Thigh Lift Surgery
Certifications
Thighs are an area of the body where the skin is prone to sagging when excessive amount of weight is lost. This is because the skin loses the underlying fat tissue for support and cannot retract back from its extended state. This makes the thighs look unsightly and would make it difficult to look good in swim or beachwear. This look can be improved significantly with thigh lift surgery, which is part of body contouring.
Body contouring surgery involves removing the excess skin and tightening and redraping the remaining over the body and suturing it in place. The incision is usually made along the inguinal creases, so that there are no scars on the legs. If any pockets of fat are remaining, they can be removed at the same time using liposuction technique. This is done under general anaesthesia and requires 2-4 days stay in hospital. A drain (fine tube) is usually left under the skin for about 24 hours to drain blood and fluid. Your doctor will prescribe analgesia for pain. The bruising and swelling will take a couple of weeks to settle. It is recommended to take 2 to 4 weeks off work to recover. This will depend on the extent of surgery, so discuss this with your surgeon. It may take a few months to fully appreciate the results of the procedure.
Thigh lift surgery is not done as a weight loss procedure in an obese person, but is suitable in someone who has lost weight, but has sagging skin or pockets of fat remaining.