Liposuction is the most popular operation performed by plastic surgeons today. The simple reason for this is that IT WORKS. Thigh liposuction is ideal for the patient who has localized areas of fat that don't respond to diet or exercise. It is a very safe operation and patients often return to work and normal activities in less than a week. The incisions used for thigh  liposuction are almost undetectable. The most common areas treated in women are thighs (outer, inner and circumferential), abdomen, hips, buttocks, arms, knees and back. Men often have the abdomen, love handles or breasts treated. See cycles of body contouring plastic surgery

Dr. Koenig practices tumescent liposuction as well as ultrasonic liposuction. Each method has its advantages and methods are individualized on a patient by patient basis. The goal is to maximize safety and optimize results.

Consultation - Thigh Liposuction Surgery
The ideal patient is close to their ideal weight and in good health. Body contouring plastic surgery is only an adjunct to a healthy life style which includes good diet and regular exercise. Most people seek liposuction to improve their self image, to fit better in clothing and to improve areas that are out of proportion to the rest of their body. Liposuction is not a method of weight loss. The average liposuction patient in Dr. Koenig's practice has about 3500cc of fat removed which translates to 5-7 lbs on the scale. Some patients require greater fat removal to achieve the contouring needed and others require less removal. In healthy patients large quantities of fat can be removed but when >5000 cc of fat are removed, the patient is required to stay in a overnight facility for safety purposes.

Thigh liposuction removes only fat and the skin is asked to retract over the new thinner layer of fat that remains. If the skin has good elasticity this occurs predictably and patients are pleased with their new contour. If the skin has lost its elasticity the skin may be looser after the thigh liposuction. This can usually be determined at the time of your consultation, body lifting plastic surgery procedures may be recommended depending on your clinical exam.

Fat cells are removed permanently after thigh liposuction. Normally fat cells do not multiply with weight gain, the cells simply enlarge. Therefore, if a person gains weight after thigh liposuction it will not usually return to the area suctioned since these fat cells are gone and cannot enlarge, but the fat cells in other areas can still enlarge.

The Operation - Thigh Liposuction
Thigh liposuction can be done under general anesthesia, local anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation. The thigh liposuction procedure takes between 1-3 hours, depending on the number of areas treated. All patients are placed in post operative garments which are typically worn for the first 3 weeks. Some patients have endodermologie treatments after thigh liposuction. We feel this can keep the skin smooth and help with cellulite as an adjunct to the thigh liposuction. There is little pain immediately after thigh liposuction because the local anesthetic that is placed at the time of surgery lasts about 4 hours. After the local anesthetic wears off there can be significant discomfort that requires pain medication. This usually lasts 24-48 hours after thigh liposuction surgery.

Recovery - Thigh Liposuction
Most patients return to work in 3-5 days and are encouraged to walk on day one. Exercise can be resumed as tolerated after the first week and most patients are at full activity 3 weeks after thigh liposuction surgery. Swelling is persistent and can remain for several months after the procedure. Swelling lasts longer in older patients.

Complications- Thigh Liposuction
Like any operation thigh liposuction has the possibility of complications. Bleeding and infection do occur but are rare. Skin irregularities can occur or loose skin can result from liposuction. Occasionally revision liposuction surgery is needed but this is quite unusual.

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For more information about this procedure, call 585.244.1000 or send us a message.

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