Thigh Gap – Old Problem, New Name

I’m always amused by what things become the hot topic of the day or week, even if it’s nothing new. All it takes is for someone to place a new catchy name on whatever the “it” topic is.  And so it goes with “thigh gap”!

Thigh gap is the term used to describe the space or gap between a woman’s upper, inner thighs that relates to how thin the legs are. For example, if the thighs are “fat” (fat is in quotes here because in many cases, a woman’s thighs are just fine but society has deemed them fat) due to excess fat or skin in the inner thighs, there’s no visible space between the thighs. With no visible space, it suggests the person is overweight with much of their excess weight in their thighs. Whereas, a thinner person with leaner/trimmer thighs will have “daylight” in between the upper, inner thighs, giving the appearance of what society calls thin. Don’t hate the player, hate the game. I’m just reporting my thoughts on the subject!!!

So let’s be constructive here and discuss solutions for women with concerns about their thigh gap, or lack thereof. If a woman is unhappy with her upper, inner thighs and wants to see a gap, there are several options here.  If the problem is excess fat, then liposuction alone will be adequate treatment for the inner thighs. These incisions are very small and can be hidden in the groin crease. A perfect example of this can be seen here – one of my patients (used with permission).

However, if the problem is excess skin, a thigh lift may be right for you. In a thigh lift, the resulting scar depends on where the excess skin is located. If a patient has excess skin isolated to the upper portions of the inner thigh, the incisions, while long, can be hidden in the groin crease. Whereas if the excess skin extends along the entire inner thigh, they will have a scar over the same distance.  Your board certified plastic surgeon can help you determine which is best for you. Click here to find a board certified plastic surgeon in your area. Through this same link, you can also find pricing for these procedures by clicking on the procedures, “thigh lift” or “liposuction to the thighs” after choosing a doctor in your area.

Let me know if this was helpful.