What Is the Buffalo Hump and How Does One Remove It?

A buffalo hump is a condition where fat deposits have enlarged the area behind the upper neck and back. 

What is a buffalo hump? While mainly being a cosmetic issue, it can affect one's mobility. Extension of the neck can be stifled, causing the head to lean forward, leading to potential posture and back issues. It could even go as fat to affect the person's ability to walk upright or wear certain clothes.

What Causes A Buffalo Hump?

A buffalo hump can be caused by genetics, such as Cushing's disease and certain medications. Some studies correlate the extended use of steroids to be a contributing factor.

A buffalo hump may not be explicitly linked to a medical condition. Lifestyle habits such as unhealthy eating and no exercise can cause fat accumulation throughout the entire body, sometimes emphasizing the upper back and lower neck.

Removing A Buffalo Hump

How do I remove a buffalo hump? During a buffalo hump removal procedure, the contour of the back and neck are restored.

The standard procedure generally used is liposuction, which is designed to effectively remove fat tissue.

The method of liposuction depends on the patient. Yet, for most buffalo hump cases, laser-assisted liposuction is often recommended.

Still, these methods often lack the degree of precision needed to sculpt a small but significant area like the buffalo hump. Plus, they often require weeks of downtime and general anesthesia, factors that often turn patients away.

Elite Body Sculpture Provides The Most Benefits

The optimal buffalo hump removal procedure that you can pursue is provided by Elite Body Sculpture.

The minimally invasive Buffalo Hump AirSculpt® doesn't use a scalpel, needle, stitches, or general anesthesia allowing for more comfortable and precise results than traditional procedures.

The procedure consists of the following steps:

1. The Elite Body Sculpture surgeon numbs the back of the neck with the AirPen, a device that uses pressurized air to administer local anesthetic in lieu of needles.
2. The surgeon then uses a biopsy punch to form a two-millimeter opening with no scalpels at all.
3. The fat is then extracted with the patented AirSculpt® device, designed to spin for safe and accurate removal and protection of surrounding tissues.
4. The surgeon leaves the opening to naturally heal, leaving a barely noticeable freckle-sized scar on the back of your neck that has been permanently slimmed down.

The Next Generation of Body Sculpting

With AirSculpt, we want all our patients to be able to make changes to their bodies without worrying about extensive recovery times and noticeable scarring.

For more information on how we can help you, come to our New York office for your first consultation.