When people complain about the way their arms look, it’s often because of excess skin that sags or droops along the bottom of their upper arms. And while upper arm lifts are performed on men, it’s most commonly operated on women as they tend to gain weight in different areas than men do, an area of which includes the upper arms. Patients often wear long sleeve shirts and steer away from sleeveless tops in an attempt to conceal their excess skin and fat, limiting what kind of fashion they feel comfortable wearing. An upper arm lift is also very common among patients who’ve experienced excessive weight loss, and find that diet and exercise alone aren’t sufficient enough to address this problem area. Patients who biologically inherited this physical trait are also prime candidates. Let’s have a closer look at the procedure.
What is an Upper Arms Lift?
An upper arm lift, also known as a brachioplasty, is performed to remove any excess hanging skin and/or fat from the upper arm while lifting, tightening and contouring the upper arm for a more youthful, sculpted shape. Some patients may simply require a mini arm lift which lifts the skin upwards, leaving a small incision close to the armpit. Others may need a full arm lift, requiring liposuction, as well as trimming away of any excess skin. This procedure requires an incision made longitudinally from the armpit down toward the elbow.
While an arm lift sounds fairly straightforward, the result of this aesthetic sculpting process can lead to vast differences from surgeon to surgeon, making the patient’s choice of cosmetic plastic surgeon critical. Dr. Adibfar, Toronto’s highly regarded, award-winning, board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeon recognizes the procedure as more than a removal, paying diligent attention to how smooth the surface of the skin is and how nicely the area will flow and blend into the rest of the body. He delivers results that reveal the beautiful shape of the arm muscles, which in turn uncovers pleasing contour along the outside of the arms and shoulders. Dr. Adibfar brings extensive experience and a high level of artistic skill to sculpt around the muscles accurately, smoothly and with meticulous precision for natural-looking results.
The Procedure and Recovery
The surgery can vary from patient to patient depending on their constitution. For patients who want to remove only a small amount of fat around the upper arms, and do not have excess skin, liposuction alone may be the best alternative. For patients who carry minimal excess skin around the upper arms, it is possible that Dr. Adibfar would merely lift the skin leaving a small incision in or near the armpit, making the scar practically undetectable. For patients who may have experienced drastic weight loss and carry more excess skin in the upper arm area, the surplus of skin is removed leaving a neatly hidden incision that starts near the armpit and runs along the underside of the upper arm toward the elbow. Dr. Adibfar may also perform the upper arm lift using a combination of liposuction and fat trimming while lifting and contouring for optimal results.
Patients are typically administered an efficient numbing local anesthetic. Then, depending on the procedure’s specifics, Dr. Adibfar will begin by following previously drawn markings to make an incision that will allow him to easily lift the skin toward the armpit. If more excessive work is needed, Dr. Adibfar may perform liposuction, then proceed by carefully removing any excess skin. Once the arm is thinned out and Dr. Adibfar is pleased with the overall contour, he will use self melting stitches to neatly close the incision. For full arm lifts requiring a longer incision, recovery is typically swift as the incision secured along the length of the upper arm experiences less tension from movement as would an incision running across the arm. Compressions garment and dressings will be used to encourage accelerated healing, protect the incision from infection and reduce swelling and bruising. Patients can return home on the day of surgery with the assistance of a close relative or friend as they may experience grogginess as the anesthetic wears off.
As weeks pass, patients may still notice some swelling and discolouration or bruising along the incision line. This is completely normal and patients typically resume their normal activities and/or return to work within one to two weeks, while waiting four to six weeks to begin engaging in more physically demanding exercises.
Patients who are looking for an efficient, long-lasting way to remove any excess fat or skin from their arms, while contouring the skin and tissue for a leaner and tauter appearance, find the results of an upper arm lift an optimal choice. Patients admire their new arm shape immediately, and as the healing process swiftly takes hold, patients notice more muscle tone, nice curve and appropriate proportion. As a result, patients’ self image and confidence improves as they now feel more comfortable revealing their arms and wearing sleeveless tops and/or dresses.
Click here to learn more or to book a consultation with Elements’ board-certified, award winning cosmetic plastic surgeon Dr. Adibfar.