“Do you have excess skin and fat on the thighs that refuses to shift, regardless of fitness and weight control efforts?”
If you want to achieve a firmer, more proportionate thigh contour, a thigh lift (otherwise known a thighplasty) may be a suitable treatment for you.
Excess loose and saggy skin of the thighs is commonplace after significant weight loss. If the appearance of large, saggy thighs are effecting your self-esteem, a thigh lift performed by our surgeon Dr Anh may be the solution to smoother, more youthful thigh contours.
What is a thigh lift?
A thigh lift is a surgical procedure designed to reshape and improve the contour of the inner or outer thighs. This is done by reducing excess skin and localised pockets of fat, resulting in smoother skin and better-proportioned contours of the thighs and lower body.
Candidates for a thigh lift?
A thigh lift is generally performed on men and women who are in good health, within a stable weight range and experience significant laxity of the inner or outer thighs. Your plastic surgeon, Dr Anh, will assess your candidacy during your initial consultation.
What you can expect from your initial consultation for a thigh lift?
Dr Anh realises that your initial consultation can be daunting. It is only natural to feel nervous or self-conscious about revealing your body concerns with someone you have never met before. Dr Anh understands that you may feel this way and will try to make the consultation as comfortable for you as possible.
Dr Anh and her cosmetic consultants will spend about 45 minutes with you to gain better understanding of why you are seeking a thigh lift, the results you are hoping to achieve and the expectations you have surrounding the procedure.
During your consultation, Dr Anh will review your medical and surgical history before examining you. Afterwards, she will recommend a treatment plan and discuss the procedure in depth with you, including pre and post operative care.
She will also show you before and after photos of her previous thigh lift patients, answer any questions you may have and provide you with written material regarding the procedure for you to take home. A quote will be given to you at the end of your consultation and all costs involved will be explained.
What happens during the procedure
Thigh lift surgery is performed under general anaesthesia and takes between two to four hours to complete. Once you have been sedated, Dr Anh will make incisions, which will depend on the type of thigh lift you receive. Inner thigh lift incisions are made in the groin, extending downward and wrapping around the back of the thighs. Outer thigh lift incisions extend from the groin around the hip and across the back. These incisions allow Dr Anh to remove excess skin, fat and tissue. She will then redrape and smooth the skin over the new contours of your thighs, before closing your incisions with sutures.
FAQS
The cost of a thigh lift varies from patient to patient. The total cost of your thighplasty is made up of a number of components, including Dr Anh’s surgical fees, anaesthetic fees and hospital fees, as well as the complexity of the procedure. During your consultation with Dr Anh, she will provide you with a detailed quote of what is included in the total costs of your procedure.
Dr Anh is a highly experienced plastic surgeon, however no procedure is without risk. Potential risks and complications of a thigh lift include:
- Allergic reaction to anaesthesia, sutures, dressings or antibacterial agents
- Poor wound healing
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Excess fluid accumulation under the skin
- Wound separation
- Asymmetry
- Death of fatty tissue
- Skin discolouration
- Skin loss
- Visible and prominent scarring
- Restricted movement to tightened skin
After your thigh lift, you may need to wear a compression garment to control any swelling. Dr Anh may also insert a temporary drainage tube in your thigh to drain any blood or fluid that may build up after surgery.
You will need to take some time off work to rest after your thigh lift procedure. In the days following, you may experience some swelling and bruising, although this will fade in time. You will need to avoid any heavy lifting, strenuous exercise and swimming until advised by Dr Anh, however most patients are able to return to all normal activities within four weeks.
Dr Anh will provide you with thorough post operative care instructions to take home. This will cover how to care for your wounds, which medications to take and when, warning signs to look out for and a timeline for any follow up visits.
As with any other surgical procedure, a thigh lift will inevitably leave a scar. During the procedure, Dr Anh will aim to create incisions in an easily hidden location. This way, any scarring will hopefully go unnoticed once your surgical wounds have healed. If your skin is prone to scarring, make sure to discuss this with Dr Anh during your consultation.