Weight loss, pregnancy, and time can leave you with skin on the thighs that no longer fits the leg underneath, and it rarely responds to diet or exercise. Thighplasty removes that excess skin, tightens the tissue beneath it, and reshapes the leg. Every body contouring in Austin procedure here is planned around your own anatomy by a fellowship-trained plastic surgeon. Results vary from patient to patient.
A consultation is a conversation, not a commitment. Patients are seen in Austin and Kyle, serving our patients in Austin, Buda, San Marcos and the surrounding Hill Country.
A thigh lift, also called thighplasty, removes excess skin from the upper leg and tightens the tissue remaining. Loose skin tends to gather along the inner leg more than anywhere else, which is why the medial thigh lift is the version performed most often.
A thighplasty is not a weight loss operation, and it is not a substitute for a healthy diet and exercise. Liposuction is a different matter, because Dr. Bailey performs liposuction as part of a thighplasty more often than not. The fat and the loose skin are removed together, so that the leg is contoured in one operation.
Many patients come to thighplasty for practical reasons as much as for how the leg looks. These are the concerns the operation is designed to address.
Individual results vary.
Dr. Bailey offers several thigh lift techniques, and the right one for you depends on how much loose skin is present. Where it sits on the leg, and how far down toward the knee it extends, matter just as much. She chooses the incision type and the scar pattern by examining your anatomy rather than by applying a standard plan.
Bring your questions about the scar pattern, where the incision will sit, and what recovery involves to a consultation with a fellowship-trained plastic surgeon.
The medial thigh lift, or simply thighplasty, addresses skin laxity along the inner leg, and patients often call it an inner thigh lift. It is the thigh lift requested most often, and the one most frequently combined with liposuction.
The scar pattern determines how much skin can be removed. Three patterns are common:
The Full Length Vertical Thighplasty removes the most skin and leaves the longest scar. Which of the three is right for you is worked out with Dr. Bailey at your consultation. She examines the leg and hears what concerns you most before recommending a pattern.
A mini thigh lift is the least involved of the options. It suits patients at a stable weight who have a limited amount of loose skin at the upper inner leg. It is performed as a horizontal scar medial thighplasty, with the incision placed in the groin crease where clothing and swimwear cover it.
The short incision means a smaller operation and a quicker recovery. It also means that skin laxity further down the leg cannot be reached. Dr. Bailey decides that with you at your consultation, after weighing whether a longer scar pattern would suit your anatomy better. Individual results vary.
Some patients who have lost a significant amount of weight have skin laxity that wraps around the whole leg, and circumferential thighplasty is the operation that addresses that pattern.
Two further patterns exist, the spiral thigh lift and the crescent lift. Both add time and complexity to the operation, and which one fits your anatomy is a conversation for your consultation.
Lifting the outer thigh on its own is rarely done, because the tissue of the hip, the buttock, and the outer thigh moves as one unit. Lifting one part of it means addressing the others at the same time.
Loose skin on the outer thigh is usually treated within a lower body lift, which reshapes the abdomen, the flanks, the buttocks, and the outer legs together. Where the concern is contour rather than loose skin, liposuction in Austin or a Brazilian butt lift may be the better fit. All of these options are reviewed with you at consultation.
If you are not sure which one applies to you, bring the question to a consultation.
A thighplasty is generally the right operation when you have lost the weight you set out to lose and the skin has not followed. Dr. Bailey looks at more than the leg itself when she assesses candidacy. Your anatomy, your medical history, and what you are hoping the surgery will achieve are all reviewed together.
Good candidates generally:
If you are still losing weight, or if you are planning a pregnancy, waiting will usually give you a better outcome. Weight change after surgery can undo what the thighplasty achieved.
There is no obligation and no pressure to book surgery. A consultation is where the timing can be discussed honestly.
Dr. Bailey and her team look after you from your first appointment through to full healing process.
Dr. Bailey examines the leg, assesses the quality of your skin, and asks what concerns you most. Your medical history, your personal anatomy and your expectations are all reviewed, and a game plan that safely best meets your goals is formulated with her.
You will also go through what recovery involves, so that you leave with a personalized surgical plan and a clear picture of the weeks ahead.
Most patients take two to three weeks before returning to work. You will be given guidance on incision care, medication, and activity, and the compression garment needs to be worn as directed.
Follow-up appointments track your healing, and individual results vary.
Dr. Virginia Bailey is a fellowship-trained plastic surgeon who completed her plastic surgery fellowship at UT Southwestern and earned her medical degree at UT Houston McGovern.
Much of her practice is body contouring and other body surgery procedures. She treats patients who have lost a significant amount of weight, and patients who are looking for a subtler change. She handles the consultation, the surgery, and the follow-up personally.
Patients are seen in Austin and Kyle, and you can reach the office at 512-222-9356 or request a consultation online.
A thigh lift in Austin typically ranges from $7,000 to $15,000. That total reflects the surgeon’s fee, the anesthesia, the facility, post-surgery garments, post-operative care, and whether liposuction is included. Our guide to what a thigh lift costs in Austin goes through those variables, and financing options are available. We are able to offer a more accurate estimate once you have a consultation where we can define your goals.
The main downside is the scar. Whichever pattern is used, the incision leaves a scar that does not disappear, and the inner leg is a difficult area in which to heal well. The other risks include infection, fluid accumulation, delayed healing, and temporary changes in sensation. All of them are reviewed with you before surgery.
When your weight stays stable, most patients keep the improvement for years. Aging and gravity continue to affect the skin whether or not you have had surgery, and weight gain can reverse the change. Individual results vary.
A cosmetic thighplasty is elective, so insurance typically does not cover it. Patients with documented problems from excess skin after significant weight loss, such as recurrent rashes or infections, sometimes receive partial coverage. Check with our office and with your insurer.
Discomfort is moderate through the first week and manageable with the medication you are prescribed. Movement is awkward early on, because the incision sits where the leg bends. Most patients describe tightness and soreness rather than sharp pain.
Combining procedures is common after significant weight loss. A tummy tuck addresses the abdomen, an arm lift treats the upper arms, and liposuction refines the areas next to the thigh. Combining them means one anesthetic and one recovery, although the operation itself is longer. Which combinations are safe for you is decided with Dr. Bailey at consultation.
