A good candidate for thigh lift should have good general health, stable weight at or near ideal weight and have a realistic expectation of their results. Moreover, one should also be a non-smoker. If you smoke and are considering a thigh lift, you need to quit smoking well in advance of surgery to ensure adequate healing with minimal complications.

The surgery is performed under general anesthesia or a combination of local anesthesia and intravenous sedation. Depending on the amount and location of excess skin to be removed, incisions may vary in location, length and pattern.

• In inner thigh lift procedure, the incision is made in the groin area which may sometimes extend into the buttocks crease.
• In an outer thigh lift, the incision extends around the front and side of the hip or outer thigh.
• For a circumferential thigh lift, both incisions of an inner and outer thigh lift may be used. However, in case of a large amount of loose skin extending to the knee area, a vertical incision is made along the inner thigh extending from the groin to the knee.

The excess skin is removed and then the remaining skin is pulled to its new position. Finally, the incisions are closed with sutures. A compression garment should be worn for the first few weeks to help keep the swelling under control. Sometimes, small tubes may be temporarily placed under the skin to help drain any excess blood or fluid from the surgical area. The whole procedure may take up to four hours.  Some amount of bruising, swelling, and numbness after surgery is normal and will disappear in a few weeks or months. The final result may not be fully recognized until a year after surgery.  The scars will fade gradually over a period of time.

In all cases, patients should rest as much as possible and avoid leg movement. Patients should plan to take seven to 10 days off work to recover. Bruising and swelling are usually gone within a month and patients are able to return to all normal activities within four to six months.