Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)

Arm lift also known as ‘arm reduction’ or ‘brachioplasty’ is a surgical procedure to address soose skin on the upper arms, often described as as ‘bingo wings’ and is an increasingly prevalent issue affecting a growing number of people. The condition of loose on affecting the upper arms can affect both women and men and is common in those who have lost large amounts of weight. Some people are genetically predisposed to developing loose flabby looking arms.

Arm lift, also known as brachioplasty is a cosmetic surgery procedure that specifically addresses the upper arm contour through through a combination of liposuction and skin removal to both tighten and smoothen the skin of the upper arm. Even with the adoption of a healthy lifestyle with a good diet and regular exercise, loose arm skin can still develop. Massive weight loss is well known to result in a substantial loss of skin elasticity and a resulting aesthetically unappealing upper arm contour.

In those with good skin elasticity and localised fat deposits affecting the upper arms, liposuction alone could be a suitable treatment option.

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What is included in my treatment package?

• As many preoperative consultations with your surgeon as you like to make sure the procedure is right for you
• Treatment at a specialist day surgery facility recently rated ‘Good’ by the CQC
• Enhanced same day discharge with the added benefits of recovering in your own home
• 24/7 clinical support from your surgeon for first 48 hours and our expert postoperative support team
• Your very own dedicated patient coordinator
• In-depth preoperative medical assessment to make sure you are fully fit for the brachioplasty procedure
• Exceptionally high standards of postoperative care described as ‘outstanding’ by the CQC with regular telephone and face to face checks by our expert postoperative support team

RealSelf Top Doctors

RealSelf top doctor status is awarded to less than 10% of the RealSelf doctor community.  This status is earned by achieving consistently high patient satisfaction (from RealSelf reviews), getting excellent feedback on expert answers to patient questions, and after investing significant time in Q&A and other doctor activity. RealSelf top doctors are rated among the very best surgeons in the United Kingdom and USA.

• Over 10 years experience in all types of arm lift surgery. Full arm lift, mini arm lift and BodyTite.
• We own and manage our own surgical facilities. Properly performed brachioplasty surgery takes time and should not be rushed. Our surgeons perform a maximum of one brachioplasty procedure in a day. We do not cram 3-4 procedures into one day like other providers. You want your surgeon to be well-rested and mentally and physically sharp to perform an arm lift to get the very best results.
• Our surgeons live and work in the UK. This is very important because whilst your surgeon takes all precautions to minimise complications, complications can and do occur and our surgeons are readily available to manage any issues if and when they arise.

A good candidate for an Arm Lift should have the following:

• Loose and redundant skin affecting the upper arm
• Maintenance of a normal or near normal body weight
• Is medically fit and well with no serious medical conditions that could affect healing
• Patient is a non smoker
• Has realistic expectations for what the arm lift procedure can achieve

Questions to ask your surgeon at the consultation

The consultation for an arm lift procedure is the ideal time for you to ask any key questions to enable you to build up an accurate picture of what the procedure involves and the potential risks of surgery before proceeding with a decision. Your surgeon will explain fully what the arm lift procedure entails to enable you to be as informed as possible:

Am I a suitable patient for the arm lift surgery?

Should the arm lift surgery be carried out in one procedure or will I need a further procedure to optimise the result?

Do I have realistic expectations given the size and shape of my arms?

Can you show me before and after photos of patients who have had brachioplasty surgery similar to me?

What is the recovery period like after a brachioplasty?

If I have any questions or concerns am I able to contact the clinical support team?

What are the most common symptoms that are experienced following a arm lift procedure?

What happens if I am unhappy with the results of the brachioplasty surgery procedure?

Arm Liposuction

Arm liposuction is the ideal technique for contouring the arms for those with good skin elasticity. Arm liposuction results in minimal scarring and the recovery time is much quicker compared with a traditional brachioplasty. For those with significant redundant skin often from previous weight loss will not be ideal candidates for arm liposuction. Younger patients with minimal skin laxity in the upper arms are ideal candidates. Arm liposuction can help to achieve a more toned arm contour.

Mini Arm Lift or Mini Brachioplasty?

A mini arm lift is a short scar version of a traditional full brachioplasty and is able to address moderate degrees of skin laxity. The incision for a mini arm lift is located in the armpit area and is therefore well concealed when compared with a full brachioplasty. Patients can easily wear short sleeved clothing without visible scarring. The postoperative discomfort after a mini arm lift is much less compared with a brachioplasty. Liposuction is often combined with a mini arm lift for the removal of fat deposits in the upper arms. For patients who would like to avoid a scar going down the arm and have lesser degrees of skin laxity may be ideal candidates for a mini arm lift.

Your surgeon may also wish to combine the BodyTite/Morpheus8 combination with a mini arm lift to extend the benefits of a partial skin excision. In this case the procedure would be performed with TIVA anaesthesia.

