Calf implants can correct physical deformities in the appearance of your legs. This surgery is performed for rehabilitative and cosmetic reasons.
The appearance of your legs can significantly impact how confident you are in your self-image. When they fall short of your expectations, you might want to undergo a cosmetic surgery that can make them look better. You can decide if calf implants are right for you by learning what they are and how the procedure is performed.
What are Calf Implants?
Calf implants are implants that are made out of silicone or saline and then inserted into the back of your legs. The surgery during which the implants are inserted is considered a rehabilitative surgery, even though its primary goal is to improve the look of the legs. However, the operation is not performed merely for vanity reasons but also to correct the appearance of one’s legs due to injuries or birth defects.
It is performed under general anesthesia as an outpatient procedure in a single day surgery center or hospital. Most patients can go home to recover within two to three hours after their surgeries are finished.
The primary reasons that patients choose this type of leg surgery include:
- Toning and defining the lower leg
- Correcting muscular imbalances
- Emphasizing the bulk of calf muscle
- Making the leg more proportional to the size of the thigh
- Correcting deformities from polio, clubfoot, and spina bifida
It may be performed for other reasons as deemed appropriate by your doctor.
How is Calf Implant Surgery Performed?
After you are put under general sedation, your surgeon will make an incision on the back of your legs in the folds of your knees. The incision will go through the skin and connective tissue so the surgeon can locate the salient nerve.
Once that nerve is located, the surgeon will then create a pocket between the fascia and muscle through which to insert the implants. After the implants are in place, the surgeon will shape them to achieve the desired cosmetic effects. The incisions will then be closed with sutures or staples.
Your legs will then be bandaged and dressed before you are taken to a recovery room to awaken. You can typically go home after a few hours as long as you do not show signs of complications like allergic reactions, extreme pain, or high fever.
Calf Implants Recovery
The total recovery period for calf implant surgery is up to six weeks. When you go home to recuperate, you can expect to experience stiffness, swelling, and pain. These symptoms will dissipate on their own after one or two weeks.
Your doctor may advise you to elevate your legs to minimize swelling for the first two days after you get home. You can begin walking to prevent blood clots and also to encourage blood flow and feeling in your legs on the third day of your recovery. You should be back to your normal self by six weeks after your surgery.