Your butt is fantastic. It is a part of what makes you and your body beautiful and unique. Also, just like with boobs and every other body part, there are no two booties that look exactly the same. But in general, we can say that there are four butt shapes: H-shaped, V-shaped, A-shaped, and O-shaped.
So, how can you tell which category your backside fits in? Moreover, what determines the shape of your bottom, and is there a way to change it?
Read on to find out!
What Shape Should a Butt Be?
Is there such a thing as an ideal backside shape? The short answer is no, because the concept of “ideal” changes over time. For instance, today, people mainly think big, round bottoms are the most desirable. But in the 00s, a toned and round butt was all the rage, while flat butts were very popular a few decades before that.
That being said, the most preferred among butt shapes is the A-shape or an upside-down heart, at least according to plastic surgeons. The optimal waist-to-hip ratio is commonly believed to be 0.7. The upside-down heart butt is the closest to this ideal ratio of all butt shapes. So, while there’s no perfect booty, people nowadays seem to think A-shaped ones come pretty close.
What Is the Healthiest Butt Shape?
According to Oxford University’s Churchill Hospital research, women with big, O-shaped butts (or bubble butts) tend to be overall healthier and smarter. Excess fatty tissue in the lower portion of the body, notably the thighs and buttocks, acts as a barrier against diabetes, heart disease, and other obesity-related issues.
Furthermore, the analysis reveals that a bigger butt indicates high Omega 3 fat accumulation and good leptin levels. Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to improved memory, brain function, and cognitive abilities such as language and motor skills, whereas leptin is a hormone that regulates hunger.
4 Different Butt Shapes
Determining different butt shapes is not an exact science. We usually recognize the shape by the general ratios of a person’s thighs, hips, and waist. Still, understanding your booty type might help you choose the right underwear, pants, and jeans. So, let’s take a look at the four common butt shapes.
1. H-shaped or Square
If there’s a more-less straight line from your hip bone to the outer thigh, you most likely have an H-shaped or square butt. People who have this bottom shape also have “hip dips,” extra fat on their sides (sometimes known as “love handles”), and high and noticeable hip bones. The H-shape is the most common of all butt types.
If all this sounds familiar, there are some things you need to know when buying underwear and pants. You should generally skip high-riding underwear in favor of thongs, bikinis, and boy shorts. It would be best to avoid low-cut jeans since higher-waisted ones may be a better fit.
2. V-shaped or Inverted
An inverted backside has more volume at the top, around the waist, and less in the lower half of the butt cheeks, resulting in a V-shaped line between hips and pelvis. This shape is more common in older women and happens as a result of reduced estrogen levels. Due to the lack of estrogen, your body starts to store fat differently — butt fat decreases, whereas abdominal fat increases.
If you have a V-shaped bottom, opt for boy shorts, briefs, and hipsters. Jeans with bigger pockets placed lower and stretchy jeans are also an excellent option to avoid flattening your booty with thicker, more stiff denim.
3. A-shaped, Pear, or Inverted Heart
You probably have an A-shaped butt if you have a narrow waist and fat dispersed in the lowest area of your bottom or thighs. Hips and butt cheeks form a curve that creates the shape of an inverted heart. People with pear-shaped bodies usually have an A-shaped bottom.
People blessed with pear butts should consider underwear with high-cut legs or wider leg openings, like tangas, bikinis, and high-cut panties. To avoid gaping at the waist, go for mid-rise, curved jeans made of flexible denim.
4. O-Shaped, C-Shaped, Round, or Bubble
Full hips and more fat around the butt cheeks, especially the top sections, result in O-shaped booty. This form sits high and is fairly perky and full when viewed from the side. From behind, this produces a curved, rounded look.
When shopping for underwear, seek models with additional fabric in the back to provide maximum coverage and reduce the possibility of wedgies. Thongs and tangas will do the job as well. You’ll also look amazing in high-waist, bootcut jeans.
What Factors Affect Butt Shape?
A number of things determine the shape of your backside. Your muscular and skeletal structure has a big role in it, including the following:
• the location of your pelvis and hip bones,
• gluteal muscles and their size,
• the way your butt muscles join the thigh bones.
Your genetics will decide how your body disperses fat as well as your bone structure. Age, weight, and hormones also have a say in your butt shape.
Can Your Butt Shape Change Over Time?
Yes, it can. In fact, it happens to most people as they grow up, grow old, and go through hormonal changes. For instance, a surge in estrogen in puberty will increase the amount of fat around hips, causing curves to appear. In pregnancy and even during breastfeeding, the body stores fat around the hips, which can change the shape of your booty for a while.
Also, as you age, the butt starts losing bounce and firmness. Finally, after menopause, the estrogen levels drop, so fats start to stick more to the midsection and waist. As mentioned above, this is when the V-shaped butt shape starts to be more common.
How to Change Your Butt Shape
If you are not happy with the shape of your backside, diet, exercise, or plastic surgery can help you out. For instance, some exercises that target glute muscles, like leg lifts, lunge presses, and squats, can make your bottom more perky and rounded.
A good plastic surgeon can also do some enhancements and augmentations to modify your butt shape. Some of them include Sculptra filler injections, Emsculpt muscle treatment, CoolSculpting, implants, and Brazilian butt lifts.
Still, it’s good to keep in mind that losing or gaining weight, exercising, and surgery can only make some difference. You cannot alter the way your body stores fat or your bone structure.
