Flexing Some Facts About Arm Lifts

Tank top season is right around the corner, which has some of us feeling a little self-conscious about our less-than toned arms. While winter certainly felt endless, somehow it wasn’t enough time to get our arms in the shape we envisioned. The fact is, even with all the effort in the world, sometimes it takes an outside intervention to tighten up saggy skin under the arms. 

Let’s take you through the basics of brachioplasty, more commonly referred to as arm lift surgery, to see if this solution is right for you.

The basics of brachioplasty

If you’ve experienced massive weight loss, you’re probably delighted by your trimmer shape and size. At the same time, you might feel frustrated with a common side effect, which is excess skin that seemingly refuses to shrink or snap into your new, smaller shape. 

The appearance of excess or saggy skin around your upper arms and armpits has been dubbed “bat wings,” and can cause women to feel self-conscious, especially when eyeing up their summer wardrobe or planning a beach day. 

Brachioplasty is effective at removing this unwanted skin and fat, resulting in a smoother shape and smaller size, which is better balanced against the rest of your body. The incision required to remove the excess skin is often combined with liposuction ro reduce the overall circumference of the arm. 

Though not the same everywhere, at Sterling Plastic Surgery, our surgeons prefer an arm lift technique called the L-brachioplasty. Not only does it yield excellent results, complications are rare, and the scar is well-concealed beneath your arm so that it’s not at all visible from the front or back. In other words, wear that sleeveless shift dress with confidence! 

“Dr. Sterling and his team were amazing. My weight fluctuated throughout my life and so I finally decided to have brachioplasty at 30 years old. The results were astounding. I wish I had done it years ago. Now I can wear a short sleeve shirts and tank tops with confidence. Dr Sterling did an amazing job and answered any and all questions I had throughout the process. Overall I am 100% happy with my decision to get the surgery and to go to Sterling Plastic Surgery.” 

— R. Drury

Brachioplasty: post-op care

We advise our patients to keep active and ensure you’re up and walking around the same evening as your procedure. Most people can even return to light exercise (no weightlifting, please!), several days following their brachioplasty. In general, patients can expect all restrictions to be removed after six weeks, though often even sooner, depending on the individual. 

For questions about arm lifts or any other cosmetic procedures, we invite you to contact our office.