Arms Lift

Your surgeon will direct you on preparation for surgery. You will be given instructions on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding vitamins, iron tablets and certain medications. If you develop a cold or an infection of any kind, especially a skin infection, your surgery may have to be postponed.

Patients that suffer from hypertension must inform the surgeon prior to surgery. To eliminate the chance of post op. bleeding you should avoid aspirin and any medication containing aspirin or brufen for two weeks prior to surgery.

Communication with your surgeon is very important. You must clearly discuss your desired look with the surgeon so that he or she can determine with you what can realistically be achieved.

After surgery your arm(s) will be covered with a compression garment designed to hold them in shape whilst the newly sculptured skin heals to the tissue beneath. You will have sutures, possibly with a drain inserted to help the skin and tissue heal. Some of the sutures will absorb, and some may have to be removed by your during a follow-up visit.

Following the procedure you may feel some discomfort as there may be some swelling, bruising and stiffness.

For young women with out of proportioned arms, recovery should not take more than a day or two. For middle-aged patients wishing to hold back aging, the recovery time is about three or four days. Candidates who have lost a lot of weight and therefore require surgery may need a week or so before returning to work.

You will see a noticeable difference in the balance and contour of your arm(s) quite soon after surgery. However, improvement will become evident gradually as the swelling has subsided. You will also feel more confident and comfortable in different types of clothing.

Risks are inherent to any surgical procedure. The most common risks are swelling, bruising, bleeding, infection, fluid, numbness, or scarring.

The most common risk particular to this surgery is pulmonary embolism due to the freeing of fat or blood clots into the bloodstream, however this is very rare.
An arm lift is not recommended for patients who have had a mastectomy.

The drainage of fluid from the arm may already be damaged, and further surgery may lead to persistent swelling. Patients who have repeated infections in the armpit, or suffer from excessive sweating, may also not be good candidates for this surgery. For some people, liposuction may be a better way to reduce the thickness of the whole arm.