Leg Aesthetics

Calf Implants and Leg Aesthetics – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ozan Balık

We plastic surgeons do not really like having limits in our surgical vision. When a patient describes a deformity in any part of the body, we always want to enjoy being able to say, with full conviction, “Of course, we can easily fix that.” Some questions and problems remind us that we too are mortal and that medicine also has its limits at any given time. The problem popularly called “crooked legs” describes exactly this.

First of all, what are crooked legs? Or what do we call crooked legs? And what do you call them?

When we ask our patients, we find that “crooked legs” is the general name for situations where, looking straight into a mirror, there is too much space between the two legs, the legs curve towards each other like brackets, or the legs bow outwards. Almost all of these cause an aesthetic problem in the leg. But by what standard did we decide that the legs have an aesthetic problem? By looking at the images pumped out by social media, of course.

Bow legs may be related to a genetic predisposition, a problem with bone hardness, asymmetric muscle forces or walking problems. Especially in children, if it is progressive, it may require walking orthoses or, in its advanced form, corrective osteotomies, in other words major surgery. Otherwise the leg can bend severely and take on a bracket-like appearance. This is called genu varum (“O-legs”). This is entirely a matter for orthopaedics and physiotherapy. If the deformity is mild and has reached adult life without problems, it can be approached as follows: instead of an orthopaedic intervention, a straighter appearance can be achieved by injecting fat into the inner side of the knee, the centre of the curvature (including slightly above and below it).

So what about the calf area of the leg? This area does not contribute to the crookedness of the leg. Looking from the front, you do not see the calf; it lies behind. The calf implant is placed exactly there. When we picture this location clearly, we understand that it does not help with the crookedness of the leg. We cannot use a calf implant at knee level.

Calf Implants, Crooked Legs and Leg Aesthetics

Now that we have explained what a calf implant is not, let's come to what it is. It is a silicone implant placed to add volume where volume is lacking in the area right at the back of the leg, extending from the fold of the knee to the heel. Calf implants are materials with a very important place in leg aesthetics. They consist of a silicone shell filled with a very dense silicone gel. This lack of volume is usually noticed when the upper leg remains thicker than the lower leg.

Once the decision has been made to correct the lack of volume in the calf, the operation is performed under general anaesthesia. Through an incision in the fold of the knee, a pocket is created beneath the muscle fascia. A calf implant of the planned volume is placed in this pocket. Implants of all volumes are usually kept ready for the operation, and the appropriate implant is placed after measuring the pocket. The procedure takes about an hour, and the patient can walk four hours after the operation. Of course, we do not want you to move quickly for the first month. We allow brisk walking after the first month and running after the third month. Wearing a not-too-tight compression stocking is recommended in the early period after surgery.

Leg aesthetics is an area with relatively few surgical options. Amid the needless information pollution of the internet and with the wrong terms, more may be expected from leg aesthetics than is possible.

When the decision can be made on the basis of the right diagnosis and scientific data, leg aesthetics with a calf implant can be very gratifying.

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Medically reviewed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ozan Balık. Last updated: 28 October 2026