Body/Thigh Lift & Post Weight Loss

After the Surgery
During the first several days after surgery it is not unusual to have drainage from your incisions. At the time of surgery fluid is injected into your thighs to decrease blood loss and facilitate the liposuction. Much of your drainage will be this fluid. Walking during the first 48 hours is strongly recommended as tolerated. Climbing stairs or activities that produce tension across the wounds such as squatting should be avoided.

You will be seen back at the office in 1 to 3 days for removal of dressings and evaluation of wounds. The compressive garment will be reapplied. The garment should be worn at all times except when showering or when cleaning the garment. The garment provides support and decreases swelling and bruising following liposuction.

The next visit will be at 7 to 10 days after surgery. At this time, Dr. Parson will reassess the incisions and verify that appropriate healing is taking place. Your thighs will feel "tight" and will be swollen and bruised. Most of the swelling and bruising should be gone by 6 weeks after surgery. The scars will tend to become increasingly red after 2 weeks and begin to fade after 2 to 3 months. The scars will never completely disappear and will take anywhere from 12 to 18 months to reach their final appearance. Dr. Parson will emphasize the importance of minimizing sun exposure to the scars, especially while they are still red. If sun exposure is to occur during this time, a sun block with a rating of 15 or greater should be applied to the incisions.

Risks of Thigh Lifting
Dr. Parson performs a relatively large number of thigh lift procedures with generally very good results. Nevertheless, as with any surgery there are complications that can occur and some that are more specific to this operation. Bleeding can occur after this procedure but this is unusual. Infection can occur and this may be associated with a small area of skin separation. This problem responds very favorably to a period of dressing changes and oral antibiotics with an end result very similar to the other areas of wound healing. Smokers are advised to discontinue smoking 1 month prior to and after surgery, as smoking increases the risks of complications and delays wound healing by altering blood circulation in the skin. You can reduce your risks of complications by closely following our instructions before and after the surgery.

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