What is a thigh lift? In which cases is this plastic surgery recommended?
Updated on • Reviewed by Dr. Gustavo Sordo, plastic surgeon
When the The skin on the thighs loses elasticity and appears wrinkled, sagging and flaccid. It's time to get a facelift or cruroplasty. This problem can be caused by aging or by a weight loss process in which the person has lost a lot of weight, so the solution must be appropriate for each situation. When is a thigh liftTherefore, there are cases in which plastic surgery is more recommended than in others, which is why it's advisable to first consult a healthcare center specializing in these types of procedures. This is the place where they will perform the... relevant studies and they will recommend an appropriate solution to us.What is a thigh lift?
To To remove excess skin and lack of tone of the dermis on the thighs, Dr. Gustavo Sordo can perform a cruroplasty or liposculpture.The difference between both interventions is that in the cruroplasty only removes the skin and the subdermal tissue surplus in the referred area; while in the Liposculpture removes excess fat while shaping the person's body contour.Both interventions can be performed in a single operation.
When is a thigh lift recommended?
There are several disorders that affect the skin of the thighs. Each one varies in severity and affects the individual in a particular way. This physical characteristic not only causes an aesthetic problem but also leads to mobility issues for those who suffer from it, causing the skin to become irritated and even bleed. In such cases, cosmetic surgery is recommended. We can differentiate between:- Medium thigh lift (which affects the upper part of the legs). This cosmetic surgery operation is summarized in an ellipse-shaped incision with which the excess skin in the area is intended to be removed.
- Medial thigh lift (performed on the inner thigh). In this case, an incision is made in the woman's groin, which is completed with another incision on the inner thigh. The skin and subdermal tissue of the inner thigh are then separated and a facelift is performed to remove the excess skin.
- Cruroplasty: In this case, a global action is performed that reduces the skin on the inner part of the legs and the upper part of the legs (performing a longitudinal intervention).
A thigh lift is the surgery we recommend when the problem is no longer fat but skin : typically after significant weight loss, or with age, when the inner thigh has lost elasticity. It's important to understand this, because in these cases, liposuction alone worsens the appearance: it removes tissue that no longer retracts, making the sagging more noticeable.
The downside is the scar , and this needs to be discussed clearly before surgery: it may be limited to the groin crease when the excess skin is moderate, or extend along the inner thigh if the sagging is extensive. It's a demanding area for healing due to movement and moisture, so we are particularly insistent on the protocol—silicone, retinoic acid, and sun protection for the first year—and on quitting smoking. We often combine it with liposuction during the same surgical procedure.
The anchoring of the flap to the deep fascia that we use to prevent the scar from migrating downwards over time follows the technical tradition established by Lockwood, and the line of work that surgeons such as Dr. Al-Ahly and Dr. Simeon Wall continue to follow in body contouring today. Published series of medial thigh lifts after weight loss confirm that, with correct anchoring to the fascia, the result is stable in the long term and major complications are infrequent (Labardi et al., 2012, DOI: 10.4103/0974-2077.94330 , according to PubMed).
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Dr. Gustavo Sordo
Specialist in Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery. Member No. 282858125.
Content clinically reviewed by Dr. Gustavo Sordo. Last review: September 27, 2026.