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An upper arm lift or brachioplasty takes the excess skin on the upper arm and tightens it down. Women that have had breast cancer and a mastectomy performed on them is not good candidates for this surgery. In a mastectomy, the lymph nodes and glands have sometimes been removed, or have been pierced or ruptured as the surgeon chases the cancer. If she elects to have an upper arm lift, she will experience more pain and swelling than someone else who has not had the surgery.
The majority of arm lifts are done on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. A sedative is also administered to keep the patient relaxed. The entire procedure takes about two hours. This is a one time only procedure as the results are permanent. Sometimes the plastic surgeon will recommend liposuction instead of a brachioplasty. The liposuction can be done during the brachioplasty, or the liposuction can be a stand-alone procedure to remove flabby arm skin. People who were obese and have experienced a lot of weight loss are good candidates for this procedure. The incision needs to be under the elbow and under the armpit, therefore many surgeons enter from the lower back going under the armpit to make it less noticeable. Swelling and bruising will occur and the arm will be wrapped and elevated in a flexible sleeve to help reduce the swelling. Recovery time is 10-14 days. Two weeks after the upper arm lift, the sutures will be removed. In a period of 6 months the swelling and bruising will vanish and normal activity can resume. The scars generally fade within a year.
Look to spend anywhere from $1,000.00 to $6,500.00 depending on where you are located.
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