Thigh lift surgery is a type of cosmetic surgery that removes excess fat and skin from the inner and outer thighs to create a tighter, firmer, more toned thigh appearance.

Men or women who have excess skin in the thigh area as a result of weight loss, or due to the natural effects of aging, may be good candidates for thigh lift surgery.

Before getting thigh lift surgery, you will need to have a preoperative consultation with your surgeon. This consultation will include a physical examination, blood tests, and photographs for before and after comparisons.

The surgeon will review your treatment options and the possible risks and limitations of your surgery.

You will be given preoperative instructions as to what you can or cannot eat or drink before surgery, which medications you should take or avoid, and a list of things you will need to have on hand for your recovery. During your consultation, the surgeon will answer any questions you might have, so come to your appointment prepared.

Thigh lift surgery may be performed under general anesthesia (which means that you will be given drugs through an IV to put you to sleep) or IV sedation (which means you will be given sedatives through an IV to help you relax).

There are 3 types of thigh lift surgery:

Inner (medial) thigh lift. An incision is made on each thigh alongside the genitals from front to back. Through these incisions, excess skin and underlying fat deposits are removed from each upper inner thigh. The skin on the lower thighs is then lifted upward to a higher position and the incision is closed with stitches.

Thighplasty is an inner thigh lift with an extra incision in each thigh that extends down toward the knee. This permits removal of larger quantities of loose, sagging skin. In addition to removing excess fat and lifting the skin upward, a thighplasty allows skin to be tightened more effectively.

In people with large amounts of fat and sagging skin in the inner thighs, two surgeries may be required to achieve the best results.

Outer thigh and buttock lift. The incision is placed across the buttocks, slightly lower than the bikini line.

After the incision is made, the skin and underlying tissues are raised. The excess skin and fat are trimmed and the underlying tissues are secured with permanent sutures.

You will probably need to stay in the hospital for at least one night. During thigh lift surgery recovery, you will be swollen and sore for several days. Your surgeon can prescribe pain medication as needed.

If you have had an outer thigh and buttock lift, you may have a drainage tube on each side to prevent fluid from collecting beneath the skin flaps, and a urinary catheter so you don't have to get up to go to the bathroom.

Although you will begin to see the new shape of your body in the first few weeks, some swelling may remain for several months. Your final results may not be fully evident for up to six months.

Most people are able to return to work within 2 to 3 weeks.

Thigh lift scars are permanent, but are positioned to minimize visibility and will fade somewhat over time. In many cases, they may still be visible when wearing shorts.

You may be required to wear a compression or other support garment (see below for post-surgical support garment options), and limit your activities for a few weeks following surgery.

Thigh Lift Compression (Support) Garments
In the days and weeks following thigh lift surgery, your doctor may instruct you to purchase and wear thigh lift support garment. These are designed to help improve and increase blood circulation, rid your body of potentially harmful fluids, decrease your post surgery recovery time and reduce swelling. They also help the new skin fit the body’s contours allowing you to recover faster. To purchase a thigh lift compression garment, click on the links below. Among your garment options are girdles and body shapers.

These garments are typically worn immediately after your surgery. They are generally worn continuously for several weeks, so you may want to purchase more than one.

Contour® is America's 1^st choice in premium quality post-surgical compression garments for women and men. Contour® has 25 years of experience with design, fabric and craftsmanship so Contour® garments fit every subtle contour of the body, offering unprecedented comfort during the recovery process. ContourMD website also offers helpful information on recovery tips and sizing charts.

Although thigh lift surgery is a relatively safe procedure, all surgery comes with some risk. Potential thigh lift surgery risks may include:

• Bleeding
• Blood clots
• Poor wound healing
• Infection
• Reactions to anesthesia
• Scarring

Many of these complications can be avoided if you closely follow your surgeon’s instructions.

Thigh lift surgery costs vary based on a number of factors including:

• Type of surgery
• Geographic location
• Facility fees
• Surgeon expertise and demand

Costs can range from about $3500 to about $8500.

R4MD www.r4md.com/cosmetic_surgery/thighlift.html