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What to Expect after a Thigh Lift

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Losing a significant amount of weight and giving yourself the gift of a healthier body is an accomplishment to be proud of. But unfortunately, for many patients, that moment when they step on the scale and see their goal weight is less exciting than they had envisioned, because instead of having a physique they can feel confident in, all they can see is the excess skin that has been left behind. Especially for those who lost weight rapidly through bariatric surgery, skin can lose its elasticity not just throughout the abdomen but in other areas as well, like the legs, and a thigh lift may be needed to remove the excess skin and improve the patient’s comfort and appearance. If you’re considering a thigh lift, this blog can help you know what to expect during your recovery.

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The amount and location of your unwanted tissue will affect the type of incision you’ll require. In some cases the incision is limited to the groin area, where it’s easy to conceal beneath clothing. Other patients may require an incision across the top of the outer thigh or along the inner thigh. Regardless, it’s important to follow all post-surgical instructions about caring for your incisions and to be particularly watchful for signs of an infection during the first two weeks after your surgery.

Recovery Timeline

The type of thigh lift you receive and your unique anatomy will both affect how long it takes your body to heal after plastic surgery. In general, most patients can resume most of their day-to-day activities and be back to work within two to three weeks after surgery. You’ll be asked to avoid putting too much strain on your legs during the first few weeks, and you may need to wear a compression garment for approximately a month, but most thigh lift patients can expect to return to their exercise routine and heavy lifting within 6-8 weeks after their procedure.

Maintaining Your Results

Fortunately, the results of a thigh lift and other post weight loss plastic surgery can be permanent. However, in order to maintain your results, it’s important to remain at a healthy weight. The procedure removes excess skin and contours the thighs, but it does not change the composition of your skin to make it more elastic, so future weight fluctuations could cause you to once again be left with excess skin.

Guidelines like these can help you understand what to expect from the cosmetic surgery you’re considering, but every patient’s situation is unique, and even patients who receive similar procedures may experience significant differences in their healing process. Ultimately, your best source of information is your experienced board-certified plastic surgeon. To start discussing your aesthetic surgery options, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. Franklyn Elliott. Or, for more helpful plastic surgery information, join me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Ask Dr. Elliott: How Do I Decide Between a Facelift and a Neck Lift?

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While everyone has aspects of their appearance they want to change, self-consciousness about particularly visible areas (like the face and neck) can take an especially large toll on one’s self-esteem. Depending on what your aesthetic concerns are, plastic surgery may be the most effective way to restore your confidence in your appearance. However, it’s important to choose the right procedure for your needs, and this can be more difficult than it initially seems. If you aren’t sure whether a facelift or a neck lift is the best choice for you, these tips can help you have a better understanding of your options.

Ask Dr. Elliott How Do I Decide Between a Facelift and a Neck LiftA facelift can rejuvenate areas including and above the jawline and chin, while a neck lift targets the neck below the chin.

Both the neck lift and facelift improve sagging skin, but finding the line between where a facelift stops and a neck lift begins can be difficult, especially considering that a facelift can be customized to focus on the specific areas of the face each individual patient wants to address. While some patients consider the jowl area to be closer to the “neck” region, a facelift or short scar facelift is generally the better way to address this popular concern. A neck lift, on the other hand, targets areas further down the neck. When you schedule a consultation with me, Dr. Franklyn Elliott, we can discuss your needs and determine which procedure best fits your desired results.

A facelift primarily improves signs of aging, while a neck lift can also have a slimming effect.

As we age, our skin loses volume and firmness, and while this doesn’t generally have the effect of making the face look heavier, sagging skin in the neck area can unfortunately create a less flattering appearance, and excess fat below the chin can amplify the effect. While lifting and repositioning facial tissue (which is done during a facelift) can take years off your appearance, a neck lift also has the result of giving you a more slender (and, of course, younger) profile, so it’s important to decide whether this is a desired result when you’re choosing a procedure. While simply removing excess skin will have a slimming effect, combining a neck lift with liposuction may produce even more significant results, so be sure to discuss your aesthetic priorities during your pre-surgical consultation.

Doing your research and reading articles such as this to learn about your cosmetic options can be a great way to begin your cosmetic surgery process. However, your final decision about any aesthetic procedure should be made with the guidance of a board-certified plastic surgeon, and a personal consultation is a vital step in the process. For more helpful information and the latest news about plastic surgery, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Why Some Women Choose Breast Revision

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For women who are insecure about the size and shape of their breasts, cosmetic surgery can be a life-changing experience by giving them a confidence they’ve never had before. But, while nearly every patient plans for her results to last forever, some do find themselves back in the operating room years later for a breast revision procedure. When most people hear that a woman had a breast revision, they assume it’s because something went wrong or she wasn’t happy with her results, but in reality, that’s often not the case. To help patients develop a better understanding of what breast revision is and why over 70,000 women received the procedure last year, I’ve examined a few of the many reasons why a woman may opt for this surgery.

  • breast-reduction-atlanta-georgiaHer breasts have changed since her last surgery.

Nearly every part of our bodies change with age, but this is especially true for breasts. For instance, a woman may have breast augmentation in her early 20s and be thrilled with her results, but after twenty years of aging, weight fluctuations, and possibly even pregnancies and breastfeeding, her chest can look completely different by her early 40s. In this case, breast revision can be a way to restore her breasts to a shape and size that makes her feel confident once again.

  • She wants to take advantage of changes in breast implants.

Today, breast implants come in a variety of shapes and materials so that women can have greater control over the feel and appearance of their enhanced breasts. Unfortunately, not all of these same options were available decades ago (or, in some cases, just a few years ago), so breast revision can be used to exchange one type of implant for another.

  • She has complications which need to be corrected.

While complications with breast surgery are very rare, some do occur and may require a surgical procedure. In some cases, the scar tissue your body natural forms around the implant becomes hardened and gives the breast a less natural feel. Or, the breast implant may rupture or change position. In these cases, breast revision may resolve these issues and restore the feel and appearance the patient once enjoyed.

  • She wants to improve upon her initial results.

There are times when a patient’s breast enhancement results aren’t exactly what she expected. In the case of breast surgery, the two breasts may be asymmetrical or the size or shape may not be what the patient had hoped for. Fortunately, breast revision is an option which can allow many patients to achieve the appearance they were hoping for.

  • Her vision for the breasts she wants has changed.

As years go by, a patient may change her opinion about the size or shape she wants her breasts to be. For these women, changing the size or shape of her breast implants may allow her to once again feel like confident in her appearance.

Breast revision can serve many purposes, and the procedure can be very different from one patient to another. However, the overall intention is always the same: to help the patient to be happier with the appearance of her breasts. To discuss whether breast revision or another plastic surgery procedure is the right choice for you, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. Franklyn Elliott. Or, for more helpful information and the latest cosmetic surgery news, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

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