What is an Arm Lift?

Arm lifting surgery is a precise procedure typically performed to tighten and lift loose skin from the top of the arms, also medically called brachioplasty. Underarms are tightened and smoothed, and any excess fat is removed, leaving your arms younger and more toned. There may be many reasons why an arm lift should be performed.

If you have excessive accumulation of fat deposits on the upper arms that you would like to reduce and tone,or if you have too much sagging skin in that area, you want to tight.

You are  not suitable for an Arm Lift if you:

• Are significantly overweight

• Have frequent changes in your weight

• Have a medical condition that interferes with wound healing

• Are a smoker

Arm Lift Surgery Risks

The risks involved in the operation can include pain and discomfort, excessive bleeding, permanent scarring and damage to nerves, muscles or blood vessels and more. It is always a good idea to consider both the benefits and the risks before performing any type of surgical procedure.

 Risks include:

• The incision scars on your arm lift are permanent, but they are usually done in areas that are not easily seen.Rarely, incisions may give rise to red scars. But you can improve the appearance of scars by injecting corticosteroids or other treatments.

• Skin sensitivity. When lifting the arm, repositioning the arm tissue can affect the superficial sensory nerves, meaning you may experience temporary numbness.

• Asymmetries in the shape of the arms.As the healing process changes, asymmetry may happen and affect the symmetry of your arms. It is also important to note that while the surgeon will attempt to make your arms as symmetrical as possible, perfect symmetry may not be possible.

• Problems with stitches. The sutures serve to fix the new shape of the arm. Rarely, sutures can make their way to the surface of the skin where they should be removed. This can lead to skin inflammation and you may require additional surgery.

After your surgical procedure, some side effects are normal; however, if you have any of the following side effects, contact your doctor immediately:

• Shortness of breath

• Chest pains

• Irregular heartbeat

• Redness of the skin and a fever

Arm Lift Surgery Procedure

The duration of Arm Lift surgery is approximately 3 hours, and during this time general anesthesia will be used. The areas of your upper arms will be marked by the surgeon for where the incisions will be made, generally on the back and sides of your upper arm. This can also be done from the armpit or top of your elbow, but your surgeon will figure out the best method for you.

Your arms will then be tightened, and the tissue remodeled before the skin is stitched back together.If you have excess fat, this will be removed through liposuction before the wounds are stitched also.

Arm Lift  Recovery & Results

After you lift your arms, your arms will be covered with bandages and small tubes can be put into your arms to drain any excess blood and fluid. A surgeon will take them off after a couple of days.

Patients who undergo a Arm lift may expect to return to their daily activities and routine within 15 days of the procedure.Swelling from the arm lift starts to fade and decrease completely within a week of the procedure. Patients will notice an immediate shift in appearance, however, an additional period of 3-4 weeks is where the best results will be seen.

 Patients will have further enhancements over this period with the overall appearance of their arm, providing the desired aesthetics.

In the first few days and weeks after an arm lift you must:

• Do not raise your arms above your shoulders for 3-4 weeks.

• Avoid physical or sports activities that include your arms for 4-8 weeks, as this could stretch the incisions after surgery.

• Take analgesics as needed and use topics or antibiotics as directed to prevent infections in the wound.

The results of an arm lift vary from patient to patient depending on the amount of extra fat and sagging skin that needs to be removed.Your surgeon will be able to tell you what procedure is suitable for your needs and answer all your questions before proceeding.