Brachioplasty

Brachioplasty, also known as an arm lift, is considered an elective procedure for those that want sleeker, slimmer arms. Arm lifts are a great option for patients that lead a healthy lifestyle through diet and exercise, but haven’t achieved the results they are looking for in their arm definition.

Arm lifts are ideal for those that are looking to remove excess skin from and reduce fat in their arms, or want to tighten the upper arm tissue. Like many cosmetic procedures, a brachioplasty will generally not be covered by insurance, but it’s important to consider payment plans to make the procedure more budget-friendly.

The Procedure

Before your brachioplasty procedure, you will be given either local anesthetic or intravenous sedation. Your doctor will discuss what method is right for you before the day of your procedure.

After sedation, your surgeon will determine what kind of incisions to make. These can vary depending on what you want your overall results to be. The incisions will be made either on the inside of the arm or on the back, and may extend all the way down to right above the elbow. Excess fat found in this area may be removed with liposuction.

Once the incisions have been created and fat has been excised, your surgeon will sew them back up, making sure to tighten the supportive tissues. Once tightened, internal sutures are used to reshape the tissue, and the skin is smoothed back over the new, sleeker arm shape.

The incisions are closed using either absorbable sutures or stitches that must be removed one to two weeks after the procedure. Though results are apparent almost immediately, there will be swelling and bruising.

The Recovery

After the Brachioplasty procedure has been finished, your incisions will be wrapped in bandages. This is to ensure your incisions can heal properly, and help prevent infection, as well as excess swelling.

You may be outfitted with a drainage tube that sits under the skin to catch any fluids or blood coming from your incisions. This can be taken out after a few days. It is important to avoid strenuous activity and strenuous force during your recovery period.

Results from arm lifts are typically long lasting, but as skin ages, it is common to lose some of the firmness the procedure gives you. To learn more about a brachioplasty and find out if it could be right for you, schedule a consultation at Laurel Cosmetics today!