Patient care comes first, we listen to your individual needs to help you make the safest choices, as well as to achieve the best possible result.

Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror. Kahlil Gibran

Thigh lift

Why do patients request a thigh lift?
The most common reason for asking for a thigh lift is that patients do not like the appearance of their thighs; usually this is the inner thigh. This appearance can be due to excess skin, stretch marks or an excess of fat. These appearances can result from isolated fat deposits and/or weight loss.

Very occasionally people request surgery to the inner thighs to correct the effects of previous liposuction on the thighs.

Are there any reasons not to have a thigh lift?
Thigh lift surgery is not a method of weight loss and should not be used as such, it is a method of tightening the skin of the thigh to give a better contour The best time for surgery is when patients are as close to their ideal weight as possible.

Sometimes previous surgery can be reason not to have a thigh lift as can your previous medical history. Patients who smoke are usually not good candidates for surgery.

What does the operation involve?
The operation is usually performed under a general anaesthetic. The skin of the inner thigh is tightened by removing a section of skin. The scar is usually hidden in the groin but if there is a lot of excess skin the scar may need to extend down the medial side of the thigh towards the knee. Drains are often used after surgery to prevent fluid collecting under the skin. Liposuction is sometimes performed at the same time as a thigh lift.

What you need to know

How long does the operation take?
The operation takes from 2-4 hours depending on how extensive the operation needs to be.

How long am I in hospital?
The normal length of stay in hospital is 2 nights. This can be longer if the drains need to stay in place. However sometimes patients can go home with their drains in.

What happens when I go home?
Patients normally go home in a tight fitting garment, which they asked to wear night and day for 2 weeks. Patients are reviewed in outpatients 2 weeks after their operation and then approximately 3 months after surgery. Driving is not normally permitted for 7-10 days after surgery and patients should be back to normal activities after 4-6 weeks.

How long do I need of work?
This depends on the extent of the operation but usually patients require at least 2 weeks off work.

Will the operation need re-doing in the future?
It is very unusual for a thigh lift to need repeating but with weight gain and loss the skin may stretch again.

What are the risks and complications of the operation?

  • Bleeding and haematoma formation
  • Seroma formation – collections of clear fluid under the skin
  • Infection, wound breakdown, skin loss (particularly in smokers)
  • Pain
  • Scar hypertrophy stretching
  • Numbness
  • Dog-ears – little folds of skin which need adjusting usually under a local anaesthetic
  • Venous thrombosis.
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