Can I Get Hip Implants After Iliac Crest Implants?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I previously had iliac crest implant surgery and it has left me with very obvious hip dips/ indents, even after a fat transfer. I am very thin, so I need to gain weight before having another fat transfer. I was wondering it custom hip implants might be a better option than another fat transfer? Is it normal for iliac crest implants to create hip dips? How much would it cost for custom hip implants? Thank you!!

A: While not common creating hip dips can occur when the greater trochanter sticks out much further than the natural iliac crest. Iliac crest implants work best in straighter profile hip-thigh patients as opposed to a more triangular profile shape.

In the spirit of ‘past history predicts future behavior’ why would fat grafting work better the second time than the first…particularly when one has to gain weight to undergo the procedure? The point is…it won’t.

Now that doesn’t make hip dip implants perfect and they have their own issues. But that is the only remaining treatment option.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon