FAQS About Arm Lift

What is Arm Lift Surgery?

Arm Lift (Brachioplasty) is the surgical removal of the loose skin, or bingo wings, that often develop on the upper arms, as a natural part of the aging process and particularly as a result of weight-loss.  The loss of the skin's elasticity as we get older means that exercise and diet cannot get rid of this problem without resorting to arm lift surgery. 

Who Will Benefit From an Arm Lift?

If the skin on your arms is loose and sagging, due to the aging process or extreme weight loss, Arm Lift Surgery may be a solution for you.  It is important to understand that as an Arm Lift patient, you should be in good general health.  You should also understand that because the arm lift is a surgical procedure, there will be scarring.

How is Arm Lift Surgery Performed?

Before you choose to have the arm lift procedure, whether at home in abroad, you should learn as much as you can about arm lift surgery.  An arm lift usually requires only a couple of days stay at the clinic, and the arm lift procedure usually takes only a couple of hours to complete. How long you stay, and how big the incision is, varies from person to person, depending on how much skin and fat needs to be removed, and from where. Severe cases of excess skin might require an incision extending from elbow to armpit, while less severe cases mean a much less extensive incision. In most cases, the incision is made on the inner side of the arm, as a curve or a zigzag.
First, the surgeon marks the areas that need the correction, and make the incision from the inner elbow to the armpit. Arm lift surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia or full sedation. Special drains may be placed to improve healing, and will be removed some three days later. A competent plastic surgeon will use classical stitches, to be removed in 21 days, in order to close the incision.

How safe is Arm Lift Surgery?

Arm Lift surgery is relatively safe; as long as you make sure you are using a reputable surgeon who is well-experienced with the arm lift procedure. However, like all surgery, there is always a chance of complications.  You should be sure to understand these, and discuss them with your arm lift surgeon. Add to this the hazards of any serious procedure in an unfamiliar and foreign land, and special care needs to be taken before you decide to get arm lift surgery abroad.

How Long Will Recovery From an Arm Lift Take?

After the arm lift is completed, post surgical care begins with the area being bandaged for better healing. The stitches are usually removed between one and three weeks after surgery. Compressive bandages are often advised to deal with the pain, swelling and tightness, and antibiotics prescribed to prevent infections. Strenuous activity must be avoided in the period immediately following the arm lift surgery. Normal, light activity can be resumed in a week or two, and exercise can be slowly brought back into your life from the fourth week onwards. Most of the post surgical bruising and swelling disappears in a month or two.

How Much Does Arm Lift Surgery Cost?

Prices for Arm Lift Surgery vary greatly depending on where you opt to get your arm lift surgery performed.