Thigh Lift or Lipo? (photo)

Question

For as long as I can remember my thighs have always been big wit lots of cellulite! Even after losing weight (40lbs) my thighs still looked disgusting: fatty, dented, jiggly,etc. They rub together and don't seem to be going away. The inner thighs is the only place I can grab a little bit of fat/skin. I don't think I have a lot of loose skin on my thighs but I know there's definitely fat there. Based of my description and photos which procedure (thigh lift or lipo) will be best for normal

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

I would suggest you have aggressive circumferential leg and thigh liposuction. Your plastic surgeon should address all areas of your leg and thigh. Your plastic surgeon should do liposuction around your knee, the inner thigh, the outer thigh, the front of the thigh, and the back of the thigh. Compression garments will be essential for your healing. I would suggest wearing compression garments for eight weeks. Two to four months after surgery, I would look closely at your legs. Ideally, your leg skin will shrink wrap around the areas of liposuction. If they do not shrink wrap, you may require a thigh lift. This incision may need to go from the inner groin to the inter knee. However, based on your photos and your present weight, I believe your best results would be accomplished with liposuction done first. Congratulations on your weight loss. Good luck.
	Sincerely,
	Dr. Katzen

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD · Answer

It's not unusual for patients to be concerned about the appearance of their thighs. When this situation arises, a multitude of treatment options are available. The specific procedure chosen will depend upon the patients' anatomic findings and aesthetic goals.Although your pictures are helpful, it's hard to formulate a definitive treatment plan without a physical examination. With this said, your history and pictures suggest that you would be an excellent candidate for liposuction of your hips and thighs. This procedure has the potential to dramatically improve your thigh contour.Unfortunately, this procedure can sometimes result in thigh skin sag. Under these circumstances, thigh lift may be required at a later date. Despite the potential for skin sag, liposuction is associated with excellent clinical results and high levels of patient satisfaction.If you're considering surgery to re-contour your thighs, it's appropriate to consult a board certified plastic surgeon with experience in this area. This surgeon should be able to perform an evaluation and formulate an appropriate treatment plan.

Sacha Obaid, MD · Answer

When considering liposuction vs thigh lift, it is important to remember that liposuction will remove extra fat but thigh lifting will remove extra skin and fat. From the appearance of the pictures that you submitted, it looks as if extra fat is your primary problem. I would recommend having just the liposuction done and then giving yourself time to heal. If your skin retracts well, then that will be all you need. Given how much liposuction you need, you may find however that you have some residual loose skin that needs a thigh lift. Good luck.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

I would recommend liposuction of these areas first. Allow your body to heal for about 6 months so that the swelling is gone and the contours can be assessed. If you are happy with the results, you are done. If you need skin tightening, then extended thigh lifts will produce the best result. You can also lose more weight and reassess when you are at an ideal weight.

Jason E. Leedy, MD · Answer

Congrats on your weight loss. When it comes to body contouring it is important to do procedures once the weight loss has stabilized. Typically 3-6 months of a stable weight is best before undergoing surgery. If there is a significant amount fatty excess then liposuction is the best thing to do. If there is excess skin then a thigh lift will be helpful. In the photos that were posted the best thing is liposuction. I would not do a thigh lift. Liposuction of the thigh circumferentially is the best thing to do. After that procedure the skin will need to contract to the new shape but that may not happen, particularly in the inner thigh. It is possible that a thigh may be beneficial later on if the skin doesn't contract. Good luck.

Allan Eckhaus, MD · Answer

The answer unfortunately is always "it depends...". While the photos are helpful, when contemplating a thigh lift (which entails liposuction and skin excision) vs liposuction alone, it is crucial to examine the patient and get a sense for the skin elasticity and whether the excess fat is in distinct deeper pockets (like the outer thighs) or whether it is diffuse and superficial. Liposuction on the thighs work best when the fat is deeper and more to the outside of the thighs (the risk of skin contour abnormalities following surgery goes down). Liposuction alone may be sufficient, but if done aggressively or if skin abnormalities are present following the procedure, then a thigh lift (skin excision) can be performed as a second stage. Best of luck,

Aldo Guerra, MD · Answer

Thanks for sharing your story and the photos. It's great you already lost 40 pounds, but your thighs still look like they have too much volume. With more weight loss, you'd be a better candidate for a thigh lift. Good luck - Dr. Aldo.

Robert F. Centeno, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question and photos.  The contour irregularites or "dents" are a sign of fat excess as well as skin laxity.  Neither procedure by itself would give you a good result.  If you have lipo alone, your contour irregularities are likely to get worse due to the skin laxity.  A thigh lift alone would not reduce the size or tighten the skin much.  Your best outcome would come from either debulking liposuction at stage one and an extended thigh lift at stage two.  Alternatively, the procedures can be combined in one stage.  You will need to seek a Plastic Surgeon with significant body contouring experience including extended thigh lifts to get the best results.  Best wishes.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

You did not mention your height and weight. If youa re overweight, it is best to lose more weight. If you are at a reasonable weight then perhaps a staged liposuction and then thigh lift would be a good solution. Hard to say without an exam.

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