An Arm Lift is also known as brachioplasty, which is a surgical procedure that is used to remove loose skin and excess fat deposits that accumulate in the upper arm area. The more a person ages, the upper arm skin can become a bit loose and flabby.
Brachioplasty is used for patients who have a desire to tighten up this skin. In certain cases your trusted cosmetic plastic surgeon may suggest to you that liposuction should be used alone as procedure or together with an arm lift to best remove the excess fat build-up in the upper arms area.
Arm lift surgery is typically performed on people that have large amounts of loose, hanging skin on the upper arm with a goal to return the person’s body to a more normal appearance after loss of skin elasticity due to extreme weight loss, or even age-related changes.
Even though small amounts of fat can be removed along with excess skin, an arm lift is not intended to remove a significant amount of fat deposits. One should be stabilized at or near an ideal weight before having an arm lift surgery. In some cases where there are small local fat deposits with poor skin elasticity, your trusted cosmetic plastic surgeon may end up recommending a combination of liposuction and arm lift surgery.
Who Is a Good Candidate for arm lift surgery?
The best candidates for an arm lift surgery are non-smokers who are in good health overall and maintain a stable body weight through a strong commitment to a healthy diet and lifestyle. It is also very important for the prospective patient to have a positive outlook and realistic expectations about outcome of arm lift surgery.
Pre-Operative Considerations:
Your trusted cosmetic plastic surgeon will typically order pre-op lab tests to confirm your health status. He or she may also require that you to adjust, stop, or begin taking certain medications in the week or two before your arm lift surgery. One may need to begin avoiding aspirin, many common anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements, for two weeks prior to the surgery. If you smoke, you may be asked by your plastic surgeon to stop in advance of furthering your surgery.
Recovery & Downtime for Arm Lift Surgery:
Most arm lift surgery patients can return to non-strenuous work after about 2 weeks. Strenuous work or exercise should not be resumed until at least 4 to 6 weeks have passed since the surgery. It is important that your incisions are not subjected to excessive force, abrasion, or motion during this recovery time. As with all surgeries, it is important to understand that these can be attributed to the patient’s personal health, the techniques used, and other variable factors surrounding the surgery. If you are to experience any severe pain, you should report all to your plastic surgeon immediately.
Risks and possible complications include:
* unfavorable scarring
* excessive bleeding or hematoma
* skin or fat necrosis (tissue death)
* poor wound healing or wound separation
* blood clots
* anesthesia risks
* deep vein thrombosis
* cardiac and pulmonary complications
* persistent edema (swelling) or fluid accumulation
* persistent pain
* temporary or permanent change/loss of skin sensation
* unsatisfactory aesthetic results requiring revisional surgery
* recurrent looseness or sagging of skin
After you have completed your arm lift surgery, you should call your plastic surgeon immediately if you experience chest pain, shortness of breath, unusual heartbeats, or excessive bleeding.
If you are considering arm lift surgery, we suggest you click on one or more of the links below to connect with a qualified cosmetic plastic surgeon about your situation in more detail…
