Recovery from Groin Crease / Crescent Thigh Lift - What's the Timeline?

Question

I am looking into more details about the recovery for a groin crease thigh lift vs a full thigh lift where the scar goes down to the knee. I had a consult with a surgeon and he said my skin laxity isn’t too severe and enough for a groin crease scar. Just wondering what the timeline is for a groin crease thigh lift and when I’ll be able to workout again.

Christine Fisher, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi Friendly!  I commend you for being proactive in planning for an appropriate recovery time after surgery.  For my thigh lift patients, I tell them to expect a 4-6 week recovery.  With only a groin crease incision, you may be on the faster end of that timeline.  The first 2 weeks should be "robe and slippers" recovery with plenty of rest and focus on nutrition.  The next 2 weeks can consist of gentle movement such as light walks.  At 4 weeks, most patients can start to ease back into physical activity and are typically back to full activity without restrictions at 6 weeks.  For a thigh lift in particular, you really want to follow postoperative instructions and minimize any activity that might put stress on your incisions and compromise wound healing that would prolong your recovery.  I highly suggest that you seek out a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in surgery of the body and has extensive experience performing thigh lifts to do your surgery.  Best of luck in your aesthetic journey!

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello, and thank you for your question regarding recovery after a groin crease (crescent) thigh lift compared to a full thigh lift. It’s great to hear that your skin laxity isn’t severe enough to require a vertical thigh lift, as the groin crease incision typically has a shorter recovery time and less visible scarring.

For a groin crease thigh lift, the incision is placed along the natural fold of the groin and is used to remove excess skin from the upper inner thighs, tightening and lifting the area. Since this technique does not extend down to the knee like a full vertical medial thigh lift, the recovery is generally faster.

Here’s a general recovery timeline:

First 1–2 weeks: Expect swelling, bruising, and tightness. Walking will be slow, and you’ll need to avoid excessive leg movement to prevent tension on the incisions. Most patients take about 1 to 2 weeks off work depending on their job.
Weeks 3–4: Swelling begins to subside, and light daily activities can be resumed. You will still need to avoid squatting, excessive stretching, or heavy lifting.
Week 6: Most plastic surgeons allow patients to gradually resume workouts around this time, avoiding high-impact movements like running or heavy lower-body weightlifting. Activities like walking, cycling, and gentle yoga are usually allowed.
Weeks 8–12: By this point, you should feel much more comfortable with movement, and most activities can be resumed, but listen to your body and avoid overstretching the thigh area.
6+ months: Scars will continue to fade and flatten, and final results become more visible as all residual swelling resolves.
Wearing compression garments for at least 6 weeks is crucial to help reduce swelling and support healing. Most surgeons recommend avoiding prolonged sitting and squatting movements in the early recovery period to prevent incision strain.

Since everyone heals differently, be sure to follow your plastic surgeon’s specific post-op instructions before resuming workouts. If you feel tightness, pulling, or discomfort, ease back into activity gradually.

Good luck, and I hope this helps answer your question regarding the recovery timeline for a groin crease thigh lift!

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

Chet Mays, MD · Answer

Thank you for your inquiry!  Typically, restrictions for any surgery are 6 weeks, no heavy lifting, nothing get heart rate of blood pressure elevated.  We would love to meet with you to discuss your options. Schedule a consultation with a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon to help you reach your goals.

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD · Answer

While a very minimal amount of loose thigh skin could be treated with a groin crease thigh lift, this procedure has the disadvantage of the scar, no matter how the skin is fixated into the groin crease, descending lower onto the thigh over time and widening.  The groin crease thigh lift also gives suboptimal results as the incision is far away from the majority of thigh skin that people wish smoothed and tightened.  In plastic surgery, the further away from your incision, the less effect that you have on the skin that you’re trying to smooth and tighten. A vertical thigh lift incision, while longer, is able to smooth and tighten the entirety of the medial thigh from the groin crease all the way to the knee, as the incision is close to all of the skin which needs to be corrected. The groin crease is an anti-gravity operation where the skin is pulled upward against gravity and asked to remain there.  It doesn’t, gravity wins.  The full thigh lift is a wrapping and tightening of the skin around the thigh but doesn’t ask the incision to defy gravity.  Both procedures would require approximately one month to allow full healing prior to resuming full gym workouts. Discuss this in depth with your plastic surgeon.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Friendly958319,

I understand your concern. It is best that you consult your plastic surgeon regarding post operative care and management (i.e including massage techniques and timing) specific to your case. Your surgeon knows your condition well and has preferences on when and what to use for faster healing and recovery. Post operative care and management depends on the type of surgery performed and the technique used during surgery among other factors.
It is best, however, that you follow your plastic surgeon's advice on post operative care management for a smooth and faster healing and recovery.

Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

After a thigh lift procedure you want to minimize tension on the incisions as they heal.  Typically patients are able to resume exercise after six to eight weeks, but should be cleared first by their surgeon before beginning.  Your surgeon is the best to advise you as she/he is most familiar with the details of your surgery.

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

typically, you will need 6 weeks before you start full activities. if your skin is not too loose, you might consider minimally invasive skin tightening with radiofrequency like Renuvion.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

Surgical recovery is a spectrum.
You need to define what you consider recovery time.
Recovery in regards to staying home from work, having incisions where you need pads and gauze is probably about 1 to 2 weeks.
You may still be sore and your body will feel quite different for several months.
For some people it takes several years before they get accustomed to the changes and there may be potential discomfort or issues that are permanent.
 Make sure you look at lots of before and after pictures.
If the weight of the lift is put in a groin incision that it needs to be designed correctly or the tension will pull on your privates, pulling them open.
This is really important and because of it provider selection becomes critical.
Asked to talk to previous patients who had the same procedure and you’ll get a more straightforward, honest understanding of what the procedure and tailed.
The patient’s perspective is more important than the surgeons perspective if you want to understand what you’re up against.
I think it’s very reasonable to ask to talk to some previous patients and often previous patients are happy to do so.
Usually, this is done by the surgeon first asking the previous patient and then having the previous patient have your contact and they would then contact you.
In the end, provider selection is probably the most important variable and in the hands of the right provider they should be able to explain the impact and recovery quite well.
Provider, so lots of experience should know pretty much what the recovery is like and those who only occasionally do this procedure may be a bit vague about what the recovery is like. 
A thigh lift is not always an easy or straightforward procedure.
I’m generally pretty reluctant and recommending the procedure unless somebody really needs it.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

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