The inner thighs are one area you might not list first when it comes to cosmetic concerns. Unless, of course, you’re bothered by sagging and looseness— then, it can feel like there are few options when it comes to treatment. Patients often come to us with concerns about the appearance of their inner thighs and are looking for solutions and answers that don’t include an invasive surgery (which requires downtime). Even if they are generally fit, some patients are mystified that their inner thighs are beginning to sag. What can be done? Here’s a quick guide to your treatment options for inner thigh rejuvenation.
What causes inner thigh sagging?
Inner thigh sagging can be the result of factors like weight loss, muscle loss, or aging. As we age, our muscle tone tends to decrease unless we work very hard to maintain it through specific and specialized exercises. Skin on the legs, including the thighs, will also begin to lose tone and youthfulness with age. Furthermore, if you have lost weight, the skin on the inner thighs may not “bounce back” as it did when you were younger.
What are my treatment options?
Fortunately, there are some treatment options that will work best depending on factors like your lifestyle and budget. Here are some effective treatments and lifestyle changes that can help craft your intended results.
Laser Liposuction
For many of our patients from New Jersey, laser liposuction is an excellent solution, either as an alternative to a workout regimen or in addition to it. Laser liposuction can remove stubborn inner-thigh fat while helping to minimally tighten the surrounding skin. It only requires a small incision, through which a numbing fluid can be injected to help ease pain and make the fat removal process easier. Then, a laser fiber is inserted underneath the skin to both liquefy the fat cells and tighten the deep layers of the skin, causing it to tighten. Finally, a cannula, or thin suction wand, is used to remove the fat cells.
Performed under local anesthesia, laser lipo comes with a very short downtime, making it easy to fit into your busy lifestyle. It provides skin tightening as well as effective fat removal, which makes it stand out from other minimally invasive procedures. The best part is that it comes with long-term results— once the fat cells in the area are liquefied and removed, the area can no longer expand with weight gain. If excess skin and fat are causing sagging in the inner thighs, laser liposuction is likely your best option.
Laser Liposuction to Thighs and Saddle Bags
SculpSure®
For non-invasive fat removal, SculpSure® can target larger areas of fat cells in the thighs using gentle warming and cooling transmitted through a treatment panel. During the heating phase, SculpSure uses laser energy to generate heat and damage fat cells so that they can be absorbed by the body. There’s no downtime with SculpSure and you can return to your regular schedule. Although most patients see results after their first treatment, you can achieve best results with a package of treatments. Most patients see their best results at around 12 weeks. However, it’s important to note that SculpSure can’t effectively tighten skin and you may need to look at additional options if you’re hoping for more than fat reduction.
Exilis™
If only sagging skin is a concern, then Exilis is one of the best options for non-surgical skin tightening. This platform uses radiofrequency and ultrasound energy emitted deep into the skin to heat and ‘shrink’ the skin while also boosting collagen production. This process can produce long-term results and doesn’t require any downtime. Patients usually undergo a series of three to six sessions spaced at one to two weeks apart for best results, although your unique treatment package can depend on your goals and treatment areas. Exilis is one of the most affordable treatment options available, making it a great option if you’ve already addressed excess fat and lack of tone.
Exilis toThighs and Saddle Bags
Injectables
Although it may not be the first thing patients think of to address the thighs, injectable treatments can provide some great results. For small, localized fat deposits, Kybella® can reduce fat with a series of injections. Additionally, many patients find great results with Radiesse® or Sculptra® to tighten and strengthen skin, as well as reduce the appearance of orange peel cellulite. Many patients enjoy the benefits of quick and easy injection sessions without downtime or recovery.
Exercise Regimens
Despite the feeling that nothing can be done except with a procedure, there are some methods you can use at-home to achieve or maintain your results (unless excess skin is a concern). Hip adduction machines and pulley machines at your gym or fitness club can be used specifically to increase the muscle mass of the inner thighs. Fitness trainers usually advise that you perform more reps with lower weights rather than applying a great deal of weight with fewer repetitions. Just be sure that you don’t struggle too much with three repetitions in a row; if so, lower the weight, but not so low that you have absolutely no fatigue by the third set of 10 repetitions. Both Pilates and running are also known to strengthen the inner thighs.
Do I need a thigh lift? What about CoolSculpting®?
In some cases, surgical intervention might be needed if non-surgical or minimally-invasive procedures won’t achieve the results you’re looking for. A thigh lift is usually reserved for patients with significant excess skin that can’t be effectively tightened with laser treatments. This is common after massive weight loss, which leaves behind excess, stretched skin. During a consultation, we can make a professional recommendation about your options.
Additionally, CoolSculpting® may not be effective in reducing fat except in cases of small areas of fat that fit within the CoolSculpting handpiece. If the area is too large, CoolSculpting can be too effective and result in dips in the fatty area. We can assess your concerns and make the right recommendation on whether CoolSculpting is the best option for you.
Schedule a Consultation
Your first step is a private consultation with our cosmetic physicians who can address your concerns. Whatever your goals for your thigh contours, we can recommend the right options using our wide array of non-surgical treatment options. To get started, contact our Martinsville and Livingston offices by calling or filling out our online form.
