Thigh Lift

Why choose Wake Plastic Surgery?

Our board certified plastic surgeon use the technology of Power Assisted Liposuction or PAL at Wake Plastic Surgery. PAL involves the use of a quickly oscillating or vibrating cannula to extract the excess fat. The benefit of using PAL as opposed to traditional liposuction is that there is less effort exerted by the surgeon and less tissue trauma delivered to the patient. This results in a smoother contour with slightly less swelling and bruising during the recovery process. Unlike most surgeons, Dr. Stoeckel completes the surgery using MAC anesthesia without the need for general-anesthesia gases, airway tubes, or ventilators. The recovery is quicker, anesthesia related nausea and vomiting is minimized, there is no risk for sore throats or chipped teeth, and the risk for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolus (PE) is decreased.

Who is a good candidate for a Thigh Lift?

The ideal thigh lift patient is already in good physical condition. Thigh lift surgery is not considered a weight loss procedure and best results are obtained when patients have already reached their weight loss goals. We want you to have the best possible results with the fewest potential risks. Safety for our patients is always our number one priority so we require some goals to be met before scheduling surgery:

• A BMI, or body mass index, of 30 or less
• No smoking for 4-6 weeks prior to surgery and for 4 weeks after surgery
• Pausing any Semaglutide/GLP-1/Tirzepatide for 2 weeks prior to surgery

Why do we consider BMI an important qualifier for surgery?

After careful review of the literature and our own results over the last decade, we have found that patients with a body mass index (BMI) less than 30 have a significantly lower risk of post operative complications with thigh lift surgery and other body contouring surgeries than those whose BMI is higher than 30. As a result, we use this benchmark for most patients realizing that there are sometimes exceptions to almost any rule. Being at a healthy weight, avoiding smoking, and maintaining a healthy diet are just a few things that you can do to optimize your end result.

Will there be a scar after having a Thigh Lift?

Most patients are very concerned about the scarring that is involved with the thigh lift surgery, and for good reason.  Depending on the type of thigh lift that a patient has will also create different types of scars with different scar placements. Some patients’ scars heal incredibly well and almost fade away after about a year or so. But others remain either darkened or widened and are quite noticeable.

That being said, we have a wide variety of treatments at the MedSpa at Wake Plastic Surgery that can help reduce the appearance of scars. We offer BBL laser, ProFractional laser, and Virtue RF as treatments that can aid in improving the appearance of stubborn scarring. All of Dr. Stoeckel’s surgical patients are eligible for a complimentary consultation at our MedSpa to discuss these aesthetic options and more.

What is the recovery like with a Thigh Lift?

While each recovery is unique patient to patient, we usually recommend 1-2 weeks of downtime with the typical full recovery period of 4-6 weeks. While it is important to limit vigorous exercise, heavy lifting, and modify some daily routines most patients are up and walking a day or two after surgery. Dr. Stoeckel will call to check on their patient the night of their surgery, see them for a one week, one month, and three month, 6 month, and one year follow-up, and anytime in between if needed by the patient.