How much does a Thigh Lift cost?

When considering a thigh lift, an essential factor to analyse is the cost, which can vary widely based on several variables. It’s important to have a thorough understanding of what contributes to the final price to make an informed decision and plan financially.

Key variables include:

• Surgeon’s expertise
• Anaesthetist fees
• The specific type of thigh lift procedure – complexity and duration of surgery
• Hospital fees
• Private Health Insurance status and whether it applies to you
• Post-surgery necessities
• Possible additional treatments for complications

What is a Thigh Lift?

A thigh lift, also known as thighplasty, is a surgical procedure designed to remove excess skin and fat from the thighs. The excess skin often occurs as a result of significant weight loss, aging, or genetic factors. Thigh lifts can be categorised into two types: medial thigh lift, which targets the inner thigh, and outer thigh lift, focusing on the outer thigh and often the buttocks area.

During the procedure, specialist plastic surgeon Dr Eddy Dona makes incisions in the designated areas before tightening and reshaping the underlying tissue and removing excess skin. The goal is to achieve smoother upper thighs with improved contours and functionality. It’s essential for anyone considering a thigh lift to be at or near their ideal weight, as this cosmetic procedure is not a weight loss solution.

Your consultation & assessment

During your consultation with Dr Dona, along with your general medical history and concerns, he will perform a physical assessment to establish what issues exist and the best plan to address them. This will include:

• Your skin quality – thin, thick, loose, scars, stretch marks
• Your fat deposits and volume
• Any existing scars
• Where do you have excess skin:
  • Inner Thigh
    • Upper inner thigh only
    • Inner thigh down to the knees
  • Outer thighs
  • Your buttock region
  • Other
• Your legs (below your knees) – do you have any problems with your legs such as lymphoedema

Of course, a clear understanding of what your main concerns are is established to determine the optimal plan to address them. A surgical plan is put together, and this surgery, along with the recovery and potential complications is discussed.

Types of Thigh Lift procedures

Thigh lift procedures are categorised based on the specific area of the thighs that require contouring and the extent of the excess skin and fat removal necessary to achieve the desired results. Individuals opting for a thigh lift often do so after massive weight loss or when they have loose skin that has lost its elasticity. Understanding the various types of thigh lifts aids prospective patients during the initial consultation.

Inner Thigh Lift

The inner thigh lift, also known as the medial thigh lift, is primarily focused on the inner thigh area. Two different types exist:

Mini (Crescent) Thigh Lift

The mini thigh lift is designed for patients with less pronounced excess skin and fat, primarily in the upper inner thigh. A crescentic segment of excess skin and fatty tissue is removed from the upper inner thigh, resulting in a single scar located within the groin crease (and often extending to the lower buttock crease at the top of the posterior thighs), at the junction where the inner thigh meets the groin. The mini lift is ideal for individuals who are close to their ideal weight and exhibit a more localised area of concern.

Vertical Scar Thigh Lift

When a patient has significant excess skin extending down the inner aspect of the thigh towards the knee, then a more extensive thigh lift procedure is required. A vertical thigh lift would typically combine a groin based crescentic scar (Mini Thigh Lift scar) with a vertical scar extending from the groin to the knee level. This procedure can significantly enhance comfort and mobility for patients who have lost a considerable amount of weight.

Outer (Lateral) Thigh Lift

An outer thigh lift, also referred to as a lateral or bilateral thigh lift, is a surgical procedure that aims to correct loose skin and excess fat on the outer thighs and may also address the buttocks area. The incisions for an outer thigh lift are more extensive than for an inner thigh lift, typically running from the groin around the hip. This approach is often part of a body lift and is chosen by patients who have experienced significant weight loss and have excess skin hanging from the outer thighs and buttocks.

Spiral Thigh Lift

This is the most extensive form of thigh lift that has been described. In this type of thigh lift, it essentially involves one circumferential scar along the upper thigh and buttock region.  This procedure is also known as a “total thigh lift” or “complete thigh lift.”

During a spiral thigh lift, incisions are made from the inner groin area to the outer upper thigh, and along the upper gluteal region to join in the posterior midline. It essentially combines a buttock lift; lateral thigh lift and inner thigh lift on one operation.

The results from this procedure can be very dramatic. The downside of this procedure is that more surgical work is required, and therefore greater potential for complications.

Posterior Thigh Lift

This is a type of thigh lift that specifically targets areas in the back of the thighs and buttocks – where the upper posterior thigh joins the buttock lower buttock fold. This region of the body has a tendency for the skin to become loose, dimpled and saggy. This is the ideal procedure for giving a patient a smoother appearance on their backside.

