Good candidates for a thighplasty procedure are those who experience any one of the following:

• excess thigh skin, often present after massive weight loss 
• excess fat in the thighs
• both excess skin and fat in the thighs

Depending upon a patient’s individual anatomy and goals, Dr. Roostaeian will recommend a thigh surgery plan that’s best.

Thigh lift with skin removal

If loose skin and/or excess fat is present in the thighs, Dr. Jason will perform a thigh lift by removing the skin and fat. This produces a fine, thin scar along the inner thighs beginning close to the groin area. How far down the scar extends depends upon the amount of excess tissue Dr. Jason needs to remove to acheive the desired outcome.

Thigh lift with liposuction

Patients who have good skin tone and only a small amount of excess fat may be elligible for a thigh lift with liposuction only. Because no excess skin is being removed, patients have very minimal scarring at the site where the liposuction cannula is inserted.

During your thigh lift consultation, Dr. Jason will go over the options that are available to you.

When searching for the best thigh lift surgeon to perform your thighplasty, Dr. Roostaeian advises you to consider several key factors:

1. Credentials and Certifications: Research your prospective thigh lift surgeon online – not just on their website, but on industry credentialing sites such as www.surgery.org, which lists board certified plastic surgeons. Do not choose a cosmetic surgeon who is a member of the ABCS – they do not receive the extensive training and oversight that plastic surgeons do. Look for plastic/cosmetic surgeons like Dr. Roostaeian, who are ABPS and ASAPS members.
2. Before and After Photos: The doctor you choose to perform your thighplasty should be happy to show you an extensive array of standardized before and after photographs. Scrutinize them carefully, making sure the lighting is consistent and the various views are shown with detail. View enough thigh lift pictures to determine whether or not the work is of high quality, with an aesthetic that matches your personal goals. Dr. Jason strives to provide patients with the highest quality of standardized thigh lift photographs so you can feel confident in your choice. Click here to view Dr. Jason’s gallery of before and after thighplasty photos. [LINK]
3. Office and Surgery Facility: Before choosing an aesthetic surgeon to perform your thigh surgery, closely evaluate the office staff, as well as the surgery facility. All of the staff should be helpful and friendly, and pleased to provide you with detailed information about their operating rooms and equipment. Dr. Jason and his staff are proud to be affiliated with UCLA, world renowned for state-of-the-art surgical facilities and patient care. Click to learn more about our top-ranked hospital.[LINK]
4. Personal Connection: Seeing eye to eye with your thigh lift surgeon is just as important as assessing their operating skills. Plastic surgery is a very personal endeavor, and Dr. Jason strongly believes in creating a connection with all of his patients prior to heading into the OR. 

Click to read Dr. Jason’s blog post How to Find the Best Plastic Surgeon.

Thigh lift costs vary considerably from patient to patient. The exact cost of your thighplasty surgery will depend on the complexity of your case, and whether or not you are combining your arm lift with other procedures. You will receive a written quote from Dr. Jason’s office following your consultation.

Dr. Jason frequently combines a thighplasty with other procedures of the face, breast or body. Many patients take advantage of their time in the OR to address other common complaints, such as excess skin/fat in the abdomen (with liposuction and/or a tummy tuck) and love handles (with liposuction of the flanks).

Increasingly popular “mommy makeovers” combine a tummy tuck (with or without liposuction) with a breast lift/breast augmentation, and can include thigh shaping as well. In the hands of a skilled surgeon like Dr. Jason, these combination procedures can provide excellent results with less time in surgery and significantly less downtime. 

Take advantage of your consultation time with Dr. Jason by outlining all of your concerns, so he can help you form a comprehensive treatment plan that maximizes your budget while minimizing your downtime and risk. 

To achieve the best possible result in body contouring it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This should be started before surgery so that you can keep it going after surgery. Although you will have to take a break from exercise for a few weeks during your recovery, it important to maintain a well-balanced diet. Many of Dr. Jason’s patients are more motivated by their new body shape following surgery and want to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regimen.

When preparing for a thigh lift procedure, follow all instructions issued by Dr. Roostaeian, his office, and the staff at the UCLA Surgery Center. These guidelines include, but are not limited to:

THREE WEEKS PRIOR TO SURGERY

• Avoid smoking cigarettes, wearing a nicotine patch or using nicotine gum three weeks prior and three weeks after surgery. All nicotine products inhibits circulation and slows your healing process.

TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO SURGERY

• Do not take aspirin or any aspirin products. These medications cause bleeding which can lead to
  complications. You may only use Tylenol.
• Do not take Vitamin E (it will cause you to bleed).
• Make arrangements for someone to drive you home after the doctor sees you the day following surgery.
• It is extremely important that we are informed about any medications or supplements that you are currently taking such as diet pills, mega doses of vitamins, prescriptions for depression, etc., Dr. Roostaeian and your anesthesiologist need to know every medication that is in your system.

DAY BEFORE/DAY OF ARM LIFT SURGERY

• Shampoo your hair and body with an antiseptic soap the night before surgery. We prefer you to use Hibiclens (sold at most drug stores) to wash your hair, face, and body (avoid the eyes) the night before and/or morning of surgery.
• Do not eat or drink anything (not even water) after midnight. The morning of surgery you may take your regular medications such as blood pressure, heart, thyroid, etc. with a small sip of water.
• Leave all your jewelry at home, including any body (pierced) jewelry. Do not wear contact lenses- not even extended wear. Remove all makeup. Do not apply lotion or creams. Bring a robe, gown (one that will slip easily over your head or one that buttons up the front) and slippers.
• DO NOT “WORKOUT” THE DAY BEFORE OR THE MORNING OF SURGERY. This will dehydrate your body and you will not be able to replenish it with water.

Following your thighplasty procedure with Dr. Roostaeian, your legs will be tight and swollen for about  2 weeks. You will wear a garment to help with this swelling. You will be up and about within the same day; start showering in two days; stitches are dissolvable; bruising mostly gone by 1 week; back to work if not strenuous after 1-2 weeks; avoid any exercise or significant increase in your heart rate for 2 weeks.  You can restart gentle exercise routine at 6 weeks and return to full activity by 3 months. Thigh Lift scars will continue to lighten and mature over 6 months to a year.

A thigh lift (thighplasty) procedure typically last approximately three to four hours and will be performed in the UCLA outpatient surgery center in Los Angeles.  Dr. Jason will typically create an incision to best conceal your scar inside your groin crease and along your inner thigh as needed . The incision will be made as inconspicuously as possible, however, its length will vary depending on what your particular case needs to achieve the best possible shape. Dr. Jason will also employ liposuction in any of the areas you need to achieve the best result. The extra skin from your thighs will be removed and your incisions are closed using absorbable sutures so there is no need to later remove any stitches. The majority of the swelling will likely subside within a week or two while some mild swelling may persist for a few more weeks. Within one week after surgery you will visit Dr. Jason as a follow up so he can check on your healing and answer any questions.

After your thigh lift wih Dr. Jason Roostaeian, most of the swelling and bruising will be gone by 1-2 weeks. You can return to activities, even exercise,  that do not stress the incisions after 3 weeks. A compression garment is recommended for 6 weeks. You can return to full activity by 12 weeks.

For the first 2 weeks following thigh lift surgery with Dr. Roostaeian, you want to avoid straining (lifting anything more than 5 lbs), or getting your heart rate/blood pressure up as this can lead to bleeding. After 2-3 weeks you should avoid mechanical forces that will put stress on the areas treated. This means you should avoid high impact activities that lead to excessive movement or stress on any of the incisions.  Listen to what your body is telling you at all times, for instance stop the workout if you experience any new discomfort. Remember, getting plenty of rest and reducing your overall activity will give you time to heal and speed up your recovery.

As always, consult with Dr. Jason if you have any questions about your post-arm lift healing process.

Dr. Jason Roostaeian is extremely meticulous about the placement of his thigh lift incisions. He typically places the scar along the inner side of the thigh. The length of the scar depends upon the amount of tissue removed. The scar fades over time, remaining quite inconspicuous in most people.

Visit Dr. Jason’s thighplasty photo gallery to see examples of thigh lift scars.  [LINK]

While everyone heals at a different pace, there are general guidelines to help determine how much work or school you’ll miss after a thigh lift. To promote proper healing, Dr. Roostaeian recommends taking at least 1 week off after arm surgery. Most patients are able to work from home or do homework after a few days of rest. Most patients with non-strenous jobs can return to work after about one week. If your work requires significant physical activity (lifting more than 5 pounds) you want to wait at least 2-3 weeks to prevent any increases in your blood pressure that can lead to bleeding while your’re still in the early stages of healing.

It is very rare to need to repeat a thigh lift procedure if there are no dramatic changes in your weight. Therefore, Dr. Jason’s patients who maintain a healthy lifestyle will continue to enjoy the result of their procedure for many years to come.