Mini thigh lift - could I do an arm lift, thigh lift and breast implants at the same time? (Photos)

Question

I’m 5’6 and currently weigh 145. I have lost 150 pounds. I recently got a tummy tuck and breast lift. Next I’m planning an arm lift and breast implants. But I’m also debating doing something with my thighs. Would I be able to get arm lift, thigh lift, and breast implants at the same time? And based on what my legs look like, would a mini thigh lift work? I’m mostly insecure about the skin there. Thank you!

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello, and thank you for your question regarding mini thigh lift and whether you could do an arm lift, thigh lift, and breast implants at the same time.  Thank you for your history and your pictures.  Congratulations on your 150-pound weight loss.  Great job!  Upon analyzing your thighs, you have excess skin and fat that goes down to the knees.  You also have some fat on the lateral or outer portion of the thighs.  A mini-thigh or crescent thigh lift is designed for excess skin and fat in the upper inner third of the thigh.  A mini-thigh lift would not achieve optimal results in your situation.  A mini-thigh lift would not lift the skin in the central half of your thigh.  Therefore, you need either a modified or complete longitudinal medial vertical thigh lift.  During the modified longitudinal vertical medial left thigh, thigh liposuction is performed.
Then, an incision is made from the groin partially down the inner thigh.  If the knee region does not bother you, the inner thigh incision does not need to extend below the knee.  However, if the inner knee does bother you, the thigh lift incision would be extended past the knee.  A longitudinal vertical medial thigh lift would achieve your best results.  Also, the mini- or crescent thigh lift is fraught with a high complication rate.  Complication rates include inadequate thigh reduction and drifting of the scar from the inner thigh into the visible portion of the upper leg.  Also, there can be labial spread and opening of the introitus or opening of the vagina. 
Regarding whether you can undergo a thigh lift with the arm lift and the breast lift?  Most plastic surgeons would discourage you from undergoing the thigh lift and the arm lift at the same time.  The difficulty is not in performing the surgery, but in your recovery.  The recovery from combining an arm lift and a thigh lift is very difficult.  Imagine yourself recovering from an arm lift and a thigh lift, and you need to go to the bathroom.  You will need your arms to get out of bed, your legs to ambulate to the bathroom, your arms to remove the garment, your thighs to sit on the toilet, your arms to get yourself clean, your arms to put the garment back on, and then your thighs to get back to bed.  Each of these maneuvers can entail significant pain and unnecessary strain on the incision line.  This can lead to wound breakdown, wound infections, long-term healing issues, long return to work, and widened scars.  All these complications can be minimized if the arm lift and thigh lift are performed separately.  Therefore, most plastic surgeons would suggest you undergo the arm lift and breast implant surgery first.  Then, at least a month or two later, consider undergoing a modified or complete longitudinal vertical medial thigh lift.  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, contact an experienced plastic surgeon.   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, MD, MBA.  (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, RealSelf Hall of Fame, and RealSelf Doctor Advisory Board for Medical Review and Consumer Panel.)

Mini thigh lift - could I do an arm lift, thigh lift and breast implants at the same time? (Photos)

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Mini thigh lift - could I do an arm lift, thigh lift and breast implants at the same time? (Photos)

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Everything you need to know about Thigh Lift

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.