NOTE: as per many fields in plastic surgery, often surgeons use many different names to describe the same surgery, with many subtle variations in scar patterns and techniques. It is vital that you speak to your surgeon to find out what pattern is best suited to your needs.

Surgeon’s experience

The experience and reputation of a Specialist Plastic Surgeon are paramount factors that influence the cost of thigh lift surgery. Dr Eddy Dona has extensive experience and a proven track record in complex body contouring surgery, including thigh lift surgery. His fees reflect this experience and skill set.

A surgeon’s fees can be affected by credentials, specialisation in body contouring, and the demand for their expertise.

Also, as a general rule you to do tend to get what you pay for. So, whilst you can get very cheap surgery, they are typically offered by those with:

• Less Qualifications – this includes some overseas surgeons where the training and qualifications can be questionable
• Less Expertise – those surgeons who are a “jack of all trades and master of none”.
• Less Experience – often very junior specialist surgeons will offer this as they don’t have much experience and are still on the steep end of their learning curve

Type of procedure required

As noted above with the many different types of thigh lift procedures available, thigh lifts surgeries aren’t one-size-fits-all. The complexity of the surgery, the anticipated duration of the operation, and the technique employed by the surgeon will all play a role in your final cost. Each variety of thigh lift is tailored to address different levels of skin laxity and fat deposits, and the more comprehensive the procedure, the higher the cost will be.

Specialist anaesthetist fees

Your surgery will require a general anaesthetic, which basically means you will be fully asleep and woken at the completion of the surgery. Your anaesthetic, including your post-operative pain management will be provided by your specialist anaesthetist. Dr Dona only works with a select few anaesthetist who are highly experienced in looking after body contouring surgery patients. The anaesthetic fee for your surgery is dictated by the complexity and anticipated duration of your surgery.

Hospital fees

The costs related to the hospital are separate from the surgeon fees and can fluctuate considerably. These fees cover the use of the surgical facility, and the duration of the hospital stay if an overnight stay (or longer) is necessary for post-operative care and monitoring.

Geographic location – overseas

The geographic location where your thigh lift surgery takes place also plays a critical role in determining the cost. This variation reflects the general pricing of healthcare providers and the cost of operating a practice in different parts of the world. Be aware that searching for lower prices in different locations should never come at the expense of quality and the credentials of the surgeon and their team.

Medicare rebates

In certain cases, patients may be eligible for Medicare rebates for thigh lift procedures. This means that you will receive a rebate for both the surgical and anaesthetic fees. This is typically contingent on the surgery being classified as reconstructive rather than cosmetic. If excess skin and supportive tissue are causing functional impairment or other significant health issues, Medicare might provide some financial relief. Whether this applies to you can only be determined after a formal consultation with Dr Dona.

However, if a Medicare rebate does apply to you, it will only cover a small portion of your specialist fees.

Private health fund benefits

For those with private health insurance, you may be able to have some of your costs covered.

This will only apply for those procedures designed to addresses excess skin concerns following massive weight loss or bariatric surgery. Whether this may apply to you can only be determined following your formal consultation with Dr Dona.

Following your formal consultation, and if Dr Dona deems your surgery fits the necessary criteria, you will receive a relevant Medicare Item Number. Following this, you will need to:

• Contact your health fund and provide them with the relevant Medicare item number which has been provided by Dr Dona’s clinic.
• Receive confirmation from your health fund that they will cover some of your costs.
• Confirm from your health fund exactly what they will be covering.

Your Private Health Fund will potentially cover ALL your hospital costs, which can be significant especially if you need to stay in hospital overnight or longer.

Other out-of-pocket costs

Patients should consider setting aside a contingency fund for any unforeseen costs during the recovery period, such as needing additional time off work or supplementary treatments to ensure optimum surgical scar healing.

Also, the healing process, recovery time, and return to normal activities, including heavy lifting and strenuous activities, will influence indirect costs, such as time off work. Furthermore, the surgical scar and subsequent scar treatment should be factored into the overall financial planning for this personal investment.

Total cost of Thigh Lift Surgery

Given the personalised nature of Thigh Lift Surgery, and the many listed variables, it is impossible to provide a precise total out of pocket cost. However, after your initial consultation with Dr Dona you will have:

• A tailored surgical plan
• Confirmation of private hospital
• Confirmation of Private Health Insurance coverage if available

You will then be provided with a precise quote, including all your Post-Operative Care requirements.