Arm Lift Surgery ( brachioplasty )

BENEFITS

Who may need arm lift surgery or brachioplasty ?

• people who lost weight through bariatric surgery
• women who after several pregnancies experienced weight fluctuations
• people whose skin lost its elasticity due to the natural ageing process

If you find yourself as one of the above, then you may consider an arm lift to restore a thinner and rejuvenated contour to your arms.

The advantages of undergoing arm lift surgery are the following:

• reduction of surplus skin and fat in the upper arms
• restoring the tone of the arm skin
• providing a thinner and more natural contour to the arms
• improving the patient's self-esteem
• providing long lasting results

As you may notice, the benefits are not only physical but also psychological. Many patients are really satisfied with the results offered by one of the safest cosmetic surgery procedures. Some find great relief after the operation because they are no longer self-conscious about their arm appearance at social events or the gym. Also, many also find greater access to various clothing styles, especially to the short-sleeved items.

PERFORMANCE

Before having the surgery, it is advisable to discuss the surgical technique in detail with your surgeon at the consultation.

The location and size of the incision will depend on certain factors such as:

• the amount of skin that needs to be removed
• the position of the surplus skin flap
• the amount of fat that needs to be extracted

In general, incisions are made on the inner and under surface of the arm. The incision shape may be either curved or most often zigzagged. The pattern of skin removal usually follows a triangular shape. In the most severe skin condition, the incision may start at the armpit and end at the elbow in order to remove the maximum amount of skin.

Some patients choose to combine the arm lift with liposuction for the best results. While the extra skin is removed and fat is suctioned, the remaining skin is stretched and sutured into place.

Occasionally, the place of incision is drained allowing the skin to better stitch to the tissue beneath. The incisions are then bandaged.

The patient can choose between using a local or general anesthetic; however, most patients feel most comfortable with a general anesthetic for having this surgery.

An arm lift usually takes about two hours.

RISKS

All surgical procedures have some amount of uncertainty and risk.

The good news is that arm lifts are very safe when performed by a qualified and experienced cosmetic surgeon.

Patients should be aware that complications may more often occur among patients who smoke, are overweight, have diabetes, other health problems or have scarring from previous surgery.

The risks that may be associated with this type of surgery include:

Bleeding and hematoma

Blood can accumulate under the skin and the tubes may not drain all the blood. Sometimes, a blood clot (hematoma) is formed. If this occurs the patient has to undergo another operation in order to have the haematoma drained and the bleeding stopped.

Wound infection

This type of complication may occur after any surgery, although it is not common. Prior to the operation, the patient is given antibiotics.

Scarring

One of the most common complications for this surgery is the extended scar, sometimes from armpit to elbow. The healing process of the scars depends on each individual. The degree of scar visibility cannot be predicted, except if you experienced other surgeries. They could also burst and require a new surgery for scar revision. There are also a few non-surgical methods used to better heal the scars such as: using micro-pore tape, daily massage, moisturising creams or steroid injections.

• Skin or fat necrosis (death) - Tissue loss along portions of the incision is a possibility when the lift is very extensive. This complication, which delays healing, is more common in patients who smoke. A skin graft may be needed in this case.
• Serum collection - Removal of serum is a painless process but may require several visits to the plastic surgeon's office.
• Pulmonary embolism
  This means that a blood clot travels to the lungs. Various prophylactic techniques are used to prevent this uncommon risk and cessation of hormone treatment may be necessary. Additionally, the surgeon recommends early mobilization and anti-coagulant medication.
• Numbness to the operated areas
  This complication may occur because of nerve damage during surgery. The numbness will reduce within months, but sometimes a small area will remain permanently senseless. However, normal activity is not influenced by this.

Nerve compression

During the operation nerve compression may occur. This may cause difficulty with movement of the arm and hand.

Contour abnormalities

Contour depressions are due to removal of too much skin/fat, necrosis (death) of tissue and infections. Sometimes scarring may attach the skin to deeper tissue and create the same look.

Fortunately, there is a revision solution for this: the ultrasonic liposuction or the ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty. This method supposes two main steps: first, the fat is broken up by ultrasound and secondly, fat is removed by suction.

Questions

For the first consultation with the surgeon, you are advised to list a set of questions that might help you better understand the benefits, risks and performance of the procedure.

The most frequent asked questions related to arm lift are the following:

• Am I eligible for arm lift?
• How will my plastic surgeon evaluate me for arm lift?
• Where are the incisions placed?
• I understand that every surgical procedure has risks, but I would like to learn more.
• How should I prepare for surgery?
• What will the day of surgery be like?
• How will I look and feel initially?
• When can I resume my normal activities?
• How long will the results last?
• What instructions should I follow after the operation?
• What cannot be achieved by having arm lift?
• Are my desires realistic?
• What other cosmetic procedures can be combined with arm lift surgery?
• What happens if nerve damage occurs? Shall I be able to move my arms again?

If you consider yourself a potential candidate for arm lift surgery and would like to know more, you are kindly invited to address any of the above inquiries or others to our cosmetic surgeons.