Thigh Liposculpture

Liposculpture can give you the smaller, shapelier thighs you want. Thigh liposculpture permanently removes inner and outer thigh fat and helps stimulate skin tightening, giving the appearance of younger and tighter legs. The procedure takes les than two hours and recovery is quick — patients are able to continue with light to moderate activities the same day.

Inner thighs before and after pictures
These are sample pictures of Dr. Bittner's patients.
Your results may vary.
 
Stomach Before Stomach After
Outer Thigh Before & After
These are sample pictures of Dr. Bittner's patients.
Your results may vary.
 
Stomach Before Stomach After
Inner & Outer Thighs Before and After
These are sample pictures of Dr. Bittner's patients.
Your results may vary.
 
Stomach Before Stomach After
Inner & Outer Thighs Before and After
These are sample pictures of Dr. Bittner's patients.
Your results may vary.
 
Stomach Before Stomach After
Love Handles, Inner & Outer Thighs Before and After
These are sample pictures of Dr. Bittner's patients.
Your results may vary.
 
Stomach Before Stomach After
Love Handles, Inner & Outer Thighs Before and After
These are sample pictures of Dr. Bittner's patients.
Your results may vary.
More Before & After Pictures

 

The inner and outer thighs are a problem area for many women — and often the bulges and sagging skin seem to grow worse with age. Many women are not only bothered by the appearance of their thighs in clothing, but are also bothered by the rubbing of the inner thighs as they walk or exercise. Outer thigh “saddle bags” can make it difficult to find clothing that fits properly and can make an otherwise thin woman appear much heavier than she otherwise would. Thigh liposculpture can safely smooth saddlebags, eliminate thigh rubbing, and decrease the overall circumference of the thighs.

Unfortunately, diet and exercise will not reverse or correct lumpiness or fatty bulges in the thighs. The ways thighs look is largely determined by genetics — even relatively thin or young women can suffer from flabby, bulging thighs and saddlebags. Thigh liposuction safely and permanently removes thigh fat and helps correct for skin laxity, resulting in a tighter, smaller and younger looking thighs.

What are the benefits of thigh liposuction?

Thigh liposculpture slims the overall thighs, reduces bulges, and stimulates skin tightening. In particular, most patients see a tightening of inner thigh tissue and a reduction in overall "jiggliness" of the entire thigh. After the procedure, the thighs are smaller, clothing fits better, and the thighs are in proportion to the overall body contour. Because well over 1 gallon of fat (over 10 pounds!) can be removed, the results of thigh liposculpture can be very dramatic. The results are permanent and unlike a thigh lift, thigh liposculpture leaves no unsightly scars and does not require any stitches.

What is the thigh liposuction procedure like?

Thigh liposculpture takes less than two hours and is done at our office in Beverly Hills with local anesthesia. No IV sedation is used and patients walk-in and walk-out. Patients remain awake and alert, listen to music or talk with the team during their procedure. Most patients report that the procedure is comfortable or nearly pain free.

The procedure is safe and simple. First, the skin is numbed with lidocaine and tiny punctures (smaller than a spaghetti noodle!) are made on the areas to be treated. Two punctures are made for each inner or outer thigh and the full thigh requires about 8 punctures per leg. A small instrument called a canula is inserted and fat in the treated area is numbed with a saline-based solution. This numbing process is called tumescence. Once the fat is numbed, it is removed by the canula with mild suction. We use a gentle micro-liposculpture technique with instruments that are ½ the size of traditional liposuction canulas. In fact, these instruments are smaller than an angel hair pasta noodle. The smaller instruments used by Beverly Hills Liposculpture are dull (so there is no chance of unwanted puncture or damage) and lead to more precise results and faster recovery.

What can I expect after thigh liposuction?

