Women who have larger upper arms or excess, sagging skin of the upper arms may be self-conscious about wearing certain styles of tops such as short-sleeved and sleeveless shirts. Often, sleeves of clothing are too tight in the upper arm area, which may limit fashion choices. Upper arm surgery or brachial surgery gives these women the confidence and ability to wear clothes more comfortably in their everyday life.
Upper Arm Consultation
During the initial consultation, Dr. Ness and Dr. Rolfes will evaluate your medical history and determine if either a skin removal, liposuction, or a combination of procedure for the arm would be an appropriate surgery for you. Our doctors and assistant will take the time to educate you about upper arm surgery and welcome all of your questions about the surgery, our practice, and recovery after your upper arm surgery.
Upper Arm Surgery
An upper arm surgery refers to two types of procedures; a brachioplasty or liposuction. Brachioplasty addresses the fatty tissue and excess skin of the upper arm area. Depending on the extent of the skin removal needed, an incision will run along the inside of the upper arm from the elbow to the underarm area. Some patients will require a shorter incision. Typically, a brachioplasty surgery also involves liposuction to remove excess fatty tissue of the upper arm.
If appropriate, brachial liposuction may be used to reduce the size of an upper arm where the patient has excellent skin elasticity and little to no excess skin. Our doctors will determine which type of procedure would be most effective for you during the initial consultation. Upper surgery is typically performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia.
Upper Arm Lift Recovery
Following your upper arm surgery, you will be cared for by the nursing staff in the recovery room. When you are fully awake and comfortable, you will be released to the care of a family member or friend with a list of after-care instructions. There will be guidelines for after-care including lifting restrictions and limited exercise. Postoperatively, you must refrain from strenuous activity for up to six weeks and wear an elastic support garment for 6-8 weeks.
We will schedule post operative follow up appointments in one of our clinics for the day after your surgery and periodically throughout the next 4-6 weeks.
