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

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.

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