Thigh Lift in St. Louis, MO

A thigh lift, or thighplasty, is a procedure that addresses sagging skin in the thigh area by excising this excess tissue. This procedure can be done to address either the outer thigh, or the inner thigh. Addressing the outer thigh is lateral thigh lift, and addressing the inner thigh is a medial thigh lift. 

A lateral thigh lift improves the appearance of the outer thigh by making an incision at the top of the leg at the hip where the scar can be hidden by an undergarment or bathing suit. The incision extends down towards the groin. You can see a realistic effect of this procedure by grabbing the skin just below the panty line laterally, and pulling up. The most impactful difference is seen closest to your hand, with the effect becoming less obvious further down the thigh.

A medial thigh lift improve the appearance of the inner thighs by creating an incision along the groin that may extend along the crease of the buttocks. Through this incision, excess tissue is removed and pulled up to improve the appearance of the inner thigh.  Again, the effect of the lift decreases as you move down the thigh, and thus, realistically, the lift really only addresses the upper third of the thigh. There is a variation of this procedure that extends the incision to include vertical incision along the medial thigh, creating a scar from groin to upper inner thigh to knee. While this allows better skin tightening, the scar burden is something most patients are not willing to consider. This is often only done in extreme cases for post-bariatric surgery patients with massive weight loss. 

Ideal patients for thigh lift surgery:

• Good general health
• Close to their ideal weight 
• Non-smoker or any nicotine use
• Do not have healthy conditions that can affect wound healing
• Have realistic expectations
• Have demonstrated commitment to a healthy lifestyle
• Have excess soft tissue at the inner or outer thigh

Dr. Hulsey will thoroughly review your medical history, desires, and expectations during your consultation to determine candidacy. She will review the surgical process, recovery, potential complications, and realistic outcomes. 

Post-operative instructions will be provided to your prior to your procedure, usually at your pre-operative appointment. Dr. Hulsey will provide any medications you will require, including antibiotic and pain-relief. It is important to abide by your post-operative restrictions and instructions to minimize swelling and discomfort, as well as support wound healing. Restrictions such as minimize strenuous activity and heavy lifting, are in place for 4-6 weeks. 

 Liposuction is used to contour and remove unwanted fat from the thigh area. It will not address excess, sagging skin. Some liposuction may be involved as part of the thigh lift surgery, but it is not going to address the extra tissue.