Arms are often the forgotten parts affected by significant weight loss. They are however a common area for skin removal or lipectomy surgery. Dr Eddie Cheng, Specialist Plastic Surgeon based in Brisbane, QLD, regularly performs arm lift surgery and below you'll find some great information about this procedure.
An arm lift, or brachioplasty, is a surgical procedure that targets excess or sagging skin most commonly in the upper arm area. Changes in weight, ageing and genetics can cause your upper arms to have a drooping or sagging appearance. Often exercise alone cannot change the look of excess sagging upper arm skin.
In general, arm lift candidates have:
The cost of arm lift or brachioplasty surgery varies depending on the procedure and each patient's individual anatomy. On average Arm lift surgery with Dr Eddie Cheng starts from $6100 including:
Anaesthetist and hospital fees are additional and can be provided at the time of your consultation. Medicare and private health insurance rebates may be apply and can be provided with your formal estimate at the time of consultation. When choosing a specialist plastic surgeon for an arm lift, remember that the surgeon's experience and your comfort with him or her are just as important as the final cost of the surgery.
You may be eligible for a medicare and health fund rebate for your weight loss surgery including arm lift procedures providing you meet certain medicare criteria. Dr Cheng will confirm your eligibility during your consultation, however, you can begin to check off the following:
During your arm lift surgery consultation be prepared to talk to Dr Cheng about:
During this consult Dr Cheng and your patient coordinator will also:
Your consultation is a great opportunity to ask questions. Refer to our previous blog post about choosing the best plastic surgeon for me for a great list of questions to ask your surgeon. Before any surgery you will need to consult with Dr Cheng for at least one other consultation, usually your pre operative consultation.
The brachioplasty procedure is performed under a general anaesthetic and can take anywhere from 1.5-2.5 hours. Depending on the patient and where the excess skin sits. The incisions (and subsequent scars) will be made on the inner side of the arm from the elbow to the armpit to minimise visibility of the scar. The key aim of this procedure is to target the symptoms of excess skin and as well as keep an harmonious transition from forearm to armpit.”
You will be asked to sign consent forms that outline general and specific risks of arm lift surgery to ensure you fully understand the procedure.
Arm lift surgery risks include:
In preparing for arm lift surgery, you may be asked to:
An arm lift procedure includes the following steps:
On the day of surgery, Dr Cheng will see you in the pre operative area to perform the important planning and marking for your surgery. Our anaesthetist may have already contacted you the night before your procedure, or you may meet and talk to your anaesthetist for the first time on the day of surgery. Anaesthetic medications are given for your comfort during arm lift surgery. Dr Cheng always performs arm lift surgery under a general anaesthetic and typically patients remain in hospital for 2-3 days. Arm lift surgery can also be performed as day surgery and same day discharge home.
Incision length and pattern during arm lift surgery depends on the amount and location of excess skin to be removed - Dr Cheng will discuss this with you at your initial and pre operative consultation and again on the day of surgery. Typically, Dr Cheng prefers incision lines on the inside of the arm. They may extend from the armpit (axilla) to just above the elbow. Dr Cheng may also perform liposuction to remove excess fat and improve arm contouring.
Minimal incision may also be suitable for patients with less skin laxity.
Your incision will be closed using several layers of dissolvable sutures which will not be visible on the outside. A transparent surgical tape will cover the incision lines and remain in place for 3 weeks. When you wake up in recovery, your arms will be bound with a compression bandage and you will have a small thin tube called a surgical drain in each incision line for several days following your surgery. This will help drain any excess fluid.
Several days after surgery, your drains will be removed along with the outer compression bandage. You will see some bruising and swelling, however, your early results should be visible. Usually a smoother, more contoured arm is seen almost immediately after surgery. At this time you will be fitted with a sleeve compression garment which you will wear for 6 weeks. The transparent incision line tape will remain in place for 3 weeks following your surgery and yes you can shower as usual as this tape is waterproof.
Below is an example of the type of compression garment you will wear post operatively, which is why the cooler months is always a great time to have arm lift surgery.
Avoid excessive force and movement of the arms during healing. Dr Cheng and our very experienced plastic surgery nurses will provide written and verbal instructions on how to care for your incision lines at home. You will also see our team regularly during your early recovery period.
Each person's recovery will be slightly different depending on the complexity of surgery but generally you can expect the following during your individual recovery period:
Results are typically long lasting if you maintain a stable weight and fitness over time. Naturally ageing and genetics will play a part in the longevity of your results, however, improvement should be relatively permanent.
In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure and sometimes more surgery may be necessary.
6 Weeks after Arm Lift By Dr Eddie Cheng
6 Weeks after Arm Lift By Dr Eddie Cheng
6 Weeks After Arm Lift By Dr Eddie Cheng
See more Arm Lift Before and After Photos
Arm lift:
A surgical procedure, also known as brachioplasty, to correct sagging of the upper arms
Axilla:
The underarm area
Brachioplasty:
A surgical procedure, also known as arm lift, to correct sagging of upper arms
Liposuction:
Also called lipoplasty or suction lipectomy, this procedure vacuums out fat from beneath the skin’s surface to reduce fullness
Skin laxity:
Degree of loose skin
Sutures:
Stitches used by surgeons to hold skin and tissue together
Dr Eddie Cheng is a board certified Specialist Plastic Surgeon in Brisbane, Australia. Socialise with us @arplasticsurgery to learn more about Dr Eddie Cheng and our Team.