During arm lift surgery, also known as a Brachioplasty, the upper section of the arm is reshaped to give it a toned appearance after removal of fat and extra skin in that area. Both men and women suffer from “bat wings,” where the skin of the upper arm droops as a result of age, sudden weight loss, or lymphedema.
Though exercise can reduce fat and improve muscle tone, it cannot tighten skin that hangs loosely when it has undergone the loss of elasticity. This excess hanging skin gives the upper arms a bat-wing-like appearance.
Skin tightening and liposuction are used in combination to give the upper arm areas a contoured appearance. Since the arm lift is a very complicated procedure, it’s best to choose an experienced cosmetic surgeon who has conducted these surgeries successfully in the past: Dr. David Davila.
WHEN SHOULD YOU CONSIDER BRACHIOPLASTY?
If you have heavy skin laxity in the upper arms
If your weight is relatively stable and you are not likely to gain weight soon
If you do not have any pre-existing medical conditions that may increase the risk to health if you have surgery
ARM LIFT PROCEDURE DETAILS
You will be given anesthesia before the surgery. The length of the incisions will depend on the amount of liposuction to be done and the amount of skin that has to be removed, which will be discussed during your consultation. To keep the incisions as unobtrusive as possible, they can either be long, extending from underarm to elbow, or be small, within the inside of the arm.
If there is any excess fat, it will be removed with liposuction, and then the underlying tissue will be tightened and stitched back with internal sutures. The skin will then be eased back slowly over the newly made contours of the upper arm.
If there is no fat in the area but only sagging skin that stretches from underarm to elbow, then a long incision has to be made to cut the excess skin, pull together the remaining skin, and stitch it together.
After the anesthesia wears off, you are likely to face pain in the underarm area due to swelling and bruising, which will last for a few weeks. Both the upper arms will be swathed in bandages, which will be removed after a week, along with the drainage tubes attached to each arm after the surgery.
You will be advised to avoid firsthand and secondhand smoking so the healing process can be quick. Doctors generally advise patients to stay at home until the incisions have healed completely and all swelling has subsided. Depending on the patient’s condition, the doctor may also advise wearing compression garments around the upper arms to make the skin adhere to tissues and to help reduce swelling.
For a delicate procedure like the arm lift, you should go Dr. Davila, who understands how long the process will take and the risks that may be involved in it. To arrange a consultation with Dr. Davila, Contact our office today.
