Thigh lift

Thigh lift

A thigh lift is designed to remove excessive skin along with the underlying fat from your inner thigh, leading to improved contour and tighter skin.

You should only consider a thigh lift if loose hanging excess inner thigh skin is bothersome or aesthetically troubling YOU. You should not go through with a thigh lift at behest of others. A suitable candidate is usually a healthy individual who is troubled by the way their thighs look, despite a healthy diet and exercise. The excess skin may have developed due to aging, weight fluctuations, pregnancy or marked weight loss.

It is important that you have realistic expectations and do not view your thigh lift as a means to weight loss. If you are planning on loosing weight or possibly becoming pregnant in the near future then it is best to postpone your surgery.

During the evaluation expect to be asked about your reasoning behind wanting to undergo a thigh lift. You should be clear regarding your expectations and goals. Personal medical and surgical history will be discussed aside from your general health, use of regular medications and social habits such as smoking. Your surgeon will carry out an examination of your thigh and assess the amount of redundant skin that can be safely removed. Your surgeon would want you to have a complete blood test as well as blood group done prior to surgery. Make sure that before you decide on going through with your thigh lift that you ask your surgeon any questions regarding your operation, such as the position of your scar, recovery time, return to work etc.

Thigh lifts are usually done under general anaesthesia. In some it may be advantages to start the procedure with liposuction of the demarcated area. That is then followed by an elliptical incision closely hugging the inner aspect of your upper thigh. Preparation is then made above the muscular plane down towards your knees, within the liposuction plane. If necessary a vertical incision is also placed along the inner aspect of your thigh extending towards your knee. The need for and the extent of the vertical incision depends on the amount of excess skin that has to be removed. The skin is then re-draped and its excess removed. Finally skin edges are then sutured together and a compression garment applied over wound dressings.

A thigh lift, similar to other major surgeries can be associated with major complications.  Aside from probable risks associated with general anaesthesia, as with most surgeries, there is always a risk of bleeding, poor wound healing, irregular scars as well as infection. Other complications include haematoma or seroma formation, intractable pain, scar relapse and wound breakdown. There is always a risk of DVT or pulmonary embolism and fat or skin necrosis –loss-. Any of the above may lead to future revisional surgery or hospitalisation.

You will spend one or two nights at the hospital following your thigh lift. There will be a drain -small plastic tube- coming out of either side to draw out excess fluid and blood. The drains are removed after 2-4 days depending on the speed of your recovery. You are discharged with new wound dressings and a compression garment to help support your thighs during recovery. You have to wear the compression garment for 6-8 weeks. DVT prophylaxis injections will be given for home use. Further follow-ups will be arranged at 1,2 and 4 week intervals. Your sutures are removed after two weeks. During the first two weeks you should not be doing anything strenuous. Your surgeon will advise you regarding incremental increase in the level of your daily activity depending on your progress, but in general exercise is frowned upon during the first 6 weeks, and you can only go back to work 2-3 weeks following surgery.