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  1. Your Consultation with Dr. Rivela
  2. Your Procedure
  3. Your Recovery
  4. Thigh Lift FAQs

An Inner Thigh Lift, or an inner thighplasty, is a very popular and commonly performed form of cosmetic surgery for people who desire thinner, firmer inner thighs. Dr. Rivela, consistently voted “Best Plastic Surgeon” in The Woodlands by Woodlands Online, will perform the procedure.

If fitness and weight loss efforts have not achieved the goals for a body that is firmer, more youthful-looking, and more proportionate to the overall body image, a surgical thigh lift may be the right choice. This surgery reshapes the inner thighs by reducing excess skin, and in some cases fat, resulting in smoother skin and better-proportioned contours of the inner thighs.

Ideal candidates are:

  • People whose weight is relatively stable
  • Individuals with excess soft tissue along the inner thigh region
  • Healthy individuals who do not have medical conditions that can impair healing or increase the risk of surgery
  • Non-smokers
  • Individuals with a positive outlook and realistic goals for what surgery can accomplish
  • Individuals committed to leading a healthy lifestyle including proper nutrition and fitness

Inner Thigh Lifts are not intended strictly for the removal of excess fat. Liposuction alone can remove excess fat deposits where the skin has good elasticity and is able to naturally conform to new body contours. In cases where skin elasticity is poor, a combination of liposuction and thigh lift techniques may be recommended.

Your Consultation with Dr. Rivela

The success and safety of your procedure depend very much on your complete candidness during your consultation. You’ll be asked a number of questions about your health, desires, and lifestyle.

Be prepared to discuss:

  • Why you want the surgery, your expectations, and desired outcome
  • The options available in thighplasty surgery
  • Medical conditions, drug allergies, and medical treatments
  • Use of current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drugs
  • Previous surgeries

Dr. Rivela may also:

  • Evaluate your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
  • Examine and measure your body, including detailed measurements
  • Take photographs for your medical record
  • Discuss your options and recommend a course of treatment
  • Discuss likely outcomes of inner thighplasty and any risks or potential complications

Contact Rivela Plastic Surgery for more information on this procedure and other possible cosmetic enhancements that you are considering and to schedule an in-depth consultation with Dr. Rivela.

Your Procedure

The 2-3 hour outpatient operation is performed either in Dr. Rivela’s office or in the hospital under general anesthesia.

Anesthesia: General

Location of operation: Office or hospital

Length of surgery: 2-3 hours

Length of stay: Outpatient

Your Recovery

Discomfort: Moderate. Anticipate 2-7 days of prescription pain medication.

Swelling/Bruising: Will peak in three days. As thigh swelling improves, you may notice swelling in your knees and ankles. Swelling should improve within 2-6 weeks. Keep your legs elevated to expedite this process. Bruising should improve in 5-10 days. If liposuction is not also performed, there may be no bruising.

Bandages: Removed in 2-4 days. If drains are placed, they will be removed in 1-3 days.

Stitches: Most plastic surgeons use absorbable stitches that are buried under the skin and never require removal. Non-absorbable stitches will be visible outside the skin and will be removed in 7-10 days.

Presentable in a Bathing Suit: Two weeks.

Work: You may return to sedentary work in 1-2 weeks if you have stopped taking prescription pain medication. If you are able to keep your feet elevated at work, you may return sooner.

Driving: May be resumed in 1-2 weeks, if you have stopped taking prescription pain medication.

Exercise: May be gradually resumed in four weeks.

Final Result: This is seen after your scars have matured in approximately six months.

Thigh Lift FAQs

What is an Inner Thigh Lift?

A inner thighplasty, is a plastic surgery procedure that removes excess skin and tissue from the upper legs. There are separate procedures to lift the outer and inner thighs.

Who is a candidate for a thigh lift?

You may be a good candidate if you have lost a lot of weight or if your thighs have reduced skin elasticity due to aging.

How is a thigh lift performed?

An Inner Thighplasty involves taking away a crescent-shaped piece of skin from the inner portion of the thigh, right up into the personal area. The length of the incision depends on how much skin is going to be taken away.

Where is the incision placed for a thigh lift?

In the front, the incision essentially follows the contour of a g-string—that is, it descends from the lower abdomen (the lower portion of a tummy tuck scar), down either side of the pubic mound, right next to the vulva, then the incision continues toward the buttock crease.

Is the scar visible after a thigh lift?

The scar should not be visible from behind and there is no aspect of this Inner Thigh Lift scar that goes down the thigh. If you’re wearing panties, the scar is rarely visible at all. If you were able to cut an imaginary person in half and look just at the inside of the thigh, the crescent removed during an inner thigh lift is all on the upper end of the thigh. All of the skin from below gets pulled up and sewn right next to the vulva.

How can a thigh lift slim the thighs, if the incision is just in the groin?

An Inner Thigh Lift makes the skin on the thighs tighter, even though there’s no incision down the thigh, because your thighs are shaped like a cone—they’re thicker at the top than at the bottom. By pulling the skin up, by definition it gets a little bit tighter because the skin has a larger circumference to cover.

Does an Inner Thigh Lift replace liposuction?

No. Liposuction should not be considered a replacement; however, in many cases liposuction is performed as part of the procedure to contour the upper leg.

How long does a thigh lift procedure take?

A thigh lift procedure can take two to three hours.

Does a thigh lift require a hospital stay?

No, it is typically an outpatient procedure. Sometimes a patient may choose to spend the night at the surgery center for comfort and pain control.

What kind of anesthesia is used for a thigh lift procedure?

A thigh lift is performed under general anesthesia – you will be asleep during the entire procedure.

What makes recovery from a thigh lift procedure challenging?

After the surgery, patients can lie down, stand up and walk around pretty easily. But they can’t sit—which means they can’t get from the lying down position to the standing up position. And it often means they can’t go to the bathroom very easily.

How long is the recovery after a thigh lift?

You can expect to be uncomfortable for 10 days. Most people don’t go back to work for 3-4 weeks. Even if you’re sedentary in your job, you have to sit, and that’s the one position that’s difficult afterwards. Many people can’t afford to take that much time off work.

What results can be expected after a thigh lift?

Your thighs will have a much younger, shapelier contour. An Inner Thigh Lift rids you of loose, sagging skin—many bariatric patients consider this the finishing touch of their transformation to a slimmer, sexier body.

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