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Original poster

Plastic surgery for bulky legs

44 replies

habibihabibi · 07/12/2020 10:06

I am from a family of long slim legged females but her fathers genetics have dealt my niece short very big bulky legs that are thick thighed and calved and no ankles. I can see she suffers, never wearing short skirts dresses or shorts or jeans
and crying when she went shopping with my sister because she can't get boots to fit her ankles . She is a student and lives in trainers and baggy tracksuit pants.
She is in her 20s and about to start work and wants to have surgery and lipo on her legs.

Does that even work ?
Has anyone had it done .

OP posts:
HoppingPavlova · 07/12/2020 10:19

Maybe a session with a stylist to ascertain clothes suited to her body type? For example she can wear jeans - just not skinny style, maybe Boyfriend style or something. Long wrap skirts can be flattering. She needs to forget fast fashion and go with what works for her. So someone to give direction with this stuff?

OwlBasket · 07/12/2020 10:24

Is it her build or does she have lipodema? Sounds awful for her.

bs9er · 07/12/2020 10:24

Is she otherwise slim op? My legs are a bit bulky but if I keep my weight down and fitness up they look ok. Won't ever be my best feature but seriously don't encourage her to have surgery.

LazyLucille · 07/12/2020 10:26

Is she slim elsewhere? I am sure there are exercises suited to toning the legs, surgery is very extreme and lipid only removes fat so will only work if this is a fat distribution problem?

bluebell34567 · 07/12/2020 10:27

does she do cycling, swimming?

SlightDelay · 07/12/2020 10:31

So if she is genuinely disproportionately bulky there and not overweight generally or has lipodemia then yes there are procedures to sculpt and reshape.

ElvisPresleysSideburns · 07/12/2020 10:39

Years ago, I used to work with a girl with very thick, heavy legs. She was permanently in trousers. We started going to aerobics twice a week and honestly, her legs slimmed down massively. It was purely down to exercise and she soon had the confidence to wear a skirt. I just wonder if she could try running, maybe c25k, or regular exercise classes (once they are allow allowed again) before considering surgery.

notapizzaeater · 07/12/2020 10:44

Google bionic gym, that could help with the thighs bit - expensive but much cheaper than surgery with less risk

Original poster
habibihabibi · 07/12/2020 11:48

She is very active and so slim in her torso, arms and bottom. She works out at home as is so self conscious .When she was a child she was brilliantly sporty, did ballet and rode .
She looks incredible in a ballgown but cant really translate that to work or casual wear.
Her legs are literally like an elephants in shape and unfortuanately it is the same with a paternal aunt and Granny. They are both fairly rotund as well so it is not as noticable.
The last time we met as a family on holiday she would not swim and just looked completely miserable.

OP posts:
Original poster
habibihabibi · 07/12/2020 11:51

I looked up lipodema. Quite possibly they all have this. Her legs were fairly stocky as a child but def got to the disproportional size they are now after puberty.

OP posts:
MacbookHo · 07/12/2020 11:54

Maybe the ballet and riding gave her huge thigh and calf muscles.

Original poster
habibihabibi · 07/12/2020 17:35

HoppingPavlova
Ooh that is a great idea. I was gping to get her something bag or accessories wise for christmas but I could get her a session as a gift. Where in London would be good or is there a good online person ? She will def need to shop for work clothes anyway.

MacbookHo
She gave both up before puberty really . My sister still rides and has very long slim shapely legs..i think it is just genetics.

OP posts:
Namerchanger42 · 07/12/2020 18:36

If it’s genetics I seriously doubt surgery will turn them into the long slim legs I’m imagining. I also think you sound quite unkind saying they’re like elephants legs. Maybe you should try to boost her confidence? The stylist session sounds good.

