Do you have great legs? Did you use to? Legs can change quite a lot as we grow older - especially for women. Skin starts to sag, cellulite forms and fat accumulates, but these effects of ageing can be reversed with surgery.
If you’d like to feel great in shorts or a swimsuit again, read on to learn about thigh lift and knee rejuvenation...
How do legs age?
Within ageing, the thin skin of the internal thighs starts to lose its elasticity. As the skin begins to sag, this can lead to a wrinkled appearance. People often first notice this sagging and wrinkling around the kneecaps.
Cellulite also tends to worsen with age, as legs become less toned and grow lumpier. Meanwhile, many women accumulate weight around the bottom and thighs, which becomes increasingly harder to shift.
What about weight loss?
It’s not only getting older that can change the appearance of our legs - weight loss is another common cause of premature leg ageing. Loose, hanging skin is an unfortunate side effect of rapid weight loss. And there’s no other way to deal with this excess skin than surgically, because once skin is stretched no amount of exercise can restore it.
Yo-yo dieting also contributes to skin deterioration because gaining and losing weight loosens the skin in the same way as blowing up a balloon and letting the air out.
What’s a thigh lift?
A thigh lift is a surgical procedure to remove excess fat and skin and improve the contours of the thighs. The surgery (also called a crural lift) involves lifting the loose, sagging skin on the upper and outer thigh upwards towards the groin. Once pulled up, excess skin and tissue is removed and deep support sutures are placed in the underlying tissues to help create a tight and toned thigh.
The incisions, which are made in the folds of the groin, are then sealed with skin sutures. The thigh lift procedure is often carried out in conjunction with liposuction, in order to remove larger amounts of fat and further shape and contour the thighs. The removal of fat slims thighs and prevents them from rubbing together. It also reduces the appearance of cellulite.
What’s knee rejuvenation?
While a thigh lift will pull up sagging skin from around the knee and remove hanging fat deposits, the appearance of the knees can be further improved by carefully transplanting fat. Fat removed from the thighs during liposuction can be processed and reinjected in areas where volume has been lost.
Knees can become bony as we age, so contouring the knees out with fat can make them look much more youthful. Additionally, adding fat further helps to fill out wrinkled skin and improve the overall skin tone.
What scars will I be left with?
The scars from a thigh lift vary based on the areas to be treated and the extent of the work being carried out. They are usually hidden in the groin crease, but can sometimes extend along the inner thigh.
Improving the contours of the outer thigh may require an incision extending from the groin around the hip. All scars are - as much as possible - placed so that they will be covered by underwear, swimsuits and shorts. Liposuction and the reinjection of fat is performed with a fine cannula meaning these sites will hardly be noticeable.
How long is recovery?
It’s possible to have a thigh lift and knee rejuvenation performed on an outpatient basis, under twilight sedation, meaning you don’t have to stay overnight in the clinic and can go home the same day. Despite this, you will require at least two weeks of downtime following surgery (up to one month if you have a physical job).
Are there non-surgical alternatives?
If you don’t have a significant amount of loose skin on your thighs and just want to tighten and tone, non-surgical treatments can be effective. Options include firming ultrasound and radiofrequency treatments like Ulthera and Venus Legacy.
If the problem with your legs is excess fat, you can see results with fat freezing treatments like Coolsculpting. Meanwhile, Ocean Clinic also offers specialist treatment for cellulite, stretchmarks and leg veins offering you holistic results.
Are you interested in learning more about treatments for legs? Book a virtual or in-person consultation at one of Ocean Clinic’s three locations in Spain and Switzerland.
