Thigh Liposuction - How to lose thigh fat
Thigh liposuction is a hugely popular procedure to remove fat from the thighs.
As well as getting rid of inner thigh fat, liposuction of the hips and thighs is also a great way of removing so-called ‘saddlebags’, localised fat pads covering the hip bone.
In thigh liposuction, the surgeon will break up the troublesome fat cells before they are sucked out, leaving behind thinner, more toned, thighs. Inner thigh liposuction can also help to achieve the much-desired ‘thigh gap’ and reduce chafing.
Liposuction cannot remove cellulite or stretch marks, but other treatments in combination with thigh liposuction will help.
What does it involve?
Thigh liposuction can be carried out on the outer thigh, targeting so-called saddlebags, or the treatment can also be used to get rid of inner thigh fat. You may wish to have liposuction on both the inner and outer thighs.
Your journey with the Cadogan Clinic will start with a one-to-one consultation with one of our world-class surgeons to discuss your thigh liposuction. Once you have agreed to undergo the procedure, it will be carried out as a day case at our award-winning Chelsea clinic.
Thigh liposuction is carried out under a general anaesthetic. Here at the Cadogan Clinic, we use Total IntraVenous Anaesthesia (TIVA). This means you will wake up quickly, ready to go home, and will not feel nauseous.
Once you have been sedated, the consultant will then make a series of tiny incisions before inserting a fine tube called a cannula into the treatment area. The incisions are very small, so the risk of scarring is minimal. The cannula is moved around to break up the fat cells, ready for removal. If your surgeon is using a technique called BodyJet liposuction, or water-assisted lipo, fluid will be passed down the cannula to help dislodge this fat without destroying it, which means this fat could be used for a fat transfer if you have opted for this treatment alongside your thigh liposuction. High pressured suction is then used to suck out the unwanted fat cells. The treatment area is drained of any excess fluid and blood before being stitched and bandaged. You will be able to leave the clinic with a friend or family member on the same day as your thigh liposuction.
Once these fat cells are removed, they do not grow back, meaning your thighs will keep their new shape, as long as you maintain a healthy weight.
After your thigh liposuction, you will be expected to wear a surgical garment for several weeks. The purpose of this compression garment is to reduce the swelling and help the body to adapt to its new slimline shape. If you are not overweight and in good physical health before your liposuction, you can expect to see greater benefits post-procedure.
It is important that you follow all the aftercare instructions issued by your surgeon in order to help aid the healing process. If you adhere to these instructions, you should expect a full recovery from your thigh liposuction in six weeks.
You should start to notice the early results from around six weeks, and can expect the final result anywhere between six and 12 months, post-surgery.
Thigh liposuction, just like any other liposuction, should not be viewed as an alternative to weight loss or as a treatment for obesity.
What are the benefits?
Thigh liposuction is a simple procedure, but it can produce life-changing results. The benefits of thigh liposuction include the following:
- Slimmer thighs
- More toned thighs
- Eliminate the appearance of ‘saddlebags’
- Reduced chafing
- Creating a thigh gap
- Improve clothing fit
- Wear tight trousers and skirts with confidence
- Improved self-confidence and self-esteem
- Improved mental wellbeing by reducing stress, anxiety and unhappiness
Who is suitable?
Cadogan Clinic considers individuals fit for thigh liposuction if they meet the following criteria.
- Are physically and psychologically fit and healthy
- Are a healthy weight and not obese
- Are bothered by the appearance of fat thighs
- Have inner thigh fat which cannot be removed by diet and exercise alone
- Have realistic expectations of what can be achieved through thigh liposuction
What treatments can be combined with this form of liposuction?
Thigh liposuction can be combined with other treatments, including liposuction on other parts of the body, such as the stomach and buttocks. Knee liposuction is a popular treatment to take place alongside thigh liposuction.
Thigh liposuction is very often combined with thigh lift surgery. Thigh lipo removes unwanted fat from the area, while a thigh lift tightens loose and sagging skin.
Once fat has been removed from the thighs via liposuction, it can be used in a treatment called fat transfer. This surgical treatment sees the fat removed from one area of the body and introduced to another part of the body via injection. Fat transfer is often used by surgeons to introduce volume to parts of the body such as the lips and cheeks.
To further enhance the shape at the rear of your body, you may wish to consider a buttock lift, a surgical procedure to lift the buttocks, enhancing youthful curves. This is another procedure which employs fat transfer techniques.
Thigh liposuction can also be incorporated into ‘mummy makeover’ surgery. A 'mummy makeover' is a combination of surgeries involving the breast, abdomen, waist, hips and thighs designed to restore a woman’s body to its original contours and appearance prior to childbearing.
Another treatment that you may wish to consider if you are planning to have thigh lipo is Cellulaze, a sophisticated laser treatment designed to treat cellulite.
This minimally-invasive treatment is commonly used to treat cellulite which has formed on the outer thighs, or ‘saddlebags’.
Book an appointment with our consultant to discuss which treatment options are available to you.
Why come to Cadogan Clinic?
There are a number of reasons why you should come to Cadogan Clinic for your thigh liposuction treatment.
