Brachioplasty

When arm skin gets loose with age or weight loss, it will not recover no matter how many biceps curls you do!  Brachioplasty (arm lift) can permanently remove that loose skin and make the arms more comfortable with improved contour, giving you more confidence in swimsuits or short sleeves.  Dr. Owens will tailor the procedure to your individual needs, including determining length and placement of scar, as well as using liposuction where appropriate to further contour the arm.  It is important to understand the impact of the scar, so she will thoroughly evaluate whether you may be a candidate for liposuction or even microneedling radiofrequency with Profound for those with less significant laxity.  However, if skin is hanging or loose, removal of the skin with surgery is the most appropriate choice.  This operation is commonly performed after weight loss either through diet and exercise or bariatric surgery.  Patients who have worked hard to achieve good muscle tone are often frustrated by the excess skin that hides the results of their efforts, and removal of that skin with brachioplasty surgery can give them confidence to show off those results.  The procedure is most successful when weight is stabilized, so if you plan to lose more weight you should ideally postpone surgery until you have met your goal.

The scar usually extends from the elbow to the armpit, and sometimes down the chest wall depending on how much loose skin there is, but it is carefully placed in a position that is minimized with arms at rest both from the front and from behind. Rarely, a hidden incision in the armpit only may be used, but in most cases this does not allow for the degree of contouring needed for best results.

Preparing for Brachioplasty Surgery

Please avoid taking Advil, Aleve, aspirin, ibuprofen, Motrin, and Naprosyn for two weeks prior to your surgery. High dose vitamins and herbal medications should also be avoided. Most other medications that you take regularly can be taken before your procedure. It is especially important to take blood pressure medication if prescribed so that your blood pressure remains normal before and after surgery.  At your preoperative visit you will review the plan with Dr. Owens, have photographs taken, and sign surgical consent.  You will be given prescriptions for postoperative medications including pain medicine and nausea medicine which should be filled and ready at home for your postoperative care. 

Brachioplasty Day of Surgery

You will arrive at the surgery center for evaluation by the nursing and anesthesia team.  Dr. Owens will mark your arms and the procedure takes between 2 and 3 hours under general anesthesia.  Liposuction may be performed, and then the incision is strategically placed to minimize its appearance.  The excess loose skin is removed to create a tighter, slimmer contour that eliminates the hanging skin.  Care is taken to perform incision closure meticulously to achieve the best scar possible. You will wake up in recovery with compression sleeves in place.  Drains are used to control fluid and swelling at the surgical site and you and your caregiver will be instructed about how to manage the drains. You will keep a record of drain output to bring with you to your postop visit. Use ice and the prescribed medications for comfort as the numbing medication wears off.  Plan to have someone with you for the first 24-48 hours after surgery until you are fully recovered from the anesthesia.

Brachioplasty Recovery

Arm lift surgery is done as an outpatient procedure, and most patients use prescription pain medicine for only a few days.  You will wear the compression sleeves for 3-4 weeks and possibly longer depending on recovery and swelling. It is normal to have sensitivity, numbness, itching, and swelling for the first few weeks.  As sensation returns, you may have some irritability like pins and needles in the area.  Occasionally fluid collections form even with use of drains, and these will be drained as needed.  Driving is restricted for two weeks and most patients take about that much time off work, unless your job requires heavy lifting or other strenuous activity, in which case you will need more time off, approximately 6 weeks.  You may slowly return to exercise and normal daily activities beginning at one week after surgery, but you should not do high intensity or arm-specific exercises for about 6 weeks.  You will be instructed on scar management and massage, and although all scars are permanent, with time they will fade in most cases.  The improved contour of the arm is permanent after brachioplasty, but with age and weight change you may see some return of lax skin and fat deposits; results can be best maintained with stable weight.

Contact Avalon Plastic Surgery to see how an arm lift can improve your upper arm contour!