Thigh Lift
Thigh lift surgery removes loose, excess skin and fat to reveal smoother skin and better-proportioned contours, especially when diet and exercise alone have not gotten you there.
What Is a Thigh Lift?
A thigh lift reshapes the thighs by reducing excess skin and fat, leaving smoother skin and contours that better fit your overall body image. If fitness and weight control have not produced the firmer, more youthful look you want, a surgical lift may be the answer.
Thigh lift surgery can be performed on its own or combined with liposuction and other body contouring procedures for a more complete result.
Smoother Contours
Removes loose, hanging thigh skin and stubborn fat for a firmer, more proportionate lower body.
Outpatient Surgery
Typically performed under general anesthesia as an outpatient procedure, so you go home the same day.
Combines Well
Can be paired with liposuction and other body contouring procedures in a coordinated plan.
Are You a Candidate?
The best candidates are men and women in good physical health who have realistic expectations and specific goals for their appearance after surgery.
- You have loose, excess skin on your thighs you would like removed
- You are at or near your ideal body weight
- Stubborn pockets of fat remain despite diet and exercise
- Your skin has good elasticity and can snap back after being lifted
- You do not smoke
Your Consultation
During your consultation, your plastic surgeon evaluates your overall health and talks through your aesthetic goals. Your surgeon also examines your thighs, skin quality and elasticity, and the amount and distribution of any excess fat, then recommends the approach best suited to you.
The Thigh Lift Procedure
Thigh lift surgery is typically performed under general anesthesia as an outpatient procedure. There are several types of thigh lift, and your surgeon’s approach depends on how much excess skin needs to be removed and where it sits.
Incisions are usually placed along the natural creases of the groin and may extend down toward the knee. In some cases an incision is also made around the back of the thigh. Through these incisions, your surgeon removes excess skin and fat, may reposition and reshape underlying tissue, and closes with sutures.
Thigh Lifts After Massive Weight Loss
Patients who have lost a significant amount of weight, often after gastric bypass, banding, or stapling, or weight loss medications such as GLP-1s, are frequently left with excess skin and soft tissue around the trunk and extremities. This tissue can be uncomfortable, make clothing difficult to fit, and contribute to rashes, infections, and emotional distress.
Because skin laxity affects the whole body, several areas may need attention. We start body contouring centrally and work outward, addressing the lower trunk first, then the upper trunk and breasts, then the extremities and face. Each area affects its neighbors, so sequencing matters.
Generally, only panniculectomies and breast reductions are covered by insurance. Other contouring procedures, including thigh lifts, are considered cosmetic. Your first consultation is the place to map out which areas to address and in what order.
Recovery and Results
Expect some swelling and bruising after surgery, which subsides over time.
You will wear a compression garment or special support hose to reduce swelling and support your new contours as they heal.
Most people feel well enough to return to work within two weeks.
Avoid strenuous activity for at least four to six weeks.