You may need an arm lift if excess skin and fat dangle from your arm when you raise it. As people age, their skin loses its elasticity, and they may lose muscle mass in certain areas, such as the back of their arms. Excess skin that accumulates in areas that were formerly full can begin to droop a little. An arm lift, also known as brachioplasty, is a plastic surgery treatment designed to enhance the size and feel of the arms. In particular, the treatment focuses on reducing excess fat and skin under the arms in connection with weight reduction. An arm lift is for you if you want your upper arms to get a youthful, safe, and more contoured look.
The risk increases in particular if you are going to put the body’s burden on the area, which includes breastfeeding or breast surgery of any sort. Pass over to your doctor, any of the drugs they prescribe to your child. This is particularly related to surgery because surgery can interfere with physical therapy, and it would be more important not to give birth or not to cause fractures, if prescribing will be a future if any. Brachioplasty is a fairly small procedure that can take 2 hours if it is not combined with other methods. To begin with, the surgeon attempts to remove any necessary fatty tissue from the region. Liposuction does not require only a few incisions to remove the fat, and the residual loose skin is then removed during the surgery process, with a knife or laser. Local anesthesia and heavy sedation or general anesthesia may also affect your comfort level. However, during your consultation with your surgeon, these medications will be specifically discussed with you. A variety of incisions will be made at the elbow and armpit, and any extra skin will be withdrawn. Both of these incisions may be made separately from the depths of the cipher, particularly if you have undergone heavy weight loss.
Anatomy of the Arm
The arm is fundamentally composed of a set of muscles called striated muscles and bones. Skin completely envelops these structures and has an irregular surface with waves that distend and fold according to the position of the muscles and bones we use most during our daily lives. The sheet of collagen that gives the skin this relief, attached underneath to the muscles at several points of the arm, is called the dermofascial envelope. This anatomy is directly related to the kinematics of the arm and is a fundamental knowledge for the technique of its aesthetic correction. Both the dermis and the superficial fascia contain a large number of sweat and sebaceous glands, in addition to vascular and nervous bundles. The lifting of the brachioplasty consists of a plication of the dermofascial envelope formed by the skin and the superficial fascia.
It is necessary to perform a suction of fat located both in the deep and superficial planes of the arm, following a technique that includes the preservation of vital vascular networks of adipose tissue. The distribution of fatty tissue is concentrated in the medial or waxing region, following a line that begins in the armpit and reaches the elbow. In general, it is located on the outside of the upper arm and in patients with fatty layer deposits; the horizontal projection of the distribution ranges from the lateral half of the biceps to its lateral surface, in the upper first and middle thirds. It is important to remove the fatty layer in a whitish area, without damaging the lymphatic network of the area. The dermofascial collagen fascia that covers these structures surges in excess, thickening and disfiguring anatomical relief. The skin becomes hypertrophied, striated, bumpy, relaxed, thin and flaccid due to age, sun and aging. The muscles in the triceps and the whole wax region are wide, covered with elongated and hypertrophic bands of fat.
Muscles and Skin Structure
Arm muscles can be divided into those on the front and back of the arm. One of the front-of-the-arm muscles, the bicep muscle, functions by both flexing the forearm and also assisting in shoulder movement, acting to bring the arm bone up and toward the body. The other front-of-the-arm muscles that assist with bringing the arm close to the body include the coracobrachialis and a few muscles that pass from the chest to the upper arm bone. Surprisingly, a higher percentage of muscle in the triceps, the muscles on the back of the arm, begins to lower the arm and keep the shoulder stable and prevent downward arm dislocation during shoulder elevation. Additionally, some muscles that attach our big back shoulder blade to the arm are particularly important in allowing the arms to raise up.
The texture and qualities of skin can vary from site to site on the body. In some areas, it may be thick, while in others, the skin is thin, has little subdermal (or hypodermal) fat, usually due to an absence of underlying fatty tissue and therefore has good adherence to bone and muscle. This describes the situation of skin over the arm. This may not be so true above the elbow or just about the elbow, as a thicker skin layer by fat is over the elbow tip with less apparent adherence to the arm muscle. With aging, loss of fat within the fat layer might make the arm appear falsely saggy. There are no skin glands present that are solely located on the arm within the portion of armpits. The hair is found at the front and back of the upper arm. As the skin quality and texture have different characteristics based on which part chosen for the lift procedure and need to be well evaluated. Muscles, the skin layer, and supporting fibers turn lax and stretchy to relax and the reverse to stretch the arm up, un-stretch the skin. The accurate anatomy of these tissues onto which the skin layer is the base for performing arm lift surgery. Thus, the knowledge of these details is the core for successful arm surgery and its outcome.
