Thigh Lift

Skin along the thighs loses elasticity after significant weight loss, after pregnancy, and simply with time. A thigh lift, or thighplasty, removes what is left behind.

At Washingtonian Plastic Surgery in McLean, Dr. Navin Singh approaches thighplasty with the same restraint he brings to every body contouring procedure. The goal is a contour that looks proportionate to your frame, not one that signals surgery.

Serving patients throughout McLean, Tysons, Great Falls, and the greater Washington DC area.

What Is a Thigh Lift

Thighplasty removes redundant skin, and where appropriate the fatty tissue beneath it, from the thigh. The result is a smoother, firmer contour along the inner thigh, the outer thigh, or both.

An inner thigh lift addresses laxity along the medial thigh, with the incision placed at the groin crease and kept within natural body contours. A more extensive vertical or spiral thigh lift may be recommended when skin redundancy extends down the leg, which is common after substantial weight loss.

Where volume rather than skin laxity is part of the picture, liposuction may be performed alongside thighplasty to refine the contour.

Who Is a Good Candidate

Patients who benefit most from thighplasty tend to share a few things:

• A stable weight, ideally for at least six months before surgery
• Excess thigh skin that causes discomfort or chafing, or a contour that clothing and activity cannot address
• Good general health, and no smoking
• Realistic expectations about what surgery can achieve

Thigh lift surgery is often one part of a broader post-weight loss plan. If you have had bariatric surgery or lost a significant amount of weight another way, a staged approach or a mommy makeover may address several areas in a coordinated sequence.

Skin quality, tissue distribution, and your own recovery capacity all matter here, which is why candidacy is settled in person rather than online.

Your Procedure

Your consultation covers your medical history, the quality and distribution of skin along your thighs, and your goals in plain terms. Dr. Singh explains which approach he recommends, where the incisions would sit, and what recovery involves. Our preparing for treatment guide is worth reading beforehand.

Surgery takes place in our Quad A accredited operating room, the same suite where you had your consultation, so you are never moved to an unfamiliar facility.

Most thigh lifts are performed under general anesthesia and take two to four hours, depending on the extent of correction. Patients traveling from outside the region can plan their stay using our out-of-town patient page.

Recovery & Results

Most patients need two to four weeks before returning to desk work, with more strenuous activity resuming around six weeks. Swelling and bruising are expected early on, and compression garments are worn as directed.

Contour improvement is usually clear once initial swelling resolves, typically within six to eight weeks, and the result continues to refine over several months as deeper tissue settles.

Scars are placed where Dr. Singh can keep them most discreet within your anatomy, and they fade progressively over twelve to eighteen months. Scar management is part of your post-operative care.

You can see body contouring outcomes in our before and after gallery.

Why Patients Choose Dr. Singh

Dr. Navin Singh trained at Brown, Harvard, and Johns Hopkins, where he went on to serve as Director of Cosmetic Surgery. He holds dual board certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and is an active board examiner for both. More on his background is on his profile page.

The practice is a boutique setting with an accredited operating room on site, which means your surgery meets the same safety standards as a hospital suite without the scale of one. Dr. Singh consults with you, performs your procedure, and oversees your recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is recovery?
Most patients return to sedentary work within two to four weeks and resume more active routines around six weeks. Swelling can persist for several months, and compression garments are worn through early recovery. Dr. Singh gives you a timeline specific to your procedure.

Will a thigh lift leave visible scars?
Scarring comes with any surgical procedure. Dr. Singh places incisions within the groin crease or along lines that follow your natural contours, and scars typically continue to fade over twelve to eighteen months. Scar management guidance is part of your post-operative care.

What affects the cost?
Cost depends on the extent of the procedure, whether liposuction is performed at the same time, anesthesia, and facility fees. You receive a precise estimate after your consultation, once Dr. Singh has assessed your anatomy and outlined a plan. Financing through CareCredit and Alphaeon is available to qualifying patients. An in-person consultation with Dr. Singh is $150.

Can it be combined with other procedures?
Yes. Thighplasty is frequently performed alongside liposuction. Patients managing skin laxity in several areas after significant weight loss often work through a staged approach with Dr. Singh, sequencing regions to allow safe recovery between them.

How do I choose the right surgeon?
Board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery is the baseline. Beyond that, look for documented experience in body contouring and a facility that meets accredited safety standards. A surgeon’s background, published work, and the environment where surgery takes place tell you more than credentials alone.

Schedule Your Consultation

To learn more about thigh lift surgery, schedule a private consultation with Dr. Navin Singh at our McLean office, minutes from Washington DC and serving patients throughout Northern Virginia and Montgomery County.

Call (703) 345-4377 or request your appointment.