That’s Not A Real Doctor: VICE’s Buttloads of Pain Investigates the Butt Shot Underground

VICE sent a reporter to Florida to report on the ass shot underground, where not-doctors inject everything from Fix-A-Flat to mineral oil into the buttocks of those seeking a bigger booty. Last week the accompanying documentary debuted online, and it’s worth watching, but be warned that the images of procedures-gone-wrong are horrifying. Reporter Wilbert Cooper talks to Miami-area plastic surgeons and follows Corey Eubanks, who is on probation for charges related to an association with Oneal Ron Morris, “The Duchess,” who had one of her clients die from complications from injections (there is some misgendering of Morris at the beginning of the documentary when Cooper is speaking with a detective about the case). There’s a segment in famous Miami strip club King of Diamonds where Cooper interviews dancers about their procedures and one dancer tells him that she estimates 75% of her coworkers have had some kind of ass augmentation.

Here at Tits and Sass, we support modifying your body in whatever manner you like, but we urge you to do so in the safest manner possible. We’d also really like to hear from anyone who’s had ass work done; please let us know about your experiences.

We also reached out to two of our health professional friends for comments on butt shots.

Zil Garner Goldstein, Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Director of Persist Health Project:

The unfortunate reality for many trans women is that we do not have access to the medical and surgical procedures that help us feel whole and at home in our bodies. Many alternative, non-medical practices have come up to fill this void with affordable, often dangerous treatments. Silicone pumping—the practice of injecting industrial grade silicone into one’s body to create a more feminine appearance—is one of these procedures. This is different than dermatologists who offer facial filler injections, because of both the material and the procedures being used to inject things under someone’s skin.

Injecting what is essentially bathtub caulk into our bodies can have several consequences, including less-than-ideal appearance, blood clots, bruises, and open wounds that do not heal. The injection procedure itself carries a risk for hepatitis and HIV transmission, as many people who perform the procedure do not switch to clean needles after each injection.

However, the biggest tip that I give people when they are seeking these injections, aside from saying “please don’t—this has killed more of my patients than any other single cause,” is “Find someone who hasn’t killed your friends.” People who offer silicone injections often have reputations in their communities, and it is important to find people who have had injections from the same person and ask about their practices, as well as how long injections have lasted, and what sorts of problems people have found. It can also be important to find a medical provider who is experienced in working with folks who have silicone injections in case any problems arise.

@PreamDream, RN, BSN:

The funny thing about a “black market medical procedure” is it is not safe or has no guarantee of a favorable outcome. As a medical professional, I’ve got to wonder, who wants to sign up for this? Especially when we are talking about something invasive that directly affects our appearance such as butt injections. If I were going to have my glutes injected, I’d want to know with what, what the likely outcome would be, the risks and benefits, other choices, pre and post procedure care education, and I would certainly expect few follow-ups with my doctor. You know, per protocol. But the protocol is what’s missing here. Because there is no standard as butt injections are not an approved procedure. So that’s why any old Dr. Princess off the street can inject your butt with whatever is handy in the garage for any given fee.

Is this happening with breast implants? It sure isn’t. Breast implants are the most studied medical implant in the world. With that we get well-developed standards of care based on research and protocols created by the surgical community.

We can’t build a great set of boobs with all of the exercise in the world but the good news is that anyone can build a booty. With the right diet and more importantly the right and consistent training plan glutes can be developed by anyone. It may not be as fast as the back-alley injections but it’s honest, healthy and gives an aesthetically superior result that will last as well as serve your body. Sure, fat transfers and butt implants are approved and yours for the taking but honestly, the fat transfer results are inconsistent and you do have to have fat to transfer! If you don’t have a butt, you may not have much subcutaneous fat in the first place. Butt implants are fairly new on the market. Did anyone out there want the first breast implants in retrospect? Not me. I didn’t want them until they were studied for most of my life. We don’t know much about butt implants yet or how they turn out and what the long-term implications are for the body.

There are a million butt workouts on the market. Looking at them is dizzying so don’t. Stick to a simple regimen of cardio that works that ass like stairmasters, stepmills, and sprints and then treat your glutes to their own day in at gym with exercises such as a variety of squats, deadlifts, lunges, and hip thrusts. Use the heaviest weights you can and always try to lift a little heavier each workout, even if for just one set. Shoot for 4 sets and go to muscle failure. Give it six months and you’ll forget you ever even thought about what??