What Are the Different Types of the Outer and the Inner Thigh Lift?

Thigh lift is usually done for patients after weight-loss surgery or significant weight loss. There is sometimes a lot of excess skin on the thighs after weight loss that is best addressed with a thigh lift procedure. 

A thigh lift can be done either on the inner thighs or on the outer thighs, or both. There are several techniques to perform a thigh lift depending on the patient’s individual needs, the surgeon’s preferences and qualification. Each of the techniques addresses specific aspects of the problem area, and different incisions are made. Choosing a certain type of thigh lift is a case-by-case decision and happens during your initial consultation with a surgeon who specializes in the thigh lift surgery like Dr. Angelina Postoev, a triple board certified cosmetic surgeon in Atlanta, GA.

What Are Surgical Techniques to Perform the Inner Thigh Lift?

A medial thigh lift is probably the most basic one from the technical point of view. The incision draws a straight line on the inner part of the legs but is well hidden. Sometimes the incision goes down to the knee, which allows the surgeon to fix saggy skin around the calf muscle. Medial thigh lift is often combined with liposuction that helps to better contour the area and thin it out. This approach provides faster healing.

A crescent thigh lift is another type of the inner thigh lift procedure that works best for people who have lost lots of weight, and the skin on their thighs gets saggy. A little crescent piece of skin on the upper thighs is taken away. Then, the middle area of the thighs gets pulled up and lifted.

The skin on the middle thighs is usually very thin and gets “wrinkly” very quickly after weight loss or liposuction procedures. That is why Dr. Angelina Postoev does not recommend doing liposuction on the thighs as a stand-alone procedure. It should be combined with vaser liposuction or BodyTite™ to avoid extra wrinkling and potential surgical thigh lift afterwards.

How Is the Outer Thigh Lift Performed?

A lateral thigh lift is done on the outer thighs. A lateral thigh lift is often combined with a tummy tuck and/or butt lift procedures. In this case, the surgeon makes one incision and typically starts with removing excess skin and fat on the front abdomen (tummy tuck), continues lifting up the skin on the buttocks (butt lift), and then pulling up skin on the sides of the legs (lateral thigh lift). The technique differs greatly from the one used on the inner thighs. The skin on the outer thighs is typically very heavy and a skilled surgeon is required to keep it in place and avoid opening incisions.

A spiral thigh lift is a combination of the outer thigh lift and the inner thigh lift better known as a 360-degree thigh lift. The incision starts underneath the buttocks and goes through the inner part of the thighs around the hips. This way, the surgeon addresses several areas at the same time, and the optimal amount of skin and fat can be removed.

Different kinds of thigh lift are available at Surgicare Arts & Aesthetics. Dr. Angelina Postoev is a triple board-certified cosmetic surgeon who specializes in thigh lift, vaser liposuction, and other body sculpting procedures. She creates a unique strategy for each patient based on his/her individual circumstances and goals. Book a free virtual consultation with Dr. Angelina to understand your options and find out if thigh lift is a procedure for you.

Angelina Postoev, MD, FACS, a triple board-certified cosmetic surgeon, and Christopher Ibikunle, MD, FACS, offer thigh lift surgery to patients in Lawrenceville, Suwanee, Johns Creek, Buckhead, and the surrounding areas of Atlanta, Georgia.