A thigh lift is a procedure involving the removal of excess skin and fat from the outer or inner thighs or both to enhance thigh contours. This procedure performed by a cosmetic surgeon is ideal for patients who are unable to reduce excess tissue in upper thighs with diet or exercise and are bothered by the unshapely thigh appearance.
Re-contouring of the inner thigh may have to be combined with liposuction in some cases to create more youthful thigh contours.
The patient should be committed to maintaining an active lifestyle and balanced diet to enjoy the new shape of thighs for a long time. Dedicated and profound plastic surgeon Dr. Paul McCluskey provides thigh lift to patients in Atlanta, Buckhead, Georgia, and surrounding communities across the horizon.
Candidacy
The following people can often make good candidates for thigh lift surgery:
- Significant weight loss has led to loose skin in the thighs
- Aging effects have caused sagging thighs and cellulite appearance
- Heavy thighs prevent from wearing clothes of choice
- Loss of body proportion and poor contours due to excess tissue in inner or outer thighs or sagging thigh skin
Procedure
Inner (Medial) Thigh Lift
The cosmetic surgeon will create an incision in the groin area. Excess skin and fat along the inner aspect of the thigh will be removed through the incision. Depending on the patient’s condition of fat deposits, liposuction may be added with the procedure. The surgeon will re-contour the area from the groin to the knee, and repeat the same procedure for the outer thigh. Thighplasty, involving a more substantive removal of a wedge of tissue may be performed in a few cases.
Outer (Lateral) Thigh Lift
This procedure is usually more complex, and typically involves re-contouring of the buttocks as well as the outer thighs. Removal of more tissue is involved in this technique. The patient will be required to watch their post-treatment weight because the skin will become less elastic after this surgery. Scarring will also be slightly more visible.
Incision and Scar Appearance
The incisions in case of a medial thigh lift will be placed in the groin region. But if the patient needs a larger removal of loose skin, the surgeon may create a longitudinal incision along the inner thigh.
The incision in case of a lateral thigh lift will extend from the groin, around the hip, and possibly also include a buttock fold incision. A skillful surgeon will place discreet incisions so that the subsequent scars can be hidden with clothing.
Recovery
The new, youthful, and smooth thigh contours will be visible immediately, but the patient will go through a few days of soreness, bruising and swelling in the incision areas. In the first month, the patient may be required to wear a compression garment to optimize the new contours.
Swelling will gradually subside over three to five weeks. Most patients can return to their normal routine in about a week to 10 days, but strenuous activities should be avoided for about six weeks. Amazing and prudent plastic surgeon Dr. McCluskey receives patients from Atlanta, Buckhead, Georgia, and nearby areas across the landscape for a thigh lift.
For more information on procedures and treatments offered by Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Paul McCluskey and the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta, visit: