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Are You a Good Candidate for a Thigh Lift?
You would be a good candidate for a thigh lift, if you feel that
your thighs have lost skin tone with age. You may have lost a lot of
weight and are left with loose skin on your inner, outer or both
thighs. You may have very full inner and/or outer thighs whereby
liposuction alone will rid your body of the fatty deposits but leave
you with loose skin. Unfortunately when the skin reaches a certain
level of stretching or with age, diet and exercise can’t fix it. A
good thigh lift can address and correct all these issues. A thigh
lift can be performed starting age 21 if there was massive weight
loss that caused loose skin on the thighs, otherwise people opting
for a thigh lift are usually over 40.
Preparing for Your Surgery
Before your surgery, Dr. Metwally will perform a complete evaluation
with you. Whether you have a problem with your inner, outer or both
sides of your thighs, Dr. Metwally will discuss with you the
procedure that best serves your case in great detail. You will need
to arrange for someone to drive you to and from our center the day
of the surgery. You should wear loose fitting clothes and bear in
mind that your outfit may get soiled. Do not wear jewelry, contact
lenses, or bring valuables to the operating room. Remove all body
jewelry from pierced body parts.
Duration of the Surgery
It takes Dr. Metwally 2 to 2 and a half hours to perform a thigh
lift depending on the level of correction made.
Anesthesia Used
The surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia (you will
be asleep throughout the procedure). It can also be performed under
Regional Anesthesia (anesthetic injected in the spine, similar to
that used in child birth) where only the lower body looses sensation
but you will be awake. In this case you will be given sedation which
will make you relaxed and drowsy. You will be ready to leave after 3
to 4 hours from the completion of your surgery.
During Your Surgery
During your surgery if liposuction is to be done with the lift, the
liposuction is usually done first. Then for the inner thigh lift, an
incision is made in the mid point front of the upper thigh (along
the panty line) and extends to the mid point of the infra buttock
crease. For the outer thigh lift, a similar incision is made but
extends along the outer thigh till the infra buttock crease. After
that the excess skin is removed and the incision is sutured.
After Your Surgery
After your surgery, you will find dressing placed on the incision
for 10 to 14 days during which you will be asked to come in for
dressing change a couple of times. In the case that liposuction is
performed, a plaster bandage is placed on the area for 5 days after
which you can shower. You will be asked to wear a compression
garment for 4 weeks. Some pain will be present for the first 2 to 3
days and can be minimized with medication. Dr. Metwally will
prescribe to you an antibiotic along with a pain killer to prevent
infection and alleviate pain. Some swelling will occur especially
with liposuction this swelling will subside gradually from 2 to 6
weeks after your surgery. You will be able to walk after your
surgery, but will need someone to drive you home and assist you for
the first 2 days.
Seeing Your Result
How soon the result starts to show often varies from one person to
the other depending on many factors. Some people heal faster than
others for reasons like age, skin color and skin type. Other factors
are related to the level of correction made in the surgery like the
amount of skin removed, fat suctioned and the surgeon’s skills.
According to Dr. Metwally’s observation of his own patients, most of
them start seeing results as early as the 2nd week of the surgery.
When liposuction is performed the result starts to show after the
3rd week. The final result usually takes 8 to 12 weeks to show. The
scar from the surgery will fade gradually starting from the 2nd
month and will reach its final appearance after 12 to 18 months. The
result from a good thigh lift is usually everlasting unless you gain
or lose a significant amount of weight.
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