Frequently Asked Questions Before Thigh Lift Surgery
How much will it cost?
The fee for thigh lift surgery can be located in the
suggested fees . Please call my office for an accurate price quote
or make an appointment for a personal consultation to discuss your specific
concerns. My suggested quotes include professional fees, anesthesia
fees, operating room costs, house calls, before care and after care.
They do not include hospitalization costs, prescriptions, home nursing
care, preoperative history and physical examination, laboratory cost,
or pathology fees. If you compare prices, make sure that you consider
all these costs. In addition, thigh lift surgery requires some time
off work for a safe recovery. I require complete payment two weeks in
advance of all cosmetic surgery.
What do I do about the wrinkles
and cellulite on my thighs?
Some people have fat collections and sagging skin of their thighs.
This combination leads to skin irregularities and cellulite. Thigh lift
surgery selectively tightens the thigh skin thus reducing the cellulite
appearance.
What can I do to make my thighs
look better after weight loss?
Obesity and sun exposure stretches the skin of the thighs. This leads
to sagging and wrinkling of the skin. Liposuction alone does not improve
this. Thigh lift surgery removes this extra skin. This usually is the
best choice to repair the effects of weight loss on your thighs.
Will I ever be exactly the same
on both sides?
It is normal for the thighs not to be the same on both sides. Surgery
can reduce these differences but not eliminate them. It will be necessary
for you to adjust to some thigh asymmetry after your surgery.
Will there be scars after surgery?
Scars are part of all surgery. It is important to understand where
thigh lift scars will be placed. The lateral and anterior thigh lift
scar extends from just above the pubic hair as an upward curve (smile)
toward the upper hipbones and onto the back meeting at the midline just
above the buttocks crease. The Inner thigh lift scars are placed in
the groin adjacent to the labia or scrotum. The length of the scar is
determined by how much extra skin is present. These can be covered with
clothing. For safety reasons, I keep the scars in the area covered by
a two piece bathing suit bottom. However, fashion always offers bathing
suits that may reveal some of the scar.
Will my bathing suit hide the
scars?
My goal is to place the scars in a position that can be covered by
the bathing suit of your choice. However, fashion always offers bathing
suits that may reveal some of the scars.
What areas can be treated?
All areas of the thigh can be treated with thigh lift surgery. The
number of areas treated determines the location of the surgical scars.
Will this problem return if I
have children?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict if this problem will return
after having children. Changes in body shape do occur during pregnancy.
What are the risks of thigh lift
surgery?
There are risks with any surgery. Infection, excessive bleeding, abnormal
scarring, poor healing, slow healing, skin loss, changes in skin sensation,
muscle or nerve injury, although uncommon, can occur with any surgery.
Fortunately, most problems that result from such complications are correctable
with additional surgery. Although very rare, there have been reported
deaths as a result of blood clots in the legs, severe infections, pneumonia-like
conditions, and excessive liposuction fat removal. You must understand
your risk of complications completely before you choose to have a thigh
lift.
I have heard about so many bad
things on televsion, is it safe to have thigh lift surgery?
There are always risks with thigh lift surgery. When severe complications
are combined with inexperienced surgeons, poor results can occur. I
believe that thigh lift surgery can be done safely with a high degree
of patient satisfaction. Serious problems are usually related to excessive
surgery and/or medical problems. Most poor results can be improved with
additional surgery.
What can you tell me about this
new technique that I saw on television?
Everyone in America wants the latest in medical care. This is not always
the best medical care. At times media presentations will leave out critical
information about potential complications, quality of result, and FDA
regulation. I am open minded when it comes to new technology but I would
rather not use my patients to try out the newest techniques. Thigh lift
surgery has recently become more popular due to the limitations of liposuction
surgery. The most recent advances are the placement of better healing
incisions.
Should I stop smoking?
For general health reasons, I recommend that all my patients stop smoking.
It is clear that smoking increases your risk for developing all sorts
of cancers. Breathing problems like emphysema and circulatory problems
including heart attacks are also linked to smoking. Smoking also reduces
blood flow that can result in skin loss during the healing period. Smoking
can also increase the risk of coughing after your surgery that can lead
to bleeding around your implants. Both of these problems can ruin the
results of your thigh lift and lead to revision surgery. It is always
best to stop smoking.
What other choices do I have?
There are other choices when it comes to thigh lift surgery. These
include superficial liposuction, weight loss, acceptance of a deformity,
and changes in clothing styles. Alternate thigh lift scar placement
can be considered. Always understand all your options before having
a thigh lift.
What additional procedures can
I consider that will enhance the result?
Surgeries can be combined to yield dramatic and complimentary results.
For safety reasons, I recommend the length of surgery be limited to
six hours and no more than two areas of the body be treated at the same
time. It is particularly advantageous to combine a tummy tuck with lateral
and anterior thigh lift because of the mechanics of incision placement
and skin excision. Thigh lift surgery is also frequently combined with
liposuction, breast enlargement, breast reduction, and breast lift.
Am I a good candidate for a thigh
lift?
This is a question that can only be answered after a personal consultation.
Thigh lift surgery is suggested to patients with sagging and /or wrinkling
of the thigh skin. It also improves cellulite. I feel strongly that
thigh lift surgery is not a treatment for obesity. Obesity increases
the risk of complications and detracts from the aesthetic result. There
are other things to consider as well including psychiatric conditions,
life stress, medical illness, obesity, and motivation. You should be
a healthy nonsmoker, within twenty pounds of your ideal weight. Major
life stresses (i.e. grieving a death and divorce) must be absent in
your life. The ideal candidate is motivated by internal desires to look
better.
How many times can I have a thigh
lift done?
When thigh lift is done, extra skin and fat are removed stretching
the remaining tissue. I strongly discourage weight gain that would stretch
this skin again. This is not a treatment for continued weight gain or
obesity. For these reasons, I recommend that thigh lift only be done
once.
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