Thigh lift (thighplasty) in Istanbul

Usually in the groin crease, planned where underwear or swimwear can cover them. If there is a lot of loose skin along the thigh, a vertical scar is added down the inner thigh towards the knee. The scars can be long. They fade over about a year, but they do not disappear.

Only when the looseness is limited. A groin-only lift keeps the scar in the crease but treats only the upper inner thigh. When loose skin runs along the whole thigh, a vertical incision is usually needed to remove it, and that trade-off is discussed at your examination.

Liposuction removes fat; a thigh lift removes loose skin. If your skin is elastic, liposuction alone may give a good contour. If the skin is loose, liposuction cannot tighten it enough, so the two are combined. Your skin quality decides, and it is assessed in person rather than from photographs.

Plan to rest your legs for up to 10 days, with short walks from the first day. Most people return to normal activities at 4–6 weeks and to exercise at 6–8 weeks. The full result shows at around 6 months, and the scars keep improving for about a year.

Usually for at least 6 weeks, day and night, taking it off only to wash. The garment helps control swelling and supports the new contour while you heal. Your surgeon may change the timing depending on how extensive the surgery was.

Straight away. Walking is encouraged from the day of surgery because it helps prevent blood clots. What you avoid in the first weeks is strenuous activity, exercise and anything that stretches the groin incisions, such as sitting or lying with your legs wide apart.

The guidance we follow gives no fixed day for driving or sitting after a thigh lift, so ask your surgeon at the check-up. As a general rule, drive only when you can brake firmly without pain, you are not taking medicines that make you drowsy and your surgeon agrees.

No. A thigh lift is not a cellulite treatment, and liposuction does not treat cellulite either. The operation changes the contour by removing loose skin and fat, not the dimpled texture of the skin. If cellulite is your main concern, raise it at the consultation so expectations are clear.

It can help. Reducing excess skin and fat can ease the chafing and rashes that happen when the inner thighs rub as you walk. How much it helps depends on how much tissue can be removed and on the shape of your legs.

When your weight has been stable for a good while. Cleveland Clinic suggests holding your goal weight for about a year, and after bariatric surgery weight usually settles within 12–18 months. Operating while you are still losing weight risks the skin loosening again. Your nutrition and blood tests may be checked first.

The medical guidance gives no single figure for thigh lifts. Cleveland Clinic advises resting your legs for up to 10 days, so plan your trip with that rest in mind. Arrive early enough for the examination and tests, and your surgeon confirms your flight date after a check-up.

It carries more risk than many cosmetic operations, mainly because the wounds sit in an area that moves and is hard to keep clean. In a large database study, 6.6% had a major complication. Among smokers, major complications reached about 24%, against about 4% in non-smokers.

Usually with liposuction, which is part of most thigh lifts, and after major weight loss sometimes with a lower body lift. Some surgeons avoid pairing it with an arm lift in one operation, because recovering arms and legs together is hard. Longer operations raise the risk of complications, so the plan balances your goals against operating time.