What Are the Pros and Cons of a Thigh Lift or Lower Body Lift ?

asked 3 years ago by daytripper in Dallas, TX
Latest answer by Mary Lee Peters, MD
Question viewed 2,829 times

After liposuction, my thighs are just loose bags.

10 answers to What Are the Pros and Cons of a Thigh Lift or Lower Body Lift ?

The extent of looseness in your thighs and buttock will determine whether a lower body lift or more

Following liposuction to the thighs, laxity in the skin can develop if the elastic fibers in the skin do not retract to allow the skin to smooth itself against the underlying muscle. Depending upon where you had your liposuction in the thigh, inner thigh, lateral thigh, posterior thigh, anterior thigh, or circumferentially, you may have looseness in any of these locations. The areas of loose skin will determine the best approach in choosing between a more focused thigh lift and the... more

David N. Hing, MD
Ann Arbor Plastic Surgeon

Pros and cons of a thigh or lower body lift

A LOWER BODY LIFT = Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) + LATERAL Thigh Lift (x 2) + Buttock lift. Liposuction removes fat. It does not (despite all the hype out there) shrink skin significantly. In areas of the body where the skin is not really anchored to the underlying muscles (such as the inner thighs), the removal of the fat UNCOVERS the skin laxity which was there. Since the resulting deflation after fat removal is not accompanied by the skin being pulled against the muscle, the skin hangs... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

A brief synopsis

Unfortunately, the skin elasticity was not adequate to shrink down after fat removal. Basically, you have some choices. You can live with things the way they are or you may choose to have a lift. The pros- skin and supporting tissues are lifted and tightened. The cons- $, pain $ recovery, large scars, risks of surgery including all kinds of wound healing problems, drains, anesthesia. If done by an experienced plastic surgeon, your chances of having a safe and successful outcome are... more

Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Body lift is not for every body

Lower body lift works well for masive weight loss patients . These patients have a lot of loose skin . The down side of the lower body iift is the scar and it's position. For the maasive weight loss patient scar my be extended to the inner thigh. For the patients after liposuction with loose skin limited lift works better. The other down side is the wound breakdown and this is very common since incision is in the crease of the innner thigh and very hard to keep it dry and clean. This is... more

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Thigh Lift v. Lower Body Lift

A lower body lift definitely gives benefit to the thighs. There is good pull in the groin and anterior thigh as long as the deep layers are closed. The lateral thigh often gets repositioned with a lower body lift and tightens skin. The posterior thigh does not get much change. The scars are easier to conceal with a lower body lift than with most thigh lifts and the recovery is actiually easier because there is not the rubbing of thighs with every step. There are... more

Mary Lee Peters, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

www.maryleepetersmd.com

Thigh Lift or Lower Body Lift? How to Decide.

The decision about which body contouring operation or operations you should have is unique to your anatomy and to your goals. Thigh lifts remove the lax skin from the upper inner thigh. An abdominoplasty or tummy tuck removes the excess skin from the front of your body and tightens your abdominal wall, narrowing your waist. It doesn't treat a sagging buttocks. The lower body lift removes skin from the front and back of your trunk. As a result, a... more

Fredrick A. Valauri, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

www.drvalauri.com

Thigh lift

If after liposuction your thighs are loose bags, then you may be a good candidate for a thigh lift. Depending upon your laxity this could be as simple as a crescent excision in the groin or if more involved a longitudinal incision in the thigh as well.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Patients with excess hanging skin are excellent candidates for body contouring

Excess skin laxity following liposuction is very common. It usually indicates that your skin integrity was inadequate to "shrink wrap" down after liposuction. Patients with this issue are excellent candidates for open body contouring procedures. This can include tummy tuck, lower body lift, brachioplasty and thigh lift. If you have a significant amount of excess skin that hangs down, surgical removal probably is your best option.

Kevin Brenner, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Lower body lift

Body lift is designed to remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen, hips lateral thighs, inner thighs and the buttocks. Excessive skin sagging can result from age, pregnancy, or excessive weight loss and gain. Lower body lift addresses multiple areas which can be combined in one procedure or divided into two or more procedures. It also combines liposuction of areas of fat accumulation, to rejuvenate and restores youthful curves to the body Staging these procedures make the recovery more... more

Samir Shureih, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

Thigh & lower body lift

The pros are that there is no other way to significantly reduce severe skin laxity. The cons are that it is: surgery with risks costly may not treat the entire lower extremity laxity (may require inner thigh lift) and generally does little for the knee laxity) may result in some flattening of the buttock long scars