A thigh lift procedure is used to elevate the skin and fat of the thighs while excising redundant tissues. Excess skin and fat are removed during thigh lift surgery and the remaining tissues are tightened to produce a more attractive body contour. The skin laxity and poor tone may be related to the normal aging process, genetics, pregnancy, or significant weight loss. Patients who have lost large amounts of weight benefit greatly from a thigh lift procedure.

Thigh lift surgery can last from 2 to 4 hours under general anesthesia depending on the severity of the condition. During the plastic surgery procedure, Dr. Koenig makes an incision in the groin beneath the bikini line.  Thigh lift surgery involves removing excessive skin and fat in the thighs and then lifting and tightening the remaining skin leaving a scar along the groin crease. Some patients may require liposuction to be done as a preliminary procedure prior to thigh lift. The length of the incision depends upon the amount of excess skin, in extreme cases the scar may be taken vertically down the leg.

Drain tubes may be used to draw out fluid from that area for a few days after thigh lift surgery. An On-Q local anesthetic pain pump may be used to ease the discomfort of this procedure for the first few days. Typically, a patient is up and moving around one week after thigh lift surgery. It is expected that a patient have bruising, swelling and a tight feeling for several weeks. A compression garment is worn for at least 3 weeks after thigh lift surgery to help assist the healing process. A patient should expect to be out of work for about two weeks and resume normal activity at 6 weeks.