Is There Plastic Surgery for the Arms?

Given all the attention to having a flatter belly, firmer breasts, and fuller buttocks, you may not have considered the idea of plastic surgery for the arms.

Then again, you may have. Particularly if you find yourself dodging sleeveless clothing or covering up on the beach to avoid exposing the loose and saggy skin under your arms.

While liposuction can do the trick where there is minimal sagging and good skin laxity, plastic surgery is the best approach for more advanced cases. And it’s highly effective.

What Is Plastic Surgery for the Arms?

You might be quite trim. You eat a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise. Yet, no matter how many times you hit the arm weights each week, you’re still noticing that ‘batwing’ effect. And yes, it’s frustrating.

In these cases where aging and/or weight loss have left saggy upper arms that are disproportionately wider in circumference than the remainder of the arm, diet and exercise are not going to be a fix. This is when plastic surgeons will typically recommend brachioplasty.

Known more simply as an arm lift, brachioplasty removes the excess skin and fat that hangs from the upper arms. The end result is a sleeker, more toned upper arm with no more sagging skin or irregular bulges.

The Brachioplasty Procedure

Brachioplasty is generally done on an outpatient basis and under either general anesthesia or intravenous sedation. Your board-certified plastic surgeon will discuss the best option for your specific needs.

Once you are adequately sedated, your surgeon will begin with an incision either inside the arm or on the back of the arm. The incision length and pattern vary from patient to patient depending on how much excess skin needs to be removed and where it’s located.

Your plastic surgeon will do everything in his or her power to limit the incisions and scarring as much as possible. However, in cases where there is a lot of excess skin and fat, a longer incision may be required. And while this will leave a scar, it will fade significantly over time.

Regardless of the incision, excess fat is either directly excised or removed through liposuction. From there, underlying tissue is tightened and then reshaped using internal sutures. Then the skin is smoothed over the resulting toned contour.

Finally, incisions are closed with either absorbable sutures or with stitches that will need to be removed within a week or two of the procedure.

What to Expect During Recovery

First, plan to take at least a few days to a week off from work to facilitate your recovery. Particularly if you have a very physical job.

As with any surgery, you will likely feel some soreness for the first few days  so your surgeon will prescribe pain medication to provide comfort as you heal.

You may also notice some swelling and bruising for the first week or so after the procedure. It’s important that you wear the prescribed compression garment to offset this and promote quicker healing.

Finally, you’ll want to avoid any heavy lifting or vigorous exercise until the incisions are fully healed. After that, you are good to go to the gym or the beach or anywhere else you want to show off your gorgeous new arms!

Are You Interested in Brachioplasty?

With the huge array of other confidence-boosting cosmetic procedures available, it only makes sense there would be plastic surgery for the arms.

So if you’re frustrated with jiggly upper arms that don’t get any more toned with diet and exercise, contact us today for a free consultation. And start shopping for sleeveless clothes again!