Do Sagging Upper Arms Embarrass You?

In hot, hot weather, you need cool, cool clothing. Stores everywhere offer a rainbow assortment of fun, colorful sleeveless blouses and sundresses. But maybe you feel self-conscious wearing them because of the way your upper arms look – loose and full because of excess skin and fat.

In fact, you may feel less than lovely if you have sagging skin on the undersides of your upper arms. And you can get a wee bit tired of letting your arms make decisions about what you’re going to wear.

Aging, weight fluctuations and/or heredity can cause sagging upper arm skin. And sad to say, no matter how much you exercise with dumbbells or machines, you can’t make it go away.

But there is another way to tighten up those upper arms: an arm lift, or brachioplasty.

Brachioplasty is a surgical procedure that:

• reduces the excess drooping skin.
• tightens and smoothes the tissue that shapes the upper arm.
• reduces pockets of fat in the upper arm area.

Are you a good candidate for brachioplasty? You may be if…

• your weight is fairly stable, and you are not significantly overweight.
• you are healthy and have no medical conditions that slow healing or increase the risk of surgery.
• you don’t smoke, or you’re willing to quit before surgery.
• you have a positive outlook and realistic expectations.

Need questions answered? Visit APSKC for a free consultation

If you’re considering an arm lift procedure, you’ll want to have all of your questions answered before making a decision. So please feel free to make a consultation appointment with us.

During the consultation, we’ll discuss your goals for surgery. We’ll also ask you for health-related information to determine whether brachioplasty is appropriate for you. We’ll consider your general health status, pre-existing health conditions, drug allergies and medical treatments. And we’ll let you know what you can expect from the surgery and possible risks or complications. Instructions and technique may vary by surgeon.

What would I need to do before the procedure?

You’ll need to avoid taking any drug that increases bleeding, such as aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and certain herbal supplements. You’ll also need to arrange for someone to drive you home after surgery and stay with you while you begin to recover. And be sure to ask questions! We’re here to answer them.

What happens during the procedure?

• Your surgeon will make incisions on the inner sides and backs of your upper arms.
• Your underlying tissues will be tightened and reshaped with internal sutures, and liposuction may be used to remove fat.
• Your skin will be smoothed and draped over the new contours.
• The excess skin will be removed, and the incisions will be closed with absorbable sutures, stitches or surgical tape.

After the procedure:

Your incisions will be covered in bandages. In a day or two, you’ll see a member of the plastic surgery team, who will remove your bandages. You may need to wear a compression sleeve for a few weeks to reduce swelling.

In the first few days after the procedure, you can take pain medications as needed and any topical or oral antibiotics your doctor prescribes to prevent infection. For three or four weeks, you shouldn’t raise your arms above shoulder level. And for four to eight weeks after surgery, you should avoid any physical activity that will stretch your incisions.

Like any surgery, brachioplasty carries some risks:

• You’ll have permanent incision scars, but they’re typically in areas where they don’t show.
• Your surgeon will try to make your arms look symmetrical, but perfect symmetry is not possible.
• As the arm tissues are repositioned, superficial sensory nerves may be affected, so you may experience temporary numbness.
• If stitches used to create the arm’s new shape migrate to the surface of your skin, they may cause inflammation and need to be surgically removed. 

APSKC credentials

• Associated Plastic Surgeons of Kansas City combines the expertise of board-certified or board-eligible plastic surgeons with world-class technology. Learn about the requirements for board certification [link to About Us page]
• We are state-licensed and Medicare-certified.

Arm lift surgery may or may not be right for you. We’re dedicated to patient education, and we’ll do our best to provide all the information you need before making a decision.

To make a consultation appointment, please give us a call at (913) 451-3722 or request your consultation online.