If you are unhappy with the appearance of your upper legs and thighs, you may be considering a thigh lift. This surgical procedure helps eliminate excess fat and loose skin in the thighs, producing a tighter, more youthful look. The thighs are a common area for weight gain and can be difficult to target when you are trying to lose weight. They are also one of the most prevalent areas where cellulite can form. A thigh lift can help reduce all of these imperfections.
If you are in good health overall, you might talk to your doctor about combining a thigh lift with other procedures, either performed at the same time or separately. Keep in mind when making your decision that having more than one surgical procedure at a time can increase risks of complications and recovery time.
Abdominoplasty
Commonly referred to as a tummy tuck, this procedure can be performed at the same time as a thigh lift. Like a thigh lift, a tummy tuck helps get rid of sagging, loose skin around the stomach. It can be used to eliminate excess skin that can appear after a dramatic weight loss. This skin is often stretched out and has lost its elasticity, so it cannot bounce back to an appropriate texture after weight loss. A tummy tuck can not only tighten the skin, but can also eliminate stretch marks on the lower abdomen.
Liposuction
Your doctor may encourage you to have liposuction on your thighs if you are carrying a considerable amount of excess fat in that area. A thigh lift alone is typically not enough to significantly reduce fat. If this is a problem, you may have better results by undergoing liposuction first. Typically liposuction on the thighs is not performed at the same time as a thigh lift, although it can be performed on other areas of the body during a thigh lift.
Gluteal Lift
This procedure, also known as the Brazilian butt lift, can help you achieve a rounder and perkier appearance to your backside. Fat is removed from other areas of the body, including the thighs, back and abdomen. The fat is then purified and re-injected into the buttocks. Typically it is injected into the upper area of the buttocks to give a "lifted" appearance. Liposuction performed around the buttocks also helps to accentuate the curves and make the buttocks stand out. A doctor may be able to take fat from a patient's thighs and inject it into their buttocks. While a gluteal lift can be performed in addition to a thigh lift, the two procedures are generally not performed at the same time, for safety reasons and to decrease recovery time.
Arm Lift
If you have recently experienced significant or rapid weight loss, it is likely that your thighs are not the only area where you are seeing skin begin to sag. Thigh lifts are commonly combined with arm lifts. An arm lift, or brachioplasty, removes and tightens excess skin on the upper arm in much the same way as a thigh lift. These two procedures can be performed simultaneously.
