Thigh lift

Many patients struggle problems with sagging skin on the thighs. This is due to either the aesthetic considerations of aging patients, or the remnants of massive weight loss, or such an isolated build-up of subcutaneous tissue on the thighs that, despite weight loss, still makes the thighs look monstrous. Sometimes they come to the office and pull up the skin on their thighs as you pull up the pantyhose and think that the same can be done by surgery. Unfortunately, not!!! Sometimes it is a very slight excess, sometimes so much that there is no other option but to remove the excess skin and the fat.

• Small overhangs can be performed with a liposuction followed by argon plasma shrinkage.
• Large amounts of hanging skin require the removal of the skin and subcutaneous tissue.

Each procedure is preceded by appropriate planning of skin cuts and tissue preparation. In this case, the incision is planned on the medial surface of the thigh, of varying length, depending on the excess, starting sometimes below the knee, and ending in the groin along the hair of the pubic mons. The preceding procedure is always a liposuction. Thanks to the liposuction procedure, we save the network of lymph vessels in the thigh area and avoid persistent swelling, as in patients after inguinal lymph node removal during e.g., cancer. Liposuction may only cover a portion of the skin being removed, but it may be more extensive and involve other parts of the thigh. The area of liposuction is selected individually for the patient. Some doctors do not precede this procedure with liposuction and excise the skin along with the entire thickness of the underlying subcutaneous tissue and lymph vessels. The consequence of such a procedure may be persistent leakage of lymph through the wound or swelling of the lower leg and foot. And instead of improving the patient, situations make her worse!!!

After the procedure, a longitudinal scar will remain on the inner surface of the thigh from beneath the knee to the groin and further along the pubic area. Sometimes patients have a hanging horizontal fold of skin just beneath the groin, and in these cases, it is sufficient create the scar along the groin. Unfortunately, this type of procedure is reserved for a very small group of patients! For most patients, this is not a good solution and will not bring any good effect and even worsen the existing situation!!! It does not remove excess skin, which we have not only along the thigh but also across.

Consequences and possible complications after thigh lift:

1. Swelling and bruising are an indispensable consequence of the treatment.
2. Asymmetry - the human body is not symmetrical, therefore achieving symmetry is practically impossible. Each thigh is different before the procedure, even though we do not see it.
3. Hematoma in the space under the flap - requires surgical intervention and removal of the hematoma.
4. Lymph cysts (seroma).
5. Diffusion of the wound.
6. Infection and abscess in the wound.
7. Marginal skin necrosis or covering larger parts of the skin.
8. Aseptic necrosis of adipose tissue most common in patients who are overweight and / or obese.
9. Skin unevenness.
10. Persistent swelling of the thigh, lower leg, and foot due to the removal of the main trunks of the lymphatic vessels leading to the groin.
11. Thrombosis of subcutaneous veins on the thigh and lower leg.
12. Pain, periodic or persistent without distortion.
13. Allergies to medications used
14. Unsatisfactory aesthetic effect.
15. The effect of the treatment is not eternal and will change from month to month and from year to year and depends on the genetic type of tissues, weight gain and weight loss.
16. Deep vein thrombosis of lower limbs with pulmonary embolism and death.