Brachioplasty (Arm Lift Surgery) involves surgically removing excess skin and tissues from the upper arm to address issues with the shape and form of the arm.
Often, patients have lost an excessive amount of weight and are left with excess skin that does not retract around their arms. At other times, natural factors such as genetics and ageing cause the skin to lose elasticity. While exercise can help tone the arm muscles, it doesn’t always result in tightening or the removal of excess skin.
A Brachioplasty procedure is performed in a private hospital under general anaesthesia. Depending on the procedure required, your surgery may take between two and four hours. Dr Dona performs several types of Arm Lift procedures, with each tailored to your specific needs. During your Initial Consultation, he’ll advise you on the most appropriate option to address your concerns.
Any ‘minimal’ scar surgery can only work when the patient has minimal problems, as it can only provide minimal results!
When considering Arm Lift Surgery, some surgeons offer a surgical technique where the scar is limited to the armpit, promising that this technique will tighten the arm.
However, this is not an optimal solution.
The reasons for this may best be described with a dressmaking analogy.
If you have a baggy shirt sleeve and you only shorten the sleeve, it will still be baggy. Alternatively, a successful alteration will involve running a seam along the length of the arm to remove material and tighten the sleeve for a better fit.
The same basic principle applies to Arm Lift Surgery (as it does to all body contouring surgical procedures).
A traditional Arm Lift has a scar extending from the elbow to the armpit. Dr Dona prefers to have the scar on the inner aspect of the arm, while some surgeons may place the scar along the back of the arm.
During the procedure, Dr Dona will remove all excess skin and associated fatty tissue. He will then close the wounds using several layers of internal dissolving stitches. The result is a tighter, smoother contour, consistent with the patient’s body composition.
When patients have experienced excessive weight loss, they are often left with excess skin in many areas of the body.
A common area of concern is the upper outer aspect of the chest (below the armpit region).
To address this concern, the Arm Lift will often extend to this chest region, as well as the outer aspect of the lower breast/chest fold. This procedure is designed to remove all excess skin and tighten the outer chest wall and armpit region so that they are proportionate to the newly tightened arm.
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The displayed before and after pictures are provided as an educational tool to demonstrate some of the results achievable from plastic surgery. All surgeries on this page are performed by Dr Eddy Dona and are published with the written consent by the patients
Ideal candidates for Brachioplasty typically fall into two categories.
The first category involves patients who have experienced significant weight loss. Although they have lost a considerable amount of fat, the skin on the arms has a limited ability to contract back to its now smaller frame. Instead, the skin remains loose and floppy. And for some individuals, this is a concern.
Other suitable Brachioplasty candidates are those who have lost elasticity in their skin due to ageing, lifestyle or genetics. Over time, the skin begins to sag, and no amount of exercise can help it regain its former shape.
When patients have lost an excessive amount of weight, they often find that both their arms and breasts have sagged considerably. Consequently, some patients opt to combine their Brachioplasty with a Breast Lift. An advantage of combining these two surgeries is that the scar from the Arm Lift continues to join the scar from the Breast Lift. This allows Dr Dona to remove the excess skin between the outer breast and armpit, consequently reconstructing the entire region. If you like, you can think of it as a combined Arm and Breast Lift.
Your consultation is the first step in discovering whether an Arm Lift is right for you. During this appointment, Dr Dona will:
If you are a suitable candidate, Dr Dona will explain the surgical approach, outline the expected recovery and discuss potential risks and complications. Dr Dona will also take the time to answer your questions, so you feel fully informed before making any decisions.
When you wake from surgery, the head of your bed will be elevated and a pillow will be placed under your knees to maximise your comfort. To minimise any potential fluid accumulating in your wounds, drainage tubes will be inserted on each thigh — this will remain in place on average for two days. You will also have been fitted with compression garments/tights. These garments are fitted to your thighs and help to minimise swelling, reduce tension in the wounds and aid in healing.
You’ll have a catheter placed in your bladder. This will allow you to stay relaxed in bed without having to go to the toilet – the catheter is usually removed on day two, while in hospital. You’ll also have at least one drip in place to give you IV fluids, pain medication and antibiotics.
To help prevent DVT, you’ll have special massage devices on both legs. These are designed to minimise the chance of any blood clots developing by promoting blood flow.
Waterproof dressing will cover your wounds. This will stay in place until you arrive at our clinic for your first HeaLED post-op appointment. During your appointment, your dressing will be removed, the areas will be treated with LED light, and micropore tape will be applied to your incisions. Micropore tape will be taken on and off in between appointments, until one week post-surgery. Then, the tape will remain off. Your wounds will be stitched using several layers of internal dissolving sutures.
