If you thought butt implants and lip injections were as far as women in Hollywood went to achieve flawless figures, think again. The newest hot body parts—stealing the focus from rear ends that have been front and center in recent years—are the legs. For this reason, “marking” is the name given to a new wave of plastic surgery procedures that combine to completely reshape the legs. Thigh lifts, calf implants, inner and outer thigh contouring, and of course liposuction are all part of the deal.
“Thighs are always an area of concern for women,” says Beverly Hills Doctor Gabriel Chiu, adding that red carpet trends now mean the thigh is exposed from various angles. “Also, the thighs are an area that makes a dramatic difference to the overall body. When properly contoured to elongate the legs, they can help create better proportion, so the entire physique appears leaner and longer.” Doctors across the country are now offering whole foot plans such as Favorite of the Kardashians plastic surgeon Dr Simon Urianuswho showed off the non-invasive version of thigh contouring on Instagram.
It’s no longer enough to just strive for a thigh gap. For his thigh shaping treatments, Dr. Chiu uses custom cannulas for fat on each side that take care of variants of fat that settle or adipose tissue that causes lumps, bumps or misshapen areas. The result: “An elegant proportion, size, shape and contour that better suits their body,” he says.
As simple as it sounds, it is wise to realize that there is a lot going on beneath the surface. Dr. David Amron, FAAD founder and medical director at The Roxbury Institute, it is the top lipedema country expert and spends 12 hours a day doing these procedures. “I see a lot of women who are in good shape and can literally weigh 110 pounds, but who just don’t have the best or ideal proportion or sculpted shape to their thighs,” she says. Adjusts irregularities and refines the contour to create more symmetry with the knee and calf. “I have a certain way of addressing mine markingwhich I refer to as a body mixture’.
Dr. Amron he sees his detailed approach similar to that of a photographer. “It’s the art of perfection, so nothing is out of proportion and we maximize the best look from every angle,” he says. His treatment protocol takes three and a half hours of methodical cannula maneuvering to contour without a break from the kneecap to the gluteal fold, wrapping around to blend the area as one. The doctor warns of spot treatments that may end up creating even more “disproportional irregularities or artifacts where the areas surrounding the reduction push it into an inequality.”
based in Miami Dr. Ryan Maercksmall has seen a surge of A-list celebrities and WAG (wives and girlfriends of athletes) who come in for these treatments and ask for legs like Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Carly KlossBella Hadid and Kendall Jenner. These leggy gamines are the antidote for women who complain of “lack of buttock projection, fullness of the pouch area, lack of thigh space and the appearance of cellulite,” says Dr. Maercks. To combat these issues, he uses a combination of specialized liposuction and lipodissection (tissue dissection without suction), section techniques for those with a large amount of excess skin from significant weight loss and non-invasive techniques such as infrared light, laser, radio frequency and ultrasound for those with less treatment. Liposuction causes bruising, by the way, and the areas must have compression for six weeks.
“I think the widespread fitness crazes we’ve seen in recent years have drawn people’s attention to the legs,” says Dr. Maercks. This view is shared by Manhattan’s Dr. Norman Rowe, who has shaped the thighs of A-list female celebrities and top social media and Hollywood influencers — also citing J.Lo, Jenner and Diaz as inspirations. His techniques also include BodyFx, a non-surgical contouring procedure that kills fat cells, tightens skin and improves the appearance of cellulite. and FormaPlus, a skin tightening procedure that improves tone and laxity by creating new collagen. These require six to 10 weekly sessions and annual maintenance, but there is no downtime. Expect mild swelling for two weeks with ThermiTighta minimally invasive in-office procedure performed individually that uses a small catheter inserted under the skin to heat and melt fat, causing the skin to tighten and contract.
Those who have these treatments now, Dr. Chiu he says, he can recover from the swelling and be ready to hit the gym full-time before “the red carpet season finish line.” And there is no doubt that they will. Adds Dr. Rowe, “[Legs are] a trend that’s always been here and I don’t foresee it leaving us anytime soon.”
