Nonsurgical and Surgical Buffalo Hump Removal Procedures

Humans invest a considerable chunk of money every year to feel their best and confident about their appearance.

Billions of dollars are spent yearly to keep unwanted fat and pounds off our bodies. Common spots for extraction are the abs, waist, butt, and now even our necks.

Excess fat on the base of the neck that forms a mound right above and behind the shoulders is known as a buffalo hump. Although it can develop for less controllable reasons like genetics or hormonal imbalances, this pad of fatty tissue tends to resist diet and exercise routines. Therefore, it is a common area requested during fat removal procedures.

Nonetheless, not all treatments are created equal. Read on to learn more about the buffalo hump, how it differs from other medical conditions, and which treatment options exist on the current market. 

What Is A Buffalo Hump?

A buffalo hump, also known as a dorsocervical fat pad, is a fat deposit that develops between the shoulders. It is not a medically serious condition; therefore, the reasons most would want to remove it are related to aesthetics. 

In addition to stubborn fat that accumulates in the back of the neck due to genetics, some people have buffalo humps form due to other rare conditions like a tumor, cyst, or another form of abnormal growth. In some cases, a neck hump can appear due to poor posture. If it is severe, the buffalo hump can even affect your ability to walk and balance yourself.

Taking certain medications can give you a buffalo hump, and if you're diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome, the excess cortisol can result in the appearance of one as well. Speak to your surgeon to understand the causes and any other factors within your medical history that could have helped develop a buffalo hump!

It is also key to understand the difference between a buffalo hump and other neck humps like the dowager's hump before picking a treatment. A dowager's hump is a similar bump between the shoulder blades, but instead of a mass of fat or other soft tissue, it is caused by too much forward curvature of the upper back. 

Surgical Options To Correct The Buffalo Hump 

Buffalo hump removal can be achieved with liposuction or other surgical techniques. The effectiveness of these procedures is met with mixed feelings in the cosmetic surgery community.

Yet, most of the treatment's efficacy depends on the size and cause of the buffalo hump. Usually, the patient is placed on their stomach, the hump is then numbed with tumescent fluid, and the fat is aspirated out with a cannula.

Although traditional buffalo hump liposuction requires abrasive techniques like large incisions and general anesthesia, new methods like Lower Neck AirSculpt allow patients to permanently remove their fat while wide awake. Long-term results are achieved with just 24 hours of downtime with this minimally invasive buffalo hump treatment, providing the perfect middle ground between highly invasive techniques and less effective nonsurgical procedures. 

Nonsurgical Buffalo Hump Removal

While many plastic surgeons concur that liposuction is a reasonable procedure to remove a buffalo hump, others still offer nonsurgical options that are not truly effective. 

Nonsurgical fat removal does not permanently contour the body, meaning your buffalo hump can quickly return if you gain weight or if the underlying reason for the fatty tissue recurs. 

Plus, many sessions may be needed to provide these minor results. Although downtime is non-existent with noninvasive methods, in the end, the amount of time invested and lack of meaningful results will add to your buffalo hump removal costs in many ways.

As highlighted above, the optimal procedure on the market to remove a Buffalo Hump without surgery is AirSculpt®. Without even using general anesthesia, scalpels, needles, or stitches, you'll enjoy instant and permanent fat removal results that allow you to stand up straight without that weight on your shoulders (literally).

It's also important to mention that the average downtime time for AirSculpt® is just one to two days, unlike the weeks needed after invasive treatments like liposuction or back lifts.

This minimally invasive procedure offers the most precise results on the market thanks to its use of power-controlled technology that surgeons use to pluck stubborn back fat cell-by-cell through a tiny, freckle-sized entryway. Stitches are not needed afterward, and patients heal with unnoticeable blemishes rather than the massive scars common after traditional liposuction.

AirSculpt Sacramento Provides Targeted Results

The AirSculpt approach believes that making changes to your body shouldn't be risky or have you lying in bed for months.

If you agree with us and want to ditch that stubborn fatty hump behind the shoulders for good, go to our AirSculpt office in Sacramento or find the body sculpting center nearest you to begin a free consultation.