Here’s what you can expect regarding your recovery and wound care during your first two days in hospital.
WOUND CARE:
Dr Dona Answers Your
A suitable candidate for Brachioplasty Surgery is typically someone who has undergone significant weight loss and is left with excess sagging skin that hangs off their arms.
Suitable candidates should also be in good mental and physical health, understand the potential risks and complications of surgery and have realistic expectations regarding their surgical outcomes.
Everyone has a different experience with pain after surgery, from mild to significant discomfort. You may experience localised pain at your incision sites, but also nerve pain (shooting pains and burning). However, your specialist anaesthetist will take good care of all your pain concerns.
As well as providing the anaesthesia for your surgery, they’ll give you pain medications to take during your hospital stay, along with medications to take home with you.
Additionally, once you’ve returned home from hospital, you’ll regularly attend the clinic for a comprehensive post-operative care program, which will include LED light therapy. This treatment not only accelerates healing but also helps to minimise pain.
Before your procedure, you’ll be given a detailed post-operative plan. This involves multiple weekly in-clinic post-operative care visits with our nursing team that continue for several weeks. This plan enables our nursing team and Dr Dona to monitor your progress, initiate post-operative treatments and wound care, and ensure you achieve all the necessary recovery milestones.
Occasionally, depending on the Arm Lift procedure, some patients have surgery performed in a day surgery facility. However, most patients spend at least one night in a private hospital before they are medically fit to return home. Other patients may benefit from another day or two in hospital.
When you return home, you’ll be encouraged to get up and be as mobile as possible. However, it’s vital that you listen to your body and only move around to the extent that you’re comfortable with.
Immediately after your surgery, you’ll be placed in a compression garment. This helps manage your swelling and encourages healing. You must wear your compression garment for at least four weeks. Your arms—and particularly your hands–will be quite swollen after surgery. You can expect to see a significant reduction in swelling within the first two weeks following your surgery. Additionally, it’s not unusual to see a slight difference in swelling from one side to the other. Swelling will also be reduced by your LED Light Therapy sessions (as part of your Post-Operative Care Plan).
There’s no set sleeping position that’s advised following your surgery. You can sleep in any position that you’re most comfortable in. However, you may find that sleeping on your back is the most comfortable for the first few weeks.
You should not consider driving for the first two weeks after surgery. After this time, you should only drive if you feel safe enough to do so.
Please refrain from bathing or swimming for at least three weeks following your surgery.
After approximately two weeks post-surgery, you can consider returning to light office or desk work. After four weeks, light hospitality work may be possible. Any work that involves heavy lifting or straining must be avoided for six weeks.
Four weeks after your surgery, you can gradually return to your usual gym training and physical activities. Think of the first four weeks after your surgery as recovery. After this time, consider all activities as rehabilitation. You can participate in any physical activities you’d like, but be guided by your comfort levels and strength, which will improve gradually over time.
It will take at least six months before you’re feeling ‘normal’ and able to do all the things you could before surgery. At this stage, we’ll also assess your final surgical results. However, be aware that your scars may take up to 24 months to mature.
Every surgical procedure carries potential risks and complications. It’s important to be aware of these before making any decisions about surgery.
Complications specifically relating to Brachioplasty include:
In most parts of the body, a mature scar (that has healed well) appears as a fine white line. With Brachioplasty, the opposite is true. For various reasons, instead of becoming thin over time, Brachioplasty scars usually become thick and wide. Further, they can often develop into hypertrophic scarring (raised and thick, but within the boundaries of the original wound) or keloid scarring (raised and thick, extending beyond the original wound site).
To help prevent thickened or widened scars, all patients are given a comprehensive post-operative care program to help accelerate wound healing and minimise the appearance of scars. This includes the use of LED Light Therapy, Rejuran Therapy and Synchro Cream.
Learn more about risks & potential complicationsBrachioplasty is an elective surgical procedure. In patients experiencing significant amounts of excess skin, Brachioplasty surgery may be partially covered by Medicare and your health insurance. Dr Eddy Dona will advise whether this applies to you during your initial consultation.
The cost of an Arm Lift, also known as Brachioplasty, can vary greatly based on several important factors. Key variables include:
Given the personalised nature of Arm Lift Surgery, and the many listed variables, it is impossible to provide a precise total out of pocket cost. However, after your initial consultation with Dr Dona you will have:
You will then be provided with a precise quote, including all your Post-Operative Care requirements.
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