RunnerDown · 07/12/2020 18:38

My legs are the “biggest” part of my body, with flabby thighs, wide calves and thick ankles. I got very upset about it when I was younger and wouldn’t wear shorts or skirts. Don’t bother so much now.
I have recently started running and that has made a difference . My legs are slimmer and look more toned. I did investigate liposuction at one point and if I’d had the money when I was young it would have really helped I think .
She should still be able to wear maxi / midi dresses which are very fashionable atm. I found with boots that it helped if I sized up -the legs were wider. Knee boots that are the sock/ stretchy kind make my legs look much better . They may be too old for your dn tho.

Cannotcope4223 · 07/12/2020 19:07

Tell her to go for it and look into sculpting, or book a session at a reputable surgery group like transform. She might get more confidence around her legs as she gets der but she should NOT miss out on life due to something that isnt her fault. Xx

lockedownloretta · 07/12/2020 19:10

is this for real?

maybe her issue is that her 'long slim legged ' relatives keep going on about how elephantine her legs are! the poor girl!

Pinkcadillac · 07/12/2020 20:39

I know a clinic in Spain that treats lipoedema in the ankles using Vaser Lipo. It must be available in the UK too

Sending good wishes to your niece, and lots of luck if she goes ahead with surgery.

TheBaroucheBox · 07/12/2020 20:48

My first thoughts were either Lipodema as mentioned by PP or severe PCOS. I think exercise will help a lot. I am.pear shaped and have found exercise to be very helpful, especially running. It has really balanced our my figure. Can she afford a personal trainer once a week to get her into a routine?

Craftycorvid · 07/12/2020 20:51

Just sending sympathy - nay, empathy - as soon as I hit puberty it was as if my legs had been inflated with a bicycle pump! Jeans and trousers never fitted properly, knee boots were out of the question. It can be a hard problem to hide. In my case menopause seems to have helped enormously and my lower body is much better proportioned now. But it’s hardly practical to suggest a young girl waits that long! I hope she gets some help.

LeGrandBleu · 07/12/2020 20:54

My best friend from childhood is like that. Very slim torso, arms, neck, face and legs like a tree trunk.
She had some liposuction done when she was mid 20s, and it didn't do much . What helped her more was lymphatic massages, walking in the cold sea when she lived in Nice, and getting into running which at first she didn't really like but now enjoys.

It was as if there were two bodies in one.

ShivD · 07/12/2020 20:54

While not on the same level, my legs are big compared to my torso, they are very muscly and get larger with most exercise.

The best exercise for slimming them out for me is yoga, I think it helped to Lengthen the muscles of my calves and thighs. Otherwise it’s just genetics and also learning to accept that they are part of me.

I still dream of a thigh gap though!

HoppingPavlova · 08/12/2020 00:06

Where in London would be good or is there a good online person ? She will def need to shop for work clothes anyway.

Can’t help with that as I’m not in the UK but I know they definitely exist there, and in greater numbers than we have locally. Maybe start another thread here in Beauty and title it Where to find a Stylist or similar. Give a general location and I’m sure you will get responses.

Original poster
habibihabibi · 08/12/2020 10:09

maybe her issue is that her 'long slim legged ' relatives keep going on about how elephantine her legs are! the poor girl!
Sorry if the reference seems cruel. I am well aware of the damage done mentally by body shaming and neither my sister or me compare or comment on her legs. Unfortunately she has been bullied about it by others and drawn her own conclusions.
Clothing choices are limited for this type of body shape.
I am going to look for a younger persons stylist to help her make the transition from uni to workwear and take her legs into account.

OP posts:
Changi · 08/12/2020 10:32

Although it skipped me, this runs in my family too going back generations. I can't see how liposuction would help because it isn't fat causing the problem.

Bluntness100 · 08/12/2020 10:39

How disproportionate op. What is her clothing size?

I have a work colleague who has I think lipodema, she is about a size eight up top and about a size 24 below. It is a hugely disproportionate differential.

It’s hard to work out if she’s just basically pear shaped and carries her weight on her legs, as many women do, or if there is in fact a medical issue here,