Thigh Lift

Thigh Lift

Thigh Lift

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If fitness and weight loss efforts have not achieved your goals for a body that is firmer, more youthful-looking and more proportionate to your overall body image, a surgical thigh lift may be right for you.

This surgery reshapes the thighs by reducing excess skin, and in some cases fat, resulting in smoother skin and better-proportioned contours of the thighs and lower body.
Consultation.

The success and safety of your thigh lift procedure depends very much on your complete candidness during your consultation. You’ll be asked a number of questions about your health, desires and lifestyle.

Be prepared to discuss:

Why you want the surgery, your expectations and desired outcome

•   The options available in thigh lift surgery
•   Medical conditions, drug allergies and medical treatments
•   Use of current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drugs
•   Previous surgeries

Your surgeon may also:

•   Evaluate your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
•   Examine and measure your body, including detailed measurements
•   Take photographs for your medical record
•   Discuss your options and recommend a course of treatment
•   Discuss likely outcomes of thigh lift surgery and any risks or potential complications
  

Prior to surgery, you may be asked to:

•   Get lab testing or a medical evaluation
•   Take certain medications or adjust your current medications
•   Stop smoking well in advance of surgery
•   Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding

Special instructions you receive will cover:

•   What to do on the day of surgery
•   The use of anaesthesia during your thigh lift
•   Post-operative care and follow-up

The procedure

1 – Anesthesia

Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedures. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you.

2 – The incision

Incision patterns vary based on the area or areas to be treated, degree of correction and patient and surgeon preference.

One common technique used for a thigh lift places incisions in the groin, extending downward wrapping around the back of the thigh. The underlying tissue matrix will be reshaped and tightened, and skin will be reduced and redraped resulting in more proportionate and smoother body contours.

You may qualify for a minimal incision medial thigh lift which involves an incision only in the groin area. Your surgeon will determine what’s appropriate.
Medial Thigh Lift
         
Improving the contours of the outer thigh may require an incision extending from the groin around the hip.Through these incisions your plastic surgeon will tighten tissues for a smoother, better-toned lower body contour.

Advanced techniques usually allow incisions to be placed in strategic locations where they can be hidden by most types of clothing and swimsuits. However, incisions may be extensive.
Outer Thigh Lift
          
3 – Closing the incisions

Deep support sutures within underlying tissues help to form the newly shaped contours. Sutures close the skin incisions.

4 – The results

The results of a thigh lift are visible almost immediately. However, it may take several months for the final results to fully develop.

Some visible scars will remain, but the overall results are long lasting, provided that you maintain a stable weight and general fitness.

As your body ages, it is natural to lose some firmness. However, most of your initial improvement should be relatively permanent.

Risks

The decision to have thigh lift surgery is extremely personal and you’ll have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable.
Your plastic surgeon and/or staff will explain in detail the risks associated with surgery. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure you will undergo and any risks and potential complications.

Possible risks of thigh lift surgery include:

•   Unfavourable scarring
•   Bleeding (hematoma) 
•   Infection 
•   Fluid accumulation 
•   Poor wound healing
•   Skin loss
•   Blood clots
•   Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
•   Anaesthesia risks
•   Skin discoloration and/or swelling
•   Fatty tissue found deep in the skin might die (fat necrosis)
•   Major wound separation
•   Asymmetry
•   Pain, which may persist 
•   Unsatisfactory results such as highly visible surgical scar location, unacceptable visible deformities, bunching and rippling in the skin near the suture lines or at the ends of the incisions
•   Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications
•   Recurrent looseness of skin
•   Sutures may spontaneously surface through the skin, become visible or produce irritation that require removal
•   Possibility of revisional surgery
  

Is it right for me?

Candidates for thigh lift are:

•   People whose weight is relatively stable
•   Individuals with excess soft tissue along the inner or medial thigh region and/or the outer thigh
•   Healthy individuals who do not have medical conditions that can impair healing or increase risk of surgery
•   Non-smokers
•   Individuals with a positive outlook and realistic goals for what thigh lift surgery can accomplish
•   Individuals committed to leading a healthy lifestyle including proper nutrition and fitness
• The Recovery

When your procedure is completed, dressing or bandages may be applied to your incisions, and you may be wrapped in an elastic bandage or a compression garment to minimize swelling and to support your new contours as you heal.

One or more small, thin tubes may be temporarily placed under the skin to drain excess fluid or blood that may collect.

Before discharge, your nurse will give you advice about caring for your stitches, hygiene and bathing. You will also be given an appointment to have your stitches removed.

Once home, you may take more painkillers if needed, as advised by your surgeon or nurse.
Your surgeon will give you advice about resuming your normal activities. You may need to avoid strenuous exercise for up to a month, but walking and gentle exercises are encouraged. It may be several months before you can see the full results of your operation as the swelling can take a long time to completely settle down..

Side effects & Risks

The decision to have thigh lift surgery is extremely personal and you’ll have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable.
Your plastic surgeon and/or staff will explain in detail the risks associated with surgery. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure you will undergo and any risks and potential complications.

Possible risks of thigh lift surgery include:

•   Unfavourable scarring
• Bleeding (hematoma)
•   Infection
•   Fluid accumulation
•   Poor wound healing
•   Skin loss
•   Blood clots
•   Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
•   Anaesthesia risks
•   Skin discoloration and/or swelling
•   Fatty tissue found deep in the skin might die (fat necrosis)
•   Major wound separation
•   Asymmetry
•   Pain, which may persist
•   Unsatisfactory results such as highly visible surgical scar location, unacceptable
• visible deformities, bunching and rippling in the skin near the suture lines or at the ends of the incisions
•   Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications
•   Recurrent looseness of skin
•   Sutures may spontaneously surface through the skin, become visible or produce irritation that require removal
•   Possibility of revisional surgery
• When you go home
• If you experience shortness of breath, chest pains, or unusual heart beats, seek medical attention immediately. Should any of these complications occur, you may require hospitalization and additional treatment.

The practice of medicine and surgery is not an exact science. Although good results are expected, there is no guarantee. In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure and another surgery may be necessary.