--- title: "Thigh Lift" --- A thigh lift, or thighplasty, removes redundant skin and fat from the inner thigh and tightens the remaining tissue to firm the contour, relieving the chafing and hanging skin that follows major weight loss or aging. The incision is scaled to the laxity, from a short scar hidden in the groin crease for milder cases to a longer scar running down the inner thigh for extensive skin, often combined with liposuction. Outer-thigh laxity is addressed with a lower body lift. ## What it does A thigh lift firms the inner thigh by removing what training cannot. - Removes loose skin. Excises the sagging inner-thigh skin that chafes and hangs after weight loss. - Refines with liposuction. Removes a fatty component of the thigh at the same time when present. - Smooths the contour. Tightens the remaining skin for a firmer inner-thigh line and easier movement. Exercise tones the muscle but cannot tighten stretched skin, so when loose skin is the problem, a thigh lift is the effective answer. ## How it works A thigh lift is usually an outpatient procedure under anesthesia. The surgeon makes an incision whose location and length are scaled to the laxity, hidden in the groin crease for milder cases or extending down the inner thigh for extensive skin, removes the excess skin and any fat, and tightens the remaining tissue before closing. Liposuction is often added. Most people return to desk work in a week or two, wear a compression garment, and limit strenuous activity for several weeks. The trade at the center of the operation is the scar against the correction, which is what the consultation weighs against your laxity. ## Which thigh lift, and why it is a real choice The incision scales to how much skin must be removed and where, a genuine trade against the scar. ApproachWhat it involvesBest forMedial (groin-crease)Short scar in the groin foldMild inner-thigh laxityExtended inner-thighScar down the inner thighSignificant hanging skinWith liposuctionAdds fat removalLoose skin plus fatty thighsPart of a body liftCircumferential, outer thighs tooLaxity all around the lower body More skin to remove means a longer, more visible scar, so the honest choice is the least incision that will correct your laxity, with a lower body lift reserved for circumferential looseness. A board-certified surgeon matches the approach to your skin. ## What a thigh lift works with This is what the consultation assesses, because skin, fat, and location call for different tools. What you haveWhat it meansThe planInner-thigh skin that chafesTrue inner-thigh laxityA thigh lift, scar scaled to itLoose skin plus fullnessSkin and fatThigh lift with liposuctionFirm skin, just fatty thighsFat, not skinLiposuction aloneLoose skin all aroundCircumferential laxityA lower body liftMild inner-thigh loosenessLimited laxityA short groin-crease approach The value is not the list. It is that a board-certified surgeon distinguishes skin from fat and inner from circumferential, and matches the operation, so you are not left with a longer scar than you needed or a result that falls short. ## Why Santa Barbara Face & Body The thigh lift is a scar-sensitive operation in a delicate area, and doing it well means removing enough skin to firm the thigh while keeping the incision as short and well-hidden as the laxity allows. Dr. Polynice is a Mayo-trained, board-certified plastic surgeon focused on breast and body surgery, and he scales the incision to your skin rather than defaulting to the longest one, and adds liposuction only when fat is part of the picture. A firmer thigh with the least scar that achieves it is the standard here. ## What to expect Dr. Polynice examines your thighs, distinguishes loose skin from fat, and gauges how much skin needs to come out and where. He explains the incision your laxity calls for and where the scar will sit, whether liposuction should be added, whether a lower body lift fits better for circumferential looseness, and what recovery involves. He is candid that the scar is the trade for a firmer thigh. You leave with a plan scaled to your thighs. ## What it costs A thigh lift is quoted by the plan, not by a shelf price, because it depends on how much skin is removed, the incision length, and whether liposuction is included. You will have that number in writing at your consultation, before anything is scheduled. > Thigh Lift, American Society of Plastic Surgeons (United States). A thigh lift reshapes the thighs by reducing excess skin and, in some cases, fat, tightening the remaining skin to produce smoother contours; the incision pattern and length depend on the amount and location of skin to be removed, and it is often sought after major weight loss and combined with liposuction. — [Thigh Lift, American Society of Plastic Surgeons](https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/thigh-lift) ## Thigh Lift in Santa Barbara, CA When loose skin along the thighs lingers after weight loss or with time, a thigh lift can restore a smoother, firmer contour. Here in Santa Barbara, Dr. Polynice plans each procedure carefully, placing incisions thoughtfully so the result looks natural and settles well. If sagging skin has made you self-conscious, we'd love to talk it through. Fill out the form below or call us at [(805) 764-9074](tel:+18057649074). We look forward to meeting you. ```ld+json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Service", "@id": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/treatments/thigh-lift/#service", "name": "Thigh Lift", "url": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/treatments/thigh-lift/", "description": "A thigh lift, or thighplasty, removes loose, sagging skin from the inner thighs, skin that chafes, hangs, and does not respond to exercise after weight loss. 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At Santa Barbara Face & Body in Santa Barbara, California, a board-certified plastic surgeon scales the incision to the laxity, from a short groin-crease scar to a longer inner-thigh one." }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/treatments/thigh-lift/#webpage" }, "url": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/treatments/thigh-lift/" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will exercise firm my inner thighs instead?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Exercise tones the muscle but cannot tighten skin that has lost its elasticity, which is what causes inner-thigh skin to chafe and hang after weight loss or with age. When the problem is loose skin, a thigh lift is the effective option, and a surgeon can tell you whether your concern is skin, fat, or both." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How visible is the scar?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A thigh lift trades loose skin for a scar, placed in the groin crease where it is well hidden for milder cases, or extending down the inner thigh when more skin must come out. It is permanent and fades over time. For most people with chafing, hanging skin, the comfort and firmer contour are worth it, and your surgeon will show you where it will sit." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will I need liposuction as well?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "It depends on whether your thigh has a fatty component as well as loose skin. When both are present, liposuction is combined with the skin excision; when it is loose skin alone, excision is enough; and when it is only fat with good skin tone, liposuction by itself may do. Your surgeon assesses which applies." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What about the outer thighs?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A thigh lift addresses the inner thigh; when the looseness runs all the way around, including the outer thighs and hips, a lower body lift is the procedure that reaches it. A surgeon will map where your laxity actually is and recommend an inner-thigh lift or a circumferential lift accordingly." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long is recovery?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Most people return to desk work within one to two weeks, wear a compression garment, and limit strenuous activity for several weeks while the incision heals, since the inner thigh moves with every step. Swelling settles over the following weeks. Your surgeon will give you a timeline based on how extensive your thigh lift is." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "@id": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/treatments/thigh-lift/#citation-e8caf24f", "name": "Thigh Lift, American Society of Plastic Surgeons", "url": "https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/thigh-lift" } ] } ```