If you have saggy thighs after weight loss surgery, you may be considering an inner or outer thigh lift. Our surgeons at Body Contouring Surgery Clinic have helped thousands of patients get firm, toned legs so they can feel confident after reaching a healthy weight.
This page has information that will help you learn more about thigh lift surgery, including:
- What is a thigh lift?
- Who is a good candidate for the surgery?
- What are the benefits of a thigh lift?
- Are there any risks?
- What happens during the operation?
- How long is the recovery?
- What kind of results can I expect after a thigh lift?
- Choosing a thigh lift surgeon
What is a Thigh Lift?
Also known as thighplasty, a thigh lift is a plastic surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the thighs.
Types of Thigh Lifts
What kind of thigh lift do I need?
There are many ways to perform a thigh lift. Our surgeons may recommend one of the following surgical techniques:
Inner Thigh Lift
If your thighs are rubbing together, you may be a candidate for a medial thigh lift, which treats excess skin and fat with a vertical incision from the knees to the groin.
Crescent Thigh Lift
Patients with a modest amount of thigh laxity may have a limited procedure known as the crescent thigh lift. This technique has a wedge-shaped incision near the groin through which the excess skin and fat are removed.
Outer Thigh Lift
Medically known as a lateral thigh lift, this technique addresses lax skin and fat on the outer thighs between the hip and the knee.
Candidates for Thigh Lift Surgery
Most thigh lift patients have previously lost a dramatic amount of weight with bariatric surgery, exercise, or dieting. You should be at or close to your ideal weight to be considered for the procedure. Your surgeon may ask you to maintain a stable weight for at least six months before scheduling your surgery.
Smokers, pregnant or nursing women, and individuals with serious health issues may not be the best candidates for elective surgery. The best way to determine if you are eligible for body contouring procedures is to speak with a qualified surgeon. When you come to Body Contouring Surgery Clinic, our surgeons will speak with you about your medical history and goals to determine if a thigh lift or another procedure is in your best interest.
Benefits of Thigh Lift Surgery
Excess thigh skin and fat can make it difficult to look good in clothes. It may hinder an individual’s self-esteem and make them feel uncomfortable in their skin, which can feel devastating after working so hard to lose weight. The skin folds can also cause discomfort, chafing, and rashes. A thigh lift resolves many of these issues.
After thighplasty, our patients have reported improved confidence and a renewed desire to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It can be freeing to no longer have chronic discomfort from the thigh skin rubbing together. Many patients also report better mobility during walking and exercise. They also say it is easier to find trousers, athletic pants, and skirts that fit well.
Best of all, the results of a thigh lift are considered permanent so long as you maintain a steady weight.
Key benefits of a thigh lift include:
- Slimmer thighs
- Firmer, smoother skin
- A boost in confidence
- More wardrobe options
- Fewer skin rashes and chafing
- Improved mobility during exercise
Thigh Lift Risks and Complications
A thigh lift is considered a safe procedure for most healthy individuals that do not smoke. However, risks are possible no matter who performs your surgery. At Body Contouring Surgery Clinic, our surgeons take all the necessary safety precautions to lower the chance of complications. Patient safety is our top priority.
Before you agree to have a thigh lift, they will let you know of all possible risks associated with elective surgery including:
- Seroma
- Infection
- Blood clots
- Haematoma
- Haemorrhage
- Irregular scars
- Wound dehiscence
- Pulmonary embolism
- Permanent nerve damage
- Dissatisfaction with results
- Necrosis of the soft tissues
- Complications from anaesthesia
The Surgery: What happens during a Thigh Lift?
You will undergo general anaesthesia. If your thigh lift operation includes liposuction, our surgeons will inject a wetting solution and then extract the fat using VASER liposuction technology. Next, they will make an incision on the inner thigh, outer thigh, or groin depending on the type of thigh lift you need. They will carefully resect the excess skin and fat, then close the incision.
