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Information for plastic surgery procedure BRACHIOPLASTY (ARM LIFT, ARM REDUCTION and LIPOSUCTION OF THE ARMS) |
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What
is the surgery: Many women hide their upper arms, even in the dog days of summer, because they are unwilling to wear sleeveless or short-sleeved shirts. They feel their upper arms are too big and bulky compared to their body, or that they have too much loose, hanging skin, which gives their arms an unflattering silhouette. There are effective techniques to reduce the size of the upper arms and to get rid of excess skin. What's more, these goals can be accomplished without the tradeoff of lengthy post-treatment scars. With proper patient evaluation and thoughtful surgical techniques, patient satisfaction with contouring of the arms has been very high. |
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The Surgery: To begin the procedure, the surgeon makes incisions to remove excess fatty tissues. This is accomplished with different size hollow tubes called cannulas. The opposite end of the cannula is attached to a machine that creates a strong vacuum. The surgeon manipulates the cannula within the fat layers under the skin, breaking up the fat and suctioning it out. Each area to be suctioned needs to be approached from two different directions. There are different methods of liposuction. With the tumescent technique, a fluid is infiltrated into your fat deposits to ease removal and decrease discomfort and bleeding. Power assisted liposuction uses oscillating cannulas, which vibrate minutely but quickly to remove firm, fibrous fat. When an arm lift is performed, an incision will be made in the armpit along the natural crease where the arm joins the body. This will enable the surgeon to remove excess skin and tighten the skin to conform to the new arm shape. Stitches will be placed in all incisions and a temporary tube may be inserted to drain excess fluid from the surgical site. Compression dressings will be applied to control swelling and to help your skin shrink and heal to fit your new contour. |
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Anesthesia: Your procedure will be performed under general anesthesia, which is administered by a board certified anesthesiologist. You'll sleep through the operation. Arm liposuction and arm lifts usually take 2 to 3 hours. The time varies depending on the extent of the procedure. |
After your surgery: For the first few days after surgery, you will feel swollen, tight and sore. The discomfort and tightness can be controlled by medication. Do not allow your arms to hang by your sides. You will need to keep your arms elevated on pillows for the first day or two to keep the swelling from drifting into your hands and fingers. You will need to limit your arm motions for the first few weeks after surgery until the incisions are well healed. You should keep your elbows below shoulder level for approximately 2 weeks after surgery. If you have a drainage tube, it will be removed within a few days. You will apply antibiotic ointment around the drain and on the incisions several times per day. Do not get any of the treated areas wet until instructed to do so. Do not wear deodorant without your doctor's approval. You will be expected to wear a supportive garment to cover the areas that were treated once the compression wraps are removed. Count on wearing such a garment continuously for 3 to 4 weeks. This helps support the skin during healing. |
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| Getting back to normal:
Healing is a gradual process. It takes time for the swelling and bruising to resolve and for the skin sensations to return to normal. Usually it takes up to 3 months for all swelling to disappear. You will be encouraged to exercise since it will help you heal better. Activities such as walking, lower body weights, recumbent bikes and treadmills are permissible as soon as 7 days after surgery. More vigorous activities, such as jogging, aerobics or upper body weights can be resumed approximately 4 weeks after treatment. At the beginning, your incisions will be noticeable but they will gradually fade and flatten for up to a year after surgery. If you had skin tightening, you will also have puckering around the armpit incision at the beginning. This will smooth out over a month or two. Your skin will also be firm and numb at the outset. It will soften and normal sensation will return gradually. |
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Your new look: Liposuction of the arms and arm lifts produces excellent results for patients with disproportionate arms or arms with loose skin. Patients typically lose inches from the upper arm and enjoy new freedom to wear clothing that is short sleeved or sleeveless.
Appointments for revision included: 3 appointments Days in Costa Rica
after the surgery: 14 Days |
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