Body Contouring Side Effects: Thigh Lift Scars By on October 24, 2016

At Mesna Plastic Surgery, board-certified plastic surgeon Gregory T. Mesna uses the most advanced, minimally invasive techniques at his disposal to perform a comprehensive range of body contouring procedures, including thigh lift surgery. His finely honed surgical skills, combined with his keen eye for aesthetics and deep knowledge of the human anatomy, allow him to achieve consistently superior results for his valued patients. Nevertheless, patients should be aware before they commit to thigh lift or any other procedure that there are inevitable side effects associated with any form of surgery. One of these effects which absolutely cannot be avoided, no matter how talented the surgeon or minimally invasive the technique, is scarring.

Dr. Mesna makes sure to discuss thigh lift scars in detail during consultations at his Minneapolis, MN plastic surgery practice so that patients know precisely what to expect from surgery. He believes that establishing proper expectations prior to surgery is essential to patient satisfaction. And while most patients find the elimination of hanging, excess skin from the thigh area is worth a couple of minor scars, Dr. Mesna is aware that not everyone will necessarily feel that way.

Is thigh lift surgery right for you? To find out for certain, please schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Mesna at Mesna Plastic Surgery today.

What Kind of Scars Should You Expect after Thigh Lift Surgery?

The type of scars you should expect after thigh lift surgery depend on several factors, most importantly the type of thigh lift surgery you decide to undergo. Every surgical procedure will leave a scar of some sort - it is impossible to make an incision in the skin without leaving a scar; however, each type of thigh lift surgery requires a different type of incision:

Inner thigh lift: This thigh lift method requires an incision to be made in the crease where the thigh meets the pubic region. The resulting scar is therefore reasonably well hidden in that natural crease and typically can be concealed by a pair of underwear.
Mini thigh lift: This technique addresses minor sagging only in the upper third of the leg and leaves a short scar in the groin area.
Bilateral, or outer, thigh lift: This technique involves the removal of skin from the front and outside of the leg, possibly extending around the hip to the buttocks. While this method would produce dramatic results, it would also leave the most visible scar. Even so, the scar would be concealed by the typical pair of underwear or bikini bottom.
Medial thigh lift: This common technique involves the creation of an incision in the groin similar to the inner thigh lift and potentially another vertical incision down the leg from the groin. Dr. Mesna takes great care not to excise too much skin so that there is not too much tension on the skin when the incision is closed. This helps to ensure good healing of the resulting scar.

As a patient, you can help to ensure that your scars fade as much as possible by following the post-surgical instructions provided to you by Dr. Mesna to the letter.