Thigh, hip and buttock lift

The Procedure

A thigh, hip and buttock lift is a surgical procedure to tighten the skin of the outer thighs, buttocks and hips. During the operation elliptical segments of skin and underlying fat are removed from the buttock and flank area. The remaining skin and tissue are reconstructed to achieve a tightening and smoothing effect. The operation is designed to improve skin and underlying tissues that had become loose and flabby, whether as a result of massive weight loss, natural aging, or heredity. Although the operation is often combined with liposuction (fat removal by suction), it is aimed primarily at the tightening of skin and deep tissue. As with liposuction, it is not a correction for obesity, and patients should be at normal or near-normal weight before surgery.

Combined Procedures

Thigh and buttock lift may be combined with liposuction or cosmetic operations on other parts of the body.

Anaesthesia

All thigh and buttock lifts require general anaesthesia.

Duration Of Operation

Operating time is two and a half hours.

Hospitalization

The patient will be admitted to the hospital on the morning of the surgery and discharged one or two days later.

Postoperative Procedure

The patient will remain in bed until the morning after surgery. If a urinary catheter was inserted during the operation, it will be removed the next morning. The insertion as well as removal of the catheter is painless.

The patient will receive intravenous fluids for 24 hours after surgery.

Some discomfort and pain at the incision site are to be expected, but this will be alleviated with medication and will gradually subside when the patient begins to walk.

The bandage over the incision will be removed the day after surgery, and the patient will then be allowed to shower.

All sutures are internal and absorbable.

It will be difficult to sit for several days after the operation. Generally, the patient should be able to sit comfortably by the end of the first week.

Physical Activity After Surgery

Patients should rest at home for two weeks after surgery. Walking and other activities can be resumed gradually during the second week, and most people return to work after two weeks. Participation in strenuous sporting activities is prohibited for two months.

Photographs

Photographs are important aids in planning and performing the surgery, and become a permanent part of the patient record. The photographs do not include the face, and are taken before and after surgery.

Scars

The patient can expect a horizontal scar in the upper buttock/flank area, extending from the midline in the back to the groin area in the front. There will be scars on both sides. The scar will be positioned so that it is covered by panties or a bathing suit. The patient should bring a pair of panties or a bathing suit of the type that he or she normally wears (not a string bikini) to the hospital. Although every effort will be made to keep the scars symmetrical, perfect symmetry is not always possible. The type or location of scars may vary due to patients' individual anatomic characteristics. The doctor will, however, inform the patient during the consultation what type of scar can be expected. The scars will be kept as short and inconspicuous as possible, but the nature of this operation necessitates long cuts and, inevitably, long scars.

The scars will be red for the first few months after surgery, but they will gradually fade. However, the patient should realize that the scars are permanent, and that their final width, height and color are not totally predictable.

Diminished Sensitivity

As with any surgical procedure, small nerves to the skin will be damaged during the surgical procedure. Parts of the torso and upper thighs may consequently feel numb or have diminished feeling. Sensitivity generally returns over several months, but in some cases full sensitivity is not regained.

Complications

The most common complication is haematoma (an accumulation of blood under the skin). This occurs infrequently, but may necessitate further surgery to drain the blood.

In some patients, fluid (serum) collects beneath the skin one or two weeks after surgery. If necessary, the doctor will remove the fluid by needle aspiration in the office. This procedure is painless.

There is a possibility of infection or wound healing problems, including loss of skin and excessive scarring, but these problems are rare. Other serious or even life-threatening complications are also possible.

The above is not mentioned to alarm or frighten patients. This operation is usually very successful and the vast majority of patients are satisfied. It is, however, essential that a prospective patient should be well-informed of the positive aspects of the procedure as well as of any possible side effects and complications, no matter how remote the possibility of problems occurring.

Cigarette Smoking

The likelihood of wound healing problems and other complications increases when a patient smokes. Smokers must stop smoking completely at least two weeks before surgery. It is not good enough just to "cut down" – complete cessation of smoking is mandatory.

If patients have any queries, or if they need more information, they must feel free to discuss it with their doctor. Patients may find that more questions may arise after they have left the doctor's office. If this is the case, they should please contact the doctor for more information, even if a second visit has to be scheduled. It is important that all patients should be fully informed before they decide to undergo the operation.