Service
Thigh lift
After weight loss, the skin on the inner thighs stays loose, rubs when you walk and gets in the way in clothes. A thigh lift removes the excess skin and, where needed, fatty tissue.
What concerns does it address?
How is it done?
The incision runs in the groin crease and, with a larger excess, goes down vertically along the inner side of the thigh. The skin is lifted and the excess cut away. It is often combined with liposuction.
Recovery
The wound lies in a place that is constantly moving and damp, so healing needs attention in the first weeks, with limited sitting and walking. In the first weeks it is important not to sit for long, to keep the area dry and to avoid spreading the legs wide apart. This is why the procedure is planned for a time when there is room for recovery.
When is the procedure not suitable?
The procedure is not done until your weight has been stable for at least six months. It is not suitable with excess fat without loose skin, where liposuction is enough, or with a body mass index above 30, because the risk to the groin incision is then considerably higher. It is not done with varicose veins with inflammation, with lymphoedema of the leg, with frequent fungal or bacterial skin infections in the groin, or in smokers, because the groin is the place where a wound heals most slowly. With uncontrolled diabetes and clotting disorders we plan the procedure together with the doctor who manages the treatment.
General reasons for postponing a procedure (pregnancy, breastfeeding, inflammation, a clotting disorder, smoking): When is a procedure postponed?
Anaesthesia
Before a procedure under general or regional anaesthesia, you are seen by the anaesthetist, who works full time at the clinic; the same doctor is also present during the procedure. The anaesthetic assessment and the anaesthesia for larger operations are included in the price of the procedure. What happens before, during and after anaesthesia is described on the Anaesthesia page.
Risks
Occasional — slower healing of part of the wound in the groin, widening of the scar, swelling of the lower legs.
Expected, and rare but serious → Risks and complications: what is the course of healing, and what is a complication?
Specialist and team
Specialty: plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.
When the procedure is done under sedation or general anaesthesia, the anaesthesia is led by a specialist in anaesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care who works full time at the clinic.
In the operating theatre, the surgeon is assisted by head nurse Martina Šereg, with the help of nurses Kristina Jurešić and Mateja Tomorad, and in recovery the care assistant Mirjana Kovačić is with you. Martina also looks after preparation, scheduling and contact after the procedure.
Who will operate is decided at the examination, based on the findings and the type of procedure. You know the name of the surgeon before the procedure and meet them at the examination.
What happens at the examination?
The first examination lasts 30 to 45 minutes on average. The surgeon examines the area you are concerned about, asks about illnesses, medicines, allergies and previous operations, and talks with you about what you expect. If the procedure is appropriate and likely to help, you receive a plan: which procedure is proposed, under which anaesthesia, what recovery looks like and what is included in the price. If the procedure is not needed or would not give you what you expect, you will hear that at the examination too.
What if the result is not as agreed?
The result of a procedure is assessed at a follow-up visit, once the swelling has gone down and the scar has matured, not in the first weeks. If it differs from what was agreed at the examination, the same surgeon carries out the correction.
→ Poliklinika Barbel's correction policy
In the same visit
- Liposuction — it is often combined with liposuction, in the same procedure.
Frequently asked questions
Can it be done along with other procedures? Yes, but large procedures after weight loss are often planned in several stages. The order is agreed at the examination.
When can I walk and sit normally? You walk from the first day, briefly and slowly. Sitting without resting on the incision is possible on average after two weeks.
Can the scar drop? The scar in the groin can, over time, be pulled downwards by the weight of the thigh skin and become more visible. That is why we fix it to deeper tissue. With a large excess the scar also runs lengthways along the inner thigh, where it cannot slide.
Will my legs be swollen? Swelling of the knees and lower legs is normal in the first weeks and eases with compression trousers, walking and raising the legs. If one leg suddenly becomes more swollen and painful, get in touch straight away, because it can be a sign of thrombosis.
How much does the result depend on care after the procedure? The larger the procedure, the more it depends on it, but it always does. Healing takes weeks and months and happens almost entirely at home, so the instructions you receive when you go home, about the wound, physical activity and the scar, are part of the procedure, not a recommendation.
Who is with me if I stay overnight in the clinic after the procedure? You stay overnight when the doctor judges it necessary and this is agreed with you. You then spend the night in a room in the recovery unit, which has a bed, a television and a bathroom. A nurse is with you all night and a doctor is on call. The overnight stay and night care are included in the price of the procedure.
→ How long do you stay in the clinic after surgery?
Medical review: doctors of Poliklinika Barbel · October 2026.