Can you do a full body lift but expecially a knee and thigh lift? My legs Embarrass me so much, can you help? (Photo)

Question

hello I had bariatric surgery in 2007 lost 150 pounds however i work out and eat good and I can't get rid of the skin. I need an arm left and mostley a knee and thigh lift. The skin on my legs embassies me and drives me crazy. I am looking for help to have this skin all pulled up and removed. I really just need a full body lift. Arms legs and tummy. Can you help.

John LoMonaco, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello and good work on your accomplishments.  An inner thigh lift will improve the texture of the skin and downsize your legs. The area around the knees is the toughest to get smooth.I routinely combine lower body lift along with a lift of the front and side of the legs.  Inner thighs are often done at a  second stage. Liposuction often accompanies both stages as needed.I will be happy to send you a free copy of the book written especially for weight loss patients by myself and 2 other surgeons who specialize in this area. Just email me at jlmd@peoplepc.com

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question regarding whether a full body lift can treat your knees and thighs. Thank you for your question and your history and pictures. S 360 circumferential lower body lift is a tummy tuck, a hip lift/reduction, and a buttock lift/reduction. A 360 circumferential lower body lift does not include thighs. A body lift only addresses the outer upper thigh during the hip lift portion of a body lift. It does not significantly impact the front or side of the thighs. What you need is a thigh lift/reduction or a thighplasty. During your thigh lift, thigh liposuction will be performed inside your thigh. Then an incision would be made from the groin to the knee. An elliptical area of skin and fat would be removed from the groin to the knee. Several drains are placed and will be removed typically 2-3 weeks after surgery. The thigh lift, thigh reduction, or thighplasty takes approximately 3-4 hours to complete under general anesthesia. After your thigh lift, you must wear a compression garment for approximately 6-8 weeks or until the swelling is gone. Regarding your arms, you have not attached pictures. However, I would guess you would need arm liposuction and an incision from your armpit to your elbow. I suggest you do this separately from the thighs, as the recovery is difficult. If both the thighs and arms are done simultaneously. Suppose you want your tummy done. The tummy can be performed as a tummy tuck or a 360 circumferential lower body lift to be combined with your thigh lift. Then one to two months later undergo an arm lift. I hope I helped to answer

John J. O'Brien, MD · Answer

Hello, and thank you for this question. Congratulations on  your weight loss. Based upon your pictures you appear to have significant skin laxity. In many instances, patients can obtain some improvement along the lateral and inner thighs. This usually does not translate into significant improvement across the anterior thigh and knee area. In addition to that although there are some nonsurgical options these have been very minimally effective at this point. As mentioned this is a difficult problem that may not be correctable. I would recommend a consultation with a qualified board certified plastic surgeon with experience on body contouring after massive wt loss. Best of luck.

David Stoker, MD · Answer

Knee skin laxity is a tough problem to correct.  If there is severe skin laxity in the knees, you may require a long vertical scar on the inner aspect of the knees to remove the excess skin.  A waistline body lift will have only a limited impact on the knees because they are so far away from the location of skin removal.

Young R. Cho, MD, PhD · Answer

Congrats on your weight loss!  If you feel that things are pretty stable in terms of weight, the. I do think that a lower body lift would help to define portions of your thigh.  However an inner thigh lift with liposuction will also help tighten the skin of the inner thighs.  Both a lower body lift and inner thigh lift are big procedures, and hence, you should consider staging the procedures.  I would start with the procedure that bothers you the most.

Remus Repta, MD · Answer

Thank you for the questions and photos.  Loose skin after weight loss is a common problem.  Unfortunately, only surgery can correct loose skin since diet and excercise cannot repair excess skin as a result of significant weight loss.  There are solutions for just about every skin laxity body area and each solution comes with its own advantages and disadvantages, cost, recovery, and scar location.  All the best,Dr. Remus Repta

Michael Ian Rose, MD · Answer

Amazing weight loss!Due to your massive weight loss, you have excessive skin that will not improve with diet and exercise alone.  If you want the skin removed you will need surgery.  A thigh lift would be great for you.  Since I can't see the rest of your body I can't comment, but all of my weight loss patients have needed a body lift and arm lifts as well.  Make sure to see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.    Good Luck

Robert Najera, MD · Answer

Congratulations on the weight loss. Based on your photo, you have a significant amount of skin laxity around your entire leg. I would assume that your abdomen would show similar amount of excess skin. In my practice a separate a body lift (circumferential skin excision along torso) from any type of leg lift. With that being said, a proper body lift will address the laxity on your outer thighs. In most instances the only remaining part of the thigh to be lifted would be the inner or medial thigh. Based on your picture, you may require a medial thigh lift that excises skin with a longitiduonal scar going up your inner thigh.

James E. Leake, MD (retired) · Answer

you can certainly have your arms and thighs lifted, with or without your body lift. the arm lift and the thigh lift could be done together. the scars can be visible in short sleeves, or sleeveless or shorts. you may need to have multiple staged procedures in the same areas for a more ideal result. in one of your pictures, you are pulling the thigh skin up like putting on a pair of pants, that is not possible. easy to do with your hands, but not with surgery.

Mary Lee Peters, MD (retired) · Answer

Your 150 lb weight loss is an accomplishment to be proud of. Taking full advantage of your change should include removing the extra skin.  You need a surgeon experienced in bariatric plastic surgery to help you make a plan specific to your body.  Most need a lower body lift before thigh surgery.  It will take several stages.

Can you do a full body lift but expecially a knee and thigh lift? My legs Embarrass me so much, can you help? (Photo)

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