Thigh Lift

• To remove excess skin that’s formed after a significant weight loss either due to a gastric bypass operation or diet and exercise.
• To improve the contour of your thighs.
• To remove the skin of the thigh affected by the stretch marks.
• To obtain a toned and tightened thigh contour.

Dr. Rayham performs Thigh Lift procedures in an ambulatory surgery or hospital settings in Manhattan/NYC, Brooklyn or Staten Island, New York. This procedure generally lasts from one to three hours with the patient under a general anesthesia and asleep. After the smaller procedure you will generally be able to go home the day of your operation, unless you have medical reasons necessitating an overnight observation in the hospital. If you had your Thigh Lift as a part of more complex procedure, such as a Circumferential Body Lift / Belt Lipectomy, you will need to stay in the hospital for a day or two before you can go home.

There are several ways to perform a Thigh Lift operation and the choice of your procedure mainly depends on the amount and the distribution of the skin and fat of your thighs specifically. In general, Outer Thigh Lift is often performed in conjunction with a Circumferential Body Lift / Belt Lipectomy procedure. The procedure is performed by placing a circumferential incision from just above the pubic bone, around the upper portion of the hip bones to the back. The skin and fat are raised over the outer thighs, pulled and excess of skin and fat is removed. This provides significant toning and tightening to your outer thighs. If you need mainly inner thighs addressed, then an incision is placed on the inner side of your thighs in an Inner Thigh Lift procedure. The skin and fat are raised on the inner sides of your thighs, and the excess is removed providing tightening and toning of the inner thigh areas. The placement of the incision on the inner thighs can be vertical, horizontal, or the combination of the above. The choice of the incision depends on the configuration of your thighs, and the amount of extra skin and fat to be removed. The horizontal incision is usually well hidden in the groin crease and is covered by the underwear. In all thigh lifting procedures closure is performed in multiple layers to avoid widening of the scars. Liposuction is often added to get maximal improvement to you thigh contour.

Your procedure will usually last from one to three hours for thigh lifting alone. Upon completion of your operation bandages will be placed at the incision areas to provide support and minimize the movement and the resultant discomfort. You may experience some pain associated with the surgery which is usually controlled well with pain medications. Upon discharge you will have prescriptions for pain medication that you will take as needed, and antibiotics that you will need to take for several days to decrease chances of infection. There are usually no sutures that need to be removed. You will go home with two tube drains, one in each thigh, which will be removed within one to two weeks. Immediately after the surgery you should restrain from making wide movements with your legs. You should be able to resume your regular activities in about two weeks, although you should abstain from strenuous exercise for several months. Upon completion of healing process maintaining proper diet and exercise routine should assure a long lasting result. The biggest drawback of this operation is possibility of forming visible scars on the inner side of your thighs. Strict adherence to the instructions given to you post-operatively by Dr. Rayham should minimize the visibility of the scars and give you the best possible results. If you are a candidate for a horizontal incision Thigh Lift procedure, your scar will be well hidden in the groin.

Dr. Rayham encourages his patients to refrain from smoking for several weeks before and after the surgery. While complications are rare, Dr. Rayham will discuss the risks of your procedure with you prior to proceeding with surgery. If is important to be well-informed ahead of time. You can minimize potential problems by carefully following the directions given to you after surgery.

If you live in New York or nearby, you can either go home the day of your Thigh Lift procedure or stay overnight in the hospital. Our out of town patients normally stay in New York, either in the hospital or in one of our recommended hotels, and can be driven home the next day following their postoperative check-up with Dr. Rayham. If you need to fly home, Dr. Rayham would prefer you to stay in New York for at least one more day to minimize the discomfort associated with traveling. If you are having a more extensive procedure along with your Thigh Lift you may be required to stay in the hospital for a day or two and the spend several more days in New York until you have healed enough to travel home.