After the procedure, patients feel very little discomfort. You will be able to leave our office and walk around downtown Beverly Hills or have lunch. A light compression garment similar to bicycle shorts is worn for 7 days, depending on individual comfort levels. Some patients with loose skin tone may choose to wear the garment for longer, but it is not required. There are no stitches and the tiny punctures close on their own in about 48 hours. Some patients experience almost no bruising while others may have a significant amount. The inner thighs almost always bruise while the outer thighs bruise much less frequently. The bruises on the inner thigh typically appear a few days to one week after the procedure and last for about a week. Full thigh patients can always expect some degree of bruising, especially near the knees and inner thighs. The day after the procedure most patients are sore, similar to a strenuous hike or heavy weight lifting. The degree of soreness depends on individual patient and the amount of fat removed. Patients are sent home with all the necessary medications, including pain medication, but most patients choose to treat any discomfort with ibuprophen or Tylenol. Soreness improves every day after the procedure and is usually gone entirely in less than 2 weeks for inner and outer thigh patients or 4 weeks for full thigh patients. The outer thighs do not typically swell much and visible results are usually apparent in between one and four weeks. Due to the thinner nature of the inner thigh skin, results for the inner thigh often take longer and during the healing process inner thighs can be bumpy and wavy in contour. As the healing progresses, the waviness disappears as the body absorbs the swelling and a nice smooth contour on the inner thigh begins to take form. Full thigh patients can usually see smaller legs by the following day, but significant swelling and lumpiness can be present for up to 6 weeks.

Unlike a thigh lift, thigh liposuction patients are immediately able to walk and use their legs. Most patients with office jobs are able to return to work the next day. Returning to exercise is up to the individual — you are encouraged to do as much exercise as possible. The more you keep moving and walking, the faster the recovery.

What results can I expect from thigh liposuction?

Our team strives to give patients a natural, yet dramatic result. The procedure can remove significant amount of fat and help correct thigh bulges and skin laxity. Your result depends on the amount of fat you have and your skin tone.  A good result is apparent in 1-3 months and results improve over the next 6 months as new collagen forms and the skin retracts. Patients are able to wear shorts and skirts with improved confidence in about 4-6 weeks.

What if I want additional skin tightening on my thighs?

If you have skin that is very thin, loose or wrinkled or you simply want additional skin tightening, you can choose to add the SmartLipo skin tightening laser for an additional $500 per area. The inner and outer thigh are each considered one area and the full thighs are considered three areas (inner, outer, and top).

Do I need to add SmartLipo skin tightening?

The majority of patients do not need to the SmartLipo skin tightening laser because liposculpture will yield the desired cosmetic results and will help tighten skin. If you are very concerned with skin tightening, you may wish to add the SmartLipo laser treatment. Most thigh patients who choose to add SmartLipo do so only on their inner thighs.

Should I have only the SmartLipo laser (no liposculpture)?

No. The SmartLipo laser alone is not able to melt a significant amount of fat or tighten skin sufficiently and will not yield suitable cosmetic results.

What are the aftercare instructions for thigh liposuction?

After the procedure we will put you into either a compression garment that looks like black crotchless bicycle shorts which extend either above or below your knee. The garment is crotchless so that you can go to the bathroom without having to take it off. Under the compression garment we will place absorbant pads over your adit sites to help absorb any drainage. The pads should be changed every 8 to 12 hours until you stop leaking, which usually ends in 2 to 4 days. You can shower any time after the first day, however if you are leaking, you may prefer to wait to shower until the leaking has stopped. After you stop leaking, you can launder your garment in a washing machine. If you had your inner thighs, outer thighs or knees treated, your garment should be worn for 7 days . If you had your full thighs treated, you should wear the garment for 14 days. Take the garment off only for showers or laundry. After the first 7 or 14 days (depending on which areas were treated), experiment with taking breaks from the compression garment. If you find that you feel good with the garment on, continue to wear it. If you find that you feel better with the garment off, you don't have to wear it. Many people find that wearing the garment for certain activities, like exercise, feels good for up to a month or two after their procedure. After the required amount of time with the compression garment, the choice to wear the garment is yours and you can treat your thighs as usual, including any shaving, laser hair removal, sun tanning, lotions or exercise.

