Arm Lift

Who are the candidates for arm lift surgery?

• Flabby upper arms is the most common condition for which the patients opt for an arm lift procedure. The condition is caused by loose skin following weight loss.
• Another group of people who opt for this surgery is those who have bulky arms in spite of a slim body. They require liposuction of the arms and this can be done provided they have good skin quality for skin retraction post-liposuction, else liposuction results in further sagginess.
• Yet another group of patients who opt for this surgery are those who are older or middle-aged. In these patients, the skin of the arms becomes loose and flabby and the skin becomes saggy due to loss of elasticity.

How does arm lift surgery provide the desired results?

• Liposuction Arms that are large and have huge fatty deposits around, (with good skin elasticity as in young patients) liposuction alone can give good results and gives the desired chiseled look to the arms. A pressure garment is advised in the post-operative period for 4 weeks to prevent sagginess. But this procedure definitely should not be considered for women who have a loss of skin elasticity especially due to aging.
• Brachioplasty This surgery is performed to remove the loose hanging skin especially in patients due to post weight loss or aging due to loss of skin elasticity. The incision is made on the medial/inner side of the arm. Usually, liposuction is performed prior to this surgery depending on the fat deposition. The Brachioplasty deals with excess skin of the arm and elbow along with axillary skin. Once the excess hanging skin is removed, the remaining skin is tightened and sutured. A small drain is kept under the skin to prevent fluid collection.

Where are the scars placed?

In a liposuction arm lift, the scars are apparently not visible as it is performed through 4mm cannulas and even the stab cuts are made in the hidden areas of the arm, so the scars are apparently not visible.

In Brachioplasty, the incision is made on the inner side of the arm resulting in scars that are placed in the inner section of the arm. The scar is visible initially but that fades to negligible over a period of one year. In our experience, the patient virtually never complains of the scar as they get so relieved with the sagginess and final results of toned looking arms.

How is the recovery in the post-operative period?

In the post-operative period depending on the procedure, a suction drain may be kept after Brachioplasty, which is removed after 3 to 4days. The sutures are removed after 10 days. Heavy weight lifting and upper body exercises are to be avoided for three to five weeks.

In liposuction procedures, the patient can be discharged the same day, and post-operatively a pressure garment is advised that needs to be worn for 3 to 4 weeks. There is no need for suture removal.

What are the risk factors involved?

The procedure has very few complication rates and a very high patient satisfaction rate when done by an experienced plastic surgeon. Rare complications include infection, hematoma, seroma that can be managed with a few preventive measures.

There is a change in the skin sensation after the Brachioplasty procedure that is expected in the post-operative period but that usually recovers in a few weeks after the surgery.