Brachioplasty | Arm Lift

BEFORE & AFTER GALLERY >

If the underside of your arms is sagging, brachioplasty is the best solution

Weight loss, aging, and heredity can result in an unsightly excess of arm skin. This can seriously diminish your quality of life. This condition cannot be corrected by exercise. Brachioplasty (known also as an arm lift) is a plastic surgery procedure designed to remove excess arm skin. Start your journey to a better quality of life.

Brachioplasty – The Essentials

During your arm lift consultation, our plastic surgeon will discuss techniques, recovery, complications, and costs.

Techniques

Lax skin hanging from the arm can be treated with arm lift surgery also medically know as brachioplasty.

The best candidates are people with a small excess of skin. The incision is vertical and lies in the fold of the armpit (mini-brachioplasty). The scar will be hidden in its natural folds. This technique is intended for patients who have mild skin excess and are mainly located on the top of the inner side of the arm. Despite its effectiveness, the result is less obvious than with the first technique.

This technique consists of a so-called “longitudinal” scar, that is to say along the inner face of the arm up to the elbow. More precisely, it consists in making a vertical (so-called longitudinal) incision on the inside of the arm. Its length varies according to the amount of skin to be removed. This technique is indicated for large amounts of excess skin.

Arm lift with “longitudinal” incision along the outer or lower side of the arm up to the elbow

There is another technique, called mixed, which combines the first two. It is an excellent compromise because it reduces the length of the incision made on the inside of the arms (about 10 cm maximum).

Brachioplasty Considerations

Dr. Chen Lee's abdominoplasty patients are usually managed as ambulatory day surgery patients at  Metropolitan Surgery Center in Montreal.

During your consultation, Dr. Chen Lee makes a careful clinical examination to determine the type of surgery and technique most appropriate for you (choice of incision, whether or not simultaneous liposuction). He will explain the precise information on the course of the intervention, post-operative follow-ups, and the result. A usual preoperative assessment will be given as a prescription if you wish to reserve the date of surgery after your consultation

Dr. Chen Lee will introduce you to the entire surgical team, anesthesiologist, and nurses. He will make sure to answer your last worries and make the drawings on your arms. It is very important to be fasting since midnight the day before and not have taken aspirin-based medicine, aspirin 2 weeks before surgery. In general, Dr. Chen Lee makes sure to see you again before you leave the surgery center the same day.

  • To reduce tension on the brachioplasty skin incision, try to maintain your arms in a passive position next to your thorax.
  • Take short walks inside your home. Move your legs and ankles to prevent phlebitis.
  • Wear your compressive garment but be sure to adjust it every 4-6 hours for comfort.
  • Take medications as prescribed.
  • If a drain has been placed, the nurses will show you how to record the volume output and how to evacuate the drain.

Contact us immediately if:

  • Bleeding
  • Intense pain
  • Fever
  • Swollen and painful leg

Complications following brachioplasty are infrequent. Obesity and a large amount of hanging arm skin are associated with a higher risk of complications.

Bleeding, infection, hematoma, and seroma are possible. If severe, go straight to the hospital emergency room hospital without delay.

Delayed wound healing and skin necrosis are complications that occur more often in obese patients and smokers. Wound complications are associated with increased scars.

Brachiolasty scars are long. Fortunately, the scars often fade with time (>6 months) and are positioned along the undersurface of the arm.  Occasionally, scar revision is necessary. Surgical revisions are usually minor procedures performed under local anesthesia.   

During your consultation, Dr. Chen Lee will answer your questions or concerns about complications. Our office will also provide you with a more comprehensive document listing the risks and complications associated with brachioplasty.

Financing & Convalescence

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During your first consultation, Dr. Chen Lee explains in detail the surgery and the possible techniques and recommendations for your specific case. He will show you before and after photos while explaining the technical aspects of the procedure. He will examine your arms to make recommendations as to whether you will benefit by combining liposuction with your planned brachioplasty.

The cost of a brachioplasty or arm lift in Montreal includes the fees of the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, and the nurses. Also the expenses of the operating room and of hospitalization, the price of the medical supplies, and the follow-up for 2 years. Quoted initial surgical fees do not include costs associated with any future surgical revisions. There will be additional fees for surgical revisions. However, many operative revisions can be performed under local anesthesia and are associated with relatively minor costs (eg. scar revision under local anesthesia). The price always depends on the complexity of the surgery and the technique used. The brachioplasty price range is $8000 to $9000 + taxes. A fixed price is provided after your consultation.