Am I a good candidate for thigh liposuction?

Thigh liposuction is a very safe procedure and is performed on women of all ages. Most women who have fat accumulation in the inner or outer thigh region or are unhappy with the overall size of their thighs will greatly benefit from thigh liposuction. The refined micro-liposculpture technique stimulates collagen formation and most women, even those who consider their inner thigh skin very crêpey, are usually pleased with their skin retraction.

If you are over age 60, have had gastric bypass surgery or have lost more than 100 pounds, you may benefit from a combination of thigh liposuction and skin resection surgery to help remove redundant skin.  Men are rarely good candidates for thigh liposculpture since men do not typically build fat deposits on their thighs.  If you can pinch less than a quarter inch of fat on your thighs, you are not a good candidate for liposculpture.

Can thigh liposuction be combined with other procedures?

Yes. Inner and Outer Thigh liposuction is often performed in combination with liposuction of other areas, including the abdomen and love handles. Most full thigh patients cannot treat other areas at the same time. We can remove well over 1 gallon of fat during one procedure, which for most women means that additional areas can be treated at the same time as the thighs. The number of areas that you can have treated at one time depends on your height and weight and your distribution of fat deposits.

Do I need to do both the inner and outer thighs or can I treat only one area?

You can choose to only do the inner or outer thigh area, but most patients do both areas at one time. Most women who are unhappy with their thighs have fat accumulation on the inside and outside, but the choice to treat the areas is up to you. Some women who are beginning an exercise routine for the first time in years choose to have their inner thighs treated so that they are able to exercise without thigh rubbing.

What are the different areas of the thigh that can be treated?

Almost any area on the thigh can be treated. The most common areas are the inner and outer thighs. The inner thigh is the area at the top and inside of the upper legs. The outer thighs are commonly called the saddlebags and are located on the outside of the thighs under the hip joint.  Treating the inner or outer thighs will change the shape of the thigh by eliminating lumps and bumps, but it will not significantly decrease the overall size or circumfrence of the thigh. For patients with very large trunk shaped legs, also called thunder thighs, who desire a smaller, nicely shaped thigh and want to decrease the circumference of the thigh, treating the 'Full Thigh' is the best option.  The 'Full Thigh' option includes the inner and outer thighs as well as the top of the thigh (the quadrecep area) and the knees. You cannot treat the top of the thigh separately; it must be done as part of the Full Thigh package. The entire thigh, except for a 4" strip from the back of the knee to the buttocks crease (over the hamstring) is treated in the Full Thigh. The Full Thigh will not reduce the degree of wrinkling you have over your knees and it is not a treatment for cellulite.

Should I have my knees treated as well?

If you have fat over the knee cap or you have a knee bulge that rubs when you walk or gives you a 'knocked-knee' appearance, you may prefer to have your knees treated with liposculpture.  If your inner thighs are larger than you like and there is not a well defined bulge at the top (your legs are straight from the knee to the top of the inner thigh), you may need to treat the knees with the inner thighs for the best cosmetic result. If your inner thigh is a well defined bulge, treating your knees is optional.

What is the banana roll?

The banana roll is the chunk of fat under the buttocks crease present in some women. The presence of the banana roll causes the hamstring to meet the buttocks crease in a straigher, rather than the preferred angeled, fashion, which can lead pants or jeans to crease several inches below the buttocks crease. The banana roll is a very difficult area to treat because the removal of too much fat from the area can cause the buttocks cheeks to permanently droop. Our office only treats banana roll fat in severe circumstances where patients will be satisfied with only a slight improvement.

Will liposculpture improve my cellulite?

Maybe. Although liposculpture is not a treatment for cellulite, some patients do see an improvement that ranges from slight to dramatic. Some patients, however, see absolutely no improvement in cellulite and there is no way to predict whether or not you will see any positive change in your cellulite. The good news is that liposculpture will not make your cellulite worse and it may (or may not) make it any better.

