to the ceiling and squeeze those glutes. Slowly lower your hips to the floor and repeat as many times as you can.This is serious ab, butt and leg toning.
Sunday Tribune