Thigh Lift in Orange County
Thigh Reduction Surgery
Many people who lose significant amounts of weight find they still don't feel comfortable wearing shorts or bathing suits because of the excess skin that remains on their inner thighs.
Removal of excess fat and skin in the thighs results in reshaping of your lower extremities for a smoother contour and better-proportioned lower body. Liposuction can also be performed with this procedure for best results.
Reasons to Choose Thigh Reduction Surgery
The best candidates for thigh lift are those who, despite diet and exercise, have not achieved thighs that are firmer and more youthful looking. In addition, those who are restricted in their activities and have physical discomfort from their enlarged medial and/or outer thighs are good candidates. This operation is especially useful in those with skin laxity and excess fat, which will not conform to new contours by liposuction alone. The most common patients that undergo thigh reduction surgery are massive weight loss patients. Some massive weight loss patients will present to the plastic surgeon with deflated thighs, which is ideal for thigh reduction surgery. The patient below is an excellent example.
However most massive weight loss patients will present with thighs that are still full despite stabilizing their weight loss. The patient below is an example of this type of patient.
Although not ideal, these patients can be significantly improved with thigh reduction surgery as can be seen below.
For the best results of thigh reduction surgery you should be dedicated to a healthy lifestyle including proper nutrition and fitness.
FAQ About Thigh Lift in Orange County
Below are some frequently asked questions about thighplasty/thigh reduction at UC Irvine in Orange County. If you have questions that are still unanswered, please call or email our offices to reach our friendly staff.
How do I prepare for thigh reduction surgery?
Your surgeon will examine your body and thighs. He or she will discuss the variables that may affect the procedure such as your age, the size and shape of your body, and the amount of fat and quality of your skin.
How does thigh lift surgery work?
To understand thigh reduction surgery it is important to understand what the shape of the normal thigh should be. Thigh shape can be thought of as an inverted cone.
The next step is to understand what is the nature of the problem of large thighs. Although it often looks like the excess in the thighs is vertical in nature, it is mostly due to horizontal excess of fat and skin that has dropped, especially in the inner thigh region. So if most of the problem is horizontal in nature then removal of a vertical wedge of skin and fat from the inner thighs is usually the best way to treat these problems. The design of the markings shown below, the inner ellipse, is typical of the wedge of tissue to be removed.
Thigh reduction can be done as an inpatient (with an overnight stay in the hospital) or outpatient procedure. The surgery usually takes two to four hours, under general anesthesia.
The procedure itself involves cutting out the tissue outlined within the inner ellipse shown above. The underlying fat will be excised and the skin will be reduced and reshaped for a firmer, smoother contour lower body. Liposuction is used to promote the removal of tissue. The technique developed by Dr. Aly is designed to reduce the risk of permanent lymphedema, which chronic swelling of the legs. This technique also avoids incisions in the crease around the pubic area, which eliminates one of the most dangerous complications of thigh reduction surgery; labial spreading in females. Labial spreading is a condition where the female labia cannot touch each other, which is the normal condition, because the scar located in the crease on either side of the pubic area pulls them apart. Dr. Aly’s technique essentially eliminates the risk of this complication.
The final scars position is often difficult to see from the front or the back.
Why should I choose UC Irvine plastic surgeons for my thigh lift?
The plastic surgeons of UC Irvine bring a wealth of experience to Southern California in the arena of thigh reduction surgery. The practice is directed by body-contouring specialist Dr. Al Aly M.D., who is considered a world expert on body contouring after massive weight loss. He works with a team of body contouring surgeons which also include Drs. Evans, Payadar and Wirth.
What can I expect after a thigh reduction?
Following surgery, you will be in compression garment and will be expected to raise your legs whenever you are sitting, not to stand for any considerable period of time and to elevate your legs a couple of times a day to reduce swelling. Your surgeon will prescribe pain medication, as you will feel some pain for first few days.
Results
The results that you will get from thigh reduction surgery are dependent on your starting point. The more deflated your thighs are at presentation to the plastic surgeon the better the results. Some typical results are shown below.
What are the risks of thigh reduction surgery?
As with any surgery, there is always a possibility of complications, including bleeding, infection, fluid collection, fat necrosis, blood clots, or reaction to anesthesia. The procedure will leave noticeable, permanent scars, while poor healing and wider scars are more common in smokers. It can also leave you with slightly mismatched lower extremities and possible long term swelling of the legs (lymphedema). Labial spreading, as mentioned above, is a complication that can occur in females, but fortunately Dr. Aly’s technique virtually has no chance of causing this very difficult complication. Numbness and sensory changes of the thighs in addition to recurrent looseness of skin requiring revisional surgery is a possibility.
Do alternatives to a thigh lift exist?
If the problem is caused by excess fat, and not loose skin, you may be a candidate for liposuction of the thighs. Especially if your skin elasticity is good, a cosmetic surgeon at UC Irvine may be able to perform liposuction to achieve the thigh-slimming effect you're looking for.
If you're ready to discuss thigh lift/inner thigh tuck in Orange County, please contact the Orange County plastic surgery offices of UC Irvine. We are located in the city of Orange, just a short drive from Anaheim, L.A., Santa Ana, Garden Grove and other communities of southern California. Call 714-456-3077 to get started on your thigh lift transformation.