Traditional Brachioplasty or Full Arm Lift?

Brachioplasty surgery aims to remove the maximum amount of excess skin and extra fat in the upper arm area to result in significant tightening of the skin and an improvement in upper arm contour. The incision for a brachioplasty is located on the inner side of the upper arm and runs from the armpit to the elbow. Although the scar burden can be significant, the scar is often well positioned on the inside of the arm. Brachioplasty surgery is the most commonly performed type of arm lift surgery for those with moderate to severe skin laxity often from significant weight loss.

Extended Brachioplasty

Patients who have undergone massive weight loss whether from bariatric surgery or weight loss through diet and exercise may be candidates for an extended brachioplasty procedure. Often after massive weight loss, the resulting skin laxity can be very significant and can extend beyond the upper arm to the side of the chest. A traditional brachioplasty will not be able to correct the deformity from weight loss. The incision for an extended brachioplasty extends from the elbow all the way to the side of the chest wall to effectively address the skin redundancy from massive weight loss. Significant improvement in the upper arm and chest wall contour can be achieved.

ModifiedBrachioplasty

The modified brachioplasty is similar to a traditional brachioplasty in that both excess skin and fat are surgically removed to improve upper arm contour in patients after significant weight loss. Modified incision brachioplasty differs from the traditional technique in the configuration of the scar is shaped differently. The modified incision is more curved and is positioned along the bicep muscle for improved concealment. The modified incision brachioplasty is ideal for patients who are concerned about scar placement and prefer for the scar to be in the inner arm rather than along the bottom part of the upper arm.

BodyTite Arm Lift

If you are not keen on the idea of having scars from arm lift surgery, Centre for Surgery also offer a ‘scarless arm lift‘ utilising the innovative BodyTite platform. A BodyTite arm lift utilises minimally invasive bipolar RF usign specially designed cannulas to tighten the skin and soft tissues along with Morpheus8 RF microneedling. By using both BodyTite and Morpheus8, your surgeon is able to address mild to moderate skin laxity in a minimally invasive manner and without the downtime of a traditional full brachioplasty. A BodyTite arm lift can be performed under local anaesthetic (with or without oral sedation) in properly selected candidates.

When we get older and lose muscle tone, we may not like what we see in the mirror. If you extend your arm, you may notice a flap of skin that hangs down. In an ideal world, diet and exercise could correct this. But for some people, that is not enough. An arm lift or brachioplasty can improve the beauty and appearance of the arm.

An arm lift is also known as a brachioplasty. During a brachioplasty, the surgeon makes an incision in the arm. Excess skin is removed, and extra fat may be removed as well. Afterwards, there will be pain and swelling, which can take several weeks to go away. There will also be a scar. Generally, the scar will run down the underside of the upper arm. Sometimes, a surgeon will do a mini arm lift. This procedure leaves a scar in the armpit where it less likely to be noticed.

At Centre for Surgery, our surgeons believe that any cosmetic surgery procedure should be backed with excellent pre-operative patient preparation. We want all our patients to be fully prepared – physically, mentally and emotionally. Our team strives to go above and beyond to ensure you have a safe procedure with a smooth postoperative recovery leading to great results.

You may experience saggy arms for various reasons, such as weight loss or simply ageing. This can cause you to feel self-conscious, particularly when wearing shorter clothes. While exercise helps to keep the muscles tight, skin and fat can be stubborn and remain droopy.

Arm Lift Step-By-Step

STEP 1: For a full arm lift, a curved incision is designed to run along the lower margin of the arm from the elbow to the armpit. The degree of correction of skin laxity and the size of the arms depends on the design on the incision and the length of the incision.

STEP 2: The surgeon carefully removes any excess fat and skin and dissected beneath the skin in a gently and near bloodless manner.

STEP 3: The excess and redundant skin is surgically removed followed by close approximation of the wound edges using temporary surgical clips followed the application of liposuction to fine tune the size of the arm.

STEP 4: Dissolvable sutures are placed along the approximated skin margins to ensure a cosmetically acceptable scar.

STEP 5: A specialised compression garment is applied to the arms to support the incisions and reduce postoperative swelling.

An arm lift will remove this excess skin and fat, while also tightening the tissues, giving the arm a smoother, more youthful appearance. The arm lift procedure involves undergoing liposuction to remove any excess fat. Next, the excess skin is removed and sutured shut.

After the arm lift, you will have a scar which will run down the underarm. While this scar will be more noticeable after surgery, it will fade with time. If you do not want a scar, you may wish to do a mini arm lift, as the scar will be limited to under the armpit, so it will not be as noticeable.

To help the healing process, you will be asked to avoid smoking. You will also have to avoid blood thinning medications.

