A thigh lift is designed to improve the upper leg area by removing any excess fat and tightening sagging skin. The focus can be on both the outer thigh, inner thigh or both and it is often combined with liposuction, for a dramatic improvement.

Fully understanding the downtime and what to expect after surgery is an important factor in how successful the procedure is and here is the Karidis Clinic guide to best thigh lift recovery.

Quick Links

Our thigh lift recovery timeline

Every patient is unique and recovering from a thigh lift can vary depending on your individual ability to heal, your general health and wellbeing, and your tolerance to pain. The extent of the procedure is a factor and whether it’s combined with other body contouring surgeries. 

The first 24 hours: a thigh lift is performed under a general anaesthetic, typically as a day case procedure. Once you return to your room after surgery, you may feel slightly disorientated from the anaesthetic. You’ll also be wearing a specially designed compression garment to control any swelling or bruising.

The first week: the pain felt after a thigh lift varies depending on your tolerance, but most patients find that it is easily controlled with the appropriate painkillers. You may feel a pulling sensation in the inner thighs.

The first month: you’ll experience considerable swelling after a thigh lift and this can take many months to fully resolve. Bruising usually dissipates after three weeks. The area around the incision may feel hard and we encourage you to massage the area.

Although we do not advise you resume exercising for six weeks after surgery, we do recommend you keep moving gently in the weeks after surgery to prevent blood clots forming in the legs.

Full recovery: some patients experience changes in sensation to the skin on the thighs, but this should be temporary and resolve itself after a few months. Mr Alex Karidis will always try and strategically place any incisions in the natural folds of the skin, but it can take between 12 to 18 months before any scarring has fully healed.

Thigh lift recovery tips

Here are some more suggestions on how you can speed up your thigh lift recovery time:

  • Keep wearing your compression garments: don’t be tempted to stop wearing your compression garments when you’re recovering at home as these are vital for the healing process. They can also prevent the development of deep vein thrombosis.
  • Keep moving but don’t overdo it: gentle exercise is good as it helps prevent DVT but avoid any heavy lifting or high impact workouts in the early stages as they can compromise your results.
  • Listen to your surgeon: we will provide you with comprehensive aftercare instructions, but we have also recently relaunched the Karidis Clinic App, which supports you throughout your patient journey. The app provides invaluable advice on how to optimise your thigh lift recovery process as well as sending you alerts for all your post-op check-ups.

At Karidis Clinic, all thigh lift procedures are carried out by one of the best known body contouring surgeons in London, Mr Alex Karidis.

For UK-leading aftercare, get in touch today.

GET IN TOUCHÂ