Upper Arm Tuck

An upper arm lift or brachioplasty takes the excess skin on the upper arm and tightens it down. The sagging of the skin is due to the impact of time and gravity and is affected by hereditary tendency. Diet and exercise can help minimize the effect but they cannot make that excess skin disappear. People who were obese and have experienced a lot of weight loss are good candidates for this procedure.

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. 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. The length and exact position of the incision are determined by the surgeon according to the amount of skin that needs to be removed. The underlying arm muscle is sculpted using sutures, to achieve a good arm formation. The skin is then pulled over the arm and closed back, tight and smooth.

This is a onetime 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 and flabby arm skin removed later.

Swelling and bruising usually occur after surgery and the arm may be wrapped and elevated in a flexible sleeve to help reduce the swelling. Recovery time is 10-14 days but you should be able to see your new arm's shape right after the operation.

If your surgeon didn't use absorbable sutures, yours will be removed two weeks after the upper arm tuck. In a period of 6 months the swelling and bruising will vanish and normal activity can resume. The scars generally fade within a year.

As with any surgery, there could be complications including bleeding, infection, poor wound healing and scarring. Carefully follow post-op care instructions and do not apply any stress to the area following the operation, allowing it time to heal.

Look to spend anywhere from $1,000.00 to $6,500.00 depending on where you are located.