You can expect to need about two weeks of recovery time after your thighplasty, but some situations require more downtime.
If you have an office job, you should be able to return to work after that initial two weeks, using a pillow on your chair. However, people with more active jobs will need to take more time to heal: Los Angeles-based plastic surgeon Dr. Kenneth Hughes notes that “the recovery time for a thigh lift should be at least six weeks before you can resume strenuous activity.”
Your surgeon will be able to make a personalized recommendation for how much time you should take off, based on the specifics of your procedure and the type of work you do.
You may experience pain for the first 24 to 48 hours, so make sure you have pain medication lined up to stay ahead of the worst of it. You can also expect soreness, bruising and swelling for several weeks after that.
Patients typically wear a compression garment for the first three to four weeks.
Body position during recovery is very important. To lessen tension on the incisions and prevent wound separation, sleep and rest with your legs slightly bent. Place a pillow under your knees to help make it more comfortable, and try to keep your legs elevated (a recliner will do the trick).
If you have drains, you’ll need to measure the amount of fluid collected each day and report those numbers to your surgeon. As healing progresses and drainage slows, they will remove the drains.
You’ll be able to shower after the first several days and move around a bit, to increase circulation. In most cases, patients can go out in public in four to five days.
As you become more active, you may notice some swelling in your ankles, but it should go down considerably by the end of the first month.
