Loose, sagging skin on the thighs is a common concern after significant weight loss, bariatric surgery, or natural aging. Even after reaching your target weight, excess skin in this area can affect your body contour, cause discomfort, and impact your confidence.
Thigh lift surgery (thighplasty) is a body contouring procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the thighs, reshaping and tightening the area to achieve smoother, firmer, and more proportionate legs.
Who Is a Good Candidate for a Thigh Lift?
Thigh lift surgery is ideal for patients who experience:
- Excess skin after major weight loss
- Sagging skin on the inner or outer thighs
- Skin irritation or chafing between the thighs
- Loss of skin elasticity due to aging
- Dissatisfaction with the shape and contour of the legs
- Changes after bariatric surgery
This procedure is especially popular among patients who have undergone gastric plication or gastric bypass or sleeve surgery.
How Is It Done?
The incision is made in the appropriate area, then the skin and underlying tissue is loosened, tightened and the excess removed. If necessary, the muscles are also tightened. During suturing, non-dissolvable or dissolvable stitches are used; non-dissolvable stitches must be extracted, while dissolvable stitches are absorbed by the body naturally, leaving a fainter scar.
Types of Thigh Lift Procedures
Depending on your needs, your surgeon may recommend:
- Inner thigh lift – targets loose skin on the inner thighs
- Outer thigh lift – improves contour of the outer thighs and hips
- Mini thigh lift – for mild skin laxity
- Combined thigh lift with liposuction – for enhanced contouring
Surgery
Thigh lift surgery is performed under general anesthesia and typically takes 2–3 hours.
During the procedure, the surgeon:
- Removes excess skin and fat
- Tightens the underlying tissue
- Reshapes the thigh contour
- Places incisions discreetly in the groin area or along the inner thigh
In many cases, the procedure can be combined with liposuction for optimal results.
