THIGH LIFT

Want smoother skin and more proportional contours for your thighs and buttocks? Sometimes, even the most devoted fitness efforts aren’t enough to give you the firm, youthful body shape you want. A thigh lift at St. Louis’ West County Plastic Surgeons is a procedure performed to improve contours and remove excess skin from the inner thighs, outer thighs, buttocks, or all of the above after weight loss.

WHAT IS A THIGH LIFT?

Also known as a thighplasty, a thigh lift can involve any of several techniques designed to sculpt the lower body. A lateral thigh lift is performed to lift skin and improve the contour of the outer thighs. This thigh lift is performed through an incision that is made high up on the thigh, near the outer waist where it can be concealed in the underwear. It can also be performed as part of a lower body lift without any additional incisions.

A medial thigh lift tightens the skin of the inner thighs and involves an incision made either in the groin area alone or in the groin area and extending vertically down the leg. This allows Dr. Terry Myckatyn or Dr. Marissa Tenenbaum to remove excess skin, as well as suction out fat if needed. The resulting scar is hidden in the groin or on the inside of the thigh.

THIGH LIFT SURGERY: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Anesthesia: A thigh lift is performed with the patient under general anesthesia.

Length of procedure: 90 minutes to 3 hours.

Estimated recovery time: You can return to work after 2 to 4 weeks and should avoid vigorous activities for at least 4 to 6 weeks. Visible bruising should clear up within 2 weeks, and swelling begins to resolve within 6 weeks. However, swelling can last for several months to some extent. To avoid leg swelling, we typically recommend that you wear compressive wraps on your legs for several weeks after surgery. Drain tubes lasting as long as 4 weeks may be required. To learn how to prepare for a thigh lift and what to expect afterward, click here to download our patient instructions.

Side effects: Common thigh lift side effects include bruising, swelling, some thigh numbness, and a few spitting sutures. Scars from thigh lifts are variable, but they have a greater tendency to widen or develop redness when compared with other cosmetic surgery scars. An injectable blood thinner called Lovenox^® may be used for 5 to 10 days after surgery to prevent blood clots. On occasion, delays in wound healing may occur. Click here to download a detailed consent form from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons that lists the risks and benefits of a medial thigh lift.

Before-and-after photos of arm and thigh lift results: Click here

What Are Some Other Body Contouring Options That Complement a Thigh Lift?

A thigh lift may be combined with several other procedures after massive weight loss:

1. Lower body lift. After weight loss, patients interested in sculpting their thighs may also wish to sculpt the abdomen, flanks, buttocks, and lower back with a lower body lift. An incision is extended like a belt around the lower abdomen, sides, and back to help address loose skin in all of these regions. This procedure can dramatically improve the contour of the waistline after massive weight loss.
2. Brachioplasty (arm lift). Just as occurs in the thighs, weight loss can lead to loose and redundant skin in the arms. To obtain a more toned look, Dr. Myckatyn or Dr. Tenenbaum can remove loose skin using incisions that are well concealed on the inner seam of the arm.