Skin removal for thigh lift and lower back/buttock lift recovery tips and timeframe?

Hi, thank you for your question regarding the thigh lift and thigh reduction as well as the posterior body lift to include the low back and buttock lift. Congratulations on your significant weight loss history! The posterior body lift includes an incision that extends from the hip, to the top of the buttock crack, and to the other or contra-lateral hip. It basically joins the tummy tuck or abdominoplasty incisions across the back. This procedure takes me approximately 4 hours under general anesthesia to complete and requires approximately about a 2 week recovery. Your post-operative position for the posterior back lift surgery should be a straight back. Most patients prefer to be flat on their back without the head of the bed being elevated. After a posterior body lift, sitting in a chair is not suggested as this puts too much strain on the lower back. After approximately 3 to 4 weeks, you are allowed to sit at a 45 degree angle and at approximately 6 to 8 weeks, you are allowed to sit at a 90 degree angle. Often, I combine the posterior body lift or circumferential lower body lift with the medial thigh lift or thigh reduction. During a thigh reduction, I perform thigh liposuction and usually make an incision from the groin to the knee. After liposuction, an inner thigh incision is made and a large elliptical area of inner thigh skin and fat from the groin to the knee is removed. This procedure takes me approximately 4 hours to complete under general anesthesia. Because of the nature of the incision and the high risk of blood clots, I have you in a monitored unit for 48 hours after the posterior body lift and thigh reduction surgery. You will also be placed on blood thinners for 2 weeks. Ideally, after your thigh lift or thigh reduction, your thighs should be straight at the hips and knees with your ankles above your heart. If you combined the posterior body lift with the thigh lift, you do not want the hips bent or the knees flexed as this puts undue stress on the lower back incision. Therefore, your recovery position should be flat on your back with your legs straight. You can be flat on your back or straight on your abdomen. The recovery from a medial thigh lift is approximately 2 weeks. If you combine the posterior body lift and the medial thigh lift, the recovery time is approximately 2-3 weeks. If you have a standing job, you should be able to return to work 3-4 weeks after surgery. If you have a sitting job, please plan to return at approximately 4-6 weeks. You should be able to perform activities of daily living at approximately 2-3 weeks. However, bending at the waist will be significantly limited for 4-6 weeks. I would also suggest you avoid stairs for approximately 3-4 weeks as this puts undue pressure on the medial thigh incision. You should be in a compression garment for a minimum 6 weeks. If you continue to have swelling after 6 weeks after your posterior body lift and medial thigh lift, you may need to continue to wear your compression garment for an extended period of time. I hope you find this information useful and I wish you luck on your upcoming surgery. I hope that I have answered your question regarding the thigh lift and thigh reduction as well as the posterior body lift to include the low back and buttock lift. I specialize in thigh lifts and body lifts. I hope that I have answered your questions regarding the thigh reduction. If you have any more questions regarding the thigh lift, thigh reduction, vertical thigh lift, medial thigh lift, spiral thigh lift, crescent thigh lift, or thigh lipo, please contact my office. Please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing thigh lifts. Do your research. Make sure your chosen plastic surgeon has performed at least 100 thigh lifts. Make sure they have the before and after pictures to prove it. Carefully examine their before and after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf.  Sincerely, Dr. Katzen. (“Verified” Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons, Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, International College of Surgery, and American Board of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and ​member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)

Hi readyfornewme876

- All patients will wear a compression garment for about 4 weeks.
- Final results should not be expected for at least 6 months to a year. Over that time, your tissue will change dramatically so you will have to be extremely patient; swelling will decrease dramatically
- Scars will not be at their best appearance for over a year
- Sutures if any are removed in 10 to 14 days
- Strenuous exercise should also be avoided for 4 weeks to help in the recovery process.
- Apply aquaphor ointment to exposed sutures and incisions should be applied twice a day until the sutures are removed
- Most patients will take 10-14 days off of work
- Pain can initially be moderate to severe. To learn more about this procedure, please visit our website.

Most patients will notice changes almost immediately. It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes a proper diet and exercise to maintain your weight. Your skin will not be as elastic as before and gaining too much weight can nullify the effects of the surgery.
You can expect some soreness, bruising, and swelling around your surgical area. Any initial discomfort you feel after the surgery will subside in a week to ten days. A full recovery may take between eight to ten weeks. Your surgeon will provide you with detailed instructions to follow after the procedure to help you take proper care of the surgical sites.
After this period, you can resume normal activities and light exercise. You can also start driving and taking care of your normal day-to-day activities. Heavy weights and strenuous exercise should be avoided until after eight to ten weeks. Compression garments will have to be worn to help give your thighs and butt shapely contours.
You should be able to shower two to three days after your procedure, but you won’t be able to swim or take a bath until your doctor says it’s safe. I like to keep drains in for at least 1 week, but every surgeon has different protocols as not all use them.