What Are the Pros and Cons of a Thigh Lift or Lower Body Lift ?

The 360 lower bodylift removes skin and fat from the abdomen, lateral thighs, saddlebags, and buttocks.  The circumferential body lift pulls up the outer or lateral portion of the thighs.  Thus, the 360 lower body lift elevates the lateral thigh.  The medial thigh lift removes excess skin and fat from the inner thigh. Typically, the medial thigh lift does not affect the outer thigh.  The "pros" of a 360 bodylift and the thigh lift include removal of skin and fat.  This can eradicate a significant amount of stubborn skin and fat of the abdomen, saddle bags, buttock and thighs.  It allows one to finish their massive weight loss journey.  It allows one to exercise easier. It allows one to buy clothes that show off all your weight-loss efforts and achievements. It increases self confidence.  The "cons" of a 360 bodylift and the thigh lift our typical to most surgical procedures. There is healing time, downtime, and time from work.  In addition, there is a scar.  However, most patients are willing to have a scar in order to get rid of excess skin and fat.

When patients have poor skin tone, liposuction procedures can result in the development of saggy skin. When this situation arises, treatment options are limited. In most cases, removal of excess skin is the only viable alternative.When this problem involves the thighs and buttocks, body lift and thigh lift procedures represent the best treatment options. These procedures remove excess skin and dramatically improve the contour of the buttock and thigh regions. They have the potential to significantly improve aesthetics in these areas.Unfortunately, these procedures have several potential drawbacks. These include significant expense, prolonged recovery times and the potential for complications and scarring.For these reasons, any patient considering body lift or thigh lift surgery should thoroughly discuss their options with a board certified plastic surgeon with experience in this area. This surgeon should be able to formulate a treatment plan that addresses your anatomic findings and achieves your aesthetic goals.

Excess skin laxity following liposuction is very common. It usually indicates that your skin integrity was inadequate to "shrink wrap" down after liposuction. Patients with this issue are excellent candidates for open body contouring procedures. This can include tummy tuck, lower body lift, brachioplasty and thigh lift. If you have a significant amount of excess skin that hangs down, surgical removal probably is your best option.

The pros are that there is no other way to significantly reduce severe skin laxity.
The cons are that it is:

surgery with risks
costly
may not treat the entire lower extremity laxity (may require inner thigh lift) and generally does little for the knee laxity)
may result in some flattening of the buttock
long scars

A thigh lift or lower body lift is a surgical procedure to improve the appearance of the thighs and lower body. Here are some pros and cons:Pros1. Improved Appearance: Thigh lift can effectively remove excess skin and fat, leading to a more toned and contoured appearance.2. Increased Confidence: Many people experience a boost in self-esteem and confidence after the procedure3. Targeted Results: It allows for precise contouring of the thigh area to address issues like sagging skin or excess fat.4. Long-lasting Results: The results of a thigh lift are typically long-lasting when combined with a healthy lifestyle.Cons1. Surgery Risks: As with any surgical procedure, there are inherent risks, such as infection, scarring, and anesthesia complications.2. Downtime: Recovery can be lengthy, and there may be restrictions on physical activity for several weeks.3. Scarring: Thigh lift surgery can leave noticeable scars, although they often fade over time.4. Cost: The procedure can be expensive, and it may not be covered by insurance.It’s essential to consult with a skilled plastic surgeon to discuss your specific goals, risks, and benefits before considering a thigh lift or lower body lift.

The decision about which body contouring operation or operations you should have is unique to your anatomy and to your goals.  

Thigh lifts remove the lax skin from the upper inner thigh.  

An abdominoplasty or tummy tuck removes the excess skin from the front of your body and tightens your abdominal wall, narrowing your waist.  It doesn't treat a sagging buttocks.

The lower body lift removes skin from the front and back of your trunk.  As a result, a sagging buttocks is lifted, the excess abdominal skin is removed and the waist is tightened.

Sometimes an inner thigh lift can be combined with an abdominoplasty, belt lipectomy, or lower body lift.

A consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon will allow for evaluating and discussion of your options.

If after liposuction your thighs are loose bags, then you may be a good candidate for a thigh lift. Depending upon your laxity this could be as simple as a crescent excision in the groin or if more involved a longitudinal incision in the thigh as well.

Body lift is designed to remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen, hips lateral thighs, inner thighs and the buttocks. Excessive skin sagging can result from age, pregnancy, or excessive weight loss and gain.
Lower body lift addresses multiple areas which can be combined in one procedure or divided into two or more procedures. It also combines liposuction of areas of fat accumulation, to rejuvenate and restores youthful curves to the body
Staging these procedures make the recovery more easy and the procedure safer. These procedures are done under general anesthesia. The incisions used in lower body lifts are designed to be hidden by the swimsuit or underwear, and usually run circumferentially around the abdomen upper thigh, buttocks and for the inner thighs the incision is placed high in the groin crease. Excess skin and fat is removed and the skin is tightened to restore smoothness and beauty.
ABDOMINOPLASTY, tightens the abdominal muscles, and removes the excess, lax skin of the upper and lower abdomen. The procedure includes liposuction of excess fat in the upper abdomen, waist line and hips.
OUTER THIGH LIFT
The abdominoplasty incision can be extended over the hips to the buttocks will remove lax skin over the thighs and buttocks, thus lifting the buttocks and the lateral thighs.
MEDIAL THIGH LIFT
Medial thigh or inner thigh lift is done through an incision placed high in the groin crease, well hidden by bikini or underwear. Excess skin is removed and the inner thigh is lifted and tightened.
BUTTOCK ENHANCEMENT
Often the buttocks need to be lifted and enhanced at the same time.
Tissue from around the hip area can be used to enhance the buttock as well.
RISKS AND COMPLICATIONS
• Seromas, or fluid collection under the skin
• infection
• Delayed wound healing
• Numbness
• Asymmetry may occur
• Bleeding
• Scarring, hypertrophic scars, keloids, painful scars.
• Blood clots in the legs (Deep venous thrombosis), can travel to the lungs (pulmonary emboli)

A LOWER BODY LIFT = Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) + LATERAL Thigh Lift (x 2) + Buttock lift.
Liposuction removes fat. It does not (despite all the hype out there) shrink skin significantly.
In areas of the body where the skin is not really anchored to the underlying muscles (such as the inner thighs), the removal of the fat UNCOVERS the skin laxity which was there. Since the resulting deflation after fat removal is not accompanied by the skin being pulled against the muscle, the skin hangs down.
The skin looseness on the OUTSIDE (=Lateral) aspect of the thighs WILL BE smoothed with a Lower Body Lift. Skin Looseness of the Inner thighs will require an INNER THIGH LIFT operation.
The price of smoother skin and a more attractive figure is surgical hemlines (scars) along the zones where the skin was lifted and tightened.

Unfortunately, the skin elasticity was not adequate to shrink down after fat removal.
Basically, you have some choices. You can live with things the way they are or you may choose to have a lift.
The pros- skin and supporting tissues are lifted and tightened.
The cons- $, pain $ recovery, large scars, risks of surgery including all kinds of wound healing problems, drains, anesthesia.
If done by an experienced plastic surgeon, your chances of having a safe and successful outcome are very good.