Thigh Lifts

What is a thigh lift?

The thigh lift is a cosmetic surgery procedure designed to tighten the skin of the thigh and reduce sagging in the inner or outer thigh. Dr. Benjamin Gelfant performs this procedure on its own, or in combination with other procedures such as a body lift. As a general rule, Dr. Gelfant does not perform liposuction to the inner thigh simultaneously with an inner thigh lift.
Who benefits most from a thigh lift?

If your inner thighs are very big and have a lot of fatty tissue it might be best to do liposuction first to get rid of as much of the excess tissue as possible. After a few months we reevaluate the inner thigh to see if you will benefit from a thigh lift. In some cases, a thigh lift is recommended. If the skin of the inner thigh sags or is droopy, a thigh lift is ideal as it will tighten up the skin and smooth the contour of the inner thigh, down to about the mid-thigh. The skin at the level of the knee is, unfortunately, not improved significantly by thigh lifts. Patients who have lost a lot of weight are also possible candidates for an inner thigh lift, usually done in combination with other cosmetic surgery procedures, such as abdominoplasty, and outer thigh and buttock lifting.
What can the inner thigh lift do for me?

Stand in front of a mirror and pinch the skin of your upper inner thigh so that you lift the skin towards your groin. This approximates what a thigh lift can do for you.
How is the outer thigh treated?

The outer thigh is treated most often by liposuction. When the skin of the outer thigh sags, it is usually in conjunction with the buttocks. In this case, the outer thigh lift is performed together with a buttocks lift.

What is involved in the thigh lift surgery?

Thigh lift surgery is done under general anesthesia. Thigh lift patients arrive at the clinic on the day of surgery, usually 30-45minutes prior to scheduled surgery.

No shaving is done. There may be some limited hair clipping once you are under anaesthesia but this is minimize. Shaving prior to surgery is strongly recommended against,as this may increase the risk of infection. Immediately before surgery, Dr. Gelfant will mark the patient’s thighs while sh is standing. The skin is pinched and elevated towards the groin and an estimate is made for how much skin should be removed. Dr. Gelfant designs the surgery so the final scar is hidden in the groin crease. Excess skin and fat are removed and the remaining thigh skin is elevated and tightened. Inner thigh lifts require about 2.5 to 3 hours of surgery time, and a few hours in our post anaesthesia unit before going home on the day of surgery.
When combined with outer thigh/buttock lifts, or with abdminoplasty ( lower body lift) patients may be advised overnight care, which we arrange.

What is the recovery time for the thigh lift surgery?

Thigh lift surgery is generally well tolerated, but the preliminary recovery time is 2-3 weeks.During the first few days, patients need encouragement to mobilize; this is helpful in prevention of problems. It may be 4-6 weeks before more active life is resumed.