Thigh Lift Recovery and Downtime

Your question about thigh lift recovery is a very good one.  The answer varies quite a bit and depends on several variables:
The type of thigh lift being done
The amount of skin and fat removal necessary
Whether or not it is combined with other procedures
Your level of health and fitness before the procedure
TYPE OF THIGH LIFT There are generally two variations of the types of thigh lifts: those with the scar entirely hidden in the groin (“crescent thigh lift”) and those with a scar that goes down the leg ("vertical thigh lift”). The crescent thigh lift typically has a quicker recovery (about 10 days – two weeks off from a desk job) when compared to a vertical thigh lift (anywhere from two to four weeks off form a desk job).  The variation in time off is dependent on may factors, including those below.

AMOUNT OF REMOVAL Thigh lifts can address an excess of both skin and fat in the inner thigh.  Excess fat is removed by liposuction or by direct removal as part of the thigh lift. The amount of skin removed is dependent on how much excess there is.  It can range from a small crescent of skin around the area of the groin to a large portion of the skin of the entire inner thigh extending below the knee. Both intuitively and in reality, the more you remove, the more challenging you can expect the recovery to be.

COMBINATION PROCEDURES When a thigh lift is performed with other procedures, the recovery may be more involved. This may involve limitations due to surgery on other parts of the body which may make movement more difficult and discomfort greater. That said, anytime a thigh lift is performed, it is important to encourage movement immediately after the operation to reduce the risk of other complications like developing blood clots in the legs, pneumonia, etc. This is even more important when other procedures are performed, as the risk for these types of complications can increase. In some cases, your surgeon may even prescribe a blood thinners to help reduce the risk of developing blood clots.

PREOPERATIVE FITNESS How fit and healthy you are prior to a procedure will certainly translate to an easier and better recovery from any procedure. While this makes sense intuitively, there are some specific details that may help shed light on why. Good nutrition always translates to better wound healing due to proper protein stores and a lack of any vitamin deficiencies. Also important, is your fitness level: I have found that patients who are more physically fit have greater core strength and better ability to move after their operation. Think about it, because of the extensive operation on your legs, you become more dependent on other muscle groups in your body to help you move around. The stronger they are going into the operation, the better you do afterwards!

These are only some important details that can help you understand the recovery process after a thigh lift. It is certainly important to discuss the matter extensively with your surgeon before the operation.

It's critical that you seek the advice of a surgeon who is certified by the American Board of plastic surgery and has extensive experience with thigh lifts.

I wish you the best,

Dr. Gabbay

Thank you for your question. Following your thigh lift, soft dressing and compression garment will be applied to aid in healing. In some cases, there will be a tube needed for excess drainage. Swelling and bruising are common side effects within the first few weeks, but normal activity can resume in a about a week. Best of luck!Dhaval M. Patel Double board certifiedPlastic surgeonHoffman EstatesBarringtonOakbrookChicago 

This is a very important aspect when deciding to move forward with the thighplasty procedure. It is important to understand your limitations as well as post-operative care instructions with a thighplasty as the patient plays a very big role in both aspects of recovery. I typically will discuss with my patients that they will be easing back into normal daily activities around two weeks. If they must return to work it is only ideal if the patient is able to sit at a desk with the ability to get up periodically and take breaks. Normally activities without restrictions are normally at 6 weeks post-operative. Compressive garments are utilized for the first 4 weeks post-operative to help control swelling and may be utilized beyond this point to help with comfort and swelling.