Arm Lift Surgery (Brachioplasty) | Dr Dheeraj Bhar, Cosmetic & Aesthetic Surgeon, London

An arm lift reshapes the under portion of the upper arm, from the underarm region to the elbow.

Is Arm Lift Surgery For You?

An arm lift, or brachioplasty, is a surgical procedure that:

Reduces excess sagging skin that droops downward
Tightens and smoothes the underlying supportive tissue that defines the shape of the upper arm
Reduces localized pockets of fat in the upper arm region

Fluctuations in weight, growing older and heredity can cause your upper arms to have a drooping, sagging appearance. This is a condition that cannot be corrected through exercise.

Arm lift surgery may be right for you if the underside of your upper arms are sagging or appear loose an full due to excess skin and fat.

In general, arm lift candidates include:

Adults with significant upper arm skin laxity
Adults of any age whose weight is relatively stable and who are not significantly overweight
Healthy individuals without medical conditions that impair healing or increase risk of surgery
Nonsmokers
Individuals with a positive outlook and realistic expectations

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What to Expect

The choices of anaesthesia include intravenous sedation and general anaesthesia.

Incision length and pattern during arm lift surgery depend on the amount and location of excess skin to be removed.

Incisions are generally placed on the inside of the arm or on the back of the arm and may extend from the underarm (axilla) to just above the elbow. Excess fat may be directly excised or treated with liposuction.

Depending on your specific condition, incisions may be more limited. Then, underlying supportive tissue is tightened and reshaped with internal sutures. Finally, the skin is smoothed over the new contour of your arm.

Your incisions will be closed either with absorbable sutures or stitches that will be removed within one to two weeks following your arm lift.

During your recovery from arm lift surgery, dressings or bandages may be applied to your incisions, and your arms may be wrapped in an elastic bandage or a compression garment to minimize swelling following surgery.

A small, thin tube may be temporarily placed under the skin to drain any excess blood or fluid.

The smoother, tighter contours that result from arm lift surgery are apparent almost immediately following your procedure. Initial results will be obscured by swelling and bruising, and a scar will remain where the incision was made.

Although good results are expected from your procedure, there is no guarantee. In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure and another surgery may be necessary.

The results of arm lift surgery will be long-lasting, provided that you maintain a stable weight and general fitness. As your body ages, it is natural to lose some firmness, but most of your improvement should be relatively permanent.

Following your surgeons instructions is essential to the success of your surgery.

It's important that the surgical incisions are not subjected to excessive force, swelling, abrasion or motion during the time of healing.

Arm lift surgery risks include:

Anesthesia risks
Bleeding
Infection
Poor wound healing
Unsightly scarring
Fluid accumulation (seroma)
Damage to deeper structures such as nerves, blood vessels and muscles
Fatty tissue under the skin might die (fat necrosis)
Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
Pain, which may persist
Sutures may not absorb, but spontaneously surface through the skin, causing irritation, drainage and redness
Possible need for revisional surgery

Harley Street Surgery of London has been on the forefront of medical and surgical innovation. We continuously offer patients the most cutting edge techniques in medical treatment. If you would like to learn more about how you could benefit from this treatment, please contact our office for a private consultation appointment.