Thigh Gap Trend Leads to Poor Self Esteem and Unrealistic Goals

Thigh gap. It’s a term used to describe thin thighs or legs with virtually no fat. It’s a visible gap between a person’s thighs, when their ankles touch. Doctors say it’s normal for women to carry fat on their legs. Critics of thigh gap are concerned that young women may develop an eating disorder by trying to obtain a body shape that is unnatural for most women. Dr. Lou Bucky, a board certified plastic surgeon in Philadelphia, says the goal of creating thigh gap forces us to emulate bodies that aren’t realistic.

By Beverly Brooks
ThePlasticSurgeryChannel.com

Gimmicks to Create “Thigh Gap”

Board certified plastic surgeons warn against extreme dieting, exercise and surgery to eliminate the stubborn fat. Many times the appearance of thigh gap is achieved only through altering photos. “I think this is a trend that doesn’t hold in terms of beauty through the ages,” says Dr. Bucky. “I think it’s problematic.”

Thigh Gap Controversy

The idea of thigh gap received widespread news coverage in December 2012 after the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show which featured models with highly toned bodies who appeared to have a thigh gap. By 2013, the term “thigh gap” had become almost as mainstream as “selfies”. Girls began posting full-length photos in front of mirrors with #thighgap. At the height of the thigh gap controversy, some social media sites were forced to take down pages that promoted thigh gap.

Safe Solutions to Eliminate Thigh Fat

Dr. Grant Stevens uses Coolsculpting® to eliminate stubborn fat. “Once it’s gone, it’s dead. Apoptosis (cell death) and fat absolutely doesn’t come back.” Dr. Stevens and his medical staff in Marina del Rey have performed more than 8,000 procedures targeting the troublesome fat.  Stevens notes that CoolSculpting is a good way to wipe out fat when the patient has realistic goals.  In clinical studies lead by Dr. Stevens, 86% of patients reported a visible reduction in outer thigh fat 16 weeks after treatment.