Thigh Lift - can it be done without a large scar?

Question

After loosing 100lbs, I am disappointed with the appearance of my thighs. I have a ton of loose skin. Is there away way to do a thigh lift without having a large scar down the inside of both of my thighs?

Christine Fisher, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi Gem!  Congratulations on your weight loss!  100 pounds is no small feat!

As far as the scar pattern for a thigh lift, it is very difficult to determine without photos or a physical exam.  There are multiple scar patterns that I utilize for a thigh lift and it is determined by the amount and location of the excess tissue.  Thigh lifts can be tricky technically, so I highly recommend seeking out a board certified plastic surgeon that specializes in surgery of the body and has extensive experience in thigh lifts to perform your surgery.  Best of luck in your continued health journey and acheiving your aesthetic goals!

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello, and thank you for your question regarding whether a thigh lift can be done without the long scar that usually runs along the inner thigh. Congratulations on your weight loss. That’s a major accomplishment. Now you are ready to take the next step in your transformation by addressing the excess thigh skin.

From your description, it sounds like you have significant skin laxity, which is common after losing 100 pounds. Unfortunately, when there is loose skin from the groin down to the knee, non-surgical options and limited incision techniques are often not strong enough to create a meaningful improvement. For patients with excess skin only in the upper third of the inner thigh, a crescent or mini thigh lift may be an option. However, when skin looseness affects the middle and lower thirds of the thigh, a vertical thigh lift provides the most effective and longest-lasting result. This procedure removes a vertical wedge of skin and fat from the inner thigh, which does result in a scar along the inner thigh.

Most patients are initially hesitant about the scar, but over time, many find that it fades and becomes more acceptable than the excess hanging skin. For patients who have already undergone other body contouring procedures, the thigh lift is often a welcomed final stage. While scarless lifting sounds ideal, it is not realistic when you are dealing with a large amount of skin. Treatments like radiofrequency or microneedling may provide modest tightening, but they are not powerful enough to remove redundant tissue. In your case, a vertical thigh lift is likely your best option.

I hope this helps you better understand your options. If you have any questions about the vertical thigh lift, medial thigh lift, or thigh reduction, please contact a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in thigh lifts. Make sure your surgeon has performed at least 150 thigh lifts and can show you before-and-after photos to help you feel confident in your decision. Good luck.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

Chet Mays, MD · Answer

Thank you for your inquiry!  We would love to sit down with you to discuss your concerns.  The location of the scar depends on the amount of skin laxity and how it lays.  There is also a circumferential thigh lift that can be considered.  Schedule a consultation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to help you reach your goals.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Plastic surgery scars require attention after surgery so that they remain cosmetically-appealing and barely noticeable. In our office, we use a protocol for scars that minimizes their activity in the 6-8 weeks after surgery. If you have late plastic surgery scars, you may also require laser and RF therapy to help reduce the longterm effects of the scarring. Keloids, hypertrophic scars, widened scars, red scars, and hyperpigmented scars all require scar modulation with topical creams followed by lasers and RF therapy. Topical skincare should be directed to a specific need, whether for pigmentation or hypertrophy and our office can guide you through the process to obtain the correct Plato’s Scar cream or Melarase cream for hypertrophy and discoloration. In terms of lasers, we would employ the vbeam laser for redness, Venus Viva RF, PRP microneedling, chemical peels, and Morpheus 8, fractional erbium, or fractional co2. All of these have their individual benefits. Most of all, we recommend you visit a solid plastic surgeon who understands surgical scar revision, laser therapy, and RF therapy for scars. 
 
Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD · Answer

Correct incision placement can help to hide a thigh lift scar to the best extent possible. However, removal of the redundant skin of your thigh, needs to be done in order to give you the best result possible.  If you were to undergo a thigh lift, you would want the best result possible, and therefore you should allow your plastic surgeon to use whatever length incision that they feel will give you your best result.  The appearance of the scar will eventually fade, but a incomplete or underdone thigh lift result will be with you going forward.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Gem521ini,

it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination, you will get more information and recommendations.

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

Siamak Agha, MD, PhD, FACS · Answer

A thigh lift is a procedure that lifts the thighs. The scars for this procedure as the same as the lower body lift or circumferential abdominoplasty scars.  Also the inner thigh lift has a scar in the groin crease and Spiral thigh lift ( a procedure that we described in 2010) has a scar in the crease under the butt to lift the back of the thighs.   Through these incisions, starting under your butt, through the groin crease and then merging with you body lift scar, a comprehensive thigh lift can be performed.

If you have too much thigh width, horizontal laxity, then a vertical thighplasty may also be needed.  This is a thigh reduction procedure.

Every weight loss patient, in my 20 years of experience, needs thigh lift surgery.  Only about half of them will also need a thigh reduction.  You can always do the lift and not the vertical thighplasty.  It is ultimately your choice.

Visit our website with over 100 before and afters of body and thigh lift surgeries....

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

A thigh lift scar is placed inside the thigh and groin crease and is generally well hidden. The length of the scar depends of how much extra skin needs to be removed to achieve desired lift-tightness. Without photos and in person consultation will be difficult to give you ,ore information. Good luck.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Congratulations on your impressive weight loss! The length of the scar for a thigh lift is dependent upon the amount of loose skin.  For minimal loose skin located on the upper thighs the scar can often be hidden in the crease of the thigh.  For significant loose skin a longer incision is typically necessary.  I encourage you to visit with a board certified plastic surgeon near you.  You will learn more about the procedure and what you can expect in terms of the incision based on your examination.

Thigh Lift - can it be done without a large scar?

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