Arm Lift

Arm lifts are similar to bottom lifts and tummy tucks, but as one might suspect, they’re executed in the arm, not the bottom or belly. Arm lifts, like bottom lifts, are not a standard “weight loss” surgery. They’re a cosmetic surgery intended to contour the body to a more aesthetically pleasing shape. An arm lift, or brachioplasty, is often conducted to rectify the amount of excess or loose skin after weight loss or liposuction, in cases where the skin’s elasticity was minimal and didn’t shrink back to fit naturally.

An arm lift is done under general anaesthesia or sedation, and usually takes about two hours, depending on the amount of skin being removed. Patients usually experience mild to moderate discomfort after the procedure, and are given prescribed pain killers that must be taken for two to five days after the procedure. There’s often some swelling, and very minimal bruising, if any at all, which improves over a fortnight. Depending upon the extent of the procedure, the patient can be expected to return to work after three to seven days, and regular exercise can be resumed after about two weeks.

As with the tummy tuck and bottom lift, arm lifts leaves scars that may or may not diminish visibly over time. The risks that come with the arm lift are essentially the same as the risks involved with the bottom lift, and can include necrosis of the skin or fatty tissue in the arm, fluid accumulation, blood clots, asymmetry, wound separation, and sub-dermal bleeding. As always consult your doctor before undergoing any type of surgery. To reiterate, these surgeries aren’t for weight loss, but purely for cosmetic reasons.