Thigh lift is recommended for patients who have flabby or dimpled skin on their thigh, knee or buttock area and experience cellulite problems. Those who have lost a considerable amount of weight or have had liposuction and wish to regain the smooth appearance of their skin on the thighs, buttocks and hips are also ideal candidates.
The exact procedure is always determined by the individual anatomy, personal desires and clothing habits. Thighplasty is really a flexible surgery and lends itself to be combined with various other procedures. You may discuss all your preferences with your doctor during a pre-operative visit. The price of the procedure is based on the specific situation as well: the amount of fat and skin to be removed, the required time, effort and your demands.
Types of thighplasty
The different types of thigh lift surgery vary according to the path and the pattern of the incisions and, of course, the area to be treated. Your doctor will help you select the best option to reach your expectations.
- Inner thigh lift is designed to restore the elasticity of the inner thigh skin. The surgeon makes an incision at the junction of the thigh and the pubic area and removes a wedge-shaped piece of skin and, if necessary, fat. Later these incisions can discreetly be hidden beneath a bathing suit or underwear. The cut is then closed and the skin is tightened to achieve an enhanced skin elasticity and improve thigh contour. Inner thigh lift, the most popular type of thigh lifting, is a surgery of choice for those who are dealing with excess fat in this area or want to tighten their skin after an extreme weight loss. Thigh liposuction or buttock lift surgery may be performed in combination with the procedure.
- Bilateral thigh lift focuses on firming the skin from the outside to the front of the thigh. The incision is made at the top of the leg and its path follows the line where the lower edge of underwear is likely to be. After removing excess tissues, the remaining skin is lifted and attached to its new place. Bilateral thigh lift is recommended for men and women who have to face droopiness of their skin after losing a huge amount of weight. The operation allows liposuction or buttock lift to be carried out at the same time.
Medial thigh lift improves the laxity of the upper part of the inner thigh. The incision is in the groin crease and below the buttock folds. Excess skin and fat is removed by lifting and tightening the skin, thus improving the shape of the thighs and smoothing the skin surface. Patients who want to enhance the contour of their legs or get rid of sagging skin caused by a weight loss tend to choose this type of thigh lifting
Spiral thighplasty is a newer technique and combines medial thigh lift with a buttock lift and gluteal crease recontouring. It concentrates on the inner, outer, front and back region of the thighs. The incision is made in the groin crease and goes beyond the buttock fold
We are happy to provide you with more information on your personal options.
The recovery process
The surgeon closes the incisions with deep sutures, places sterile dressings on them and wraps your whole leg in an ace bandage. You may stay in the hospital the night after the operation and you should take seven to ten days off work. The entire process of thigh lifting is not completed with the termination of the procedure. Your doctor will give you a list of instructions which will help you heal completely and reach the perfect results.
You may experience some bruising, swelling and tightness but these symptoms will soon disappear. Your doctor may advise you to keep your legs sligtly bent for some weeks and avoid sitting, lifting heavy weights, climbing stairs and driving. Walking, on the other hand, is accepted and strongly recommended. Seven days after the surgery your surgeon checks the wounds. You can start to do strenuous activities within approximately six weeks and most patients are able to return to all normal activities in four or six months.
If you have any further questions regarding thigh lift surgery please feel free to contact us, a highly trained member of our staff will happily answer each of them.
