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Thigh Lift

While many people are frustrated with stubborn fatty deposits of the thighs, there are more serious aesthetic issues than just extra fat that can occur in the thigh area — and these issues occur more often than most people realize.

Problems like lax, hanging skin, poor thigh contour, a disproportionate overall appearance, and stubborn fat that just won’t respond to traditional methods of weight loss (like diet and exercise) can be extremely irritating and embarrassing for people who deal with them. Lax, sagging skin often occurs after massive weight loss or as we age. These factors can cause the skin to lose elasticity, making it unable to retract and tighten as it normally would. Skin that will not retract hangs and drapes, hiding normal contours and muscle tone of the body. For these kinds of problems, surgery is often the only effective solution for improving the appearance of the thighs.

A thigh lift (thighplasty) is a thigh reshaping surgery that can resolve sagging skin, fatty deposits, and improve the overall appearance of the thighs. The surgery can address the inner thighs, outer thighs, or both. While some people seek cosmetic improvement of the thighs with liposuction to remove excess fat, a thigh lift is a different procedure altogether, addressing every aspect of the thigh’s aesthetics—skin, fat, and overall shape.

Thigh Lift Consultation

To learn more about whether or not a thigh lift will give you the results you’re looking for, you will need to schedule a consultation with a member of our talented team of plastic surgeons at our office in Atlanta, Georgia. Our surgeons will walk you through the thigh lift process, and assess your skin laxity, overall thigh contour, and goals for the procedure. You'll get an opportunity to see if you are a good candidate for the procedure, ask as many questions as you need to, and start to plan your procedure with our experts. If you have any concerns about the surgery, your consultation is a good time to address them and get answers.

Thigh Lift Candidates

A thigh lift can dramatically improve the appearance of the thighs, but it is not the right procedure for everyone. Ideal candidates for thigh lift surgery are people at a stable, healthy weight, who have significant excess skin in the thigh area and related poor thigh contour. Though excess fat can be addressed prior to the surgery, patients who desire only fat reduction of the thighs should consider liposuction, as it is specifically designed for the goal of removing areas of stubborn fat, and is much less invasive than thigh lift surgery.

Thigh lift surgery is a major and relatively invasive procedure, so patients should be in good health and willing to cope with the recovery process following surgery. Patients must have realistic results of the surgery in order to achieve a successful outcome. Improvement over perfection is the goal of cosmetic surgery, and thigh lift procedures are no exception.

Thigh Lift Procedure

If excessive unwanted fat is still present in the thigh area and will not resolve on its own, liposuction may be performed as a separate surgery several months before the thigh lift procedure to improve the overall results of the thigh lift. For patients with smaller areas of unwanted fat, these can be addressed during the surgery itself.

Thigh lift surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia for patient safety and comfort. First, incisions are placed in the most discreet areas possible, whether the procedure involves the outer thighs, the inner thighs, or both. The outer thigh lift is often combined with a tummy tuck with the scar located in the lower abdomen. For an inner thigh lift, this incision typically starts at the groin and extends downward, sometimes reaching all the way to the knee. The size of these incisions will depend on the extent of the procedure and the amount of excess skin present. Through these incisions, the surgeon will tighten and remove the excess skin, smooth out any fatty deposits, and contour the thigh for an improved overall appearance.

Thigh Lift Recovery

As with other body contouring procedures, the thigh lift recovery can be quite intensive. Patients will need to wear a compression garment following surgery for several weeks and should plan to take at least two to three weeks off of work, or more for strenuous occupations. While light activities such as gentle walking is encouraged as soon as the patient is comfortable, most patients will not be able to resume more aggressive exercise for at least 4-6 weeks.

Thigh Lift FAQs
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