Medial (inner) thigh lift -- are you happy you did it?

[Anastasia1 0]

Functional Issues from Medial Thigh Lift surgery & 2nd Surgery to Reconstruct issues from initial Thigh Lift-

Anyone else had issues??? Experienced Skin Graft surgery???

I had the medial thigh lift back in 2008. The incisions in the groin area started stretching/moving down. After waiting a few years because the surgeon stated it may loosen a bit... I started having functional issues from the thigh lift. Stretching of the labia, causing vaginal dryness, pain & discomfort. The natural crease fold between the thigh and the groin went away...thus causing my panties to not stay in place. This caused daily discomfort, a constant "weggie" causing chaffing at times, like a rug burn. Also intimacy with my husband, not comfortable. After waiting a few years & with recommendations from 2 different gynecologist that I needed to have reconstructive surgery to relieve my issues. They felt it was medically necessary & should be covered by my Ins. After being referred to a plastic & reconstructive surgeon in the area, I had a consultation w/him and he agreed I needed to have reconstructive surgery. Surgeon was confident he knew how to relieve my issues & make me feel better. I liked him, felt good about him & he was highly recommended. I had the reconstructive procedure in July 2012, He basically performed the same medial thigh lift surgery. I had good initial results. Still going through normal recovery, some sutures would surface through the skin. Then approx., at 3-4months the incision scar started moving/stretching down a bit. During this time I also experienced a great deal of pain one day-felt like something was ripping out & experienced pain like I did in the initial 1st few days/week of recovery. Dr. assured me this was normal. That the incision may stretch some & would check at 6mo., follow up. 6mo. follow up- Dr. noted the incisions had continued to move down & stretch. This creating tension, pulling the vagina open. I expected him to have a solution, maybe stitch/suture in a certain area that would hold, not stretch, causing tension. He said, "This was beyond his capabilities". I have now had consults with 5 surgeons. I am now experiencing the same & now WORSE issues than before, discomfort, itchy irritated areas & intimacy with my husband is uncomfortable & painful. The tension is not only stretching the labia, now pulling on the perineum and anus pulling apart. The best surgical solution so far seems to be: Will require 2 separate surgeries. Skin graft & tissue expansion, expanding healthy, normal skin, and then using that extra skin to release my contractures. I would like to know if anyone has experienced these issues. If so, have you had a reconstructive procedure that worked to relieve your issues from a medial thigh lift surgery?

[Scamp 207]

Ooh Anastasia1 that sounds horrid! I had only heard of a little bit of moving of labia etc beforehand my surgeon said he would err on the underdo side rather than overdo as he didn't want the labia thing to happen and I said YES - Nor did I want those problems!! So maybe him underdoing it is why I didn't see thatmuch of a radical change like with my other operations.

Personally I had medial thigh lift in early 2011. This was the most harsh of all the surgeries (TT with inverted T - no muscles touched - arms, breast reduction, butt thigh lift and then finally and outer thigh lift with line right down external outer thigh)

The reason the inner thigh lift was the hardest for me is when I first stood up - it was VERY painful. Once I was in compression garments it was a breeze again - I do say to anyone who will listen that for most of my surgeries I remained in compression for 12 (yes 12) weeks. This supported the scars through alot of healing and made me feel protected. I also believe the compression from this garment helped the scars to heal better (I didnt have compression so much in the first two Ops and I wish I had had tighter compression as my inverted T scar is a little bit stretched - nothing major but it is the only scar really that I notice and think about what I could do differently)

I also keep paper tape on the scars under the compression for 12 weeks also - another thing to suport the scars etc

As for changes - This is the one that for me anyways - Was not the biggest change. It is the only one I would think twice about going through again. Though I have only had a tiny bit of movement from it (and I pray I have no more as reading what you have been through does make you worry - They dont tell you all about THAT pre-surgery - they mention migration but nothing as bad as that) As I said my scars are there - very obvious (one inside of thigh one outside) but - I had lost half of my body weight (127lbs to date) so he told me in our first meeting to have realistic expectations - Then he gave me the world! I am amazed at the woman I am now to the thing I felt I was before. But I still remind myself of the words realistic expectations as this kind of surgery gives you so much emotionally, that you could easily get addicted!

I do hope Anastasia1 that you can find a good answer to your problems.

Sorry I babbled so much!

[Anastasia1 0]

Thanks for your note Scamp. I wish my Dr. had been as thoughtful and cautious as yours. I still think with as many people that now have the Medial Thigh Lift surgery...there must be many who have had the same or similar results as I have.

[Scamp 207]

I guess there are many - And I do hope you find an answer to it!

I can still now feel the 'strings' that are in there (I think they are attached to colles fascia ligament or something if I remember rightly) Sometimes it feels kinda weird, but not enough to be of a problem.

I know though that my surgeon was going to go in again and lift the right leg scar a bit - I told him NO! cos it hurt like billyo just afterwards so I decided it being a tiny bit lower than anticipated was not enough of a problem to me - It has not moved (touch wood) since then so hopefully it will stay put forever! - I pray.

I remember a long time ago I measured how low the scars were so if they ever moved I would know - Of course I have no idea where I wrote that so I would hafta find that first - LOL - I have so many weird photos of me through this journey... I guess I am weird like that - lol...

In so many ways it is like the old me is someone I kinda remember but don't really know any more - A whole different chapter of the Me that I am today.

I remember before my first Op I was worrying myself silly and a lovely lady on this site said to me 'Eyes on the prize' and I kept those words close to me all the way through and that really helped me to keep going to the end of the reconstruction, that and a wonderful surgeon who would even work for free to help me to get through (We paid hospital fees)

edit - info on the holding up sutures here I just found

http://cosmeticsurgerytimes.modernmedicine.com/cosmetic-surgery-times/news/modernmedicine/modern-medicine-feature-articles/techniques-anchor-inner-

(reading tyhat makes me glad I didnt know anything at the time - lol)

I really pray that you can find an answer to this (((Hugs)))

Edited December 11, 2013 by Scamp