Thigh Lift 101 - What is it and How is it Performed

Patients that have recently lost weight in their thighs might be worried about their appearance. After the weight loss, the legs might be lacking a smooth or shapely look. There might also be some excess sagging skin that has a less than contoured look thanks to the loss of weight in the area. While a thigh lift might be a good way to get a more contoured look to the legs, there are many people that are unaware of what a thigh lift can accomplish when it comes to the legs. Not sure about the changes that can be made with a thigh lift? Take a look below at our “Thigh Lift 101” roundup.

Thigh Lift – Reasons to have the Procedure

A thigh lift, AKA a thighplasty, is an invasive cosmetic surgery procedure that is performed to remove excess fat and skin from the thigh area of the patient. As mentioned above, one of the most common reasons to have a thigh lift is to give a smooth and contoured look to the area of the thighs after a person loses weight. In addition, some patients want to have a thigh lift so they will have more confidence wearing certain clothing thanks to the shape they gain in the thighs from the surgery.

Patients that want to have the surgery need to maintain a steady weight for at least six months before the procedure. Plus, the patient should already be at their final weight goal because changes in the weight of a person (weight loss or weight gain) can have an impact on the final results enjoyed by a patient.

Thigh Lift – Different Techniques

Even though a thigh lift is performed to remove excess amounts of fat and skin, there are multiple techniques that can be performed. The type of technique that is used by the doctor depends on where the incisions are placed by the surgeon and the final results desired by the patient.

Here are the multiple thigh lift options that patients can consider:

• Inner Thigh Lift/Medial Thigh Lift – This is a thigh lift technique that is one of the most commonly performed versions of the procedure. A medial thigh lift is able to address skin that is sagging in the inner thighs. The surgeon makes an incision that starts at the groin and then goes downwards towards the knee or downwards towards the back portion of the thigh area.
• Vertical Thigh Lift – Patients that need to address a large amount of sagging and excess skin might want to undergo this thigh lift technique. They should be aware that a vertical thigh lift does require a larger amount of incisions that will extend all the way down to the knees.
• Mini Thigh Lift – Patients that want to only focus on the upper, or inner, part of the thigh might be an ideal candidate for a mini thigh lift. This technique requires fewer incisions than a medial thigh lift as it only requires an incision to be placed in the groin area of the patient.
• Thigh Lift Combined with Liposuction – There might be some patients that have thighs that suffer from poor elasticity to the skin. The surgeon might suggest combining the thigh lift with liposuction in order to remove and eliminate fat cells that are causing the skin to sag.
• Outer Thigh Lift/Bilateral Thigh Lift – This is a thigh lift that is performed to address any issues related to the outer portion of the thighs. The incision that is created by the surgeon starts in the groin area. The incision is then extended in an outward manner, towards the hips, and into the lower area of the back.

Thigh Lift – How it is Performed

The first step is scheduling a consultation appointment with a board-certified doctor that is experienced in performing thigh lift surgery. The doctor will examine the patient to make sure the person is an ideal candidate for a thigh lift. Once the doctor and the patient are in agreement on the type of results that the patient can expect to see, the thigh lift surgery can be scheduled.

The process starts with the administering of general anesthesia to keep the patient comfortable during the surgery. The surgeon will then begin making the designated incisions based on the type of thigh lift that is being performed on the patient.

The next step is to remove excess skin and fat from the targeted area of the thighs. Once the desired amount of fat and skin is removed, the surgeon will place sutures in the incisions in order to close them so the incisions can properly heal.

Patients should plan ahead and have someone drive them to, and from, the medical office on the day of the surgery. Since the patient will be given general anesthesia during the procedure, it is best for someone else to drive since the patient will likely be groggy after the surgery. It is also best to have someone stay with the patient overnight in case there are any complications and to save the patient from having to run any errands such as getting food.

- MA