Thigh Lift Recovery and Downtime

The first two weeks are critical after thigh reduction surgery. During this time, it is important that swelling be kept to a minimum and incisions are allowed to fully heal. It is critical to be very careful and cautious during this time, moving slowly and intentionally to avoid pulling on incisions. Open wounds in the thigh area are difficult to heal because of the tension of gravity pulling down on the full weight of the legs and because of the movement when walking, sitting, bending,... more

Removal of tissue from the inner thigh or medial thigh will leave an incision along the groin crease. This requires 2-3 weeks of healing. It is not uncommon to have small separations in the incision, requiring additional healing time. Most do not require surgical closure as a second follow up operation. Larger thigh reductions, such as a lower body lift (which addresses the buttocks/posterior thigh, hips/lateral thigh, and anterior thigh), may require 4 to 6 weeks of recovery. The... more

Medial thigh lift is a tough procedure for both the surgeon and the patient.  I tell my patients 2 - 3 off of a desk job if everything goes swimmingly.  Sometimes I think I need 2 - 3 weeks off after doing one of these challenging operations.  The rate of complications is high but they usually consist of delayed healing or prolonged swelling which is manageable. Any patient having this procedure or just about any major plastic surgery procedure can expect 6 weeks... more

The down time depends on the procedure. If you have a lot of excess skin and may need liposuction with the thigh lift ,your down time may be 10-14 day. Thigh lifts have high rate of wound break down and this may delay the full recovery.

These vary tremendously in their design and therefore restrictions may be different. Limitations in activity are typically placed to minimize stretching of the scar. However, we do prefer patients to be active to minimize the possibility of a deep vein thrombosis. In the meantime you may wear compression stockings to minimize your risk and perform point and flex toe/calf exercises (like they instruct you on an airplane) to diminish venous stasis. Excessive bending or flexing may be... more

Down time form a thigh lift or a thigh reduction procedure can take anywhere form 3 to 4 weeks.  You will need about 6 weeks to be completely healed however.  I would plan to take at least one month off work.  Optimizing your nutrition with protein supplements will help you to heal faster.

Thigh reduction implies reducing the size of the thigh. That could be outer thighs, inner thighs, buttock or any combination of these to achieve the results you desire. The down time varies depending on what need to be done and the design of the procedure. It can vary from 3 to 6 weeks.

Taking adequate time to recover after a thigh reduction procedure is important. Some limitations of activity are necessary in order to reduce chances of the scar stretching, and some doctors recommend wearing compression garments to minimize the risk of blood clots. I recommend taking at least 1 week away from work for your initial recovery, as long as your work does not require you to do any activities that require physical exertion on your part. I also recommend waiting at least 21... more