When thighs are disproportionate to the rest of the leg and/or the buttocks, one solution is to remove excess skin and fat with a thigh lift. Some surgeons report that thigh lifts tend to be more effective on the front and outer sides of the thigh than on the back and inside of the thigh.

Procedure
Thigh lifts are conducted on an outpatient basis using general anesthesia. An incision is made in the crease where the upper thigh meets the buttocks or in the groin area near the hip. The skin is carefully separated from the underlying muscle and tissue. Excess skin is removed. If needed, liposuction may be used to remove excess fat. The remaining skin is stretched and tightened over the area and sutured closed. The surgery takes between 2 and 3 hours.

Recovery
Drainage tubes may be inserted to help remove excess fluid for the first two days. A dressing and light compression garment will also be applied following the surgery and must be worn for a few days. Swelling and bruising are common and subside over a few weeks. Stitches are removed after 7 to 10 days. Most patients are back to work in about 1 week and resume most normal activity within 3 weeks.