Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)

There are many reasons why men and women may have excess sagging skin on their upper arms, such as weight loss, age, or genetics. Excess skin on the arms can cause a person to feel self-conscious and shy away from arm-revealing clothing, even in hot weather. This cosmetic concern can be corrected through a Brachioplasty procedure at Carolina Plastic Surgery. Arm contouring has become a very sought-after procedure within Dr. Saini’s practice. To find out more about this procedure, please contact our office and schedule your private consultation with arm lift expert Dr. Saira Saini.

This procedure can help you achieve a more aesthetically pleasing figure, leaving you more willing and confident to show off your improved arm definition.

What is an Arm Lift?

Loose skin on the upper portion of the arms can be a result of weight loss or simply part of the natural aging process. Sagging arm skin can prevent you from fitting comfortably into certain types of clothing or from wearing short sleeve shirts altogether. An arm lift, also known as a brachioplasty, can help you to attain slimmer, better-defined arms by removing the excess skin. This procedure is ideal for men and women who are self-conscious about the irregular shape and movement of their upper arms. In this case, Brachioplasty can be a perfect solution to correct these concerns. There are several arm lift techniques that can be performed to help achieve your aesthetic goals. However, this treatment does not automatically include the removal of excess fat on the arms. If you are looking to remove excess skin, as well as unwanted fat, you may require additional liposuction. For more information and procedure details, please contact the office of Dr. Saini and request your consultation.

Brachioplasty Benefits

Good Candidates

In order to determine if you are a candidate for an arm lift procedure, you will need to schedule a consultation with Dr. Saini. At this time she will listen to your aesthetic concerns and goals, as well as evaluate your health and medical history. To be considered for this procedure, you must be in good health and maintain reasonable expectations for the procedure outcome. You should be at a stable weight, and if you are a weight loss patient, it is essential that you have arrived at your goal weight before undergoing this procedure. Future weight fluctuations can negatively impact the final results of the arm lift. It is essential that you do not have any underlying health conditions that can pose a risk to an effective recovery and healing. You should be a nonsmoker; patients who do smoke will be asked to quit before their surgery. Regardless of the cause, Dr. Saini can correct sagging skin in this area with an arm lift. If you have excess fat that resides within this region, Dr. Saini will either suggest pairing this procedure with liposuction or recommend considering this procedure after the excess fat has been diminished through diet and exercise.

Consultation

During the initial consultation with Dr. Saini, she will ask you about your particular concerns and overall goals for the brachioplasty procedure. At this appointment, she will be assessing your medical history, specifically looking at your current health, routine medications, previous surgeries if any. This will help the doctor to ensure that an arm lift procedure will be a safe and effective option to help you achieve your goals. She will then conduct a physical examination to identify your specific concerns and make the final determinations for candidacy. Before leaving our office, you will be given the opportunity to schedule your arm lift; however, there is no obligation to do so. Dr. Saini understands that this is an important decision that should be made among friends and family to ensure you have a good support system before undergoing this surgery. If you require additional or alternative treatments to provide the desired results, Dr. Saini will make these recommendations at the time of the consultation. To find out if you would be a candidate for the Brachioplasty procedure, you can click here or call Carolina Plastic Surgery of Fayetteville at (910) 323-1234 to request your consultation today.

Brachioplasty Techniques

Dr. Saini offers several different brachioplasty techniques to provide treatment options for a variety of cases. Depending on the amount of sagging skin and/or fat on the upper arms, the doctor will give her expert recommendations to ensure you attain the aesthetic that you are looking for.

Traditional

The traditional arm lift is the most commonly chosen brachioplasty procedure and is the technique that patients often associate with this surgery. The incision used for this method runs from the armpit to the elbow along the underside of the arm where any scarring will be least noticeable. The traditional arm lift is best if you have excess skin that droops from their upper arms. Once the excess skin has been removed, Dr. Saini will join the remaining skin, pulling it tight to improve the arms shape and contour.

Mini

A mini arm lift is best if you only require mild skin tightening on the upper arms. The incision for this procedure only spreads across the armpit. Dr. Saini will remove the small amount of excess skin and pull the remaining skin tight and close the incision. Any remaining scarring will be nicely camouflaged within the natural creases of the armpit. This procedure treats explicitly excess skin that is adjacent to your armpit.

Extended

An extended arm lift treats the most severe cases of arm skin laxity. Although this procedure does require the most extended incision, the amount of treatment it provides is exceptional. The incision for this procedure runs from the elbow to the armpit and along the side of the chest. Because this technique removes the largest amount of skin, it is usually reserved for patients who have undergone significant weight loss.

Liposuction

Liposuction can be performed alone or in conjunction with one of the aforementioned arm lift techniques to remove excess fat deposits on your upper arms, providing an even better contour. Liposuction is performed by making small incisions near the treatment area. Through these incisions, Dr. Saini will insert a cannula that uses high power suction to remove the fatty cells from the arms. During the consultation, the doctor can recommend if liposuction would be beneficial to enhance your results further.

The Procedure

An arm lift is performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia. The surgery itself takes about 2-3 hours from beginning to end. During your consultation with Dr. Saini, your surgical options will be discussed, as well as what to expect from this surgery. This will help you to properly prepare for your procedure.

The extent of this procedure will depend on a multitude of factors, such as the level of correction desired, your surgical preferences, and if additional procedures are being combined to provide more comprehensive results.

Every procedure is performed in such a way that provides minimal visible scarring and short recovery times. If you require liposuction, the doctor will perform this procedure before beginning the arm lift. Next, the doctor will make the necessary incisions to remove an adequate amount of excess skin throughout the upper arms. Once she has achieved the desired definition, Dr. Saini will close the incisions using sutures and will wrap the arms in compression sleeves. You will then be escorted to the recovery area.

Recovery

Once in the recovery area, you will stay for a couple of hours before being released to finish your healing in the comfort of your home. Each patient heals differently, but some mild swelling, bruising, and discomfort can be expected after your brachioplasty surgery. Dr. Saini recommends that you walk briefly the night after your procedure to help improve circulation and reduce the risk of clotting. The compression sleeves should be worn constantly through the recovery stage to allow the skin to form nicely to the new contour of your arms. You will be provided with any necessary aftercare instructions to reduce the risk of infection, as well as a prescription for pain medication to help alleviate any discomfort during this time. Dr. Saini can help you determine when to safely return to work and normal activities. Our office will help you schedule follow-up appointments so Dr. Saini can monitor your healing and progress to ensure optimal results. In general, she recommends that you refrain from daily activities for about 5-7 days. More strenuous movements and exercises should be avoided for about 10-14 days following the procedure.

Cost