Arm Lift Surgery (Brachioplasty)

What Is an Arm Lift?

Some areas of our bodies can stand up to the effects of aging better than others. The upper arms aren’t one of those areas. The constant pull of gravity and weakening muscles and support tissue can give you upper arms that are loose and actually swing back and forth with movement. Colloquially known as “bat wings,” this phenomenon can make a person avoid wearing sleeveless fashions or even swimsuits.

Dr. Altamira can return contour to your upper arms with an arm lift. An arm lift, clinically known as Brachioplasty, reshapes your arms to a more toned, slimmer profile.

Arm Lift Surgery Benefits

Loose upper arms can be the result of aging, or from the gain and subsequent loss of a good deal of weight. If the loose skin on the underside of your upper arms moves freely when you shift your arm, an arm lift could be a good procedure for you. An arm lift removes the loose skin and accumulated fat and returns tone and contour to your upper arms. But an arm lift is not intended to be for weight loss, so patients need to be near their ideal weight. Plus, the procedure creates a lengthy scar, so that should be taken into account.

Arm Lift Procedure

Due to the length of the upper arms, an arm lift creates a lengthy incision. Dr. Altamira usually makes an incision that runs on the underside of the upper arm, running from the underarm to the elbow. Through this incision, he is able to remove excess fat pockets with liposuction. He then repositions and tightens the underlying muscle tissue, and trims away excess skin.

If a patient doesn’t have extensive sagging skin, sometimes a minimal incision arm lift technique can be used. In this technique, Dr. Altamira makes a few small incisions near the underarm, in lieu of one long incision on each arm. This method, while creating much less scarring, doesn’t allow the same degree of overall tightening.

Who is an Ideal Candidate for an Arm Lift?

If you are healthy and do not smoke, and you have loose tissue that droops from your upper arms, you are most likely a good candidate for Brachioplasty. In our Sugar Land and Houston offices, we treat adults who are troubled by loose skin and visible fat on the upper arms caused by weight changes, genetics, age, and other factors. Excess skin on the upper arms is often the result of losing 50 pounds or more. Depending on the amount of tissue involved, you might consider one of a few different arm lift techniques. During your consultation with Dr. Altamira, expect to discuss your concerns as well as your medical history and current medications. The information obtained during this visit helps the doctor confirm that you can safely undergo surgery and that you can recover well from your procedure.

Can A Brachioplasty Be Combined With Other Procedures?

Chances are, if you are considering Brachioplasty, you have lost a good deal of weight and are concerned about excess sagging skin in more than one area. This is not uncommon. Combining body contouring procedures into a singular event offers multiple advantages, including having just one recovery period. Some of the combinations that are frequently performed include an arm lift and a breast lift (or augmentation), arm lift and abdominoplasty, or arm lift and thigh lift. The options are not limited in terms of what areas may be treated in a single surgery, but how to achieve the best results in the safest manner. If you are interested in combining plastic surgeries, Dr. Altamira can evaluate how the ideal combination may affect surgical time, recovery, and more. With consideration of these important factors, you and he can determine the approach that is best suited to your case.

When Will I See Results From My Brachioplasty?

As soon as you have regained alertness after anesthesia, you will be able to notice a change in your arms. Bandages initially cover the surgical area. Swelling will also obscure the outcome of surgery for some time. The final outcome of your arm lift, your newly sculpted arms, may not be fully realized until approximately six weeks after surgery. At that time, though you’ll still have scarring to manage and some residual swelling, the improved shape of your arms should feel very satisfying. Keep in mind that, if your arms do not look as dramatically sculpted as you had imagined at first, it can take up to six months after Brachioplasty for the tissue to fully settle into its new contours.

How Long Will My Results Last?

The results of your Brachioplasty are best described as semi-permanent. Provided that you maintain a healthy weight, you can expect your general arm shape to sustain for many years. Your contours may change gradually over time simply due to the effects of aging. While it is common to lose some degree of firmness in the upper arms as you age, an active lifestyle that includes specific arm exercises can slow this process.

Will I Have Scarring After Arm Lift Surgery?

Scarring is an unavoidable aspect of arm lift surgery. Knowing this, Dr. Altamira places incisions where the body’s natural shape will conceal them as much as possible. Most patients agree that a bit of scarring is an acceptable alternative to loose, sagging upper arms that are disproportionate to the body. That said, we understand the desire to resolve scarring as optimally as possible after surgery. Once your incisions have closed, we may discuss specific instructions or suggestions for scar care. One of the primary tactics for minimizing scars is to avoid sun exposure. Beyond that, you may benefit from applying special topical solutions such as scar creams or silicone sheets to facilitate the healing of the skin.

Arm Lift Surgery Recovery

Recovery from arm lift surgery is not difficult. You’ll return home with bandages and possibly drainage tubes on your incisions. You’ll be given compression garments for both arms to minimize swelling and help your arms adapt to their new contour. There will be swelling, due to the tissue repositioning, but it should be gone in around two weeks. Within one to two weeks you can return to work, but special care has to be taken to avoid much lifting and strenuous activity with your arms.

What Our Patients Have To Say!

“You are all a great team. I was happy with the work done and the way you all treated me. Great team work at Dr. Altamira’s office. They are all so very kind. I give them five stars.” – M.I.

“I highly recommend board-certified Dr. David Altamira for your plastic surgery needs and wants. He listens attentively during the consult, recommends procedures to meet your needs, and provides a seamless on point surgery. I also recommend any post-op treatments offered by his staff for a quicker recovery time. All of his staff are efficient, professional, and friendly.” -L.C.

To read more of our patient testimonials please click here!

Schedule a consultation

If you are interested in Arm Lift surgery and would like to see if you are a good candidate, call (713) 271-9000 to schedule a consultation. Dr. Altamira has plastic surgery offices located in Houston and Sugar Land, Texas.