Thigh Lift

A thigh lift reshapes the thighs by removing excess skin in the upper and middle thigh. The goal is smoother skin and better contours.

The most common person requesting thigh lifts is one who has lost a large amount of weight. The best candidates for a thigh lift have excess skin along the inner, middle and/or outer thigh. Thigh lift candidates should be physically healthy, psychologically stable and realistic in their expectations.

Thigh lift is a major procedure that may not be appropriate for individuals with medical problems such as diabetes, heart or lung disease, poor blood circulation, or those who have recently had surgery near the area to be contoured. Smokers are always at greater risk for any surgery.

The Procedure:

The incisions will depending on the area of the thigh being treated and the degree of correction indicated for the patient. One common technique used for thigh lift places incisions in the groin crease beginning in the front and wrapping the inner thigh around to the buttocks crease. The underlying tissue is reshaped and tightened and excess skin is removed. Liposuction is often used to help with the shaping. The remaining skin is then pulled up, re-draped and sutured in a new location. The goal is to keep the incisions in strategic locations where they can be hidden by most types of swimwear and clothing. Despite this goal, the incisions may be extensive and the scars take a long time to fade.

You will be placed in a compression garment to minimize swelling and support the surgical site at the end of the procedure. One or more small drain tubes may be placed under the skin to drain excess fluid.

A thigh lift is accompanied by general anesthesia and is usually performed on an outpatient basis. Extensive procedures may require a short inpatient stay.

Expected Side Effects:

Temporary bruising
Swelling
Pain
Numbness
Prolonged healing of incisions

Risks:

We do everything we can to decrease the risks of surgery. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees with any surgery. Some of the risks specific to thigh lift are:

Asymmetry
Rippling of skin
Color changes in skin
Skin injury
Infection
Open wounds

Learn More About the Procedure

Click below to learn what to do before and after the procedure.

Before Your Procedure

Prior to surgery, you will have a pre-operative office visit.

At this visit, we will: Take your payment and answer any questions you may have regarding the procedure. At this time, Dr. Frost may not be available, but if you would like to speak with him again, please let us know and we will schedule this visit when he is available. Provide you with any prescriptions that you may need for after surgery. We encourage you to have these prescriptions filled prior to your surgery to avoid having to stop at the pharmacy after your procedure. Please let us know if you have any specific pain medication requests, and we will try to prescribe the medication that works best for you. Make arrangements for any necessary pre-operative evaluations that need to be performed, such as blood tests, pregnancy testing, EKG, etc.

Diet and Medications:
Please, DO NOT eat or drink ANYTHING after midnight prior to your surgery. This is VERY important. Your surgery will be CANCELLED if you eat or drink anything after midnight. The only exception is a sip of water with any medications that you must take. Generally, you should take high blood pressure and heart medications. Do NOT take arthritis medications and do NOT take diabetic medications (including insulin), unless specifically instructed to do so.

Bathing and Clothing Prior to Surgery:
Please take a shower and use antibacterial soap the night before and the morning of your surgery. Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothing such as a front button shirt and loose pants since these items are easier to put on and take off after surgery.

After Your Procedure

Diet:
Take it slow and easy with your diet. Start with clear liquids and simply advance as tolerated. It is normal to have some nausea from the anesthetic and pain medication, but by taking it easy, this should quickly resolve.

Activity:
Take it easy, Walking is good, bouncing is bad. A good rule of thumb is: “If it hurts, don’t do it.” You may feel like you cannot stand up straight. Feel free to walk bent-over for the first week or so. You will be able to stand straight (and proud) soon. As you start to feel stronger, you may gradually increase your activity. Do not plan to drive for 2 to 3 weeks since restricted movement may limit your response time in an emergency. Do not do any abdominal exercise for at least a month to six weeks. Actually, if we tighten the muscles enough, you may never do another sit-up again!

Pain:
We want to help limit your pain as much as possible, but we will not be able to take it all away. The goal of pain medication is to prevent pain, so do not wait until you are really hurting to take your medication. Follow the directions on your prescription to stay ahead of the pain and experience the highest level of pain relief possible. Narcotics can cause constipation, so drink plenty of water, eat fruit and use an over-the-counter laxative, if needed.

Post-Operative Dressings and Bathing:
Bathing is limited mostly by the compression garment(s). Wear the garment(s) day and night until instructed that it can be removed. Sponge bathe. Some patients prefer to shower with the garment on and then dry it with a hair dryer. Do whatever is most comfortable for you, but don’t remove the garment(s).

Results:
The results of a thigh lift are visible almost immediately; however, it may take a few months for the final results to be evident. Some visible scars will remain, but the overall results are long-lasting, provided you maintain a stable weight and general fitness.

Questions:

Our goal is for you to be informed. If you have a question, please call our office at 850.474.8333.