The arm lift (brachioplasty) is a procedure that improves flabby arms. After arm lift, the upper arms are tighter and smaller and have less unnatural movement. The arm lift could also be called an arm reduction, because the the arm is also reduced in girth with this procedure. The arm lift gives some patients more confidence to wear sleeveless shirts, bathing suits, or formal wear.
The arm lift helps correct changes in the arm that occurs with weight loss and with aging. The skin and the support structures of the arm muscle are stretched with weight gain. If weight is lost after weight gain, then there is extra skin that sags and jiggles with arm movement. The arm lift procedure removes some of the excess skin and fat with an incision on the inside of the arm. By placing the scars on the inside of the arm, they are less visible with the arms in a relaxed position. There are numerous incision designs for the arm lift procedure depending upon the specific situation of the patient.
The arm lift can be preformed using sedation with local anesthesia or general anesthesia. In some patients the procedure can be preformed with local anesthesia alone, but this is much less common. Oral pain medicine usually controls discomfort after surgery.
The arm lift procedure is usually performed using sedation and local anesthesia, or using general anesthesia. After the arm lift procedure, there is swelling and bruising, but daily living activities can usually be resumed the day after surgery. Vigorous activity is usually restricted for about three weeks after surgery, after which time full activity can be resumed.
“Dr. Herring is a caring experienced surgeon who has the best interest of his patients in mind. He makes sure the outcome is great. The staff is great, I love my arms, and I would highly recommend his office for all your plastic surgery needs”
For more information about arm lift, please contact us today to schedule a personal consultation with our board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Stephen Herring.