A leg lift is a body contouring procedure performed to significantly reduce sagging skin. Loose or sagging skin around the legs is a common problem that occurs after significant weight loss. This is a skin laxity problem that cannot be corrected by diet and exercise alone.
A leg lift works by removing the excess skin and tissue that remains along the leg after excessive weight loss. Your doctor will make separate incisions in the natural curves of your body to reshape the tissue under both legs and reduce the excess skin. The excess skin is then removed and the incisions are closed with stitches after the procedure.
How is leg lift surgery performed?
Leg lift surgery, like most surgical or cosmetic procedures, is customised to your individual needs as a patient. Each technique requires you to be under general anaesthetic and the incision patterns include the following techniques:
A leg lift is usually performed using a technique that starts the incision in the groin and extends the incision downwards where it wraps around the back of the leg, or a technique that places the incision along the inner seam from the groin to the knee before removing it.
Depending on the patient’s anatomy, it may be necessary to perform an internal leg lift with a minimal incision. This allows a more concealed incision to be made in the groin area. For patients who want a more external leg lift, an incision starting at the groin and extending around the hip to the back may be more effective.
If you have excess fat around your hips and legs, it may be better to have liposuction before skin removal to improve your contours after the skin is repositioned. Your plastic surgeon will also remove excess and sagging skin before placing deep stitches. The stitches are embedded in the underlying tissue. This placement encourages the formation and support of newly sculpted contours. Once the deep stitches have been placed, your surgeon will use additional stitches and skin tapes to close the skin incisions before wrapping your legs in compression garments.
The pros and cons of leg lift surgery
When deciding whether or not to have plastic surgery, it is important to weigh up the possible benefits and negative consequences of the procedure. Schedule a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon to assess your situation and better understand how leg lift surgery may affect your daily life. In general, the benefits of leg lift surgery include quick results and improved skin quality, appearance and feel. The disadvantages of leg lift surgery include scarring, asymmetry and the possibility of additional surgery to eliminate complications.