- Cadogan Clinic is an award-winning specialist cosmetic clinic, with a track record of delivering safe, high-quality cosmetic surgery
- We successfully carry out hundreds of cases of thigh liposuction every year
- Our thigh liposuction specialists have the highest levels of training and qualifications
- We were founded by Mr Bryan Mayou, the surgeon who first brought liposuction to the UK, and he has trained the next generation of specialists at the clinic
- We treat more liposuction patients than any other clinic in London
- Cadogan Clinic’s expert surgeons use only the most effective liposuction techniques
- We use the latest anaesthetic technologies to minimise your downtime, and allow you to return home on the day of your thigh liposuction procedure
- Our nursing team provide a dedicated 24/7 on-call service during recovery
- We offer a complimentary consultation and treatment with our onsite team of aestheticians to ensure you heal and scar quickly and efficiently
- We work with major bodies and organisations to ensure standards are maintained. These include the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS), Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the General Medical Council (GMC)
- Our purpose-built clinic is conveniently located off Sloane Square, Chelsea, London
How much does thigh liposuction cost?
Thigh liposuction costs upwards of £3,950 at the Cadogan Clinic. If you are having other areas of liposuction at the same time, then you can expect to pay more.
Two areas of liposuction cost £6,000 and three areas of liposuction cost £6,900.
The cost of thigh lipo includes up to two 30 minute – 60-minute consultations with a leading specialist plastic surgeon at our award-winning premises in Chelsea, your procedure carried out at London’s leading specialist cosmetic surgery centre of excellence, 24/7 on-call nurse assistance, a dedicated patient coordinator, as a personal point of contact through your journey with Cadogan, a pre-operative medical assessment to ensure you are fit for surgery and a comprehensive post-operative aftercare courtesy of our specialist cosmetic nurses.
All quoted costs online are guide prices only and subject to confirmation following your in-person consultation.
Thigh liposuction cost in the UK is not subject to VAT as it is a medical procedure.
Thigh liposuction is rarely available on the NHS for cosmetic purposes.
Why do we get fat thighs?
There are many reasons why a person may get fat thighs. An unhealthy diet, high in sugar and calories and low in fruit and vegetables and protein, can cause fat to form on any part of the body. This includes drinking alcohol, which is often packed with sugar and calories. A lack of exercise, or living a sedentary lifestyle, can also be responsible for the appearance of thigh fat.
Genetics and gender can also play a huge role in the appearance of outer and inner thigh fat. Women are prone to develop saddlebags on the outer thighs. These fat pads, which cover the area where the thigh bone joins the hip, develop in puberty as oestrogen levels increase. The development of these pads often goes hand-in-hand with fatty deposits appearing in the buttocks and the insides of the knees.
Fatty deposits also develop on the inner thigh during this time of a woman’s life. Sometimes this can be down to genetics, although weight gain and the ageing process can also be responsible. The presence of this fat can cause the thighs to rub together, often causing chafing.
Although oestrogen levels drop sharply with the onset of menopause, sadly this does not translate into losing thigh fat. Once you hit menopause, your metabolism slows with age, resulting in weight gain in all areas of the body.
Some women find that they gain weight around the thighs during pregnancy. Shifting the pregnancy pounds can prove very difficult, so thigh liposuction is a popular treatment choice for women who have given birth. Thigh lipo is often used as part of the Cadogan Clinic’s Mummy Makeover.
What else can I do to reduce fat thighs?
Many of us struggle with how to get rid of thigh fat. The two biggest things you can do to lose fat from the thighs or any other area of the body is to have a healthy diet and exercise.
A healthy diet consists of plenty of vegetables and fruit, foods that are high in fibre such as wholegrain and protein-packed lean meats and poultry. Foods and drinks which are packed with sugar, such as cakes, sweets and soda, should be avoided in order to bring fat levels down. If your alcohol intake is higher than the NHS-recommended 14 units a week then you should cut back to combat fat thighs.
As well as upping your exercise levels to at least 150 minutes a week, you should also start doing regular targeted exercises to tone the thighs and reduce the likelihood of thigh fat.
These include the sumo squat, just like a weightlifter, side lunges and side-lying adduction, when you lay on the floor on one side with your top leg bent and dropped forward, extending the bottom leg and engaging the abdominal muscles while your hips remain stacked. You should aim to do 15–20 reps before repeating the exercise on the other side. The best exercise regimen should include cardio, strength training and HIIT (high-intensity interval training). However, even a long swim or a long, steady walk or hike can have an effect on toning the thighs.
Weight loss pills and supplements are available over-the-counter, at health food shops and on prescription, but these are not intended as a stand-alone answer to weight loss.
However, as thigh fat is often down to genes, sometimes there is very little you can do to get rid of thigh fat. Despite our very best efforts, some fat cannot be lost through diet and exercise alone. This is where thigh liposuction can help. This treatment is the best way of getting rid of stubborn fatty deposits from the outer and inner thighs in one quick and easy treatment.
However, it is important, before undergoing any cosmetic surgery, that you have realistic expectations of the result. For example, although inner thigh liposuction can successfully create a thigh gap, the positioning of the underlying muscle and bone means that inner thigh liposuction won’t always produce this result.
