Hagopian Plastic Surgery: Thomas Hagopian, MD 99 Krog St. NE, Unit C110
Atlanta, GA 30307 Phone: (404) 885-8542 Tuesday–Friday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
After significant weight loss, or sometimes as a normal process of aging it’s very common to develop excess skin on the thighs. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Thomas Hagopian can tighten loose skin on your limbs with a thigh lift at his Atlanta, GA, plastic surgery practice.
Featured Thigh Lift Before & After Photos
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This 50 year old patient with lipedema had liposuction to her legs, and hips. She then had an extended spiral thigh, and knee lift to remove extra skin. She is thrilled with her results.
This patient is a white female in her 50s, who has lipedema. She was treated over the course of several stages of surgery, including high-volume 360 liposuction to the legs, 360 lipo to the arms and abdomen, brachioplasty, fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty, and lower body lift. She reports that after having these procedures, she finally looks as at... Read More
Incredibly dramatic results from this stage three Lipedema patient. She underwent two liposuction procedures ultra high-volume to remove the Lipedema disease, and then underwent a thigh lift, calf lift, and knee lift. This was to remove the extra skin. Read More
This is a 60 year old patient who had a significant amount of lip edema in her lower extremities. She had a large stage of high volume liposuction performed. Three months later, we came back and performed a thigh and knee lift. She's pictured here at six weeks postoperative. She has a much better contour of her leg, but more importantly, she... Read More
This is an early 60s patient with stage 1/2 Lipedema who underwent liposuction and a thighplasty and calfplasty. This was 2 procedures and she loves her athletic appearance of her legs
Our patient, a Caucasian female with light skin, sought the signature thigh lift in Atlanta after experiencing significant weight loss. She was hoping to mitigate remaining skin laxity in her arms and thighs, and enhance her newfound body shape. The perception of her body was causing emotional distress and motivating her decision for elective... Read More
A thigh lift removes excess, sagging skin from the upper thighs through incisions concealed in the natural creases of the thigh. While you are under general anesthesia, Dr. Hagopian trims away excess tissue and gives your limbs a firmer, smoother look that’s more in line with your new silhouette.
Meet The Team
Dr. Thomas M. Hagopian
Plastic surgery is the perfect field for Dr. Hagopian, who has a knack for fixing things and helping people. He’s a former firefighter/paramedic, and he had a business building highly sought-after custom taillights in medical school. He met his wife, Nurse Hagopian, at Emory University, and they bonded over many shared interests, including a commitment to exceptional patient care.
Nurse Hagopian is an Atlanta native, a self-identified nursing ethics nerd, and an ANCC board-certified adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner. She’s passionate about studying informed consent, empowering fellow nurses to use their voices, and collaborating with people in addressing their aesthetic care needs.
You may be a candidate for a thigh lift if you have experienced significant weight loss and want to tighten skin on the thighs only. If you are also looking to address laxity on your abdomen or buttocks, you may be a better candidate for a body lift.
How Much Does a Thigh Lift Cost?
The cost of a thigh lift (thighplasty), which includes liposuction of the thighs, varies depending on several factors. These factors include the complexity of the procedure and your specific aesthetic goals. We will give you a personalized price quote at your consultation so you can take it home and consider your options. Keep in mind that we offer payment and financing options to make paying for your procedure more convenient and affordable.
How Long Is Thigh Lift Recovery?
For optimal healing, it’s essential to follow your aftercare instructions closely and allow adequate downtime. You can expect to experience some swelling, and it may take a few months for that swelling to subside completely. While every patient varies, here’s a typical timeline of what to expect throughout your recovery.
