Options for the Thighs after Major Weight Loss

After losing a great deal of weight, the thigh area can become problematic for most patients. The skin that was stretched due to weight gain loses its ability to be elastic and does not bounce back after the weight is gone. This situation can be quite embarrassing and is not always easy to hide. Other difficulties can arise from ill-fitting clothing to uncomfortable rashes. These issues can be improved through plastic surgery to lift the saggy tissue and remove the excess skin. For most weight loss patients, both the inner and outer thigh require tightening and lifting. The AB Guerra Plastic Surgery Center offers several options for our patients.

Outer Thigh Lift after Major Weight Loss

The outer thigh lift can be performed alone, but most commonly, this surgery is performed as part of a body lift. A body lift has components of tummy tuck, outer thigh lift and Brazilian buttock lift surgery. Body lift is recommended as the first body contouring surgery, for most patients, because it will set the stage for continuous successful body contouring surgery for the breasts, arms, and inner thighs. Some patients may choose to perform only an outer thigh lift. The outer thigh lift procedure is designed to tighten skin on the front and outside of the thighs. During outer thigh lift, the surgeon makes an incision at the top of the thigh where the lower edge of a pair of underwear would be worn.

Thigh lift surgery begins with appropriate markings done before you go into the surgery suite. The markings for the outer thigh lift occur on each side of the body. The markings allow the plastic surgeon to remove enough skin to mobilize the saggy outer thigh and suture this into a much higher position at the end of surgery. After anesthesia, the marked areas are incised and the excess skin is removed. The procedure allows for the maxiuml amount of tightening and size reduction. The final closure of the outer thigh incision is completed with a multilayer technique and the incision is reinforced with Dermabond^®, a glue sealant that immediately and effective closes the wound, so that patients may safely shower soon after surgery. We prefer to perform outer thigh lift in a hospital setting and keep patients in the facility for several days. All patients are expected to walk the evening of surgery. The next morning, a soft diet is started after the patient gets out of bed and walks. This procedure is especially helpful to those who have excess skin after major weight loss.

Thigh Lift incisions and scars

Thigh lift surgery creates incisions and scars. However, thigh lift scars are usually located in a relatively inconspicuous location and, for many patients, are minor in comparison to the benefits provided by the surgery. In many cases, thigh lift scars are easily concealed by underwear and bathing suits. If you are considering thigh lift surgery but are concerned about scars, we can discuss this possibility in great detail at your plastic surgery consultation. You must weight the benefits of eliminating excess fat and skin with thigh lift surgery against the potential drawbacks and risks through an informed consent process.

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Inner Thigh Lift after Major Weight Loss

Patients commonly request thigh lift surgery after major weight loss. The thighs can easily accumulate fat in most people. With weight gain the volume the thighs develop is significant and the excess tissue may not all disappear after weight loss. In fact, most often the thighs look worse with weight loss due to the accumulation of pockets of deflated skin and cellulite. Many patients, therefore, prioritize thigh surgery very high on their wish list. A thigh lift most often refers to a procedure that removes unwanted excess skin, dimples and cellulite from the inner thighs. The procedure can be extended to include the entire thigh region all the way down to the knees and beyond. The inner thigh lift that is most often recommended after major weight loss can lift the saggy thighs and make the thighs look smoother.

Inner Thigh Surgery without Weight Loss

A medial thigh lift is the most commonly performed thigh lift surgery on people who are not major weight loss patients. These patients usually have excess skin and fat that is limited to an area high on the inner thigh. The medial thigh lift is designed for patients who are dissatisfied with the shape of their legs or who would like to remove excess skin in the area. During a medial thigh lift procedure, an incision is made in the groin that goes to the back of the crease of the buttock. Skin in then lifted and excess skin and fat are removed to improve the shape of the inner thigh and tighten the skin. The final closure of the medial thigh incision is completed with a multilayer technique and the incision is reinforced with Dermabond^®, a glue sealant that effective closes the wound, so that patients may safely shower after surgery. We prefer to perform medial thigh lift in a outpatient center with an overnight stay. All patients are expected to walk the evening of surgery. The next morning, a soft diet is started after the patient gets out of bed and walk.