Brachioplasty: A Contouring Solution and a Winning Combination

Droopy, saggy upper arms can make you feel self-conscious. They can also be frustrating, since the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports the sag can’t be corrected with exercise. Brachioplasty provides a quick and lasting solution that may help you feel confident in short sleeves again.

“Aging, weight loss and other factors can all cause your arms to droop and sag,” says Dr. Heidi Harrington, a board-certified, fellowship-trained plastic surgeon who sees patients at Beaufort Memorial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics. “While push-ups and dips can tone the muscle underneath, it’s often impossible to regain a shapely arm without cosmetic surgery.”

Read More: The Ins and Outs of Body Contouring: What It Can Do and Who It’s For

What Is Brachioplasty?

Also known as arm lift surgery, brachioplasty is a body contouring procedure designed to improve the appearance of your upper arms. The goal is to remove excess skin and fat, leaving you with smoother, tighter arms.

During the procedure, the following takes place:

• Anesthesia — You’re given medication to keep you relaxed and comfortable throughout the procedure. Based on your plastic surgeon’s preferences, you may receive general anesthesia or intravenous (IV) sedation. With IV sedation, you remain awake in a sleepy, relaxed state. General anesthesia keeps you unconscious. Both ensure you don’t experience pain during surgery.
• Incision — The plastic surgeon makes an incision inside or along the back of the arm. It typically goes from the armpit area to the elbow. The exact placement and length of your incision depend on your individualized care plan.
• Removal — The surgeon removes excess, loose skin and fat. Your surgeon may use liposuction to help remove fat.
• Reshape — Your plastic surgeon reshapes and tightens arm tissues underneath the skin. This creates a new, thinner contour that serves as the foundation for your newly shaped arms.
• Close — The surgeon smooths the skin over the top of your newly contoured area and closes the incision. These incisions may be absorbed into your body over time or be removed at a follow-up visit. Either way, you enjoy the results almost immediately, though there may be temporary swelling or bruising for a short period.

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Combining Brachioplasty With Other Contouring Procedures

If you’re considering brachioplasty, you may have other cosmetic procedures on your mind as well. Instead of waiting, you can undergo multiple procedures at once.

“Patients often combine brachioplasty with other procedures, especially after losing a lot of weight,” Dr. Harrington says. “Such significant weight loss often leaves excess skin in multiple areas, and it’s normal to want to see how your improved health has affected your entire body.”

No matter why you’re considering brachioplasty, surgeries that pair well with the procedure include the following:

• Breast lift — The surgeon reshapes and supports breast tissue. This helps restore sagging breasts to their previous shape and size affected by weight loss, breastfeeding or aging.
• Breast reduction — The surgeon removes excess fat, skin and other breast tissue. You may want a breast reduction if the size of your breasts causes back or neck discomfort, posture problems or other functional issues.
• Facelift — Your plastic surgeon removes excess skin and repositions the underlying tissue and fat to achieve a more youthful appearance. You may also want to consider a neck lift at the same time to address the neck and jowls.
• Liposuction — The plastic surgeon loosens excess fat in the abdomen, chest, calves or other problem areas. Then, the surgeon either uses a surgical vacuum or syringe to remove the fat or dissolves the fat with special laser technology.
• Thigh lift — By removing excess skin and fat from your thighs, the surgeon provides your thighs with smoother skin and a more youthful appearance.
• Tummy tuck — This popular procedure helps give a flatter appearance to the abdominal area by removing excess fat and skin.

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Benefits of Combining Cosmetic Procedures

There are many reasons you may consider undergoing a brachioplasty at the same time as other plastic surgeries. Benefits of combining body sculpting surgeries include:

• Balance — “Having multiple procedures at once makes sure your contoured arms don’t look out of place,” Dr. Harrington says. “Instead, everything matches, and you appear balanced from head to toe.”
• Cost — You can avoid paying for duplicate services by only entering the operating room once for comprehensive contouring.
• Follow-up — Instead of needing multiple follow-up visits for multiple procedures, you can have all surgical sites inspected by your plastic surgeon in a single visit.
• Recovery — Combining surgeries allows you to recover from multiple procedures at once. This reduces the amount of time you spend wearing bandages or a compression garment after surgery.

“Brachioplasty and other contouring surgeries are empowering, as they help your exterior mirror your interior,” Dr. Harrington says. “They’re also long-term solutions. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle and a stable weight and following your surgeon’s orders afterward, your results can last a lifetime.”

Read More: Perfection, from Beginning to End

The Benefits of Brachioplasty

Brachioplasty, also known as arm lift surgery, can correct saggy, droopy arms that are often caused by aging, significant weight loss or other factors.

• Arm lift surgery removes excess fat and skin from the back of your arms. Afterward, your arms have a thinner, more toned, youthful appearance.
• Brachioplasty complements several other body contouring procedures, including breast reduction and tummy tuck.
• Combining sculpting surgeries streamlines your body transformation, saving time and money and helping your body maintain a balanced appearance.

Wondering if brachioplasty or other body contouring is right for you? Call 843-707-8020 or request a plastic surgery consultation online.