Thigh Lift Recovery
You will wake up in the recovery room attended by a nurse. It is normal to feel groggy and tired after anaesthesia for up to 24 hours. Plan to spend at least one night in the hospital. The hospital staff will be on call to assist you with rising from bed and taking short walks to lower the risk of blood clots. Your surgeon will also check in with you to see how you are feeling.
Most patients are discharged from the hospital the next day. Someone will need to drive you home. You can have a quick shower, but avoid getting the PICO wound dressing wet. PICO is a soft bandage that is attached to a battery pack. It exerts gentle negative pressure on the wound to aid healing.
Discomfort usually peaks in the first 24 to 72 hours. Expect your thighs to appear markedly swollen. Any bruising should resolve within the first two to three weeks. The incision may appear excessively tight at first due to the swelling. Nearly 60 to 80 percent of the swelling resolves within the first three months.
Most patients start to feel more like themselves at two to three weeks post-op. At this point, your surgeon may clear you to drive, return to work, and increase your activity level. Avoid heavy lifting, jogging, and vigorous workouts for approximately four to six weeks.
Thigh Lift Results
Due to the initial swelling and bruising, it takes time to see the final results of a thigh lift. By three months, most of the swelling tapers off. At six to 12 months, your skin will relax and the scar should begin to fade. Most patients enjoy the full results at 12 to 18 months post-op when the scar has fully matured. The surgical scar is permanent, but it will ideally blend with the surrounding skin after fading to a fine line.
Choosing a Thigh Lift Surgeon in Newcastle
There are many qualified thigh lift surgeons in Australia. For the best results, we recommend seeking out a surgeon that specialises in post-weight loss body contouring such as the thigh lift specialists at Body Contouring Surgery Clinic.
Factors to consider include whether a surgeon has undergone additional training to perfect their surgical techniques. Many of our surgeons have completed fellowship training in cosmetic surgery and have titles such as FRACS after their names. These credentials indicate that our surgeons have extensively trained in surgery.
You may want to speak with several surgeons before making your final decision. Don’t forget to ask for before-and-after thigh lift photos so you can see the quality of their work firsthand.
Schedule Your Consultation for a Newcastle Thigh Lift at Body Contouring Surgery Clinic Today
To find out if a thigh lift is right for you, call our office on 1300588494. The Newcastle thigh lift surgeons at Body Contouring Surgery Clinic are dedicated to giving each patient the highly personalised care and world-class results they deserve. We will only recommend a thigh lift if it is truly in your best interest.
Thigh Lift FAQs
Maintain a stable weight through diet and exercise to prevent loose skin from returning after a thigh lift.
You can have a quick bird bath within the first 24 hours. Do not get the PICO wound dressing or battery pack wet. At seven to ten days post-op, your surgeon will replace the PICO dressing with Hypafix tape. The tape can get wet, so you can have a proper shower.
Most patients can get back to work and light exercise within two to three weeks.
While rest is important, you should get up and walk from day one. Expect some discomfort. Go slow and ask a friend, family member, or the hospital staff to assist you.
Most patients are cleared to drive two to three weeks after a thigh lift.
Yes. Our surgeons have undergone special training in VASER liposuction technology. VASER is considered the most advanced form of liposuction by many surgeons around the world. Instead of breaking the fat apart manually in an aggressive back-and-forth motion, VASER gently cavities the fat cells so they turn to liquid. The liquefied fat is then removed with low-power suction. This method causes less bruising and bleeding compared to regular liposuction.
The size and location of the scar varies. Our surgeons will let you know what kind of scarring to expect during your private consultation. Most styles of trousers and long shorts or skirts will hide the scar.
The scar will become flatter, softer, and lighter as the incision heals. Scar maturation can take anywhere from 12 to 18 months. For the best-looking scar, avoid sun tanning, stay hydrated, and use scar gel, silicone sheets, or laser scar treatments as recommended by your surgeon.
After bariatric surgery, some patients undergo multiple skin removal procedures such as a tummy tuck, body lift, arm lift, or thighplasty. In these cases, our surgeons generally recommend having a lower body lift before a thigh lift.