Recovery After Thigh Lift

First Day Instructions

  • Send Dr. Yates photos and any questions
  • Get up and walk
  • Limit stretching at the surgical site
  • A small amount of incisional bleeding is normal
  • Bruising and swelling are normal and will last for days to weeks
  • Take the garment off to shower. Water directly over incision tape is fine.
  • Get off the pain medications as soon as possible
  • Take antibiotics as prescribed
  • Take stool softeners if you are taking any narcotics
  • Take the single dose of Gabapentin if prescribed
  • Stay hydrated
  • Stay active, minimal bed rest is better for a safe and quick recovery
  • Your next visit is at three weeks. In-person or online.

Three-Week Instructions

  • Take off the incisional tape
  • Start to apply scar cream daily for 2 months. Biocorneum, Biodermis or Mederma are good options.
  • Send Dr. Yates photos and any questions
  • You are able to resume physical work and moderate exercise
  • Full exercise at 6 weeks
  • Areas of firmness and discomfort are common, massage as necessary
  • Please share your experience on a review site or social media
  • Schedule an online or in-person follow-up visit at 3 months.

Three-Month Instructions

  • You have no limitations. Check-in with Dr. Yates with photos and any questions

One-Year

  • You have no limitations. Check-in with Dr. Yates with photos and any questions
  • Return to the office for postoperative photos
  • Leave a kind review 🙂

General Recovery Tips

Bruising and swelling occurs with almost every surgical procedure. Usually, the swelling lasts for only a few days to weeks. There are steps that can be taken before and after surgery to help minimize bruising and swelling… Read More.

Scars are the necessary trade-off of many plastic surgeries. The goal is a near-invisible, thin, skin-colored scar. Scars are ideally minimized by early attention but there are options for treatment of problem scars as well… Read More.

Stretch marks are the visible result of tears of the second layer of skin, the dermis. Stretch marks usually result from rapid stretching of skin, such as weight gain, or pregnancy. Treatment options for stretch marks such as removal, microneedling, and laser are available…. Read More.

Prepare your house for surgery
1-2 weeks before surgery you should have your childcare, work arrangements, and caretaker lined up. Depending on the procedure you may have a few recovery items on hand. Start with an organized, clean house and full pantry. If you are making meals, simple prep. meals and disposable dinnerware.

Prepare your body for surgery
The weeks before surgery are a good time to maximize a healthy diet and stay on top of exercise. Yoga and heart-healthy exercises are particularly valuable. For almost every procedure stopping smoking 6 weeks before surgery is valuable. For some it is critical. Avoid excessive alcohol and marijuana prior to surgery as well.

Check your medications and supplements
Some medications such as aspirin, fish-oils and some supplements can contribute to bleeding and bruising after surgery. If you would like to take SinnEcch for bruising you would want to do so before surgery. The benefit is mild in Dr. Yates’s opinion but some patients swear by it.

Stay away from illness
Avoid getting sick, wash your hands frequently and avoid contact will people who are ill.

Check the procedure list below for the time you should plan to take off of work or exercise. With most procedures, office work and light exercise are OK between one to three weeks. For most procedures, there are no restrictions after six weeks.

Dr Yates will give you most everything you need after surgery including garments, bra, scar cream, and dressings as indicated. A few recommended additional supplies are

  • Bed that reclines, recliner, or extra bed pillows
  • Icy Hot back patch
  • Loose baggy clothes
  • Paper tape 1″
  • Ice packs
  • Stool Softener
  • Ginger Ale
  • Antacid such as Tums
  • Melatonin (not to be used with pain medications)
  • Benadryl
  • Cortisone cream
  • Neosporin
  • Probiotics or yogurt
  • Second stage Spanx or Flexees for appropriate procedures
  • Flexible straws for drinking
  • Water bottles/ Gatorade
  • Entertainment such as DVD or Netflix
  • Cell phone charger near bed and sofa

Get in Touch with Us

Ask us a question, request a private consultation, or submit a pre-visit questionnaire to Dr. Yates.

Get In touch

Long Contact Form

  • MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • * All indicated fields must be completed.
    Please include non-medical questions and correspondence only.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Accessibility Toolbar