Ever since Jennifer Lopez made her way into the limelight, one of her best assets — her derrière — also made headlines constantly. To say she started the “big-butt” trend, though, might be a bit of an overstatement. More and more celebrities are snapping photos and posting pictures of their bottoms all over the Internet. This might be the reason why buttock augmentation has increased by 58 percent in 2013. However, the increasing demand for buttock implants has also led to a number of “back alley” surgeries being performed. Many women are left with deformities, scars, and sometimes irreversible health complications after undergoing procedures performed by non-licensed or non-certified physicians.

According to CNN, Dr. Anthony Youn, a plastic surgeon in Detroit, attributes the rise in this type of cosmetic surgery to both social media and broadcast media alike. “Plastic surgeons are seeing more and more women who want the backsides of various stars,” he said. “While I don't hear Jennifer Lopez's name much anymore, other stars with ample behinds have taken her place.”

Youn is correct in his assumption because the name that many people do associate with having a bigger bottom is now Kim Kardashian. And the socialite-turned-celebrity has no qualms about snapping “selfies” and posting them all over her Instagram — one of which hit one million “likes.”

When trying to achieve these standards of beauty, some women will go to extreme lengths, such as surgery or sillicone injections. One woman, April Brown, became an amputee after having silicone injections implanted into her buttocks, which eventually infected her body. She is now left wheel-chair bound because all four of her limbs had to be removed due to complications.

Another woman posted a video of herself online after receiving an implant. The video depicts her flipping the implant inside out. Take a look at the clip below:

According to Dr. Michael Edwards, president-elect of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, butt implants are not only a U.S. craze, they are a global occurrence. “I believe the dramatic increase in both of these procedures is indicative of much larger global trends respecting body image, an ever-evolving concept of beauty, and self-confidence,” he said. “More women are pursuing these procedures as a means to achieve a standard of beauty they deem appropriate for themselves.”

However, whenever opting for such extreme surgeries, always look for someone certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. The reason why it’s important to use a board plastic surgeon is because according to law, any doctor is permitted to perform any procedure. “A psychiatrist could do a breast augmentation,” according to Dr. Jim Stuzin, chairman-elect of the American Board of Plastic Surgery and assistant clinical professor at the University of Miami, as reported by CNN, “If you use a board-certified plastic surgeon, you know he or she has completed three to five years of training in general surgery and a minimum of two to three years of training in plastic surgery, plus they have to take written and oral tests.”

So before you opt for undergoing any type of surgery, especially cosmetic, be sure to research your physician, the surgery facility and never be afraid to ask questions.