For some individuals, the shape and size of the calves can be a source of insecurity, whether they appear too thin or overly muscular. As calves play an important role in overall leg and body balance, cosmetic surgery offers effective and reliable solutions to enhance their appearance.
Principles of Calf Surgery
There are two main categories of cosmetic calf surgery:
- Calf Reduction
- Calf Augmentation
Calf Reduction
To reduce calf size, liposuction is the most commonly used technique and yields excellent results.
- Performed under general or epidural anesthesia
- Typically requires one night of hospitalization
- Scars are minimal, only about 0.5 cm long, and are placed discreetly on both sides of the ankle
- Compression stockings must be worn for one month post-op to minimize swelling and support skin tightening
Calf Augmentation
Thin calves may be caused by:
- Genetics
- Medical conditions (e.g. polio after-effects)
- Injury or childhood trauma, such as overly tight casts
In many cases, one calf may be more affected than the other, so the goal is to restore balance, symmetry, and harmonious leg volume.
In Practice: Techniques for Calf Enhancement
There are two main approaches to augment calf volume:
- Silicone calf implants
- Fat grafting (lipofilling)
Fat Grafting (Lipofilling)
This modern, minimally invasive method is gradually replacing implants for many patients.
- Fat is harvested from donor areas like the stomach or outer thighs
- It is then purified and reinjected into the calves as a natural graft
- General anesthesia is required
- One-night hospital stay
- Tiny, almost invisible scars
- Wearing compression socks for one month helps improve graft integration and overall results
For more details, see our FAQ on calf liposuction.
Calf Implants
Reserved for significant calf atrophy or bodybuilding-related enhancement, this technique involves the placement of one or two silicone implants.
- General anesthesia
- Average stay: two nights in the hospital
- An incision is made in the knee crease for a discreet scar
- The implant is inserted beneath the fascia, the membrane surrounding the calf muscles
- Post-op, the calf muscles must be immobilized for approximately three weeks to ensure proper healing and implant positioning
This is a more intensive surgical procedure, recommended only for select cases.
Before-and-after photo examples available upon request.