A thigh lift is a type of cosmetic surgery that will reduce hanging or sagging skin in the inner and outer thighs and tighten the loose skin of the thighs and hips. A thigh lift to reduce excess skin folds can be performed on men or women, and can be done in conjunction with other types of plastic surgery on the body. A thigh lift is designed to give slimmer thighs, with a firmer and more taut appearance.

Information on Thigh Lift Surgery

A thigh lift can correct different types of conditions:

• lax, sagging or drooping skin on the inner thigh, a problem many women may have
• loose, flabby or saggy skin on the outer thigh
• thigh skin folds that jiggle when you walk or move
• floppy skin on both thighs (bilateral)
• saddlebags below the hip area
• hanging skin on the thighs following weight loss
• bulges in the mid thigh area (medial)
• loose thigh skin with reduced elasticity due to aging
• thigh dimpling caused by excess flabby skin and cellulite

If there is a lot of excess fat in the thigh area, the extra fatty areas may be first removed with liposuction surgery. The liposuction procedure for any blubbery areas would generally be done several months prior to a thigh lift.

Inner Thigh Lift Cost

For lax skin that is loose or sags on the inner thighs, the cost would start at $4000. This cost would include both thighs. It is probably not covered by your insurance, so you would need to find your own financing. There may be additional costs associated with anesthesia, hospital or other fees. The inner thigh lift can also be combined with other cosmetic procedures on the body, such as a breast lift or augmentation or breast reduction. These procedures would not be done at the same time, but the surgeon might put together a package deal if a man or woman has them done, for example, within a year or so.

An inner thigh lift is done under anesthesia. Prior to the thighplasty, the surgeon will have examined and measured your thighs to determine how much droopy skin should be removed. The incision and scar should be in the groin area so it should not be visible. Following surgery, you will need several weeks to recover. If other procedures were done at the same time, recovery would be longer. Both inner and outer thigh lifts are also done in a major undertaking, what is called a full or lower body lift.

Outer Thigh Lift Cost

When there are saddlebags, or hanging skin on the outer thighs, an outer thigh lift can help correct the issue. The cost of an outer thigh lift also begins at $4000 for both thighs. You would need to find out if there are other costs for anesthesia, hospital or other fees. As with most cosmetic surgeries, insurance is unlikely to cover this, so you would need to ask about financing. An outer thigh lift can also be done with other types of surgery. For example, if the skin of both the buttocks (rear end) and thigh are drooping, the outer thighplasty would be combined with a butt lift or augmentation surgery.

Medial Thigh Lift and Bilateral Thigh Lift

A bilateral thigh lift tightens skin around the thigh. The incision for a bilateral thigh lift is made at the top of the thigh. Excess fat and skin are removed, and the skin is then tightened. A medial thigh lift targets the skin in the upper portion of the inner thighs. The incision for a medial thigh lift is also made close to the pubic area. A bilateral or medial thigh lift can be an option for someone seeking this procedure after weight loss or for body contouring after bariatric surgery.

This is considered to be very major surgical procedure. So don't consider this without examining many less drastic alternatives. If you are considering this procedure, make sure you find a qualified cosmetic surgeon, one who specializes in thigh surgery. It doesn't help to have a doctor whose specialty is nose jobs, when that isn't the procedure you want. Ask to see before and after photos of people with thighs similar to your own. Your surgeon may recommend other types of cosmetic surgeries such as a tummy tuck if there is excess skin in the stomach, or cosmetic arm surgery if there is flab in the arm area.

Like any cosmetic surgery, a thigh lift procedure is a major undertaking, so make sure you have ruled out other ways to deal with this such as diet and exercise. Risks include infection, bleeding, irregularities and the issues associated with anesthesia. A woman or man considering this should be in generally good health and not be a smoker. Following the surgery, follow all the directions from your doctor. How long it will take to recover depends on the extent of the surgery, but it will generally be a few weeks before you are able to move about. There will be a lot of pain and swelling. It will also be extremely uncomfortable to sit. You may need to wear compression garments for at least a week to reduce swelling.