What is a thigh lift?

A thigh lift or thighplasty as it is popularly called is an invasive plastic surgery procedure that involves the removal of excess fat and skin from the area around the thigh. People go for this procedure to help reshape and smoothen the thigh areas especially after having undergone considerable weight loss. Others also go for the procedure to give their thighs more shape so that they feel more confident and comfortable when they wear swimsuits, jeans, and shorts.

Different types of thigh lifts

Although the basic premise of thigh lifts remains the same wherein they remove excess skin and fat from the thigh area, there are different types of thigh lifts. Each of these involves a different incision and brings about varying results as well. You can choose the right procedure for you based on your needs and after consultation with your healthcare provider.

Inner (medial) thigh lift

One of the most common forms of cosmetic surgery, a medial thigh lift helps to tackle the concern of sagging skin in your inner thighs. In this, your plastic surgeon makes an incision from your groin down toward your knee or towards the back of your thigh area.

Mini thigh lift

Your plastic surgeon may advise you to go for a mini thigh lift based on your individual needs and qualifications. In this procedure, they will make far lesser incisions as compared with other types of thigh lifts. It only requires one incision in your groin area and is the best option for you if you want to simply focus on the upper-inner part of your thigh alone.

Outer (bilateral) thigh lift

If you opt for an outer thigh lift procedure, it will effectively address the outer areas of your thighs. Here, your plastic surgeon will make an incision that begins in your groin area and then heads outward until your hip, and then extends to your lower back area.

Vertical thigh lift

You could consider going for a vertical thigh lift in case you are dealing with excessive amounts of fat and want to address a lot of excess skin in all areas of your thighs. This procedure will involve several much larger incisions to be made by your plastic surgeon that will go down all the way up to your knees. This kind of procedure is not often recommended by surgeons because of the high amount of risk that they entail.

Lift with liposuction

Sometimes, you may be faced with the issue of a thigh area that has lost much of its skin elasticity. In such cases, your plastic surgeon may advise you to go for liposuction over and above a thigh lift surgery. This should fix the concern of excess fat cells by getting rid of them completely as well as preventing the additional issue of sagging skin.

What can you expect from the procedure?

Before you undergo an actual thigh lift procedure, you will be advised by your health care provider to discontinue any medication that increases bleeding. These could include aspirin, certain anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen, some kinds of supplements, etc. You may also have to have several sittings with your surgeon where they will evaluate your medical history and other references to ensure you are an ideal candidate for the procedure. A thigh lift procedure will require you to be put under general anaesthesia and the necessary incisions will be made after that by your plastic surgeon based on the type of procedure you chose. The excess fat and skin cells will be removed before your wounds are closed up with sutures. The entire procedure usually takes up to 2 hours to complete and you may be required to stay in the hospital for a day in case any complications arise.

What is the process of recovery?

After your procedure, there will be dressings placed on your incisions by your surgeon to help with the swelling and enhance recovery. Sometimes a tube is also inserted in order to drain out excess blood and fluids from the affected areas. These will later be removed by your surgeon based on how long you take to recover. There may be bouts of pain, swelling, bruising, etc. that you may experience especially after the first few days of your procedure. However, recovery from a thigh lift surgery varies, that you can discuss with your surgeon during consultation.