Thigh Liposuction Vs. Thigh Lift

First of all, a consult is essential, for there is a "touch and feel" element on the Doctor's part as to what he can accomplish with his techniques.
Having said that, a few comments:
1 Excercise will not tighten your skin, neither will liposuction
2 Lipo will change the contour of the thigh, but not improve (or may even worsen) the rippling in your skin.
3 A thigh lift can tighten skin AND change contour, but it has a longer recovery, and the scar has to be managed carefully.
4 The best results I have had have been staging the procedure, where I first do an aggressive lipo to "debulk" the inner thigh, then do a lift.

Thank you for your question about getting liposuction or a thigh lift. You mentioned in your history that you have thigh skin that is not smooth. You also mentioned you have inner thigh wrinkling, which gives the appearance of sagging. Therefore, you are describing excess skin of the inner thigh. Therefore, I would strongly suggest a thigh lift. If you have thigh liposuction with wrinkly and not smooth inner thigh skin, the wrinkling will worsen. You have two problems on the inner thigh: excess skin leading to wrinkling, and excess fat, leading to the more prominent appearance of your thighs. Therefore you need inner thigh reduction. Thigh liposuction does not remove thigh skin; it only removes thigh fat.
Therefore, I would suggest a thigh lift, thigh reduction, or thighplasty. During a thigh lift, thigh liposuction is performed in conjunction with the excision of a giant elliptical skin area in the inner portion of the thigh. Typically an incision is made from the groin to the knee. The procedure takes approximately 4 hours, requiring drains for approximately 2-3 weeks. Plan to stay off work for approximately 2-3 weeks. You will need to wear a compression garment for six weeks. You also asked whether excess thigh skin is only caused by significant weight loss. This is false; excess thigh skin can also be genetic or due to lymphedema and lipedema. Thank you for your question regarding whether you should have thigh liposuction or a thigh lift. Have the thigh lift; I think you will be satisfied.

Your question is one of the most important things to think about when considering the appropriate treatment for your inner thighs. At their core, liposuction and thigh lift address two very different aspects of inner thigh contour. The first question to always ask is: "What is the problem?  Too much loose skin? Excess fat under the skin? Or both?"Liposuction is primarily performed to remove fat from under the skin. I believe that there is a component of skin shrinkage with liposuction, especially when performed in combination with laser or ultrasound energy (VASER), which is important because removing a substantial amount of fat underneath the skin may result in loose skin after the procedure.   When considering the patient for inner thigh liposuction, I always consider the possibility of leaving them with too much loose skin after the procedure.Inner thigh lift is most effectively performed when there is too much loose skin in the inner thigh. It can also be performed when there is a combination of loose skin and extra fat. It is a more involved procedure, and has more scarring and recovery. That said, it is the only way to effectively remove the abundance of extra and loose skin that is often seen in the inner thigh.In some cases, liposuction and thigh lift are combined to most effectively remove excess skin and fat.The bottom line is this: it is critical that you are seen and evaluated by a plastic surgeon who is certified by the American Board of plastic surgery and has extensive experience with inner thigh lift and liposuction. Accurate diagnosis of the problem and appropriate delivery of treatment is critical to give you the best possible result.I wish you the best,Dr. Gabbay.

Thank you for your question.  Having liposuction on the inner thighs will only remove the fat and depending on the quality of the skin, you could be left with laxity. Age and weight loss are a large factor, however, laxity can happen in younger patients as well. The thigh lift would remove volume and skin and give a much stronger result for many patients.  A consultation would be needed to determine the quality of your skin and to come up with the best plan to address your unique concerns.  Best of luck.

Skin excess can result from not only weight loss but, also, changes in skin quality from our natural aging process. If you have skin excess, you may very well get a better result from a thigh lift as opposed to thigh liposuction.There are a variety of different ways to perform a thigh lift surgery. The appropriate technique depends on the degree of skin laxity and also the degree of fatty excess. The length and position of the scar can vary greatly depending on how much loose skin there is in the thighs and if this isolated to the upper third of the thigh or involves the lower two thirds of the thigh. There may be a horizontal component of the scar that is in or close to the groin crease and can be both in front and under the buttock crease. There can also be a vertical component of the scar the extends down the inner thigh. These can also be used in alone or in combination. In some cases, liposuction of the thigh can greatly complement the result, especially when there is fatty excess combined with skin excess. You should see a board certified plastic surgeon to get an idea of what procedure would give you the best result.

Liposuction
may remove any stubborn fat deposits in your thighs, however it has been my
experience that any obvious sagging present before surgery remains afterward,
and can even get worse. As a result, a thigh lift would probably be better
suited. You will have more scarring, however liposuction will probably be
insufficient in addressing your concerns. During your thigh lift, liposuction can be performed.