Thigh plasty, or a thigh lift, reshapes the thighs by reducing excess skin and fat, resulting in smoother skin and more proportionately contoured thighs and lower body.

If your efforts in fitness and weight control have not achieved your goals for a firmer, more youthful body more in proportion with your overall body image, a surgical lift might be right for you.

What Thigh Lifts Cannot Do

Thigh lifts are not intended for the removal of excess fat. Liposuction alone can remove excess fat deposits where skin has good elasticity and can naturally conform to new body contours.

In cases where skin elasticity is poor, a thigh lift along with liposuction may be recommended.

Who is a Good Candidate for Thigh Lift Surgery?

Generally, candidates for a thigh lift are:

• Individuals whose weight is relatively stable
• Individuals with excess soft tissue along the inner (medial) or outer (lateral) thigh
• Healthy patients without medical conditions that impair healing or increase risk for surgery
• Non-smokers
• Patients with a positive outlook and realistic goals for what thigh lift surgery can achieve
• Patients committed to leading a healthy lifestyle, including proper nutrition and fitness

What Can I Expect During a Thigh Lift Consultation?

During your consultation, be prepared to discuss:

• Your surgical goals
• Medical conditions, drug allergies, and medical treatments
• Current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco, and drug use
• Previous surgeries

Your plastic surgeon will also:

• Evaluate your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
• Examine and measure your body, including detailed measurements
• Discuss your options
• Recommend a course of treatment
• Discuss likely outcomes of thigh lift surgery and any risks or potential complications

The success and safety of your procedure depend on your complete honesty during your consultation.

Be sure to ask questions to your plastic surgeon.

Questions to Ask Your Plastic Surgeon About Thigh Lifts

Prepare for your consultation by:

• Writing down all your symptoms with a timeline, medications, and health history, so you can discuss your problems systematically.
• Writing a list of your questions.
• Informing about your health and any health issues.
• Asking questions and demanding answers.
• Reading your medical records and bringing a copy or requesting access to them.
• Bringing a friend to support you.

Suggested questions to ask:

• Am I a good candidate for this procedure?
• What is expected of me to get the best results?
• Where and how will you perform my procedure?
• Which surgical technique is recommended for me?
• How long can I expect a recovery period and what kind of help will I need during my recovery?
• What are the risks and complications associated with my procedure?
• How are complications handled?
• How can I expect my thighs to look over time?
• What are my options if I am dissatisfied with the cosmetic outcome of my thigh lift?
• Do you have before and after photos that I can look at for this procedure and what results are reasonable for me?

Be sure to ask your plastic surgeon specific questions about what to expect during your recovery.

• Where will I be taken after my operation is complete?
• What medication will I be given or prescribed after surgery?
• Will I have dressings/bandages after surgery?
• When will they be removed?
• When will the stitches be removed?
• When can I resume normal activity and exercise?
• When should I come for a follow-up visit?

What Are the Risks of Thigh Lifts?

The decision to undergo plastic surgery is extremely personal, and you must decide if the benefits, risks, and potential complications of thigh lifts are acceptable.

Your plastic surgeon will explain the risks of surgery in detail.

Possible risks of thigh lift surgery include:

• Anaesthesia risks
• Asymmetry
• Bleeding
• Deep venous thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications
• Fat tissue under the skin may die (fat necrosis)
• Fluid accumulation (seroma)
• Infection
• Major wound separation
• Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
• Persistent pain
• Poor wound healing
• Possibility of revisional surgery
• Recurring looseness of skin
• Skin discoloration and/or swelling
• Skin loss
• Sutures may spontaneously surface through the skin, become visible, or cause irritation that requires removal
• Unfavourable scarring

How should I prepare for thigh lift?

When preparing for thigh lift, you may be asked to:

• Take tests or undergo a medical evaluation.
• Take certain medications or adjust your current medications.
• Stop smoking.
• Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding.
• When you book the operation, you will receive written instructions with detailed information about the time, our payment terms, and how to prepare.
• You should arrange for a friend or family member to pick you up after the surgery and stay with you for the first night.

What are the steps in a thigh lift?
A thigh lift procedure includes the following steps:

Step 1 – Anesthesia
Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedures. The options include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best option for you.

Step 2 – The Incision
Incision patterns vary depending on the area(s) to be treated, the degree of correction, and patient and surgeon preferences.

Inner Thigh Lift Incision
A technique used for a thigh lift places an incision in the groin, extending downward and wrapping around the back of the thigh. Another technique removes excess skin from the groin down to the knee with an incision along the inseam. You may also qualify for a minimal incision inner thigh lift, which involves an incision only in the groin. Your plastic surgeon will determine what is appropriate.

Outer Thigh Lift Incision
Improving the contours of the outer thigh may require an incision extending from the groin around the hip and across the back. Advanced techniques usually allow incisions to be placed in strategic locations where they can be hidden by most types of clothing and swimsuits. However, incisions can be extensive.

Step 3 – Closing the Incisions
Deep sutures in underlying tissues help to form and support the newly shaped contours. Sutures, skin adhesives, or clips may be used to close the skin incisions.

Step 4 – See the Results
The smoother, tighter contouring that results from a thigh lift is apparent almost immediately, although initially obscured by swelling and bruising. Get more information about thigh lift results.

What can I expect after a thigh lift?

During your recovery from thigh lift surgery, dressings/bandages may be applied to your incisions following the procedure. Small, thin tubes may be temporarily placed under the skin to drain any excess fluid or blood that may collect. You will be given specific instructions that may include:

• How to care for the surgical site(s)
• A pain relief schedule with instructions on how to take pain medication to avoid pain breakthrough
• Specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health
• Time for follow-up appointments
  

Following your doctor’s instructions is key to the success of your surgery.

It is important that the surgical incisions are not subjected to excessive force, swelling, abrasion, or motion during the healing period. Your doctor will give you specific instructions on how to care for yourself.

What results can I expect after a thigh lift?
The results of a thigh lift are visible almost immediately. However, it may take several months for the final results to fully develop.

After a thigh lift, the quality of the skin is improved both in appearance and feel.

Some visible scars will remain, but the overall results are long-lasting, provided you maintain a stable weight and general fitness.

As your body ages, it is natural to lose some firmness. However, most of your initial improvements should remain.

While good results are expected from your procedure, there is no guarantee. In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure, and an additional operation may be necessary.