Will inner thigh liposculpture guarantee that my thighs won't rub together?

No. Unfortunately, some people will have thighs that touch or rub even after thigh liposculpture. Thigh rubbing or chaffing is often due to a combination of factors, including fat deposits, body musculature, and skeletal structure.  For some patients who have legs that are set very close together or who have very muscular legs, liposculpture can reduce the extent of the rubbing but cannot eliminate it entirely.

Will my thighs be perfect after thigh liposculpture?

No. You will probably never have perfect thighs.  After thigh liposculpture you will have dramatically less fat and somewhat tighter skin, but you still may not have perfect legs.  You may still have cellulite, loose skin, jiggliness, and asymmetry.  Even though fat will be removed evenly from the treated areas, the human body isn't perfect and it is guaranteed that you will have some minor imperfections and asymmetry due to the unpredictable nature of the healing process.  The goal of liposculpture is improvement, not perfection.  

Can thigh liposuction correct asymmetry in the thighs?

Yes. Liposculpture can correct for asymmetrical thighs or fatty bulges. Often one thigh is noticeably bigger than the other or one thigh has more fat than the other. Thigh liposculpture can help even out each thigh and make the shape of the thigh area more symmetrical. The goal of any size correction is improvement, not perfection.

What if my thighs don't heal evenly or I need more fat removed after my procedure?

We are committed to making you look as good and feel as happy about the procedure as possible and we do not charge for touch up or revision work. The need for touch up work is rare, however if your chin heals unevenly or you feel that you would benefit from additional fat being removed, please return to our office for a follow up appointment anytime 6 months or longer after your procedure. After 6 months, if Dr. Bittner or his team feel that you are sufficiently healed and the results could be improved with the removal of additional fat, there is no additional charge for revision liposculpture.

How does thigh liposuction compare to a thigh lift?

For most patients, a thigh lift is unnecessary. Although a thigh lift can offer dramatic results, the procedure is invasive has a greater risk of serious complications, prolonged downtime with slower and more painful recovery, and always results in significant and permanent scaring. For most women, liposuction gives in a similar or even better cosmetic outcome with smoother and more precise results.

A surgical thigh lift is an invasive procedure that involves large crescent shaped incisions on the inner thigh to remove skin and fat tissue. Other incisions are also sometimes made on the back side of the leg, under the buttock crease. The surgery is performed under heavy anesthesia, often times requiring overnight observation. Due to the extensive tissue trauma, patients must plan for 3-4 weeks off work and will have lifetime scars of 5-7" in length on the inner thigh and in the buttock crease which thicken for up to 1 year after surgery.  For individuals who have undergone gastric bypass surgery or lost more than 100 pounds, a thigh lift may be required for reduction of redundant skin. A consultation with Dr. Bittner can help you determine if you should consider liposculpture or a thigh lift.

Traditional Thigh Lift vs. Thigh Liposuction

  Traditional Thigh Lift Thigh Liposuction
Procedure Invasive surgery performed under heavy anesthesia Minimally invasive procedure performed with only local numbing.
Pain Moderate to marked lasting for months. Perscription pain medication required. Minimal to mild managed with ibuprophen or Tylenol.
Complications Increased risk of severe complications requiring hospitalization. Minimal without serious incident.
Recovery Prolonged requiring weeks off work and restricted use of thighs for 1 or more months. Quick with immediate use of thighs. Patients can resume normal activities as tolerated.
Results Difficult to achieve uniform results. Large permanent scars. Smooth, precise and uniform results with no unsightly scars.
Cost $5,000 to $10,00 in total costs and fees. $3,800. No additional fees.

What is the cost of thigh liposuction?

Thigh liposuction costs $3,800 for both the inner and outer thighs. If you want to treat only the inner or outer thigh, the cost is $2800. The full thighs are $7800. There are no additional fees or costs.