A thigh lift is a surgery designed to give a smoother and tighter skin appearance in the thighs. After major weight loss, there is excess skin in the thighs that may not become elastic with exercise. This procedure is perfect to remove the excess skin in the inner and outer thigh area and return a tight skin feel in the legs.

What does the procedure look like?

There are two types of incisions used during a thigh lift. There is the inner thigh lift incision which makes incisions near the groin, then the incisions may extend downwards or towards the inseam. The other is the outer thigh lift incision, which makes incisions near the groin, extending outwards towards the hip and across the back. Dr. Campos-Leon will discuss your options depending on the extent of excess skin during your consultation.

What is recovery like?

After the procedure, dressings or bandages are applied to the areas of incisions. Compression garments must be worn during recovery to minimize swelling and support the back as it heals. A drainage system is inserted near the incisions in order to drain excess blood or fluid that may collect. Dr. Campos-Leon will provide more details about aftercare following the procedure.

During the first days, the thighs may be swollen and some discomfort or pain may appear, these can be controlled with medication that the doctor indicates. Depending on the extent of the surgery, the patient is discharged after a few hours, or may remain in hospital for 1 to 2 days. At first it is necessary to avoid all kinds of physical efforts. The external skin points will be removed between 7 and 21 days after the procedure, and the suction drainage one week later.

Some symptoms that may occur

Moderate pain, this may appear in the immediate postoperative period, and is relieved with analgesics.

Small bleeding and / or sero-bloody discharge from the incision in the first 48 hours.

Slight increase in temperature (up to 38º C) in the first 48 hours.

Swelling in the abdomen and pubic region. This gradually diminishes, disappearing around the third week.

Small areas with bruises in the abdominal region, which will gradually disappear around the fourth week.

The sensitivity of the abdomen will be decreased in the postoperative period, progressively normalizing.