Thigh Lift Surgery, Procedure, Details
Are you unhappy with the flabby and droopy appearance of your thighs?
Have you lost a significant amount of weight only to notice that your thigh skin just hangs off your body? Has diet and exercise failed to tone your upper legs? Do you avoid wearing shorts and bathing suits in order to hide your thighs? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, then you may be a candidate for a thigh lift with Munster, IN board certified Plastic Surgeon Doctor Jason Petrungaro.
Doctor Petrungaro is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who has successfully completed many years of surgical training in all aspects of body contouring surgery. He is well versed in the established traditional methods as well as the latest and most innovative techniques in thigh lift surgery. He listens to his patients and respects their goals and wishes, and will always go the extra mile to deliver the most beautiful results possible.
If you are searching for a Plastic Surgeon who can provide you with powerful results from your thigh lift coupled with the highest standards of patient safety and care, NW Indiana and Chicago thigh lift surgeon Doctor Jason Petrungaro will be happy to consult with you regarding this life-changing procedure. Visit with Doctor Petrungaro in our Munster office for an hour — you will leave knowing you have found the perfect partner in your quest to achieve slender, well-toned thighs!
If you are interested in a thigh lift and have questions or concerns, please feel free to call or text Doctor Jason Petrungaro at (219) 836-1163 or click to schedule a consultation online.
What is a Thigh Lift?
A thigh lift removes excess skin and fat accumulations from the inner thigh and tightens the underlying tissue. This reshapes the thighs and smoothes the skin, resulting in more slender and proportioned contours of the thighs.
A thigh lift isn’t necessary if you have good skin elasticity and your only goal is removing fat from the thighs — liposuction alone may be the best option, since the skin can conform to its new, smaller size on its own. And if your elasticity is borderline, I can add Renuvion helium plasma skin tightening to the liposuction — part of my “Trifecta” approach — to help the skin contract without a lift incision. That’s a conversation we’ll have honestly at your consultation, after I’ve examined you.
Who is a Candidate for Thigh Lift Surgery?
Anyone who is displeased with the appearance of their thighs due to loose, hanging skin and fat may be a candidate for a thigh lift.
In general, candidates for a thigh lift are:
Thigh Lift Procedure
A thigh lift is typically done under general anesthesia. The majority of patients will go home the same day. The procedure itself will take between 2-3 hours to complete. Prior to entering the operating room, Doctor Petrungaro will place marks on your thighs using a skin pen in order to outline the skin and fat to be removed.
Incision length and pattern are customized to each individual patient depending on the amount and location of excess skin and fat to be removed. The incision for an extended thigh lift will typically extend from the groin to just above the inside of the knee. For patients with significant fat deposits in the thighs, Doctor Petrungaro often performs liposuction of this area using his “Trifecta” — VASER ultrasound-assisted liposuction, the state-of-the-art MicroAire power-assisted liposuction system, and Renuvion helium plasma skin tightening of the treated areas. That combination gives you a smoother, more slender thigh profile with tighter skin — and Doctor Petrungaro is the only plastic surgeon in the area offering all three together.
Some patients needing a smaller amount of skin removal may be candidates for a minimal incision technique that involves an incision only in the groin area. This is known as a “crescent” thigh lift and will only lift and tighten inner thigh skin of the upper 1/3 of the leg.
Once the skin is elevated off the inside of the thighs, it is surgically excised and the underlying tissues are tightened and reshaped as needed with internal stitches. At this point a small drain is typically placed in the surgical wound of each thigh in order to allow any fluid buildup to exit the wounds in the postoperative period. The drains are removed in the office in about 1 week. The skin is then closed using absorbable stitches that are deep to the skin. At the conclusion of the procedure, your thighs will be wrapped with gauze and ACE wraps to help reduce postoperative swelling.
Are you a Chicago resident seeking a thigh lift?
Petrungaro Plastic Surgery is close and worth the short drive — with free parking and an office that runs on time. We’ve been voted Best Cosmetic Surgery Center in Northwest Indiana in the Times Best of the Region for 2024, 2025, and 2026 — three years running.
Free parking.
Request Thigh Lift ConsultationThigh Lift Recovery
Thigh lift recovery is very straightforward. Pain is very well controlled using oral prescription pain medications. You will see Doctor Petrungaro in the clinic 1-2 days after your surgery and then at 1 week, 6 weeks, and 3 months to make sure that you are doing well and that your wounds are healing nicely. Full recovery from a thigh lift takes 6 weeks. As mentioned, the drains will be removed in the clinic in about 1 week. You will need to take one week off from work to rest comfortably in your home, and it is important to have family or friends available that can help you with basic tasks such as sitting, standing, and laying down for the first few days. Swelling and bruising are to be expected but will begin to resolve after the first 1-2 weeks.
On your first postoperative visit, you will be transitioned into a compression garment for the thighs that you will wear for at least one month to help reduce swelling. For the first few days you can elect to have sponge baths, but if you would like to shower it is allowed after 24 hours. All strenuous activity (contact sports, yoga, etc.) is restricted for 6 weeks.
Thigh Lift Results
You will see immediate changes in the profile of your thighs, and they will continue to improve as swelling decreases in the first few months.
Your new shape will continue to improve and your surgical scars will fade during the year following your surgery. It is important to adopt and maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle to insure that your results will last and that you love your new look for years to come. A thigh lift is an extremely gratifying Plastic Surgery procedure, and nearly all patients are ecstatic with their results after surgery.
How much does a thigh lift cost?
I don’t publish prices, and here’s why: most patients don’t know exactly which operation they need until I’ve examined them. A consultation lets me determine candidacy and the right surgical plan, and give you a real number — not a guess. Every patient receives one all-inclusive written quote covering everything: my surgeon’s fee, the surgery center fee (surgery centers charge by the hour, so this depends on your operative time), anesthesia, surgical supplies, and incidentals like your compression garment and 45-day complication insurance. You pay my office and the surgery center separately — the quote simply lays it all out in one place. Every surgery, for every patient, includes $500 off as our standing policy. And if financing helps, we gladly work with third-party financing through CareCredit and Cherry.
