Leg Lift
Patients who would like tighter, more youthful looking thighs may benefit from a surgical procedure such known as a thigh lift. In many cases, patients have experienced a large weight loss, resulting in a “saggy” appearance to the skin-a thigh lift can help patients achieve the look they had in mind when they decided to lose weight. A surgical thigh lift removes skin that has lost its elasticity, improving the overall appearance of the thigh area, although often focusing specifically on the inner thigh.
Thigh lifts require general anesthesia, and can be combined with other related procedures, such as tummy tucks and liposuction. A thigh lift surgery alone usually takes around two hours to complete. The incision used to perform a thigh lift is placed in the groin area beneath the bikini line. A crescent of skin is removed from the groin, then the tissues below the incision are loosened and the “thigh lift” takes place as the skin is pulled up and the incision sutured shut. Deep stitches are used in the thigh lift to secure the skin to ligament and bone, preventing sagging as the incisions heal. Drains are placed in the incisions to prevent excess fluids after the thigh lift surgery, and are usually removed within a few days.
Following a surgical thigh lift, most patients experience minimal pain that is easily controlled with medication. Any swelling is usually gone within two or three weeks and there is rarely bruising associated with thigh lift surgery. Patients should expect to be off from work for around a week, although most individuals are able to get up and move around within a few days of the thigh lift. The sutures will come out within a week to ten days, and the results of the thigh lift are almost immediately available. The ability of a procedure such as a thigh lift to restore confidence and a youthful appearance in a patient can be truly amazing. If you feel that you have excess skin in your thigh area that would make you a candidate for thigh lift surgery, contact a board-certified plastic surgeon and discuss the specifics of your case.
Note: This information acts as a guide to your possible treatment. Your individual concerns and specific medical history will need to be shared and discussed with your surgeon during your initial consultation.