Showering: Permitted 48 hours after surgery
Discomfort: Most pronounced for 3 to 4 days
Sleep with legs slightly bent (thigh lift): 1 to 2 weeks
Resume work/nonstrenuous activities: 1 to 3 weeks post-op
Avoid heavy lifting: 3 weeks post-op
Resume all physical activity: 4 to 6 weeks post-op
Wear compression: 3 months post-op
Full results: Immediate improvement with the final results achieved over several months
Tips for a Successful Recovery:
In addition to adhering to your post-op protocol, you can ease your recovery and enhance your results by following these tips:
Before surgery:
Schedule time off work for rest and recovery
Arrange for child care and help with household tasks
Fill prescriptions and stock your home with healthy essentials
Set up a comfortable recovery area at home
After surgery:
Rest and move gently during the first few days of recovery to boost circulation
Wear your recommended compression garments
Pat incisions dry thoroughly after showering
Avoid baths and swimming while incisions heal
Refrain from strenuous physical activities for a few weeks post-op
Stay hydrated, eat a well-balanced diet, and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle
Commonly Combined Procedures
Dr. Hagopian may employ SAFELipo® during your thigh lift and suggest one or more complementary body contouring procedures to help you achieve optimal results. For example, a drainless tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) can complement a thigh lift by further balancing your body contours. Or, you may wish to opt for a breast lift or nipple and areola reduction to complete your look.
If you’re yearning for your pre-baby body, Dr. Hagopian sculpts your physique by customizing and combining procedures during mommy makeover surgery. Many women choose this approach because it addresses multiple concerns, including the arms, thighs, tummy, and breasts, and often requires only one surgery and recovery window.
A thighplasty, or thigh lift is a procedure to remove extra skin from the thighs. The goal of this surgery is to improve the contour, or shape of the legs.
Is a thigh lift covered by insurance?
A thigh lift is typically not covered by insurance and is an out-of-pocket procedure
Will I have drains?
A thigh is a drainless procedure, but your surgeon reserves the right to place them if your outcomes will be improved. We will discuss this before surgery.
How painful is thigh lift surgery?
Thigh lift surgery is typically performed under general anesthesia, so you won’t experience pain during the procedure. After surgery, you can expect some mild to moderate discomfort during the first week, including swelling and bruising. Dr. Hagopian prescribes pain medication to maintain your comfort throughout your recovery.
Are there common complications after thigh lift?
The most serious complication is a blood clot. Although this is rare, it is a medical emergency. Signs of a blood clot include swelling to one leg with pain and redness in the area, difficulty breathing or chest pain. If you experience these symptoms, immediately report to the emergency room for evaluation.
The minor complications after abdominoplasty are wound healing issues, hematoma, infection, or seroma.
A seroma is a fluid collection and small seromas will typically heal on their own. A seroma that is the same size or shrinking will often go away. Targeted compression on these smaller seromas will help them heal fast. A hematoma is a blood collection that typically is hard and painful. There can be skin changes (redness, darkening, bruising). Usually, hematomas go away on their own, but if they are growing or become extremely uncomfortable surgical exploration and removal are required. Both are typically unilateral, meaning one-sided.
Occasionally, a wound can form on the incision, usually in the groin where there is a lot of friction and moisture. This can happen for a number of reasons including infection, tension, or the skin not getting enough blood at the end of surgery. Usually, these wounds are small and heal with a little ointment and a band-aid, but sometimes they can be large and require treatment at a wound care clinic or even a surgical revision.
Wound opening is most likely to occur at the junction where the lateral thigh incision meets the inner thigh incision. This is called the “T” junction and it is the area with the highest tension.
Do I need compression? What kind of compression is best?
For best results, wear compression for 3 months postoperatively. This helps your body control swelling and prevent fluid collections like seromas. We will provide the garment you will wear the day of the procedure. Ensure you have one size down from your current size in compression available to start wearing around 1 week later.
Click here to see our recommended compression and order straight from Amazon.
What if I am not happy with my scars or appearance after everything heals?
Remember that the swelling after surgery may take weeks to months to completely resolve. At the 3-month mark we typically take the “after” pictures, which is when your swelling and appearance will be mostly settled. Asymmetry can be helped with in office procedures.
Scar revision is another in-office procedure that can help the appearance of your scars after surgery. If you are prone to keloids, please tell your surgeon beforehand so we can pre-treat you. If keloids develop after surgery and you have not had keloids before, steroid injections may improve hypertrophy.
How long does a thigh lift last?
You can expect your thigh lift results to be long-lasting, especially if you maintain a stable weight and healthy lifestyle. While the procedure removes excess skin and fat, it doesn’t stop the natural aging process. However, most patients enjoy their results for 10 yearsor longer.