Surgeries are payable in cash, certified checks (bank drafts), Interac, or Visa / Mastercard credit cards. We also work with an independent credit company that offers financial payment plans for cosmetic surgery procedures. However, you should be aware that the interest rates and administration fees of this specialized company are higher than traditional financial institutions. It is often better to negotiate a loan through your personal bank or financial institution. We encourage you to do your homework and compare the true financial cost of these various financial options.

We recommend 2 weeks of a work stoppage to have a better experience during your convalescence. Some women with office work (non-physical) may return to work 7 to 10 days following surgery. However, each person is unique with a wide range of dates to return to work following arm lift surgery.

FAQ – BRACHIOPLASTY

Brachioplasty surgery or arm lift can be combined with liposuction of the arms or other cosmetic surgeries. Generally, brachioplasty is done in 2 hours. You can resume your normal activities (with certain restrictions) after a few days. Our arm lift procedures in Montreal are performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia.

It is natural that you have a lot of questions about cosmetic breast implant surgery. With his expertise, Dr. Chen Lee is committed to helping you understand the risks and make informed decisions about your procedure.

The best candidates for the arm lift are the people with the inner skin of the upper arms mos, flaccid, sagging. The change of the skin is often due to the natural aging of the skin with gravity, a significant weight loss, or genetics. It is also important to be in good health and have a stable weight. If you are considering losing weight it is strongly recommended to wait until you have your healthy weight before undergoing an arm lift.

A typical arm lift usually requires 2 to 3 hours of operative time. However, you should plan to be at the surgical center for half a day. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia. You to be monitored in the recovery room until the anesthetic has sufficiently diminished to permit a safe discharge home. Cosmetic surgeries commence early in the morning, so chances are you can go home early in the afternoon.

Arm lift results are immediately apparent after surgery. Scar maturation, recovery of the arm, and joint motion will continue to improve the perceived benefits for another 6 to 12 months after surgery. Brachioplasty achieves improved arm contour by skin excision. The resulting scar is an unfortunate consequence of the procedure. Most patients with realistic expectations find the results gratifying.

Hospitalization is not required. Most brachioplasties are performed on ambulatory outpatients. Under ordinary circumstances, you will arrive at the outpatient surgical center in the morning and will be ready for discharge home in the afternoon. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia. The lingering effects of the anesthetic can impair your mental alertness and mobility for several days. To ensure your safety, it is important that someone responsible accompany you home. While most of our patients choose outpatient arm patient surgery, one of our surgical facilities offers an overnight admission with supportive nursing care at a substantial financial fee. This can be organized for the few patients who require more nursing support.

To optimize healing and minimize the risk of complications, intense activities are to be avoided for 4 to 6 weeks. Dr. Lee will track your healing and will counsel you on the reintroduction of physical activities to match your healing progress. If you have a question about physical activity, be sure to ask Dr. Chen Lee during your follow-up.

Recovery and convalescent durations are unique to each individual. Most arm lift surgical patients plan 2 weeks off of work. We encourage light walking and light self-care activities commence the evening of surgery. More intense household chores can be slowly reintroduced in the 7-14 day period after surgery. These chores include cooking, cleaning, carrying weight (groceries or children), and driving a motor vehicle.

As with most elective cosmetic surgical procedures, arm lift patients are at low risk of infection, bleeding, hematoma, and poor healing.

More commonly, arm lift patients complain of arm tightness and restricted arm and elbow motion in the first weeks following surgery, This improves spontaneously as tissue swelling subsides and soft tissue elasticity returns. Affected patients often find the tight arm sensation to progressively improve in the latter part of the first postoperative month. Many patients experience bruising and ecchymosis of the arm. This too will spontaneously regress after 10-20 days.

Preparation for Brachioplasty

  • Avoid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (Aspirin, Advil, etc.)
  • Stop smoking, do not use e-cigarettes, avoid nicotine and marijuana
  • Do not drink alcohol
  • Continue prescription medications (unless advised otherwise)

Day of Surgery

Advice after Arm Lift

  • Do not cook, clean, carry weight (groceries or children), or drive
  • Take your medications as prescribed
  • Notify us promptly of unexpected symptomatology
  • Do your best to rest and relax for 2 weeks