Brachioplasty

During a brachioplasty a plastic surgeon removed areas of extra tissue located under the upper arm by making an incision on the back of the arm. He will then remove any extra skin folds and fat. The brachioplasty surgeon will then suture up the incision using advanced skills to ensure the shape is pure perfection leaving the skin smooth. This will improve the muscle tone of the upper arm, and if needed, patients will often opt for fat removal from the side of the chest.

Anyone with sagging flappy skin and excessive fat on the arms is an ideal candidate for brachioplasty surgery, and most patients who have brachioplasty surgery at Grossman Medical are individuals who had weight loss surgery. When people put on extra weight, the skin stretches over time. Then, when one loses weight, the skin may lack the needed elasticity to snap back into place. As a result, extra unsightly skin is left. Not only is this unattractive, but one can develop medical complications such as chafing that can lead to great discomfort (even pain), rashes, and infections. In some cases, one’s medical insurance will pay for the procedure or part of it, based on the policy and the type of medical conditions and health risks that factor in.

A brachioplasty surgery recovery time is usually one to two weeks. To have the quickest recovery time possible it is critical to follow your surgeon’s instructions. You will need to get lots of rest and stay away from strenuous activities such as lifting heavy objects or performing tasks that utilize repetitive movement of the arms. You will want to keep your arm activity and movement to a minimum during the recovery period.

You won’t feel a thing during the procedure, as like with most surgeries, you will be put under with anesthesia. During the recovery period it is common to feel some discomfort, as well as some soreness, bruising and swelling. However, this will lessen after a few days. Your doctor will likely tell you to keep your arms elevated with pillows and will give you a prescription for pain control. Elevating your arms is important because it will improve circulation and reduce any swelling. Wearing sleeveless tops or loose clothing will enable better comfort, and you should wear a button up or zipper shirt to enable greater ease of taking garments off and putting them on. Your doctor will tell you what to expect with any drainage, swelling, or redness. If you experience an increase in any of these, call your plastic surgeon immediately. Many patients that have had multiple body contouring procedures have reported that the brachioplasty recovery was significantly less painful than procedures that targeted the midsection, but some discomfort will be highly probable. However, pain management can be achieved by following your doctor’s instructions and taking the right medications.

Since an incision is made to remove extra skin and excess fat, there will be a scar. However, the scar will continuously refine as you heal, and since it is made on the inside of the arm, it won’t be easily noticed. In the future, you can book scar revision treatment to remove the scar, or to significantly lighten it so that it’s barely noticeable. Be sure to keep the incision out of direct sunlight for the first year after your procedure. Avoiding sunlight will help to prevent scar discoloration. Right after your surgery the scar will likely be pink but will face over time to match your normal skin color.