Arm Lift/Upper Body Lift
(brachioplasty)
What It Does
As we age, the skin of the upper arm can become loose and flabby, creating
both discomfort and self-consciousness. Men and women who have achieved
significant weight loss (following bariatric surgery, for example) often
experience the frustration of excess skin and persistent fat along the upper
arms. Brachioplasty, commonly known as an arm lift, removes excess fat and
skin and helps to create more youthful contours in the upper arm.
Significant weight loss may also produce rolls of skin under the
arms, on the chest, and across the back. In addition to an arm lift, your
surgeon may suggest adding additional plastic surgery techniques that work
together to create an upper body lift. During an upper body lift, your surgeon
will excise excess fat and skin across the back, under the arms, and on the
chest. Your surgeon may also recommend breast surgery to proportion the
breasts to your new upper body contours.
Procedure Basics
Based on your general health and anatomy, your surgeon will map out your arm
lift or upper body lift. The procedure is done under general anesthesia, so be
sure to have someone available to pick you up and be with you following your
surgery. During the surgery, an incision will be made along the back of the
upper arm from the underarm to the elbow. Your surgeon will remove excess skin
and fat, and may contour the remaining arm tissues with liposuction. The
incision may be made under the arms to hide the surgical scar when your arms
are lowered, or the incision may be made along the back of the arm. You should
discuss the various options with your surgeon prior to surgery.
If
there is a great deal of excess skin in the upper body to remove, the incision
may continue through the underarm around to the chest area, allowing your
surgeon to remove excess skin under the arms and on the chest. Incisions
may extend from the lateral chest to the breast, and occasionally will also
extend across the back in the bra band area. This allows the surgeon to excise
excess skin and create the slimming contours that are the goal of an upper
body lift.
Recovery
Straight-forward recovery and successful surgery require that you follow your
doctor’s post-operative care instructions carefully. You will be given
instructions on taking any medications prescribed to you and on caring for
your incisions. You should avoid subjecting the incisions to any excess
stress, force, or abrasion during the healing process. Patients usually resume
normal activities four to six weeks after surgery.
Your surgeon may
place one or more small tubes, or drains, in your incisions to allow excess
fluids to drain, but these are temporary. You may also need to wear
compression garments or bandages on your arms and upper body to help reduce
post-surgical swelling and help your incisions heal. Your surgeon may
recommend that you keep your arms elevated above your heart for the first few
days of healing. The results of your surgery will be quickly apparent once
post-surgical swelling subsides. Full results may take up to a few months to
be fully visible and will be long-lasting, provided you follow a healthy diet
and exercise plan.
Additional Information
You will want to discuss any surgical risks with your doctor, who will review
your medical history and current health status during your consultation.
Possible risks following surgery include prolonged numbness or tingling in the
fingers and arms, poor wound healing, unfavorable scarring, swelling in the
hands, asymmetry, and persistent pain.
During your consultation,
you will also want to discuss the extent of your surgery. If your upper arms
simply seem to have fat deposits that weight reduction will not help,
liposuction through small incisions may be the simplest approach. If you are
considering an upper body lift in addition to an arm lift, you may want to
review information on breast surgery to match your breasts to your new body
contours. It will be important for you and your surgeon to develop a plan
together to reach your cosmetic goals.
It is important to
understand that based on the extent of surgical work that will be required and
your personal expectations, it may be necessary to schedule more than one
surgery to achieve your goals or to correct any issues that might arise during
the healing process. You should discuss this and other post-surgical aspects
with your doctor.
Additional Resources
There is a wealth of information available concerning brachioplasty (arm
lifts) and body lifts provided by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
(www.plasticsurgery.org) ; click on “Cosmetic” and choose from the
list of procedures. The
American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. (www.surgery.org) also provides in-depth information; choose
“Procedures” for a list of topics.
To schedule a consultation to discuss arm lift or upper body lift
surgery with Dr. Christine Kelley, please call 317/575-0330.