Brachioplasty
Loose Arm Skin
Loose upper arm skin is most often related to weight loss. If you were ever overweight, you more than likely developed heavy upper arms. To accommodate the increased volume of the upper arms, your skin stretched. After weight loss, skin often fails to tighten, and so it sags. The only way to improve this problem is through an arm lift, also called brachioplasty.
Incisions and scars in Arm Lift Scars are the greatest drawback of this operation. They will extend from the armpit to the elbow, along the inside of the arm. This operation exchanges one cosmetic problem (loose skin) for another (scars). In general, those with very loose saggy skin are most likely to find this exchange worthwhile. Those with a small amount of looseness will probably not want the scars.
Arm Lift: During and After Surgery
Anesthesia: General
Location of operation: Office or hospital.
Length of surgery: 2-4 hours
Length of stay: Outpatient (home same day).
Discomfort: Mild to moderate. Anticipate 2-5 days of prescription pain medication.
Swelling: Improves over 14 days.
Bruising: Is rare
Bandages: Will be removed in 1-7 days.
Stitches: Will be absorbable.
Back to work: 3-7 days.
Exercise: May be resumed in 2 weeks.
Final result: Will be seen after the scars have matured, which will be about six months.
Tips and Traps of Arm Lift
- Realize that this operation involves the exchange of one cosmetic problem (loose skin) for another (scars). If you are unwilling to accept scars, you should not have this operation, as no surgeon can predict how the scars will heal on you.
- Arm lift is for loose skin. If your main problem is heavy arms due to excess fat, then lipo may be a better option. However, we often use a combination of liposuction and arm lift to create the desired cosmetic result.
These are photos of a patient 2 months after brachioplasty.
Before After
