According to the latest statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost of thigh lift surgery (thigh lift) is $6,378. This average cost is only a fraction of the total price; It does not include anesthesia, operating room facilities or other related expenses. Please check with your plastic surgeon’s office to determine your final fee.

The surgeon’s fee for thigh lift surgery will depend on his experience, type of procedure used, and geographic office location.

Most health insurance plans do not cover thigh lift surgery or its complications, but many plastic surgeons offer patient financing plans, so be sure to ask.

Thigh lift costs may include:

• Anesthesia fees
• Hospital or surgical facility costs
  medical tests
• Post-operative clothes
• Drug prescriptions
• surgeon fee

When choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area for thigh lift surgery, remember that the surgeon’s experience and your comfort with him are just as important as the final cost of the surgery.

“During your thigh lift surgery consultation, be prepared to discuss the following:

Your surgical goals

Medical conditions, drug allergies, and medical treatments

Current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drug use

Previous surgeries

Your plastic surgeon will also:

Assess your overall health and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors

Examine and measure your body, including detailed measurements

Take photos for your medical records

Discuss your options

Recommend a course of treatment

Discuss possible outcomes and risks or potential complications of thigh lift surgery

The success and safety of your procedure depends on your sincerity during the consultation.

Be sure to ask your plastic surgeon questions. To help you, we have prepared a checklist of questions to ask your thigh lift surgeon that you can take with you during your consultation.

It is very important to understand all aspects of your thigh lift procedure. It’s natural to feel some anxiety, whether it’s excitement for the new look you’ve been waiting for or a little stress before surgery. “Do not hesitate to discuss these feelings with your plastic surgeon.”

Use this checklist as a guide during your thigh lift consultation:

Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
Have you received special training in plastic surgery?
How many years did you receive plastic surgery training?
Do you have hospital privileges to perform this procedure? If so, in which hospitals?
Is the office-based surgical facility accredited by a nationally or state-recognized accrediting agency, or is it state licensed or Medicare certified?
Am I a good candidate for this procedure?
What will be expected of me to achieve the best results?
Where and how will you carry out my transaction?
Which surgical technique is recommended for me?
How long of a recovery can I expect and what kind of help will I need during recovery?
What are the risks and complications associated with my procedure?
How to handle complications?
How can I expect my hips to show up over time?
What are my options if I am not satisfied with the cosmetic result of thigh lift surgery?
Do you have before and after photos for this procedure that I can look at and what results are reasonable for me?

The decision to undergo plastic surgery is extremely personal, and you will need to decide whether the benefits of thigh lift surgery will meet your goals and whether the risks and potential complications of thigh lift surgery are acceptable.

Your plastic surgeon and/or staff will explain in detail the risks associated with the surgery. You will be asked to sign consent forms to make sure you fully understand the procedure, risks, and possible complications.

Possible thigh lift surgery risks include:

• Anesthesia risks
• Asymmetry
• Bleeding
• Deep vein thrombosis, heart and lung complications
• Fat tissue under the skin may die (fat necrosis)
• Fluid accumulation (seroma)
• Infection
• Large wound dehiscence
• Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
• Persistent pain
• Poor wound healing
• Possibility of revision surgery
• Recurrent skin laxity
• Skin discoloration and/or swelling
  skin loss
• Stitches may spontaneously appear on the skin, become visible, or cause irritation that requires removal.
• Negative scarring
• These risks and others will be fully discussed prior to your approval. It is important to ask all your questions directly to your plastic surgeon.

In preparation for leg lift surgery, you may be asked to:

Get a lab test or medical evaluation

Take some medications or adjust your current medications

stop smoking

Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements, or other medications that may increase bleeding

Thigh lift surgery may be performed at an accredited office-based surgical facility, licensed ambulatory surgical center, or a hospital.

If your thigh lift is performed on an outpatient basis, be sure to arrange for someone to drive you to and from the surgery and stay with you for at least the first night after surgery.

The thigh lift procedure includes the following steps:

Step 1 – Anesthesia

Medications are administered for your comfort during surgical procedures. Options include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best option for you.

Step 2 – Incision

Incision types vary depending on the area or areas to be treated, the degree of correction, and the preference of the patient and the surgeon.

Inner thigh lift incision

One of the techniques used for a thigh lift involves placing incisions in the groin that extend downwards and wrap around the back of the thigh.

Another technique removes excess skin from the groin to the knee using an incision along the inner seam.

You may also qualify for inner thigh lift surgery with minimal incision, which includes only an incision in the groin area. Your plastic surgeon will determine what is appropriate.

Medial thigh lift incision

Outer thigh lift incision

Improving the contours of the thigh may require an incision extending from the groin to around the hip and along the back.

Advanced techniques often allow incisions to be placed in strategic locations where they can be hidden by most clothing and swimwear. However, the incisions may be large.

Outer thigh lift incision

Step 3 – Closing the incisions

Deep stitches in the underlying tissues help create and support newly shaped contours. Sutures, skin adhesive tapes, or clips may be used to close skin incisions.

Step 4 – See the results

The smoother, tighter contouring that results from a thigh lift is almost immediately noticeable, although it may initially be obscured by swelling and bruising. Learn more about thigh lift results.

During your recovery after thigh lift surgery, dressings/bandages may be applied to your incisions after the procedure.

Small, thin tubes may be placed temporarily under the skin to drain any excess fluid or blood that may collect.

You will be given special instructions, which may include:

How to care for the surgical site(s)?

Medications to be administered or taken orally to aid healing

Special considerations to look for at the surgical site or your general health

When should you contact your plastic surgeon?

Be sure to ask your thigh lift surgeon specific questions about what you can expect during your individual recovery period:

Where will I be taken after my surgery is completed?

What medications will I be given or prescribed after surgery?

Will there be a dressing/bandage after the surgery? When will they be removed?

Are the stitches removed? When?

When can I resume normal activity and exercise?

When will I return for follow-up care?

Thigh lift recovery at home

If you experience shortness of breath, chest pain, or unusual heartbeats, seek medical attention immediately. If any of these complications occur, you may need hospitalization and additional treatment.

Following your doctor’s instructions is the key to the success of your surgery.

It is important that surgical incisions are not subjected to excessive force, swelling, abrasion, or movement during the healing period. Your doctor will give you specific instructions on how to care for yourself.

The results of the thigh lift procedure are noticeable almost immediately. However, it may take several months for the final results to be fully visible.

Following thigh lift surgery, skin quality improves in both appearance and feel.

Some visible scarring will remain, but the overall results will be long-lasting provided you maintain a stable weight and general fitness.

It’s natural for your body to lose some firmness as you age. But most of your initial progress should remain the same.

Although good results are expected from your procedure, there is no guarantee. In some cases, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure and another surgery may be necessary.”

General anesthesia

Medications that are inhaled and/or injected into a vein to relieve pain and alter consciousness during surgery.

Hematoma

Accumulation of blood under the skin.

Intravenous sedation

Sedatives administered by intravenous injection to help you relax.

liposuction

Also called lipoplasty or suction lipectomy, this procedure vacuums up fat beneath the skin surface to reduce fullness.

Local anesthesia

A medication injected directly into the incision site during surgery to relieve pain.

Medial thigh lift

It is a surgical procedure performed to correct sagging in the inner thigh.

Outer/side thigh lift

It is a surgical procedure performed to correct sagging on the outer part of the thigh.

Stitches

They are stitches that surgeons use to hold skin and tissue together.”