Main content

Thigh/Buttock Lift (Thighplasty)

In a thigh and buttock lift, a section of excess skin fat from all around the hip area is surgically removed. Thigh and buttock lifts are ideal for patients who are in relatively good shape with excess skin and fat in the thigh area. This cosmetic surgery procedure is particularly useful following massive weight loss, such as after gastric bypass surgery.

Who is a Thighplasty Candidate?

People who:

Have lost skin elasticity of the thigh, hip or buttock areas.

Have skin areas that are saggy.

Have thighs that look dramatically better when they lift the lax skin.

Intended Results

Tighter, more attractive thigh and buttock skin.

Improved contours.

Decreased irregularities in skin surface.

Thighplasty Procedure Description

The procedure is performed under general anesthesia on an outpatient basis unless otherwise advised by the surgeon.

A surgeon will show you what procedures are available to solve your particular problem. Wide variations in the design of the incisions to meet clothing or personal desires are possible.

Lifting the inner thighs may require only short incisions extending from the anterior part of the thigh/groin crease around to the buttock crease.

Lateral or anterior thigh lifts can be performed as separate procedures, if desired.

Lifting the entire thigh and buttock (circumferential lower-body lift) will require much longer incisions that start in the buttock crease, extend around the groin, come up over the side of the abdomen and reach over the flank and across the back.

The buttocks can be lifted with upper or lower scars.

Recuperation and Healing

The patient is placed in a compression garment (similar to a long-line elastic support girdle) at the end of surgery to reduce swelling and assist in the natural shrinking and tightening of the skin.

Smaller thigh lifts: Initial discomfort is usually easily controlled with prescription pain medication.

Larger thigh lifts: One or two nights care in a skilled nursing facility or hospital are usually required. This allows for pain injections and intravenous catheters.

Bruising and swelling usually subside within a month. Strenuous activities are usually possible in six weeks and almost all symptoms are gone in four to six months.

Other Cosmetic Options

Additional procedures that may enhance the result include liposuction/liposculpture, breast enlargement and tummy tuck (abdominoplasty).

Insurance Guidelines

Because this cosmetic surgery procedure is considered cosmetic, it is not covered by insurance. The patient is responsible for payment.

Note

The specific risks and the suitability of this cosmetic surgery procedure for a given individual can be determined only at the time of consultation. All surgical procedures have some degree of risk. Minor complications that do not affect the outcome occur occasionally. Major complications are unusual.