Choosing a Hip Dip Surgeon

surgery

This Is the Most Important Decision

Hip dip surgery is permanent. A poor result is difficult, expensive, and sometimes impossible to fully revise. The single factor that most determines your outcome is your surgeon — not the facility, not the price, not the location. Choose the surgeon first; everything else follows.

Board Certification: The Non-Negotiable

In the United States, look for certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). This requires: graduation from an accredited medical school, completion of an accredited plastic surgery residency (6+ years of surgical training), passing comprehensive written and oral examinations, and ongoing continuing education requirements.

Many "cosmetic surgeons" present certification from boards that do not require surgical training. The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, for example, certifies physicians from any specialty (including dermatology, OB-GYN, and family medicine) who complete a fellowship. Verify which board certified your surgeon and what that board requires.

Hip Dip-Specific Portfolio

Ask to see at least 10-15 before-and-after photos of hip dip patients specifically — not BBL results, not body contouring generally, hip dips. Look for:

  • Photos taken at 6 months post-op minimum (not 1 week when swelling masks the actual result)
  • Same lighting and pose in before and after photos (the P-L-C standard)
  • A range of body types, not just one "ideal" patient
  • Photos that show the lateral hip contour clearly — not photos that crop or angle away from the dip area

A surgeon who cannot show you 10+ hip dip specific results does not have enough experience with this procedure.

Questions to Ask at Your Consultation

  1. Are you board-certified by the ABPS?
  2. How many hip dip or trochanteric fat transfer procedures have you performed?
  3. Can I see before-and-after photos of at least 10 of your hip dip patients at 6+ months post-op?
  4. What is your fat retention rate for hip dip patients specifically?
  5. Do you use blunt cannulas for fat injection?
  6. What is your revision policy if I am unhappy with the result?
  7. Do you have hospital admitting privileges?
  8. What is your protocol for fat embolism?
  9. What is the total cost, including all fees and garments?

A surgeon who answers all nine questions clearly and without defensiveness is a serious candidate. A surgeon who is vague about any of them is not.