Indications for Arm Lift Surgery
A brachioplasty may be referred to as an arm lift or simply a lift. Sagging skin, the result of fluctuations in fat and muscle, can be dragged on by gravity. Your arms accumulate extra fat that is difficult to lose with exercise and diet as you age. Although arm lift surgery does help to create a more desirable contour, it is not a wellness remedy that encourages patients to seek medical care. Many individuals who turn to plastic surgery primarily do so because of one or a combination of a few reasons. The amount of loose, weighty arm skin can differ dramatically from person to person. Brachioplasty is intended to deal with it:
- To get rid of excess skin
- To lose elasticity in the skin
- To mature
- To lose a considerable amount of weight
Your doctor will decide if a brachioplasty is right for you based on your situation, your goals, and your present state of health. It is practical to use liposuction as a standalone procedure or in conjunction with an arm lift if you have too much fat. To be appointed for a scheduled nevertheless required procedure, you must be in good mental and emotional shape.
Techniques of Arm Lift Surgery
When contemplating arm lifts, people often think about the procedures that involve skin excision and fat removal to get rid of the dreaded “bat wings.” Surgical and nonsurgical approaches tend to address those, but patients may not realize that there are small niche areas of improvement. Modern arm lifts can be performed with minimal excisions, such as via suturing techniques or with powered liposuction devices such as VASER. If skin excess is combined with laxity, a significant level of want for skin removal despite addition of moderate liposuction, older school arm lifts such as Brachioplasty or excisional inner arm lifts have their own benefits that counter any need for downsizing incisions in certain. Many of the newest arm lift trends are the “minimally invasive” approach or upper arm lift techniques that are appealing due to the small scars.
Liposuction alone is an efficient arm lift technique to remove fat cells. The VASER liposuction device is one of many types of powered liposuction that breaks fat cells apart into a liquid solution that can be vacuumed out. The liquid solution can be examined for structural connective tissue, contaminating blood cells, oil from the fat cells, and tumescent fluid needed for the procedure, which helps to minimize blood loss while increasing pain reduction afterward. The small incisions (2mm mark, about the size of mechanical pencil led), generally located at the armpit area, distal elbow, and in the apex of arm fat bulk allow the metal fine aspiration cannula and liquefied fat to spread out under the skin. The minimally invasive arm lift takes generally one hour to perform.
Traditional Arm Lift
The most common approach to an arm lift or brachioplasty is the beneath-the-arm incision. This incision is placed along the inner arm, usually below the level of a bathing suit or bra strap. The incision length and pattern of arm lifting depends on the amount and location of excess skin to be surgically removed. Incisions generally run from the underarm to elbow to remove the overlying skin.
After the incision is made, underlying supportive tissue is tightened and reshaped with internal sutures. Sedation, rather than general anesthetic, might be sufficient for a less invasive lift. Conversely, if excess fat is the underlying problem, liposuction might be used for slimmer arms.
In general, you should wait about seven days after surgery to drive if you no longer need to take a prescription pain reliever. Typically, you can return to work in about two weeks, as long as it does not involve heavy lifting or strenuous activity. Activities such as these should be avoided for at least a month. If implants are used, your surgeon may advise one week of rest before resuming normal activities, including work. Light walking, moving around your home, and other non-strenuous activities should be fine as soon as you feel up to it. Always remember that everyone’s body is different, and patients heal at various rates. Your procedure and return to work will depend on your surgeon and your specific case.
Minimal Incision Arm Lift
A minimal incision arm lift is a safer, less conspicuous method than the standard arm lift. This technique is used on patients who only have a small degree of upper arm sag. It leaves the smallest, easily hidden scars and, in terms of reducing complications, is in most cases a better choice. The technique seldom requires two incisions to be made: one in the armpit and the other on the forearm, which are sometimes joined with suction-assisted lipectomy to facilitate direct excision and skin tightening.
Compared to the traditional procedure, the minimal incision approach does allow for earlier return to activities, less discomfort, and earlier healing. As a result, this surgery is often chosen for patients who have just a small amount of loose skin, usually more at the elbow than the upper arm. The reasons for excess skin may not be limited to age or weight loss. Some people are naturally predisposed to thicker, more elastic skin. This thickens over time and may cause a roll of skin at the elbow. This can be genetically determined and not limited to those who have lost weight. The choice between having the minimal incision arm lift and the traditional arm lift should be made carefully. If you are unsure, the best choice is to have just the minimal incision arm lift followed at a later date by the removal of the scar from the elbow once healing has completed at the upper arm.
