Arm Lift

Both men and women may seek arm lift surgery for a variety of reasons. You would usually be unable to get rid of the excess skin and fat in your upper arms despite a good diet and exercise. This can have a major impact on your body confidence affecting the outfits that you choose to wear, activities that you do and in some cases even affect enjoyment of holidays.

If you are over 18, generally healthy, not overweight and a non-smoker, you are suitable for arm lift surgery. Occasionally, some people who seek arm lift surgery may actually not be suitable, and may require a different technique (such as liposuction). During your consultation, you will be advised on whether arm lift surgery is suitable for you.

At your consultation, you will meet Dr Kian, a fully-qualified plastic surgeon who is trained in cosmetic surgery. He will take a full medical history including details of medications, allergies, smoking and previous surgery. Dr Kian also always takes time to understand what your goals and concerns are.

During your examination, the following will be assessed systematically and standard clinical photographs will be taken for your medical record:

• excess skin and fat in the upper arms
• previous scars & stretch marks
• skin quality

Dr Kian will then discuss your procedure with you. He will also discuss the scar pattern that you are likely to expect. He will explain the potential risks and complications of surgery so that you make a fully-informed decision. There will be plenty of time to answer any questions that you may have and you can rest assured that Dr Kian will give you his honest, professional advice.

Arm lift surgery targets the area between your elbow and armpit. The scar that you have will depend on the amount of excess skin that needs to be removed and this varies between individuals. In general, the scar will start just above your elbow and extend towards your under arm area. In cases where the excessive skin extends into the under arm area, your scar will extend into the armpit.

Arm lift surgery will produce immediate results and you will see that your upper arm is sleeker and more toned straight after surgery. There will be some swelling from surgery, which will take a couple of weeks to subside. Full results will be visible from 6 weeks.

You will be encouraged to start walking as soon as possible after surgery. You will be able to take short walks and light exercises not involving your arms about 2-3 weeks after surgery. However, you are advised to avoid strenuous exercise for 6 weeks after surgery.

During your consultation, Dr Kian will explain the potential risks and complications of your procedure. Some of these include:

• Scar – this will depend on the amount of excess skin removed. Dr Kian will discuss the scars you will likely expect at your consultation.
• Infection – some wound infections may require antibiotic treatment.
• Seroma – this is a collection of fluid. Small seromas may be left alone if they do not produce any symptoms, however larger or symptomatic ones may be aspirated.
• Bleeding/haematoma – bleeding after surgery may require a second operation to remove the blood clot and stop any bleeding.
• Wound healing problems – occasionally, there may be areas that take a bit longer to heal due to either infection or impaired blood supply.
• Stitch reactions – the sutures that are used are usually dissolving sutures buried under the skin. Occasionally, some people get little reactions to the sutures in small areas however this usually settles down with time.
• Numbness – any surgery can result in changes to sensation including numbness which can take some time to resolve. Permanent numbness is uncommon.
• Unfavourable results – arm lift surgery has a high satisfaction rate among all cosmetic surgery operations. However, unfavourable results may be due to not being satisfied with the appearance such as small ‘dog ears’ at the end of the scars. Weight changes or pregnancy after surgery can result in loss of the aesthetic result.

Recovery time will vary between individuals, however for most people this will be between 2 to 3 weeks. We would normally advise to take at least 2 weeks off work, however you may return to work sooner or later depending on how you recover and the type of work that you do. You will be asked to wear a post-surgical support garment or after your surgery for at least 3 weeks. Full results take at least 6 weeks, however this will vary from person to person.

Dr Kian believes that good aftercare is as important as the surgery itself. You will be given contact details to get in touch should you have any concerns after your surgery. You will have a clinic appointment approximately 1 week after your procedure. At this time, the wound is inspected to ensure that it is healing well and there is no infection. You will have a full review appointment with Dr Kian at approximately 6 weeks after your surgery to check that you are happy with your results and to give you long-term aftercare instructions.