Thigh Lift (Thighplasty)

A thigh lift is often performed on people who have lost considerable amounts of weight but are unable to achieve their ideal body image due to excess skin. The result is firmer contours that give the legs and lower body a more youthful appearance. Although liposuction can sometimes be combined with a thigh lift to remove stubborn pockets of fat that the patient has been unable to shift through diet and exercise; it should not be used a weight loss replacement. The best results of a thigh lift are seen on patients who have a stable weight.

This type of surgery is suitable for both men and women. In fact more men than ever are considering booking in for surgery on many different area of their body – a thigh lift being no exception.

This depends on what you are hoping to achieve. If you are struggling with stubborn fat cells that you are unable to get rid of, liposuction would be better suited at resolving the issue. Whereas if your problem is excess skin; a thigh lift would be the most effective solution. Mr El Gawad will offer you a free consultation for a thigh lift in Manchester, Liverpool, Bolton or Newton Le Willows. He will advise you on the best course of surgery depending on your individual case.

If you decide to go ahead and have a thigh lift, with Mr El Gawad, expect to have a thorough consultation before the surgery goes ahead.  This is to discuss and prepare your expectations of what can be achieved and to make sure that this is the correct procedure to meet your individual needs.

Your body will be reassessed on the day of surgery and several photos taken. These will be put in your medical records. Mr El Gawad will mark the position of the intended surgical cuts on your body with a surgical pen before you go to theatre.

In order to give your recovery from surgery the best chance possible, you will be advised of the following:

• If you are a smoker, you should try to stop smoking up to eight weeks before the scheduled date of your surgery. Smoking has significant deleterious effects on post-surgery recovery rates, and it raises your risk of complications such as delayed healing, infections and potential revision surgery.
• If you are overweight, you are advised to adjust your nutrition and physical activity so that you are as close as possible to your ideal weight by the time your surgery is due to take place. Please note that we condone healthy weight loss methods only; trying to rush your weight loss may lead to poor recovery. The best results of thighplasty treatment are performed on patients who are of a stable weight.
• If you use oral contraception, you should stop taking the pill four to six weeks prior to surgery. To avoid a risk of pregnancy, you are advised to use alternative methods of contraception during this period.

Thigh lift surgery is usually done under general anaesthesia. This means you will be totally asleep during the operation.

Expect to be asked to avoid food or anything to drink for several hours before the operation takes place.

The size and pattern of incision will depend on several factors such as your natural body shape, the volume of tissue to be removed, and the type of procedure that you and Mr El Gawad agree upon (i.e., inner vs outer thigh lift). Incisions may be performed at the groin, around the back of the thigh, or down the inner thigh commonly known as the ‘trouser inseam.’ Every effort will be made to place incisions in areas that can be hidden by everyday clothing and bathing suits. The wounds will be closed using a combination of deep and surface sutures (stitches), which are designed to cause minimal scarring.

A typical thigh lift procedure takes 2 to 3 hours, but again this depends entirely on the individual patient. To ensure that the operation was fully successful and that you are not at risk of postoperative complications, you will remain in the hospital for a day or two for monitoring and observation. During this time you will be given pain relief to help you with any discomfort.

Your wounds will be dressed with bandages. Sometimes small tubes may be placed under the skin to aid fluid drainage and reduce the amount of swelling. (These drains are usually removed a few days after surgery.) Before you are discharged from hospital, you will be shown how to care for the wounds, what medications you should for pain relief, how to monitor your wounds for signs of infection, will you need to have your stitches removed or have dissolvable ones been used, when you will be able to resume normal physical activity, and when you should book in with Mr El Gawad for a follow-up visit.

You usually will be asked to wear a tight fitting body compression garment for a while after surgery to help reduce swelling and to help support the thigh area.

You will not be able to drive or operate heavy machinery for some time after your surgery. You are also advised to have someone stay with you for at least 24 hours after you are discharged.

Most people find their recovery benefits from one or two days of bedrest upon returning home. Avoid movements that put stress on your legs while you are recovering. When you are sleeping, you should place pillows under your lower legs to relieve the amount of pressure on the wound sites and to promote drainage.

Do not do too much too soon; start with short, easy walks around your home and build up the level of effort gradually. Always work within the limit of pain. Avoid wearing clothing that is restrictive or tight.

Mr El Gawad will check your wounds a couple of weeks after the operation, to make sure that your healing is progressing well.

It goes without saying that if you have any concerns during your recovery, you must contact Mr El Gawad as soon as possible. Alternatively, if you are having chest pain, irregular heart beat or difficulty breathing, you should seek emergency medical attention immediately.

The answer to this question depends on the circumstances of the individual patient. Mr El Gawad will give you advice based upon your physical health, the extent of the surgery, the level of support available to you at home, and the industry in which you work. For example, office workers who sit at a desk can return to work sooner than someone who works on a building site. Generally speaking, you should take a minimum of 2-4 weeks off from work to facilitate as full a recovery as possible.

Price of thigh lift surgery in Manchester, Liverpool, Bolton and Newton Le Willows.

Cost of thigh lift – £5950

You will see results almost straight away! The quality of your skin will look and feel improved immediately.

However, due to bruising and swelling, it can take anywhere from several weeks to a few months for the full results to be visible.

You will have some scarring, but the results of a thigh lift last for a very long time. The results will remain for as long as you are able to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. Please understand however that natural aging will cause skin all over your body to lose some of its firm, youthful appearance. This includes your thighs even after you have had a thigh lift. But please note that most of the improvements this surgery brings will remain despite the aging process.

This usually happens in the early few hours to few days. This may require a visit back to theatre.

This usually happens in the first few days. This may need a course of antibiotics.

This may need frequent dressings and would leave a stretched scar. The scar could be revised at a later stage.

Collection of tissue fluid in the wound. This may need drainage by a syringe. However, the chances of re-accumulation are inevitable.

This usually corrects itself within a few months. Although in severe cases it could be permanent.

Scarring complications could occur which are permanently asymmetry, widened, red or lumpy. No guarantee about the quality of the scar. No control what so ever on the individual body healing.

Dog-ears are bulging folds of skin at the end of the scar. This may require revision surgery to improve the appearance.

Sutures may spontaneously surface to skin and needs removal.

The thighs are naturally asymmetrical, therefore please don’t expect mirror image thighs. A degree of asymmetry would be expected.

Over/Under correction. This might need corrective surgery.