- We love our patients!
- We want to do everything we can to help our patients feel at peace in their bodies.
Regardless of your background or reason for being here, this statement applies to you.
But it might hit home differently for some people – those who have committed to maintaining a healthier lifestyle for years and have finally made it to a place where they feel proud of their body (and all of that hard work!)
It can be frustrating to see all the loose skin left behind after losing weight, especially in areas such as your arms.
We can help with that!
Brachioplasty – also known as an “arm lift” – is a cosmetic procedure that aims to contour or tighten the upper arms by removing excess skin and fat between the armpit and elbow.
Achieving major weight loss is a significant accomplishment, and sometimes the skin left behind serves prevents people from moving forward and feeling happy with their body. This procedure is ideal for patients who have had significant weight loss or who are becoming increasingly unhappy with their arms as they age.
Nevertheless, it’s still important to consider the implications of a surgical procedure on your body and to fully understand the process and journey ahead, should you decide to undergo this procedure.
- Let’s start with the consultation:
As with all of our other procedures at New Life, Dr. Lee will start by examining you and determining whether or not a Brachioplasty is the right solution for your needs.
Good candidates are:- Men or women who have loose skin on the arms – either from age or significant weight loss.
- At or very close to their goal weight. (Significant weight fluctuations after surgery can reverse the effects of this procedure.)
- Committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle before and after the procedure.
- In general good health and are not a smoker
- If Dr. Lee determines that you don’t have enough loose skin to qualify for this procedure, he will discuss other options and solutions with you in your consultation session.
Other factors you should consider before surgery include:
- The cost of the surgery. Brachioplasty is generally considered cosmetic surgery and will not be covered by insurance, meaning you will be responsible for paying for the procedure out of pocket.
- Your expectations. This surgery will leave visible scars – although we do our best to minimize and hide them. We encourage you to review the results in our patient gallery or our Instagram before proceeding.
- Dr. Lee will ask you to notify him of any medications or conditions you have to assess your risk for surgery. Inflammatory medications like ibuprofen, for example, increase your risk for bleeding and should be temporarily avoided before surgery.
- What happens during the procedure?
Much like our other cosmetic procedures, you will arrive at the office in the morning and be home in the afternoon.
After you’ve been sedated and your procedure has started, Dr. Lee will make an incision on your arm to remove excess tissue and fat. The surgery will take between 2 to 4 hours.
Depending on your needs, Dr. Lee will make an informed decision as to where this incision will be, usually in your inner arm and how large it will be. Incision length is typically determined by the amount and location of your excess skin and fat. Please keep in mind that Dr. Lee aims to leave you with the least amount of scarring possible.
In some cases, liposuction may be performed to help reduce unwanted fat deposits.
The incision will be closed with sutures or stitches that will be removed within one to two weeks after the procedure. - What can I expect immediately after the procedure?
You will notice a drastic difference immediately after surgery, but you will remain swollen for a few weeks after the procedure.
Dr. Lee sees all patients the day after surgery to remove bandages. You may shower after these bandages have been removed, but you should still be gentle with the area in the weeks following.
You should expect minor swelling, discomfort, skin tightness, and bruising after your procedure. Compression garments can help keep this swelling under control and promote better healing.
We urge you to walk around immediately after surgery and in the weeks following for at least 10 minutes every hour to prevent blood clots, but you should not lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for at least 2 weeks after surgery.
Because we use our arms for so many of our daily activities, we encourage you to try to be more aware of your movements as you heal.
A healthy, protein-rich diet can help promote faster and smoother healing after your surgery.
Keep an eye on your incisions and notify us immediately if you notice increased redness, drainage, or swelling outside of the expectations we set before and after your procedure.
- Show me the results!
Because each patient’s needs are different, it’s important to remember that results can vary from patient to patient.
A Brachioplasty is a permanent procedure, however, it is important to note that significant weight gain after surgery will alter the results of your arm lift. Your body will also continue to change as you age, but a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the effects of time on your body.
The scar will appear bright pink for some time, but with proper care, it will usually fade to your normal skin color over time. Excessive sunlight in the first year after surgery can cause scar discoloration. Apply that sunscreen and do your best to avoid direct sunlight. (Your entire body will thank you!)
Okay, okay, enough of the chit chat! Check out these incredible results from a few of our patients.
You can also preview this procedure in action over on our YouTube channel!
Whether you’ve lost a significant amount of weight (you should be proud!) or successfully endured the test of time (congrats!), a Brachioplasty might be the perfect procedure to help you achieve the results you’ve been after for so long.
Reach out to New Life Cosmetic Surgery and Wellness Center today to learn more about this procedure and schedule your first consultation with us!