Risks and Complications
Brachioplasty, as with most surgeries, carries risks. For example, your surgical wounds could get infected. That’s why it’s important to keep them clean and bandaged. Always notify your doctor if you have a fever. This could be a sign of infection. The body can also bleed if one of the blood vessels was accidentally severed during the surgery. You could also experience an allergic reaction to the anesthesia used in the operation, although this is infrequent. Complications may require hospitalization after surgery in two to three percent of all brachioplasty cases. In some cases, surgical scars may thicken, becoming raised and red. If that occurs, further treatments may be needed to enhance the skin’s appearance, including laser treatments or steroid injections to soften the tissue.
General anesthesia can be dangerous and cause dizziness or lightheadedness. Other heart conditions like heart disease, stroke, and so on could be worsened by the adverse reaction of anesthesia. If you smoke, arm lift surgery can increase the risk for you. If blood is already limited to your arms and they are unable to heal correctly after surgery, the skin can become necrotic and “die.” Another possible risk of brachioplasty is deep vein thrombosis, or blood clots. A blood clot of this nature may cause a lot of problems, including death. You will have some scarring following your arm lift surgery. While plastic surgeons attempt to keep scarring as inconspicuous as possible, an incision must be made to carry out an arm lift. Sometimes these must be larger than had been hoped for.
Recovery Process
Patients can expect some mild to moderate discomfort in the days following an arm lift. Mild discomfort may be managed with prescription or over-the-counter pain medication as needed. Avoid using your hands, arms, and pecs in the first few days following the postoperative procedure. Most people can go back to work two weeks after getting an arm lift. They should avoid heavier lifting and more strenuous activities for six weeks. It is expected that after this intervention, some numbness of the arms may be felt, together with swelling. While most of the swelling will disappear after a few weeks, discrete areas may remain swollen for a few months. Compression sleeves are worn day and night for the first couple of weeks post-surgery, gradually switching to nighttime use only. A compression sleeve provides gentle pressure on the arm to support reducing the potential for swelling associated with liposuction and accelerates the time it will take the arms to start the healing process.
Different views exist concerning whether to report arm lifts as individual procedures or to include them in a subset of other body contouring procedures. So uncertainty exists about their effect and safety, particularly when combined with other body contouring procedures. While the surgery of an arm lift is generally very safe, the patients must be informed that there are potential complications like accumulation of blood or fluid, infection, and poor wound healing. Anesthesia may also have possible adverse effects. Many of the symptoms from the surgery of an arm lift disappear after some time and during the course of healing. But it is also normal to have mild to moderate discomfort for the following days, which can easily be managed with prescription or over-the-counter medication. Loss of sensation or, rarely, nerve damage can occur. Cosmetically, some degree of scarring can also last beyond arm lift surgery. Some patients are more prone to hypertrophic or keloid scars. The arm lift scarring will be hard to hide, even with clothes, due to the position of the incision.
FAQs
How long will it take to recover from an arm lift?
Since everybody is different, you’ll generally want to give yourself about two weeks before you can start feeling better after your arm lift. Most patients feel like they are back to normal by six weeks. They can start to build back up to gentle exercises and begin raising their arms above their head.
When can I stop taking time off of work and daily duties to recover? One to two weeks off of work is necessary for recovery time after an arm lift. This will give you plenty of time to rest and slowly start up again when you are able.
How often will I need to go to the doctor after my surgery?
Your surgeon will want to see you twice in your first week post-surgery for aftercare. This will be the first appointment soon after your procedure when you are still recovering slightly from the anesthetic, and your second appointment will be a few days after your surgery. But that is not all! Your surgeon may also wish to follow you along periodically for several months after surgery to monitor your healing process.
Will I be able to return to my normal activities after surgery?
Yes, most normal activities can be resumed in the first week after your arm lift. We recommend avoiding any heavy lifting for a few months, though-you can certainly leave those heavy weights at home for at least a month after your surgery. Your stitches will also take a few weeks to soften up while they heal, so you need to avoid any unnecessary arm activity for at least two weeks after surgery, while your skin adjusts to its new shape.
Do I need to take care of my stitches or have anything else done after my surgery?
Your surgeon will remove your stitches during some of your aftercare appointments, you won’t need to worry about those a bit, and we’ll cleanse your surgical wounds for you too.
Are there any specialty-specific risks with an arm lift?
The type of arm lift performed, and can best be determined in an in office consultation.