Compression Garment After An Arm Lift

At the end of the brachioplasty procedure, the surgeon will apply a compression garment onto the upper arms and it is recommended to wear the garment continuously for the first three weeks and this may be longer if your surgeon recommends a longer duration. The arm lift compression garment should only be removed before having a shower. The sterile waterproof dressings should protect the wounds from moisture. The compression garment should be immediately reapplied once your shower is complete.

You should not bend your elbows for the first 24-48 hours after the arm lift procedure. At one week, you will see one of our postoperative nursing team for a wound check and change of dressings. Specialised brown tape may be applied at this stage to optimise wound healing and scar cosmesis. You should avoid strenuous physical activity for the first two weeks. Light physical activity is acceptable at four weeks post arm lift surgery.

An arm lift is performed as an outpatient surgery, so you will be able to return home the same day as your surgery was completed. After the procedure, you will have bandages applied to the incision area. The bandages and stitches will be removed two weeks after the surgery.

You will notice some bruising and swelling, which is a completely normal side effect after an arm lift. This should fade after approximately a few weeks. You will have to avoid any excessive physical activity and heavy lifting for at least two weeks to avoid any undue stress on the incisions. You will be able to return to work after one week, however, you will still have to avoid any strenuous physical labour.

Arm lift or brachioplasty surgery has increased in popularity as any effective method of improving arm contour after all degrees of weight loss from mild to massive. Many patients are concerned about the appearance of scars after arm lift surgery but with modern surgical techniques this has become less of a concern. Most patients accept the trade-off between achieving a dramatically improved upper contour at the expense of what can be a long scar along the upper arm. Our surgeons use advanced surgical techniques to give a straighter looking scar that is located along the inside of the arm and this results in a well concealed scar that is not obviously visible to others even when wearing short sleeve shirts.

Arm lift scars very from one patient to another and there are a number of factors which can influence the degree of scar formation:

• Positioning of scar
• Skin colour
• History of hypertrophic or keloid scars
• Exposure of healing incisions to strong sunlight

All arm lift incisions leave scars as a result of the procedure to remove excess skin and fat. Modern methods of scar management help to improve the appearance of scars. It is important to wear the postoperative garment as instructed by the surgeon in combination with specialised postoperative brown tape along the arm lift incisions. This protocol helps to prevent stretching of the scar and reduce the incidence of red and raised scars over time.

At 4 weeks after surgery, your surgeon may recommended the application silicone gel sheets once the incisions have fully healed and this will help to optimise scar cosmesis further. It is extremely important to keep the incisions out of direct sunlight  and to use a sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher applied to the scars. You should avoid direct sunlight exposure to the treated areas for 6 months post arm lift surgery.

With any cosmetic surgery procedure, there are recognised medical risks, arm lift surgery is no different. It is very important for the patient to adhere to all pre-operative and post-operative instructions to ensure a smooth recovery and minimise the risk of complications developing. Your surgeon will fully discuss with you the possible risks at your consultation.

Possible risks that you are exposed to include infection, fluid accumulation, haematoma, skin necrosis, poor scar healing, and blood clotting. Your surgeon will also discuss with you the chances of revisional surgery, which is different from post-surgery follow-ups and future surgery. In the period leading up to the brachioplasty procedure, you will be asked to give up smoking if you are a smoker. Aspirin can act as a blood thinner and you will be asked to stay off it.

Potential Complications of Arm Lift Brachioplasty

• Anaesthetic risks
• Postoperative haemorrhage
• Seroma or haematoma
• Delayed wound healing
• Hypertrophic scarring
• Requirement for a revision procedure

Prior to undergoing any procedure, make sure you know about the heightened risks of travelling abroad for cosmetic surgery.

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Our surgeons are highly skilled in all types of arm lift surgery which result in a significantly improved upper arm contour and this reflects their deep expertise in body contouring surgery. We have strong philosophy of establishing a good doctor-patient relationship to facilitate the attainment of excellent outcomes after arm lift surgery.

At your consultation, your surgeon will listen carefully to understand your lifestyle and your goals for treatment and this is fundamental to formulating the correct treatment plan for you. Your medical history and any current medicines you may be taking will also be reviewed. It is important for all patients to be fully informed on all the available arm lift surgical techniques so you can make a decision based on your preferences.

Your surgeon will be able to answer any questions you may have and you may think of during your consultation. If you are keen to see before and after photos, your surgeon may be able to show a range of photos of patients that have undergone similar brachioplasty treatment to give you an idea of the potential results that can be achieved. The pros and cons of brachioplasty surgery will also be discussed in detail with reference to your anatomy and medical history.

If arm lift surgery is advised as a suitable procedure for you to correct arm contour, the surgeon will design a bespoke treatment plan. Our patient coordinators will act as your personal point of contact throughout your patient journey. Your patient coordinator will be able give you the costing for your procedure and will be in regular contact with you should you have questions about any aspect of the arm lift procedure.